Day 9: Change in Plans!

I am finding that I need to change the "rules", if you want to call it that, of my project parameters. With the creations I have made so far I am happy, though I want to expand my skills. The time I have in a day of 24 hours is limited, as I have other parts of my life to attend to, and need to include that in my overall schedule. Originally I had wanted to limit the daily time frame to approximately one hour. An hour is not really enough for me to create a more complex item such as a stuffed animal, purse, or any number of things that are out there in my brain waiting for the right moment.

Because of this I have decided to revamp the way I will define my 365-Day Project Adventure. These are the New Rules:

I WILL:

1. Work at a project each and every day.

2. Make sure that it is significant enough to count for that day.

3. Include all the facets of the project, not just the "putting together" part.

It is important to me that you know what all the aspects are of making something from lovely felted sweaters. Thus I will now let you in on the behind-the-scenes of sweater lurking, foraging, finding, bringing home, recording, storing, and FINALLY, felting. All those details are so important. It's not just about the making!

Now, in fact, I will start you on this journey, as today I was foraging. (My word.) 

The first thing one must do to have something in hand to work with is to find sweaters that are of the quality and content to use. My small journey today was visiting one of the thrift stores that I frequent to find some supplies. I purchased several sweaters and 2 skirts...

Great light yellow skirt. Not a sweater, you are right, but this could become a nice lining for  a purse or pouch, or give some contrast to a little mouse or snake!

Close-up detail of the buttons and very neat blanket stitch on the flap side of this wrap skirt.  These areas may be used intact so as not to waste nice detailing.

A pink plaid skirt. Soft and nice feel. A complement to  a  felted item.

Detail of pocket and button.

A green sweater, 81% Merino wool. The label says "Fine Italian Merino".
It has a simple knit with ribbing at neck, cuffs, and waist.

This sweater had no label, so I'm not sure what I'm getting into here. For felting, a sweater needs to have at least 80% wool, mohair, lambswool, cashmere or angora...animal fibers.
I will take my chances and see what happens. Experimenting is part of the joy.

No label on this one either. My fingers tell me that it may have some cashmere in it, so I will  take my chances with this one, too. It is so very soft.

This is what I meant when I said "recording" in my above notes.  I write a description of each of the items I buy, with details about the color, texture, label, fabric content. I spend quite a bit of time so that I have a thorough record of my inventory.

This is what I spent my today doing. Way more than my designated hour, but definitely part of the whole package. I enjoy this aspect of it as well as the creating of a pattern and cutting out the pieces for stitching. It's all good!

Hope you join me tomorrow for whatever that brings.