FO update

Today I have just a quick FO (finished object) update. I spent Thanksgiving weekend eating yummy food, hanging out with my husband's family, and knitting up a storm. The result: three finished wraps (and not a moment too soon!):
One, knit with gorgeous brown and orange variegated yarn, has been mentioned in this blog before.


This one, made with Skacel Sofa (I love how soft and yummy it is!) was to be a shrug, but suddenly yelled "caplet" as I began to knit.

And this tiny, soft, furry concoction, is a mobius wrap fit for a night on the town (what with it's splashes of glittery silver and all).

Wreaths

Today is so beautiful outside, that I decided it was finally time to finish some door wreaths. I love to use real pine cones in my wreaths, which means sitting outside with a bucket of water so I can get said cones into the actual wreath frames. It was so nice to sit outside for awhile... the birds were singing happily, and my cat was thrilled to sit at the porch window, alternately staring and me and the myriad of birds.

The downside to this otherwise happy picture is becoming covered with sticky sap as I push the pine cones into the wreath frames. That, and the not-so-pleasant smell that results from bakeing them to achieve a deep chestnut-y color and sap-glaze shine. Today I got the added pleasure of burning my wrist as I was removing a wreath from the oven. :( I hope that's not an omen for the week.... I have much to do and so little time!

Oh well. Now I have numerous beautiful wreaths all ready to embellish later this week.

A few thoughts on Finishing....

As I get closer to my craft show date (March 24/25), I am thinking more along the lines of finishing projects that I have already begun, rather than starting new ones (despite how desperately I want to try that new pattern!).

Now, in order to understand, you should know that I'm a "typical" Gemini; I have many projects in the fire at once because otherwise I get bored. On one hand, that's a good thing, because when I finish what I have going, I'll have plenty of items for my craft show.

But working on the finishing is a bit like pulling teeth. For weeks, I found myself avoiding it, until suddenly, I'm three weeks out from a show (NOW!!) and realize that I have to strictly schedule my days in order to force myself to finish.

It reminded me of school, and term papers (ick!), and how after putting in hours of research and reading, I (and many of my classmates) was loath to actually write the paper. It wasn't that I didn't know my stuff, or that I couldn't write it. It was simply that all the excitement (challenge is probably a better word) had been taken out of the paper already, and all that was left was regurgitating what I already knew onto paper for someone else to judge.

I think there's a parallel in crafting. Once you've picked the pattern, enjoyed the feel of the fabric or yarn as you selected it, cast on your stitches or begun cutting the pieces, and cleared the hurdles of a new stitch or sewing skill, all the excitement is gone. All that's left at that point is trimming threads, weaving in yarn ends, seaming, ironing..... you get the picture.

But... what I'm using to spur myself on these days is the forgotten thrill --- the thrill of the completed project. When you look at your creation and know there is NOTHING else to do on it; it's done, and it's wonderful/beautiful/exactly as you envisioned. That thrill that is hard to beat. The tough part is working through the finishing doldrums to reach the final goal --- completion.