Well as some of you may remember a couple of weeks of ago I was agonizing over Robin Atkins 2007 Bead journal project. I was feeling a pressed for time. For although most of those in the Northern hemisphere are thinking of their summer holidays our work year is in full swing and winter is fast approaching and work is building up.
Well, I took the plunge and joined up yesterday as I feel I am so busy writing the Sumptuous surfaces Joggles lessons, teaching at uni, and doing the TAST samples each week that there has been little time for my own experimentation and exploration. I know if I sign up I will keep it up for the year. So I jumped in.
It should be a great challenge as the idea is to produce a journal page a month that is beaded. I have chosen a fabric postcard format form my journal page as this size is ideal for hand work. Anything larger becomes quite a task. I will cheat somewhat and probably combine some of the postcards in the 6 x 4 lives challenge too. (This lapsed when I got sick at the start of the year so it’s a good way to kick back into action)
The Bead journal project has a blog which promptly got added to my side bar and RSS feed as there are over 200 people involved in it. The guidelines are drawn up and are flexible to meet a number of needs, enough people have signed up to make it interesting and the social connection aspect (the blog) is set in place it has all the making of an interesting challenge. So hopefully we see more eye candy like the beaded postcard above. Wish me luck!
On another note I posed a question on Tuesday asking people if they wanted a week off TAST. Generally people want to keep going so that is what we do. There will be a fresh stitch up on Tuesday. Thanks everyone for your replies and responses as I appreciate being able to test the feel of the group like this. I have discovered that in running a challenge it’s very easy to think people are felling stressed about meeting weekly deadline when in fact they are not. I just wanted to make sure each new stitch was not becoming drudgery for anyone, and people were still enjoying the challenge of a stitch a week. So thankyou everyone for your comments.
I hardly think your the old biddy making us unpick, you’re the one that inspires us. Thankyou is barely enough, for the time and effort you put in. Cheers Annette
Hi Annette – I am not worried about “the pressure” I timetable it into my life. I asked because I had an afternoon of reading blogs that all seemed to say “I am trying to catch up with TAST” or “I am behind in TAST” or “I have not had time for TAST” for blog after blog. Perhaps it was my mood but I started to wonder if I was l across like one of those old time embroidery instructors who made you unpick what was not technically perfect and make you sit until it was done!!! So I asked if people needed a break – thankfully it seems I was miss reading the general feeling! The question was not asked from me feeling pressured but concern for how others were feeling.
Dear Sharon, I have been thinking about the TAST challenge and came up with this idea. Instead of you having to pick the stitch and and post the sampler if we asked if anyone would like to host the project for the week. They could pick the stitch from your stitch dictionary prepare the sampler, you could moderate it put it on your site and make it the stitch of the week, it might add some enthsuisasm back if thats what you feel has been missing, and maybe take some pressure off you. Anyway just a thought. Have a good day. Annette.