More finishing off!

 Now I'm on track with the bathroom and kitchen my attention is focussed on all those other projects lying around. 

The feeling of anticipation and excitement when starting a new project is exhilarating, but somehow, if the project stalls or seems bigger than intended it can make the completion a bit of a chore. All those unfinished projects are a weight on the mind (however hard you try to forget or hide them) and on the wallet. After all they've been bought and paid for so they need to be completed or moved on.

This group of bites is a bit of a double whammy bonus. On the one hand there's the projects themselves and on the other they do beckon involvement away from the TV and the electricity that consumes. So, how to get motivated... well one project at a time I guess...

Month 10 - Bite 19

My favourite part of any sort out is when I empty a cupboard, box or bag to rediscover what's in there. This is the first port of call for me then. The craft cupboard and loft are the focus of my new found finishing zeal. They'll both need emptying, sorting and then the specific projects listing. The list can be prioritised - especially with Christmas on the horizon - so that I can tackle each one in order of urgency, breaking up some of the larger ones with quick, nearly finished jobs.

Month 10 - Bite 20

Where to start - simple - books! I've got library books, books on the e-reader, books leant to me by my neighbour and some from my sister too. Again, priority order please! The library books need to come first so they can be returned, then I'll decide on those that I can finish quickly to reduce the pile and immerse myself in them all - starting tonight (well after Only Connect obviously!).

Only the tip of the iceberg here!

Month 10 - Bite 21

There are still one or two home projects lurking so they need bringing into the light. Preparing for these takes a little longer as choosing paint colours, sourcing the right paint or enamel and clearing space for painting take time. Making a decision about whether it's the stool or table that need refreshing has to be the starting point and then it's full steam ahead.

Month 10 - Bite 22

Now for the difficult one - finishing a hobby project. I'm great for starting these and then something always crops up.. shortening curtains, making dolls clothes, cushion covers, finishing a writing brief, having COVID, lots of things so I get diverted. Then once the diversion is over I do the sensible thing... and start another new project!

This needs to STOP I tell myself, but do I listen, well, what do you think?

Anyhow, today's the day to go for it. And the first hobby project to finish is an obvious one for me. I've been putting this off for ages.

A long time ago, further back than even the pandemic gives me an excuse for, we went to Widdiecombe Fair and I got an alpaca fleece to spin. He, himself wasn't sure I was going for a big enough quantity so treated me to a lot, one and a half kilos to be exact. I enjoyed spinning it and that was fine, then came the knitting it up task.

I started with a hat for himself to test out the tension, and as an easy to finish project. Then I took a big breath and started. I have begun the back of a cardigan with this yarn no less than eight times. Each time it's not been a success - the pattern is hidden by the texture of the yearn, it's come up to big, too small, too heavy... and so on.

Finally, I announced to my spinning group that no matter what version 8 was to be the last one. I'm nearly there. The bulk of the knitting and sewing up is done, it's just the edging. I'm putting it off no longer. The cardigan must be finished first, no more prevaricating.. here goes...

I've made myself hang on to this post so that I could add this...

Ta-daa..

It may not look like much to you, but to me it's a huge mountain climbed and my central heating for the winter..

So, what's next?

Warming up

So as the night's are drawing in and the bills are going up it's time to look at preserving the heat we've got!

Here's my next few attempts at doing just that...

Month 10 - Bite 3

Having got used to lowering blinds and drawing curtains in the daytime during the hot weather to keep the sun out and the rooms cool, now we'll be doing the same at the other end of the day! By using the sunlight during the daylight hours to heat our home, from now on the blinds and curtains need to be closed as the temperature drops in the evening to keep the warmth in.

Month 10 - Bite 4

We love the flexibility of the internet controlled thermostat and heating system that's been in for a year now, but have got used to switching the heating off when we're out to come into a cosy home. That's not going to happen this winter. As long as the property doesn't get too cold the heating won't get fired until we're in. The inconvenience of keeping outer layers on until we switch the thermostat up and the house warms to a reasonable temperature in minor compared to the savings it'll represent. So from today that's it, no driving back home and turning it all on half an hour from home.

Month 10 - Bite 5

Back to the wardrobe and drawers for me today. It's time to sort out my jumpers and cardigans. I've got some 'nice' ones I wear out and about and some 'comfy' items that are only for indoors. One or two I've spun from pure wool fleece are really warm and I rarely wear them. Why? Because it's always been so easy to turn on the heating and wander around in a t-shirt! This is a habit that's got to go too. Once I've got the woollies sorted today then it's out with the light gear, on with the cosy stuff and no to too much heating.

