Welcome to the Maker Stash-Down 2024! Do you like to make? Do you have an awesome maker “collection”? This could be the challenge for you! The aim is to use all those wonderful maker supplies to actually make things. Read on to find out all the details!
It’s been 3 years since I did this challenge. I started it as a way to work through all the maker supplies, UFOs, and WIPs I’d accumulated over the years. It was also a way to meet other makers and see all of their awesome makes. Here’s how it went in previous years:
This year will be fairly similar, but I’m determined to really keep up with my goals. I noticed looking back on the previous posts, there’s still lots of things that just did not get done. It’s okay, cause it’s a new year and a new chance for more making! Here’s a breakdown of how to participate in the challenge:
- I’ll be posting monthly blog posts with my goals for the month and finishes from the previous month. You can share your goals and finishes in the Teadoddles Makers Facebook group.
- Share your goals and finishes each month to be put in a drawing for a $20 Amazon gift card. This will be a random draw from the people that participate.
- Since this is a Maker Stash-Down all crafts are included! If you made it, it counts. If you have questions about posting something, just let me know.
So, that’s basically what’s happening each month. Pretty awesome, right? I’m so excited to see everyone’s goals and makes! : D
I had big goals this month and I started off strong. Once school started back, I expected it to slow down and it did. What I didn’t expect was one of my dog’s health taking a drastic down turn in mid-January. My deaf bulldog, Hefy-lou, got to a point she could no longer get up and go outside and she lost her sight the last week of the month. She passed away this past Friday evening. Although she will be missed, she is no longer suffering. She had long life for a bulldog and lived to be 10 years old. I will miss her cuddles and pig-like snorts and sassy attitude.
January Finishes
I finally finished the Fallow Fawn Sweater pattern from Hopeful Honey. I combined Caron Simply Tweed in gray with a baby alpaca lace. Checkout my video about combining yarns right here.
I did finish the Santa gnome, but not the tree. Technically, I finished it in February, but I’m counting it as a January finish. My next one is the snails pictured below.
I only finished one hat for January, so I’m aiming to do 4 in February.
This little embroidery just needed to be finished on the frame and wasn’t on my list. It was a quick finish and now I can hang it up in the summer. I’m planning on doing more embroidery this year and learning more stitches.
Originally I was going to make this into a pillow cover, but I would need to add borders for it to fit. I decided since I have lots of these mini charm packs, I would make a block each month and put it together as a quilt. I’ll be quilting them as I go.
I did finish my Love mini quilt and it’s hanging on my mantel shelf. There’s a blog post for the metal stitched heart on the left and check out this link for more Valentine posts and a free printable. I painted the gnome at a paint party.
February Goals
Despite everything going on in January, I did manage to get some things complete. I’m hoping to make progress on the goals I set out in January for the year, which I shared in my first post for the Maker Stash-Down.
- Complete 2 garments each month – I have for the longest time wanted to move toward a more handmade wardrobe. It has been sporadic at best and I’m determined this is the year to correct that!
- .Work through my unfinished quilts – I have a ton of flimsy quilt tops, blocks, and pieces cut out for quilts. I want to make progress on finishing these this year. I will pick one to work on each month, but some may take more than one month to complete.
- 3 crocheted/knit hats per month – I usually donate these to the local clothing charity.
- Learn to knit socks – This is the year!
- One dishcloth/washcloth each week – these will keep me up on my Christmas gifts and lighten my cotton yarn stash.
- Paint/draw each month – I want to learn more about painting with different mediums
- Do a DIY project each month – I love making things from random objects and I have a ton of those laying around just waiting to be something new!
- Work through my crochet/knit WIPs – I’m gonna try to not start new things until I finish some of these! Unless it’s a one skein project, cause I have lots of single skeins I need to work through.
Sewing
I didn’t get to sew a garment this month, so I’m trying again in February. This month I’m aiming for two garments. That’s what you do right? Add more when you don’t finish the one, lol! January’s garment was the SUE Blouse from DG Patterns {now called the Sue Woven Top} and February’s will be the Maggie Shirt by Style Arc.
The quilt top I picked to work on this month is the Milky Way Sampler quilt blocks from Blossom Heart Quilts. I started this all the way back in 2017! The goal is to finish the blocks and make the quilt top.
I’m adding a few simple embroidery projects to my list this month. The ones on the left were already in a bag with floss and frames. The ones on the right are from Geeky Stitching Co‘s monthly club. They have the cutest cross stitch patterns! Just be aware this company is out of the UK.
I didn’t get a picture of the mini charm I’m using this month for my quilt block, but I will share it in my video on Sunday.
Yarny Stuff
I didn’t make any progress on the Maestrale shawl by Crafting Tales or the cardigan with the mystery pattern. I decided to put them aside for other projects this month. First up is finishing these coasters from this DMC Mindful Making kit. There are so many different ones available now and I’ll be trying some of the new ones soon.
I finally got some yarn in to finish this Dahlia afghan by Make & Do Crew. I’m hoping it’s enough and will blend in well with the other border yarn I used.
This single skein was on my list and I completely forgot about it! I still want to use up single, random skeins, so I’m going to try again this month.
I shared my amigurumi and hat goals in the finishes for January.
DIY and Arty Things
I still want to learn more about using my watercolor pencils from Arteza, but I didn’t keep up with the daily art prompts. Maybe a YouTube tutorial will be better. I did finish a remake of one of the advent calendar boxes.
I feel like it needs some words or something else. The blog post will be up by Wednesday, so we’ll see if I decide to add something. My next project will be putting my finished puzzle in a thrifted frame.
February Wrap Up
I did manage to get out the Seat Belt Cover tutorial video this month and a few Maker Friday videos. There will be more sewing tutorials coming up, I just had to take a moment to get my bearings again. That’s life and I’m glad for having a life I can live creatively. : )
I’m looking forward to lightening the load and really getting some making done this year. I hope y’all will join the Maker Stash-Down and have fun connecting with other makers in the group. It’s really fun to see what everyone’s making and you never know what you might see. All makers are welcome so, if you know a maker, invite them to join in the fun!
