USE IT OR LOSE IT #2 - FIRST PROJECT

I've already made a start on my new campaign. It involves a magazine, lace-weight yarn and crochet.

I recently added (yet) another magazine to my ever growing magazine stash. I do try not to buy magazines unnecessarily, however, I spotted Crochet Gifts (published by Practical Publishing) in Morrison's and remembered that I'd been asked to do an interview by the lovely editor Hugh Metcalf. I skimmed through and there was little old me on a two-page spread - how exciting.

On the following pages are the patterns for Red Riding Hood and the Wolf from my Crochet book Once Upon a Time in Crochet. Well I had to buy it, didn't I!!!

So with my new rules in place (you can read them here), I must either USE IT OR LOSE IT.

I really need to keep this mag and luckily a project immediately caught my eye - The Odeletta Shawl by designer Anna Nikipirowicz (moochka.co.uk).

It's right up my street - simple and pretty (plus it looks very quick to make). The project calls for 2 x 25g balls of Rowan Kidsilk Haze, which is beautiful, feathery mohair/silk yarn, but unfortunately I can't wear it near my skin. So I had a little mooch around The Woolnest and produced a skein of beautiful organic silk lace weight yarn with more than enough meterage to match the 2 balls of Kidsilk Haze. Sorted!!!! I did have 2 skeins of this gorgeous yarn, so it looks as though I'll be making one as a gift too.

I started last Thursday (4 days ago) and I've made quite good progress. It was a little bit fiddly to begin with, as the yarn is so thin and my stitches very small, but now that I've worked a few rows, it's getting much easier to work with. I love the softness of the organic lace yarn and can't wait to wear this beautiful shawl.

How are you getting on - have you made a start yet on your own USE IT OR LOSE IT campaign???

Good luck if you have, and don't forget to share your projects here on Ravelry:
Click here to join the group on Ravelry

Thanks for reading and Happy Crafting, Lynne x

USE IT OR LOSE IT #1 - THE RULES

Finally, I’m pleased/relieved to share my latest stash busting project with you.

I’ve called it:

USE IT OR LOSE IT

The capital letters are for my own purposes – I keep saying these words over and over to myself but I don’t seem to be taking any notice. So now I’m shouting them to myself and it’s finally working. So if you want to join in, here are the rules - I’m setting rules so that I stick to them. If there are no rules I’ll probably find an excuse to just keep everything that’s in The Woolnest and that would be fruitless and pointless as I really REALLY need to have a MEGA sort-out.

Use It or Lose It: The Rules

Rule 1:
1. Go through my magazine stash.  I literally have hundreds of magazines stacked in piles under the bed; in boxes; in bags. They’re everywhere I turn and are getting me down as they’re heavy to move.

2. Look through each magazine and if I see a project that I would make, then I can remove the pattern and keep it - IF and only IF I have some yarn in my stash that I can use (NO new yarn to be purchased!!!). If I spot a handy technique that would be useful in my classes, or a photograph that inspires me, then I can remove it from the magazine and keep it in a file. The rest of the mag will be recycled. If there’s nothing in the magazine that takes my fancy, then I will give the whole magazine to a friend or charity shop.

Rule 2:

1. Go through my books. As with magazines, I have an ever-growing pile of books that I have bought or that have been sent to me to review on my blog. I have far too many books and barely look at some.

2. Look through each book and if I want to keep it I have to choose at least one project to make, using yarn from my stash – remember - no buying of yarn is allowed. If nothing takes my fancy then I will give the book to a friend or charity shop, or if it’s like new I may sell it.

I’m already having palpitations at the sheer thought of Rules 1 and 2 above!!!!

Rule 3:

1. Go through my stash and identify what yarns I have. I will do this a drawer at a time, otherwise it will be too overwhelming (I really do have lots of yarn!!).

2. Write down the yarn types and quantities and decide what I’m going to do with it. I can use Rules 1 and 2 to help find projects to make. If I really can’t decide what to make with the yarn, then it will go to a friend or to charity, or if it’s new and still in neat balls, then I may sell it. It will probably take me years to use up my stash, so the sooner I make a start, the better.

Rule 4:

1. Go through the various drawers, jars and tins dotted around The Woolnest and identify what’s in them – most likely buttons, ribbon, beads, felted balls and that sort of thing. I need to make sure that I start incorporating them into projects. I’d be reluctant to give these away as they really do come in handy with my commissions and it would be silly to get rid of them, just to buy more when I need them. But I need to make sure I’m using them. If I find anything I just don’t like and would never, ever use, then I will give them to friends or charity.

Rule 5
Find my Work's in Progress (WIPs) and decide whether I'm going to finish each one. I have quite a few dotted around the house so I'll need to round them up. I need to either finish each one or if I don't like it then am I prepared to unravel it or would it make a nice gift if I finish it???? Decisions......decisions..........

So there we have it. The Rules of USE IT OR LOSE IT. If you want to join in, you can use the hashtag on twitter #useitorloseit , and I really look forward to seeing what you make along the way.

Good luck and don't forget to share your makes here on Ravelry - you're all welcome.
Click here to join the group
 
Happy Crafting, Lynne x

Exciting Things Part 1

 

Lots of exciting things are happening here at the Woolnest.  I'm a happy bunny at the moment, and can't wait to share all of my little secrets with you.

 

Firstly, you may have noticed that I've been very quiet for some time. One reason is that it's holiday time, but another reason is that I've been rebranding my website/blog and social media accounts. What do you think of my new logos? I love them all and have the very talented James at www.bohemiart.co.uk to thank for my new branding. I particularly love my Twitter and Facebook branding with the knitting needles and crochet hook.

 

I've been busy grappling with technology and loading my new banners to each site. It does take a while, but I'm nearly there. I still have my blog to work on, and all of my patterns to rebrand, so it may be a while before I'm finished. I'm happy to take things a step at a time and fit things in around my design work.

 

My second piece of REALLY exciting new is that I'm joining the Woman's Weekly Knitting & Crochet team at Event City in Manchester on the 10th/11th/12th September. It's a jam-packed craft event and  I will be teaching crochet at their free crochet sessions throughout the day. I really can't wait and although I'm nervous, I'm really excited too. I feel honoured to be invited to join the team at their annual craft event and you can read more about it all here:

http://www.womansweekly.com/event/womans-weekly-live/

Wish me luck and hope to see you there. More exciting news will follow soon.

Happy Crafting, Lynne x