Month 10 - Bite 6

It takes a lot more energy to heat a room than it does a person so the task in hand to tackle next is the search for our warm-you-up items. Somewhere around this place we've got hot water bottles and oat filled cushions or pads that take little to heat up and keep warm for ages. Once I've tracked them down and double checked they have no leaks (!) they can be employed in the evenings to stave off putting the heating on.

Month 10 - Bite 7

While on the search I need to explore what's in the ottoman in the bedroom. It's a treasure trove of goodies that don't really have a place anywhere else. I'm sure there are some really warm blankets nestling in there so it's time they came out and went on the beds and in the lounge for snuggling into during the colder evenings.

I may even start making some from my wool stash rather like those I made a while ago....

Phew - with all that searching around I'll get quite a bit of heat up from the exercise too.....

A sign of the changing season

 Month 9 - Bite 28

Just recently there's been the usual round of fairs, goose fairs and carnivals that proliferate locally at this time of year. Many have ancient roots and most are only just making a comeback after the great lockdown and its aftermath.

I had a lovely time with my spinning group demonstrating at a local fair near to where we meet and it was good to get back to showing all comers how we convert fluffy, tangled stuff into useful items with wheels, looms, needles and so on.

It did make me think about a lot of the odds and ends I've still got stored in the loft that need using up so today I'm starting to make a list of how I can turn some of them into Christmas presents to save them going to waste and me spending money when I don't need to.

There's also a number of crocheted squares up there I know that will come in useful for one of my ideas for next month, so I need to track them down.

Month 9 - Bite 29

While concentrating on not wasting, recycling and such it occurred to me while I was emptying the bin that I'm wasting far too much time, effort, paper and printing ink when using the computer. I don't need most of the things I print off and even then I should be using both sides of the paper. For instance, I changed credit cards and renewed some insurance lately. I was about to click on print when I noticed one of the documents ran to 17 pages. It's been emailed to me so I can keep a digital copy, I've saved it to my portable hard drive too and I can access it through the company's website - so why was I printing it? Pause over the button time. We're pretty good about using scrap paper for notes and lists, but there's a lot still wasted so today's the day to track down where I don't need a hard copy and start the habit of not printing anything unless it's really necessary.

Month 9 - Bite 30

Time now to look at that revised spending list started at the beginning of this month. It needs to be compared with the one made at the beginning of this process. A number of the items just don't seem to appear now - through the season in some cases, but largely through the slimming down of spending that became a habit until I didn't miss them. One item that seems to have crept back in is the occasional hot drink out. I'm allowing myself to keep that though as it's a particular treat rather than a regular routine and I do enjoy it a lot. I also tend to use the 'sit down with a drink' time to plan or think things through and it's been truly valuable, especially when deciding on what to do next, including a new project for next year!

And so onto Month 10!

Hang out the Bunting!

 Extra Mouthful Number 5

Following on from last month's bunting cards here's  a mouthful showing how to make the full size thing!

You could cut out triangles of scrap fabric and edge them using pinking shears, then attach them to ribbon or string, but here's how I make decorative sewn bunting to dress up children's rooms or as Christmas decorations.  

Firstly you'll need some pairs of fabric triangles. Because these were for presents I did buy the main fabric, but the backing for the llama one comes from an old tablecloth and the unicorn bunting was from an old cotton pillowcase!

This bunting is made from 7 pairs of triangles, but you can make yours as short or long as you like.

So start off by cutting out the pairs of triangles. These are patterned fabric for the front and plain for the back.

Sew them right sides together leaving the wide end of the triangle open.

                                                

Clip the tip of the triangle to cut bulk and turn them the right way out.

Now iron them to give neat edges.

Finally, sew them at equal intervals (these are 2 inches apart) onto a strip of bias binding.

And Voila! Ready to hang.....

You could make them for hanging decorations using Christmas fabric like these...

Or as presents - for a new home, perhaps...

If you use scraps or old fabric or even outgrown children's clothes it's a very cheap make!

Take Flight

 Month 8 - Bite 27

Do you possess a kite? When was the last time you tried flying it? Today could be a day to try it out. Find yourself some space and a bit of breeze then go for it. Round here kite surfing is pretty big, it might be an option for a taster for you too. Anyway that you try it you'll find that wind and flight can be exhilarating and exhausting at the same time. All that running back and forth to launch the flight along with the concentration needed to keep it airborne might even bring about a good night's sleep!

