Category: Cartonnage

Cartonnage, Challenges & SALs, WIPocalypse

WIPocalypse 2024 recap

Anne S

My mojo didn’t last long at the start of the year, so there’s not a huge amount to recap from earlier, but I’m super happy that during November and December I got a big chunk of stitching done. I also loved getting a couple of finishes under my belt early in the year before my mojo disappeared again for a while. And considering I changed my goals to just have the single goal of “finish at least one needlework project by the end of the year“, I guess I can call 2024 a success 😀

I joined the WIP Warriors Facebook group this year – and got made redundant from my job in November, where I’d been employed for just over 24 years. The timing of the WIP Warriors group was perfect, because their challenges really helped me to get back into my stitching on a regular basis again over the last month or so – and that’s been really therapeutic for my emotions and my sense of belonging. It also meant some reasonable progress on a few WIPs these last few weeks to close out the year.

Finishes for 2024

“Lahaina Breezes” by Laura J Perin

“Quaker Diamonds” by Rosewood Manor

Scarf from a 2020 Crochet Society subscription box (to be donated to charity)

2024 progress on WIPs

I’m so thrilled to see some decent progress on Three Kings and Mini Sunflowers this month – they’ll be two of my focus projects for next year, with the aim to finish Three Kings so it can be on display next Christmas.

Cartonnage, Quilting & Sewing, Tilda

Tilda exchange

Anne S

I joined an exchange for the first time – I hadn’t touched my sewing machine in almost 4 years, and I found it a struggle I’ll be honest. Then when I was made redundant in the last month of prepping for the exchange I just didn’t have the headspace available to finish the last couple of homemade gifts that I wanted to include. I’m still proud of what I managed to achieve, but it wasn’t the exchange gift I wanted to send. I may still complete the remaining two items in the new year and send on to my recipient, though.

These are photos of what I sent to my exchange partner – the criteria was to send something in each of the following 5 categories/themes:

  • Something special for the recipient
  • A small doily or table runner
  • Something for the sewing room
  • A Christmas ornament
  • Something to eat

Something special

A small doily or table runner

Something for the sewing room

A Christmas ornament

Something to eat

Cartonnage

Cartonnage clamshell box

Anne S

I recently unpacked my cartonnage tools and completed a past kit project from Boxed and Bound – and it was probably my most challenging project to date, with lots of errors made on my part. The end result, though, is a really stunning and functional box, made in some of my favourite Tilda fabrics (Cotton Beach collection). As I love blues and teals of all shades, and I adore beachy decor, this was the perfect mix for me!

Cartonnage, Challenges & SALs, WIPocalypse

WIPocalypse Jan 2024

Anne S

Oh my goodness I just realised this was still sitting in draft!!

In January I managed to make some decent progress on Lahaina Breezes by Laura J Perin. I also finished my most challenging cartonnage project to date – a toolbox for my cartonnage tools!! I’m so in love with that box 🩵

2023 recap

Goals partially met for 2023:

Progress on 12 WIPs/UFOs

I only made progress on four projects, instead of 12.

Kathy Rees: Banded by Bargello (FINISH) – I made some decent progress at the start of the year before losing my mojo again, but ended the year on a high as it was the only project I wanted to work on when my mojo returned a bit. I’m so excited to show that this was 100% finished too, woohoo!

HAED: Mini Sunflowers – I really love every moment I spend stitching on this one, it’s a really good mix of confetti and larger sections of colour. It’s my first HAED stitched on 18ct Aida too, and I’m quite enjoying it.

Un chat dans l’aiguille: Août – I had to do a lot of frogging on this one, so not as much progress as I would have hoped

Rosewood Manor: Quaker Diamonds (I thought it was going to be a finish, but then realised I’d missed a couple of the over-one small letters, so it’s in the naughty corner until I can find a set of spare Qsnaps for that one section – it may end up being my first finish of 2024)

Progress on three canvaswork projects

I only made progress on one project, although it was a LOT of progress, as I actually finished it!
– Kathy Rees: Banded by Bargello

Goals not met at all for 2023:

  • Progress on a crochet project
    I didn’t make progress on an older WIP, but I did start a new project and made progress on that one (Uptown Poncho) … which I guess will be a WIP for 2024 now
  • Complete 12 Christmas ornaments (as part of the JCS ornament SAL on Facebook) – not started
  • Sew an item of clothing – not started
  • Finish and frame the Ronald McDonald charity stitching – not started
  • Start a bed quilt – not started
  • Complete at least three sewing projects (eg pouches, pincushions etc – WIPs or new starts) – not started
  • Finish-finish at least 12 items in my finishing pile (eg Christmas ornaments etc) – not started
Cartonnage, Challenges & SALs, WIPocalypse

WIPocalypse 2023 recap

Anne S

My mojo didn’t last long at the start of the year, so there’s not too much to recap for the year, but I’m super happy that at least there are a few projects that got some love, including a couple of big finishes.

Goals fully met for 2023:

Complete at least one cartonnage project

The first goal I met completely (and I realised I forgot to post about) – I finished two cartonnage class kit projects.

Progress on at least one project with specialty stitches

I’m using my progress on Banded by Bargello by Kathy Rees for this goal, which is constructed almost entirely out of specialty stitches (progress photos below).

Goals partially met for 2023:

Progress on 12 WIPs/UFOs

I only made progress on four projects, instead of 12.

Kathy Rees: Banded by Bargello (FINISH) – I made some decent progress at the start of the year before losing my mojo again, but ended the year on a high as it was the only project I wanted to work on when my mojo returned a bit. I’m so excited to show that this was 100% finished too, woohoo!

HAED: Mini Sunflowers – I really love every moment I spend stitching on this one, it’s a really good mix of confetti and larger sections of colour. It’s my first HAED stitched on 18ct Aida too, and I’m quite enjoying it.

Un chat dans l’aiguille: Août – I had to do a lot of frogging on this one, so not as much progress as I would have hoped

Rosewood Manor: Quaker Diamonds (I thought it was going to be a finish, but then realised I’d missed a couple of the over-one small letters, so it’s in the naughty corner until I can find a set of spare Qsnaps for that one section – it may end up being my first finish of 2024)

Progress on three canvaswork projects

I only made progress on one project, although it was a LOT of progress, as I actually finished it!
– Kathy Rees: Banded by Bargello

Goals not met at all for 2023:

  • Progress on a crochet project
    I didn’t make progress on an older WIP, but I did start a new project and made progress on that one (Uptown Poncho) … which I guess will be a WIP for 2024 now
  • Complete 12 Christmas ornaments (as part of the JCS ornament SAL on Facebook) – not started
  • Sew an item of clothing – not started
  • Finish and frame the Ronald McDonald charity stitching – not started
  • Start a bed quilt – not started
  • Complete at least three sewing projects (eg pouches, pincushions etc – WIPs or new starts) – not started
  • Finish-finish at least 12 items in my finishing pile (eg Christmas ornaments etc) – not started
Cartonnage

Cartonnage projects

Anne S

While my stitching mojo was absent last year I did manage to start a new type of craft for me – thanks to Janie Hubble and Boxed and Bound I was able to sign up for some cartonnage classes and managed to complete the first couple of projects. Life then got in the way a wee bit and I still have a few projects to work on, but I’m hoping to make some progress on those this year.

Here are the two projects that I managed to fully complete – first up was a recipe card box:

The next project was a bit more challenging for me, but I thrive on a challenge so it was enjoyable and gave a real sense of achievement at the end. It’s a small set of drawers, which are so cute and dainty in real life!