2016 WIPdown

In 2015, I focused a lot on my quilt WIPs and working my way through them.  I was very pleased at the end of the year to have made great strides in that arena.  I started with my oldest WIP and with each I finished, I moved on to the next in line (oldest to newest).  So, when the new year got close I started thinking about how to approach my stitching WIPs.  I knew that if I started with my oldest WIP, I’d never get anywhere (there’s a reason that one still isn’t done).  I also know that I do best focusing on one project until it’s finished, rather than bouncing from project to project.  So, I decided that I would choose ten WIPs, projects that I want to work on, and put them in a box.  Instead of having my usual New Year’s Day start, I would pull my first project out of the box and work on whatever it is until it is done.  Instead of a tenth project, I put in a “seasonal wildcard” so that I could stitch on something seasonal – new start or WIP – if I draw this one.  I’ve also allowed myself any smalls or ornaments that I want to work on, so that I have a travel project and also something small to work on if I’m focusing on a large WIP.  So, on New Year’s Day I was super excited to pull my first project out of the box and see what I was going to work on!

…and I drew Hare Pyns!  So here’s the funny backstory on this.  The weekend before I got together with a friend to work on Hare Pyns and we made some good progress.  We got the needlebook made and sewn on and we got the pincushion made.  I was really excited when I realized how close I was actually getting to having HP done.  But, my excitement over picking something to stitch out of the box overshadowed how I was feeling about HP.  When I pulled the rabbit hare out of the box, I was shocked!  Of course it was the one WIP I’d put into the box that wasn’t actual stitching, just finishing.  I just laughed and said, “ok, I guess I’m supposed to finish this sooner rather than later!”

I’ve posted my previous progress here and here. So, here’s where I started out on the first of January with HP.

All the stitching was done, of course.  I’d made the pin keep and attached it, assembled the sewing case itself and the ribbon edging was partially attached.  The needlebook was finished as was the pincushion.  So, all I had left was finishing up attaching the ribbon edging, add the ribbon accents, assemble the scissor sheath and the scissor fob.  That’s it!  It really only took a few nights to finish off that ribbon edging, and then a few more to finish the other pieces.  And as of last night, it’s finished!

I can hardly believe it is actually done.  Our kit came with the wooden hare threadkeep and a hare ruler.  I’ve been so afraid I would break mine before I got this piece done, so they were in a safe place.  A safe place I had to find.  Sherri Jones provided the antique button for the piece as well.  And in case you were wondering, all that background is actually stitched.

Inside you can see the needlebook, the pin keep (I don’t actually have pins around the edge of it since I’d like to find some matching glass head pins), and the truth about how long it’s been since I took this workshop.

A closer look at the needlebook.  I love that tiny little hare coming out of the tulip.  The inside of the needlebook is wool felt.  And below is a closer look at the pinkeep.  All that background on the pinkeep and on the sewing case itself is also all stitched.  Love the over one hare inside the zero.

And here’s the inside pockets.  There’s the wooden hare ruler.  There is a center divider and on one side it has a little pocket and on the other side (the side you can see here), there are ribbon “slots” for holding needlework tools.  There’s also two bigger pockets at the back where the ruler is.

And here are the other accessories – the scissor sheath, the scissor fob, and the pincushion.

Back of the fob has my initial on it.  And the sweet hare scissors are from a friend that also took this workshop.  (I had to find these too…they were in use already in another project bag.)

And here’s a look at the back of the sewing case.  The bargello, of course, matches the scissor sheath and vice versa.

I really am so beyond excited to finally have this piece finished, and looking at it I can hardly believe that I actually did all this finishing myself.  It was super frustrating at times, but none of it was really hard.  It did take a lot of patience, and a lot of reading and re-reading the instructions, and a lot of time with my friend working on our pieces together.  Finishing this also makes me feel a tad more confident about tackling some of my other workshop pieces.  Of course, they have to actually be stitched first!

I hope you enjoyed seeing my first finish of 2016 and that you’ll check back to see what the next project is that comes out of the box!

I am grateful for my finishing buddy.

14 thoughts on “2016 WIPdown”

  1. Michelle, it’s gorgeous and you did an amazing job stitching and finishing it. I’ve seen a friends HP and it’s a wonderful project. What a way to start the year!

  2. Michelle, it’s gorgeous and you did an amazing job stitching and finishing it. I’ve seen a friends HP and it’s a wonderful project. What a way to start the year!

  3. Absolutely stunning and perfect ! Gorgeous!!
    I love that painted box too…and the pull it out of the box idea fabulous!

  4. Absolutely stunning and perfect ! Gorgeous!!
    I love that painted box too…and the pull it out of the box idea fabulous!

  5. Michelle, I’m just now going back to look at all your older blog posts. Oh MY – this piece(s) is absolutely exquisite! All the things that push my buttons too – the colors, the bunnies, the one-over-one . . . serious “small” envy going on here! Thanks for the wonderful photos.
    (I suppose this is only available as a class project : ( . . . )

  6. Michelle, I’m just now going back to look at all your older blog posts. Oh MY – this piece(s) is absolutely exquisite! All the things that push my buttons too – the colors, the bunnies, the one-over-one . . . serious “small” envy going on here! Thanks for the wonderful photos.
    (I suppose this is only available as a class project : ( . . . )

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