I hereby dub myself Queen of Long-Drawn-Out Projects in the Land of Procrastination. I'd make myself a crown, but it would probably take five or six years to get it completed, so I'll just settle for the title.
Last April, April 28th to be exact, I came home from the yarn store with this:
which soon became this:
But after many months it still wasn't finished. Jane finished her afghan in four weeks (and actually made another one shortly thereafter). I, however, did not work as quickly as she did. After a year, I finally realized that I just needed to buckle down and finish the last three color stripes. So I did.
And now I have a lovely afghan, which I am very pleased with. I am even crossing off an item on my 101 List. The actual list item says "Christmas" afghan, but I am giving myself the authority to make this afghan count towards the list item. I don't really want to make another afghan for quite awhile anyhow.
But really, the item that gives me the sparkliest jewel in my crown is my cross stitch project! When I was 16 years old, I started a set of counted cross stitch pictures, called "Pinky" and "Blue Bunny".
Two years ago, Blue Bunny looked like this:
But would it surprise you that, in fact, just a week ago, he still looked the same? It didn't surprise me, because I certainly hadn't been working on him. But I decided that it would be nice to have these two framed and on the wall instead of languishing in my sewing room closet. So tonight he looks like this (the flash washed the picture out a bit):
I've been working on him for about an hour a day, and as you can see, I'm making good progress on finishing it up!
While it is true that I haven't been working on this particular project for nearly sixteen years, I think of the set as one project. My 31-year-old heart doesn't pitter-patter exactly the same as my 16-year-old heart did over this project, but I do still like it! And I'll be glad to have it finished soon!
After this is finished, I think the oldest project in my house will be my quilt. I wonder sometimes if that will ever get finished! I started that one nearly 12 years ago. Yikes.
But I shall hold my head high and wear my crown proudly. After all, I do eventually finish my projects.
Image source for crown. All other images my own.
11 comments:
Congrats on finishing your afghan - it looks great!!!
It always feels so good to finish a project that has been hanging around for a bit too long. I need to start doing more of that. Thanks for the motivation!
Tammy ~ What a fun, fun post! I think you might have some competition on your hands for the title of Queen of Long-Drawn-Out Projects! LOL! I have so many unfinished x-stitch pictures! When quilting and knitting and scrapbooking came on the scene, my poor little x-stitch bag became mighty lonely (actually it's not poor and little; it's a x-large LL Bean Tote to hold everything!)
One day I AM going to finish what I started since the girls picked out a few for me to stitch for their future walls. I love you afghan; you did a great job!
And...that is a LOT of stitching on that rabbit picture! I can see how it would take awhile.
yea! you are getting stuff done on your list! me too, but nothing to do with what you are doing here. just other stuff around the house. it feels great, doesn't it?
Hmmm...I'll be second runner up for that crown...LOL Remember my Red White and Blue Afghan? Yeah I haven't touched it in a couple of months.
I am LOL here!!! You are SO funny, Tammy!!!
Your afghan is GORGEOUS!!! As always, you do such a beautiful job!!
And CONGRATULATIONS on picking up your cross-stitch again!!! I finally threw away a quarter finished cross stitch project I'd started 10 years ago and never finished. It started to yellow. Ew.
His,
Mrs. U
Good for you in picking it back up and getting those projects finished! As the saying goes, "Better late than never" :~)
Gee, I thought my friend Barbara was the Queen. But after reading this post I agree you are the queen. So I guess that makes my friend a Princess. Good job finishing those projects. It feels pretty good doesn't it!
Hooray for Tammy! Nice work.
If you are queen, you must name me Duchess, because I have so many UFOs in knitting, embroidery, sewing, and cross-stitching that it is embarassing. It's genetic, though, because some of my cross-stitching UFOs were my mom's that I want to finish, lol!
Ooops! I forgot to say that your afghan is just gorgeous!
Hi Tammy. It's Sandi's friend Barbara (the "princess" of unfinished projects).
Congrats on finishing your beautiful afghan! I've crocheted a few and they do take a while to finish. It's a 'winter sport' for me. I just can't crochet during the summer when it's hot. I've finished 3 (one for us and two I've given to my husband's kids as gifts) and now I have a 4th started.
I am also a new quilter and amazed at how quickly I became obsessed with fabric and patterns after making my first quilt. I've taken several classes at our local quilt shop and now have so many unfinished projects that I'll have to live to be 120 to get them all done! Your Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt is really beautiful and is something to be really proud of. That pattern is on my 'list of quilts I'd like to make someday'.
I've also got a box full of cross stitch projects to make and 2 in progress.
Gee -- we must be such well-rounded gals if we can make all these beautiful handmade items. Completion of projects feels so good, but sometimes it's the simple pleasure of enjoying the process that makes me happy. So don't rush yourself, just enjoy doing what makes you happy.
PS: Yes Sandi, my ceramic Christmas scene is still in a box unfinished!!
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