Hello, 2011!

Here we are again at the start of another year!  When I started sewing a little over a year ago, I meant to start a blog to keep track of my projects, but alas, here I am just getting started now.  One of my resolutions for this year is to use this space to document what I'm working on, which thus far has mostly consisted of home decorations, gifts, and bags, but will progress to clothing and quilts this year.  As for my other resolutions, they are:

1) Make 14 items for charity.  Last year I set out to make 12 items for charity.  I ended up making 12 pillowcases for ConKerr Cancer, an organization that gives handmade pillowcases to children in hospitals.  Some of the pillowcases are seen below.  These were made using Jay McCarroll's Garden Friends.  As soon as I saw the collection I knew I needed to figure out something to make with it, and I thought the pillowcases would be perfect.  I'm going to try and step up my game this year by making 14 items.  I already have fabric cut out for an art kit (using the design in Craft Hope), so I need to come up with 13 other projects!  Good thing I have 12 months!

2) Sew one wearable dress, skirt, and blouse.  I had high hopes of participating in Gertie's Crepe Dress Sew Along, but Christmas gift making took over my December.  I have the pattern and the fabric, but I haven't started yet.  I still plan on following her amazingly helpful posts to make this dress, but it looks like I'll be finishing a lot later than everyone else.  I also hope to participate in Tasia's Pendrell Blouse Sew Along, which starts next week (yikes!).  I have my pattern but no fabric yet.  I better get cracking!  As for the skirt, I don't have a pattern picked out yet.  I made a wrap skirt in September that didn't quite hang like I wanted it to, hence why I inserted wearable in the resolution!

3) Make one quilt.  I'm pretty new to quilting, but what I have done so far I love!  There's something so nice about creating something that can be passed down through generations, and it's pretty awesome when corners match up to create a beautiful geometric pattern.  Well, most of mine lined up, but that's what being a beginner is all about!  I think I am going to focus on making something to hang on the wall, but I'm not sure yet what that will be.
 
4) Knit 10 panels for an afghan.  For our wedding, our friend Sasha knit my husband and I this awesomely beautiful afghan.  Don't let the title of her post fool you, she is definitely not a bad friend!  Now that it's cold, my husband and I love to snuggle under this beauty.  One of us usually gets to it first, much to the chagrin of the blanketless other.  Then I came across this patchwork afghan in ReadyMade, and decided to start knitting a friend for Sasha's afghan, even if it is much simpler and plainer.  I have an hour commute to and from work each today, so I've been doing some knitting on the train.  So far I have two panels done, but I need to step up my game if this thing is going to be finished any time soon!

5) Run the Broad Street Run in under 2 hours.  Ok, this seems a little out of place, but keeping fit is as important to me as being silly and creative.  Last year my husband and I ran the Broad Street Run in a little over 2 hours, despite temperatures in the 90s and 100% humidity at 8:00am.  The race starts near Olney Ave in North Philadelphia and follows Broad Street for 10 miles down to the Philadelphia Naval Yard in South Philly.  My husband and I are not "runners," but we trained and ran in support of Back on My Feet, an organization that empowers the homeless through a running program. We were able to raise over $500 and actually finish the race without dying.  And we're going to do it all again this year! 


I'll be sure to take pictures of these adventures and others along the way!  Happy 2011!