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NYE 12 in 12

There are a whole lot of cross stitchers who are doing the #NYE12x12, which means they’re going to start 12 projects in 12 hours. I first heard about it last year, and that may have been the first year it was done . . I don’t know about that though, but I thought it was the craziest thing ever. This year, I’ve actually thought about it.

I considered doing it because sometimes just having a start makes it easier to pick it up again and get it going. On the other hand, the excitement of starting a new project is something I love so if everything is started, I’d probably go on and start something different and never get back to the 12 I started on New Year’s Eve.

Since I’m going to try to get 23 projects finished in 2023, I think I’m going to spend a bit of time this week thinking about what I want to stitch. Obviously, if I’m going to finish 23 projects, I need some smalls. They will all be projects I really want to stitch so it’s not like “busy work” just to get to the numbers. If I spend some time finding fabric, floss, substituting any colors that won’t work, trimming the fabric to size and serging it, getting it all in a project bag . . that could save a good bit of time.

I would like to kit up at least 10 smalls (new starts), 10 samplers of any size (new starts) and 10 WIPs. Yes, that’s 30 but it gives me some say in what I’m going to start next.

Sound like a good idea?

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Comments

  1. I first heard about this a few days ago and I really like the idea, just for the reasons you said. So I have been getting my new starts together, doing that prep work to get ready.

    • I’m still not sure . . it sounds like fun so I may end up doing it too. If I started 12 projects I would like to finish in 2023, that would give me a good jump start.

  2. .. You like the planning process – the selection of the pattern, the fabric, the floss, the finishing (frame vs pillow), and so on. So, you could do the 12 in 12 challenge if you define “starting” to include the selection. You could always do one thread on the project so the sewing is also started. One key thing for you is to figure out where you are stashing the project bags so you can find them – just kidding….

    I order three charts (with fabric and floss). I only have to do a few things to prep for starting. I consider myself to still be in the re-discovery stage of cross stitching. I have so much fabric stash and quilt WIPs that I don’t want to go overboard on floss and fabric.

    I might spend some time deciding on 23 projects to work on, including some new projects as well as finishing up on WIPs.

  3. I’ve decided I will do it but not with new starts – I’m going to pull my basket of WIPS next to my chair, close my eyes and pull a project bag each hour starting at Noon and then do a blog post afterwards to show what I worked on.

  4. ..Judy, maybe you could kit 12 in 12! You’d still have the first stitches to look forward to! I’m afraid if you actually start 12, that you’ll burn out on starting, and also not have that fun when you decide to work on something else. Isn’t starting more fun that picking up one of a dozen WIP? Speaking of which, Denise’s idea sounds like a good plan!

    • I’ve been on a stitch til it’s done kick lately so I’m thinking that once I start stitching something, I’m going to want to continue til it’s done. It’s actually the kitting that I love doing. Making the first few stitches/starting isn’t what I enjoy so I think having them started will actually be a motivator for me to get back to them and finish.

  5. It sounds good to have it kitted and ready to go. I’d be more likely to do Progress 12×12 than new starts! I probably have a dozen things that could use some progress on them. =) I don’t think I have 12 hours of stamina, though! LOL

    • Your lack of stamina is understandable! You do whatever you enjoy and whatever you feel like doing and that will be good!

  6. I do think last year was the first 12×12. I participated and actually got quite a bit finished. Rachel Howells was one of them. This year I am starting 12 with only about 1/2 of them smalls. I have them all planned out, all the threads pulled and on rings, working copies made but I do have a few of them needing linen pulled.

    There is a friend group kind of planning together and we will probably do a drop in drop out zoom during the day. A couple have a combo of WIPs and new starts. We always say “you make the rules” so do what ever your heart desires!

    One thing we are changing up is we are starting at 10am. Last year the two of us who participated started at noon and my son and his then fiancé dropped by around 1 and I had to play a little catch up. Starting at 10 gives us some time to break away when needed.

    I need to pull my 2022 projects and do a year end summary on IG….

    Looking forward to seeing what you decide to do!

    • Jackie, I had Rachel Howells pulled and looked at it over and over and decided to work on smaller projects for my 12 in 12. That doesn’t mean I may not start it later in the year though. It’s so beautiful. Congrats on finishing her!

      What fun to have a zoom get together during the evening! I like the groups where you make up your rules as you go and change them as needed.

      I already told Denise I’m starting at 11 so I can take an hour off during the evening to fix dinner, which will probably be heating up leftovers.

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