It’s the end of the year and, as usual, my house is cluttered with the dangling ends of projects I have begun but haven’t finished. For example:

. The sweater I am knitting of burgundy possum and merino yarn a friend brought from New Zealand languishes in a basket under a table, the pattern tucked in beside it. I have knit only 4 inches of the sweater’s back. The pattern is one I have knit before and like enough to want to knit again. The bottom and sleeve edges are knit in garter stitch rather than the traditional ribbing. A cable stitch pattern spans the sweater yoke. I can see myself in that sweater, bundled up against January weather – provided, of course, global warming hasn’t already foiled the migration of arctic air to Maine.

. Folded up on a shelf is a piece of antique white linen which has been ruled off into a grid of various-size squares and rectangles. Each line of the grid is covered with a length of blue antique silk cording couched down with a finer blue cording known as waistcoat silk. These antique textiles have been with me for quite some time. I have thought long and hard about how to use them. My plan is to embroider something different in each space of the grid using all of the embroidery stitches I know and a few I want to learn, such as double chain stitch and ladder stitch. I also want to include beads, buttons, sea glass, tiny mirrors and seashell fragments in the work. I want to use every shade of blue thread in silk, cotton and linen that my floss boxes contain. I also see silver metallic thread in the mix. I have no idea how I want the whole to look. That will take care of itself as I stitch. I’m hoping for a stormy Sunday soon, when all I have to do is put my feet up, stitch and sip vanilla tea.

. Hanging from a door is the wool, camel and brown with a green thread plaid, jacket that needs a lining, a collar, buttonholes and various kinds of finishing. I’m thinking of using horn buttons if I can find some. The matching skirt hanging beside the jacket is done, except for pressing the hem. I want to finish sewing this outfit while it’s still the season for wearing wool.

. On the antique steamer trunk, where my unfinished sewing projects tend to accumulate, is the sleeveless top cut from a midnight blue iridescent fabric. The pattern pieces are still pinned to the cloth. I can justify putting this project on the back burner because it’s not something I will wear until the weather is warm again.

. On the kitchen table is a book of instructions for making origami Christmas tree ornaments. Pushed into a bright pile on top of the book are the forms I’ve already folded – the Santa, the tree, the swan, the bird, the butterfly. I had visions of folding at least a dozen more forms, each one different, and sewing them to a length of red satin ribbon to create a tree garland. I guess the frog, the crane, the star and all those other forms will have to wait until the holidays of 2007.

. On a table beside the easy chair where I sit and knit is a mitten in progress. The yarn for the mitten is rough wool of indigo with a muted white fleck. I found the ball of yarn at a thrift store, and the minute I saw it, I knew it was destined for mittens. I’ve completed one mitten – one more to go.

I had every intention of finishing these projects in a timely manner once I had begun them, but the momentum of everyday life carries me thither and yon on errands and obligations that can’t be ignored.

Given my needlework state of affairs as 2006 wanes, it’s all too easy to make my New Year’s resolution for 2007: Tie up those dangling ends.

Snippets

Does your child want to learn how to cross-stitch? Visit www.dltk-kids.com to find stitching directions and printable cross-stitch patterns. The site also has a page where you can type as many as eight characters, such as the word Dream, or Go Bears, and a cross-stitch pattern using your word or words will automatically be designed for you and appear on the screen.

Those enthralled with beads may want to consider attending Bead Expo, the 15th annual international bead show to be held April 11-15 in Oakland, Calif. For more information and list of classes available at the expo, visit www.lapidaryjournal.com.

Call Ardeana Hamlin at 990-8153, or e-mail ahamlin@

bangordailynews.net.