If you don't have a kite look around for materials you have at home to make one. Traditional stick, paper and string versions have been tried and tested over the years, but you can experiment with other, free household materials. What about a plastic carrier bag with string tied to the handles and then attached to a long 'leader' length of string?

Whatever materials you choose, remember to pick them up at the end of the game, especially if the kite finally falls apart and take the bits home. No litter now!

Month 8 - Bite 28

There are, of course, some real flight experts around. There are regular bird watch and bird counts run regionally and nationally. Check out the details for a chance to contribute to the numbers of specific species.

If there isn't one running, create one of your own where you live. There will be plenty for you to spot, record and identify... another trip to the library perhaps for the information. Although you could research online too and see if you can find some audio clips to recognise their calls and songs.

Some will be welcome visitors

While others may be more annoying!

But record them all!

Seize the Opportunities

 Month 6 - Bite 21

Planning is important, however being flexible or spontaneous on holiday can bring huge benefits too. We had earmarked St. Peter's Basilica for a return trip along with the Vatican Museum. Our first visit was with a wonderful guide and it was worth every penny, but there was so much to see and take in that we felt the need of more time. We hadn't done anything about tickets as we didn't know how we'd feel around crowds on our first trip abroad after COVID so mentally moved that visit onto another holiday.

Imagine our surprise when we walked over to St. Peter's Square and saw that the normally long and tedious queue for the Basilica was moving quite speedily. Queuing gets you in for free, but can take an hour or so - hence our delight at the quick pace. Abandoning what we had planned for the rest of the day we joined the tail and within 15-20 minutes we were inside St. Peter's with plenty to explore, including the crypt that hadn't been open on our previous visit.

You just have to grab opportunities sometimes and this was one!

Month 6 - Bite 22

Sometimes being flexible includes things that don't make it onto the 'Top 10 Tourist List'. When we were last in Florence we fancied getting out of the city and took a bus into the town of Fiesole. Wandering around looking for the bus stop led us through a lovely market with craft stalls as well as vegetables. Well, you just have to take the chance to get something unusual when you can don't you...

Having arrived at Fiesole there was an Etruscan/Roman site to explore, unexpected and quite easy on the pocket. Now if we hadn't taken a punt on going somewhere different we'd never have seen it!

To help us extend our 'off the normal track' fun our apartment owner gave us a book as we left to begin to look at other ideas for visits...

                                                 

Some great new ideas to look forward to!

So, just what can I do?

 No, seriously, what can I do? I'm very aware of what I can't do, what my weaknesses are, but what of my strengths and skills. I'm really good at downplaying any good stuff - you know the sort of thing where someone says something positive and you go 'it's nothing', or 'it wasn't just me', or 'no, no anyone can do it' or - well you get my drift.

When I started on this month's project of looking of ways to increase income I began by looking at the obvious of selling unwanted things that were part of the sorting process that I had embarked on. Very quickly using any skills I have crept in so now it's time for...

Month 3 - Bite 25

Taking a long hard look at myself ... in a positive way.

I enjoyed and often return to 'The Multi-Hyphen Method' by Emma Gannon. It always makes me stop and think about how I've often tried to describe what I do/like/make and so on - like my butterfly brain description. She make it feel ordered and reasonable - it's well worth a read.

Anyway, if I'm going to explore all the ways in which I can benefit from my skills and/or talents (get me!) then I need to start from recognising what they might be. 

knitter..                        

fabric worker..               

literacy consultant...              

spinner...                            

 weaver..                            

classicist...                         

writer.. or perhaps food lover!

it's certainly not style icon!        

So, this task is a thinking and listing one (I love a list), and requires a cup of tea, a pencil and paper (for writing I'm more at home in front of a keyboard, for thinking the physical holding of a pencil does it for me) and a space of time to establish just who and what I am and what use I can make of that information. 

Hmmmmmmmm......

Finishing off

Do you get those traffic jams of projects? You know, when you’ve got a growing queue of things that just need finishing off. Of course, there’s always a good reason - I need better light/sunlight to sew it up, some more yarn ( that always seems to be in the loft), to work on larger needles for a while, to get a present finished....

I've been trying to catch up - especially as I want to try something a bit different with this blog in the coming weeks...

I've been doing a bit of small scale weaving and have taken plenty of photos of the process so that I can start putting some step by step guides up here too..

