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Sunday, October 30, 2011

Confessions of a Chronic Starter....

After yesterday's start, I have decided to come clean. I am addicted to starting. There. I said it. I have been doing it for years and years and more years.

Maybe, If I show you some of these starts you will guilt me into finishing them. This is probably the oldest start that I have kept. In the early 80s someone showed me a rug made on #40 silk canvas. I had no source for silk canvas at the time. So.....I found a piece of a black silk chiffon/mesh type fabric and went to work....It did work, but the silk was much softer than the canvas. I am not sure why I chose those colors. It will probably never be finished. I just wanted to prove to myself that I could do it.

Later I graduated to real silk canvas, linen in various thread counts and #24 congress cloth. I do finish lots of rugs, but I still can't resist starting new ones. I do my own designs as well as patterns from other people. This one is a Pamela Warner design from one of her books....I actually finished it....Then I got the harebrained idea to do it on #40 for a half inch house(also unfinished).

There is a LOT of critical counting in this one. The center design has lots of stems and flowers that go in all directions at once. I do love this design and probably will finish the smaller one some day....

This one is from a Dover book on Celtic designs. I am doing it on #40 also....another one that will get finished sooner or later......

Some pieces, I have no excuse for not finishing. The three on the top left are other people's designs and are basically finished. All I have to do is press them and assemble them. Loss of interest...

The four way bargello was just to see what it would look like. It is silk thread and I am not really impressed. It is too fluffy for long stitches. Maybe I will like it better when it is done.

The bottom one is a start to an oriental rug that I am doing from a photo....I have an excuse for this one...I can't find the photo. I know it is around her somewhere. All I have to do is find it. Another reason that I am cleaning the workroom...


I could go on all day. Each of the plastic boxes have a rug start and thread in them. The pile in the foreground consists of trial runs, experiments and the large pink Tibetan one that I designed from a book on Tibetan rugs that I have. That one I really want to finish. It is one of my favorite pieces.

As you can see, the critic is in the picture now.....

This is evidently Widget's opinion. I think that he would rather have me working on a cat bed for him. At least he is giving everything a good pressing.

When people ask about all of these starts, I have a really good explanation. I tell them, "I can't die until I finish all of the projects that I have started. This is insurance. I am going to live to at least 481 years."

I think that I will go start something new now....More insurance.

See you tomorrow.

11 comments:

Angela said...

That will make 2 of us that will live a very long time. I have plenty of insurance too.

Angela :o)

Kathi said...

I like your way of thinking! If I keep starting things, I won't die!
LOL
Seems like we are on the same page today...
My word verification is "disive." Sounds like decisive to me. That I am NOT!

Phyllisa said...

Hi Casey. "Insurance"........"Live to be 481"..........funny, funny!LOL!
I would only want to live that long if I had no aches and pains,my eyesight was still good and I were rich!Then it might be fun!Oh,all the minis I could do!
Phyllisa

Caseymini said...

Phyllisa, did I mention that I am looking for a vampire to bite me. That will fix the aches and pains and make me cute besides.LOL I have thought of all of the angles. I figure that the insurance will hold until I find one....Then it's minis forever.........

Norma Bennett said...

I think that the result of your little confession, rather than us 'guilting' you into finishing some of these little projects, is that you've helped assuage OUR guilt about OUR unfinished projects - I'm sure we've all got a guilty little collection tucked away - however, having said that if we were to have a competition I do fear that you might take the prize for the largest. Still, as you say, something to live for ;)

Lucille said...

Anyways, Casey, you do finish a lot of things. Look at the job you did on the trailer. Fantastic! Furthermore,you have made me feel better about all the stuff that I have lying around and also my seventeen year old dollhouse in the making! Now that is procrastination. However, progress is being made! Ha! Ha! Ha!

Minka said...

Love it! Love it! You have some real beauties in there!

Judith said...

It seems to be the nature of crafters Casey. You are definitely not alone. Every embroiderer I know has a stash of UFO's (unfinished objects) in their cupboards ... including me.

Merri said...

Your logic about staying alive to finish everything is flawless. I plan to be a copycat there, LOL!

Beautiful rugs, but my eyes would fall out of my head if I tried to do such small handwork. Guess my old eyeballs need a retread!

Why DO kitties like to sit on their owners' work? I thiink they are trying to get all the attention for themselves. My five are practiced bottom pressers.

Natalia's Fine Needlework said...

For me this stash of UFOs looks like a pile of candies, just let me reach it... Love the way how you approached a Celtic rug.

Sans! said...

I started on a 28 count rug this Feb with a 4 thread stitch and it was so hard , I stopped. :). Picked it up again just, have stopped for 3 days and this post is an opportune reminder to start again. :).