The Donkey Sanctuary near us is a favourite outing with my nieces' children. So I had a go at making a donkey - albeit a rather wonky one. Every time I make a stuffed toy I promise myself it'll be the last time as the combination of my sewing on of limbs and consistent stuffing skills are at a minus level. Then I spot a great pattern and think 'oh I've got the yarn for that in the loft' and behold another wobbly headed, floppy footed character.

We did have  trip earlier this year to Devon World of Country life - got to love an alpaca - even if it reminds you of the fleece from Widdecombe Fair that you bought three years ago and haven't finished spinning .. yet.

!

Ahh well - that's the first batch of pictures I meant to pop up … I'll get the rest of the makes and memories from this summer up and posted soon so I can get on with that next project

Normal Service (!) resumed...

Hello again! I know I've been remiss with the postings, but I can't believe how quickly the time goes and how little I seem to have to write to show you how I've filled it!!!

Anyway, excuses aside, everything keeps moving along - so here are some highlights..

In between the writing and trips away for work we have managed one or two nice trips out for ourselves too. There have been barbecues with friends - the most recent last night on the beach at Budleigh, walks along the beach and relaxing in lovely spots. Here's a couple of shots from when we had some time in Cockington. This first one is the view from our table in the cafe where we had our cream tea while the pianist played in the garden....

 

 

I have managed some bits and pieces of finishing off, the odd doll's blanket and scarf.. like this lacy one. I've also got a beautiful new fleece from one of our Wednesday spinners, Dawn. She sheared her flock on the Saturday and brought a selection of Shetland fleeces the following Wednesday. They were lovely. I've washed mine and started on it abandoning the alpaca that's driving me nuts! (Mind you I am about half way through the throw I'm making from it - I swear that the rest of it that is living in the loft is breeding, there always seems to be more of it each time I open the box it's in...).

 

 

 

Work continues apace, with next academic year's dates already rolling in - so it would seem I'm still employed for the future. On my last visit to Cardiff I went out for a walk in the evening with some of the staff from one of the schools. It was such a change from either having a drift around Cardiff on my own or retreating to the hotel room. We did a couple of circuits of the lake at Roath. To my shame, even though I was at university there for three years, I'd never been to the park. Here it is - can't really guess you're in the middle of a capital city, can you?

 

 

 

I've also been able to get up to see my mum and sister - their birthdays are this week so I'll be back there again on Sunday - and then on to my old school for the end of term. So we'll have time for an evening at their local tapas bar with plenty of Sangria. My excuse is that I'm practising for my holiday. We finally managed to book one for October - so it's off to Fuerteventura then!

 

Finally, thanks to some of the lovely comments you sent I plucked up the courage to pop into a local shop, Inc. I chatted to Emma who runs it and showed her some of my brooches and she bought a couple to try in the shop. This week I had a call asking for some more and I showed her an ice cream one that I'd made - and she wanted more of those too! Here's some of the batch ready to go down there today! I've never done anything like this before so I'm well and truly chuffed at the response, especially as the first two she had sold so quickly.

 



 

 

 

I think that's just about everything up to date now.... although I'm sure I've forgotten plenty too.. it's been that sort of time. So I'm about to settle down to some data work for the morning, before I have my usual coffee break browse and Handmade Monday then  pop down to Inc with my brooches. After that I guess it's a relax in the sunshine - long may it last!!!!

 

 

 

That almost-but-not-quite feeling!

Yes, I'm back... sorry about the distruption in service, but between blogs I've had some chill out time as well as another working trip to Wales. I did think there wasn't much to report, but I still seem to have filled the two weeks somehow!

We were going to have a bit of a holiday, but decided that the issue of relying on 12 year old transport when travelling back and forth over distance was a bit risky so a newer, more eco-friendly vehicle was the first priority. It's not a new car, but it's much newer than the old one. It enjoyed the drive to Newton Abbott (well a girl's got to get to Hobbycraft somehow) and didn't object to me being at the wheel, so it looks like it can get it's first treat of a drive to the Rhondda next Monday. Just as long as I remember to put diesel, not petrol in it...

We had a trip out to the Cockington for the day the week before last and it was lovely to wander round the craft workshops and while Graeham was distracted by the lady in the fabric shop explaining about peg looms I bought some lovely oddments of fabric!

I got to spinning and acquired enough merino to finish my offering towards the Tedburn teddies for the exhibition at Killerton. Here she is, a bit lopsided, but with chracter I feel...

 

 

And I got to the Guild meeting so that I could hand her over too! While I was there I offered some pieces for the sales table at the exhibition and they were accepted.... I had two sari silk handspun scarves that I'd knitted, a skinny handspun, hand knitted skinny scarf and a bag I'd made from merino - spun, knitted and felted. I was caught in the usual debate about how to price them and was persuaded up from my original ideas by friends at the Guild who complained that I always charge too little!

 

Inspired by that and some of the lovely encouraging comments from you last time, I've also got some luggage labels to display my brooches on and am gathering the nerve to approach the owners of a shop and gallery later this week about taking some of them. Thanks to those of you who pointed out that I ought to go for it as the worst they can say is 'no'.

 

Having a bit of free time also meant I could get back to a project I started about three (or was it four?) years ago. I went to a workshop on Dartmoor to lean about mosaics from an artist called Anne Read. She was fabulous and we spent the morning making coasters to learn the techniques and the afternoon beginning a piece to finish at home. Of course, once I got home, that was it! Well, I got it out (a wall hanging for the garden) and cut up the rest of the tiles I'd brought home and glued them onto the block board. It goes without saying, that just like my teddy, I ran out of tiles. Still I'm an awful lot closer to finishing than I was before. This is it so far. What you're looking at is the back. Once all the tiles are temporarily stuck to the paper on the board they are butted up to a cemented tile, the paper is removed and the gaps grouted, then voila! Well, with luck anyway..

 

No work travelling this week, so today's about clearing paperwork and finishing odd bits and pieces of tasks. Spinning group is on Wednesday, then on Thursday I'm off to see my mum and sister by train - lots of knitting time! The rest of the week I can get stuck into the teachers' notes for a Welsh context book that's been waiting an age to be finished. So when I get back to you next week I may well have turned that almost-but-not-quite feeling into a look-I've-got-stuff-finished one.

Just one more thing to do - a browse over at Handmade Monday to see what everyone else has been getting up to....

What do you mean it's Monday again!

Yep, got caught out with busy-ness and didn't get to blog last week. So what's been going on?
Well, I've been away working in Orpington for a week followed by some more time in Wales, I've had some fun at my sister's and seen all my family while I was staying with her (one of the big bonuses of working near London!) and met up with friends. I'm ploughing through the writing on my desk(top) and it's also festival time here so loooaaaddsss to get up to - sadly most of it resulting in zilch photos!!

Anyhow, the sun is shining and I'm about to have a few days off so I might even get something creative on the camera.....

The week at my old school was good. As I mentioned it means seeing a lot of my sister, mum and nieces and some really nice social meals out - one of which seemed to involve a lot of Sangria - don't know who suggested that (eh Juds!). Juds and I also tried our hand at decorating mirrors with shells. As I left her place before the glue was completely dry I don't have any photos, still if they've worked and the shells are still stuck on I'll get some next time I'm up there!

I was also able to browse Hobbycraft as the girls (and Richard) had bought me a voucher for my birthday. Among my buys were these...

 

 

So now I can really have a good try with needle felting and hopefully save my fingers from the barbs. I did get some other stuff, but I can't show you or it won't be a surprise for someone....

 

While I was in Wales I did manage to get on with the merino that neds to be turned into a teddy, but this is as far as I got before running out of yarn.. just needed a bit more for the arms...

 

 

 

Hopefully I can beg some at spinning next week so I can finish it off. I've almost finished the dress for it too - that should hide some of the uneven spinning!

 

 

It was our wedding anniversary last week as well. Thankfully I had enough time to put a card together.... I had bought the wooden heart a while ago thinking it would be useful at some point - and it was!

 

 

As far as creativity goes there's not much else in the way of photos - although I've been writing plenty for work - sadly words don't work for the camera so you'll just have to take my word for it that it's been extremely satisfying, especially now I'm about halfway through the task.

 

It's also Exmouth Festival as I write - the website here shows last year's events - the video gives a flavour of what happens here - everything from Reggae to Sand Sculpture, clay modelling in the park to Soul Bands and fireworks.. all free and enjoyable - especially when the weather is as kind as it's been so far this year. We went down to hear Souled on Saturday night in the Gardens - a nine piece band that a friend's husband plays with. There's so much going on in and around Exmouth creatively that it makes me feel positively lazy!

 

That's about it I think - just off to Handmade Monday for a catch up and some inspiration.. hopefully I'll have time this week to comment on some of the lovely stuff there.....

 

Have a good week....