January into February...

Already we are well into February, which I have designated 'felt' month - after the fun I had making the 'partridge in the pear tree' ornaments. My plan is to complete as many of the remaining days as I can this month, and also to try some felting in 2 and 3 dimensions.

But January was learn to crochet month and I was delighted by the 'Learn to Crochet' CAL from the crochet project. A cowl, hat, mitts and shawl later I feel I have mastered the left hand yarn management technique and am now looking with enthusiasm at various blanket clubs and CALs. Sock making goes on a-pace too - an order for four pairs this month from a colleague I worked with nearly 30 years ago.

A cowl, bobble hat, fingerless mitts and a shawl. Fun to do.

The first three days: a partridge, pear, two turtle doves and three French hens!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

The weather has turned decidedly wintry and while it is to turn milder and less snowy later in the week, the sub-zero temperature and regular snowfalls this weekend has encouraged curling up with hooks, DPNs and sewing needles.

I have finished and blocked the 'learn to crochet' cowl, made a scarf using the same stitches from some Noro double knitting that I bought in the sale. Not really my colours, and the slubby wool was a challenge but I quite like the result. I've also finished a pair of men's boot socks in some inexpensive acrylic as I wanted something to judge a men's sock size-gauge (now just need a man to lend me his feet).

I've also started on the Christmas decorations for this year! I found some lovely felt '12 days of Christmas' ornaments and bought the patterns from Mmmcrafts, the partridge and a pear now completed, and two turtle doves underway. They are a bit fiddly and I can only work on them when the light is good, but I rather like the result.  Finally I've started a new sock commission - four pairs for an old Prudetial colleague, fortunately with small feet (for a man) and fond of bright colours.

 

It won't be long before the days lengthen and hopefully brighten and I can get back in the sewing room and some quilting. But for now (as the snow starts again, back to socks and a good audio,book.

New Year, new skills

Nearly two weeks into the new year and I've just finished the last year's sock orders. Before I start building up the stock for next year's supply to No8 Johnston, I've decided to lean to crochet using the traditional method - using the hook in the right hand and managing the wool with the left. Yesterday involved lots of less than satisfactory practice. Today I started the 'Learn to Crochet' CAL in earnest  and after nearly a full day think I am now getting the hang of the chain, double crochet, half -treble and treble. It still fills cack-handed to be holding the wool with the left hand rather than the right (as when I knit) but it's getting a little easier. Apparently the rectangle I'm making is due to become a cowl. Assuming,  that is, I don't get bored with it and rip it all out and make some more socks with the yarn.

Six months in.........

It's been rather a matter of pride that I have been so busy since I retired in July last year that I've barely had time to post on Facebook let alone up-date my blog, but I must do better this year. I've never been one for a hard-copy diary, but it is nice to keep a record of activities and of course craft finishes, to look back on. Audible the audio-book company sent me a note to say that I'd listened for over 41,000 minutes to audio books in 2017 - and added 39 books to my audio library. What this doesn't tell you is that while listening I've made three quilts, about 70 pairs of socks, a couple of advent calendars, pin cushions, notebook covers, tee-shirt yarn rugs, cooked dinners, ironed my way through the wardrobe and written emails, letters and Christmas cards. The joy of not having a television!

Since before Christmas I've been listening to the Stephen Fry narration of JK Rowling's Harry Potter series and very enjoyable it has been too. Since the start of the New Year I've been doing a little crochet - a cowl (mystic waves by "Stitchin' Mommy" ) and a hat, for a friend who kindly produced some lovely ceramic advent numbers for me. The yarn is Lion Brand's Unique in 'Jewel' colourway. Unfortunately one of the four balls was faulty and had no 'tweed' effect - which is why it became a hat and not part of the infinity scarf/cowl. Back to socks now though and book five - The Order of the Phoenix. 29 listening hours!

Winter woollies on....

July and much of August so far has turned out wet and cool - with monsoonal showers and short periods of warm sunshine. As a result of the less bright days I've been drawn to knitting more than sewing and have  found any excuse to buy more sock wool, despite the size of the existing stash. So parcels of For the Love of Yarn hand-dyed sock yarn, Mothy and the Squid hand-dyed sock yarn, and a whole range of commercial sock yarn picked up from my first visit to Karelia House a wonderful wool yarn and fabric shop near Aberfeldy.

 

I've also been turning 25 old seamless mostly white tee-shirts into yarn to knit into bedside mats. Who knew old tee-shirts could be up cycled in such a creative way? Not convinced yet that I have found the right gauge of needle -- I think I need something slightly smaller, or possibly to use the yarn double. I dyed them all 'Bermuda Blue last month and pressed them before cutting into bias strips about an inch wide. Should be a fun project!

Fresh beginnings

The 7th July has come and gone and I'm now officially retired. As one might have expected the weather has also changed from warm and dry to cool with a lot of rain. The gardening plan is rather on hold! None the less it is good not to have had the alarm clock on for the last few days and to feel able to do as I please. What I have 'pleased' to do is to start a bullet journal as a way of tracking plans for the month including all of those tasks which have been neglected due to work. So the clearing out of cupboards and bookcases is under way, the washing is up to date and the ironing close to being so. The windows have all been cleaned and the house is in a good state of tidiness. Not that retirement should be all housework -- that would be just changing one sort of work for another unpaid version. I plan to spend at least a part of each day on craft activities. And yesterday was wool winding. A strangely satisfying task with a pleasant whir of swift and wool winder. Especially pleasing as it was happening on a Monday!

The last fling before the next thing....

So the 5th July.  I'm in an Aberdeen hotel the night before my last piece of paid work before I retire.  All the preparation is done, and the invoice three-quarters completed ready for the final additions on Friday.  The sending off the invoice and updating of this year's accounts will be the last proper work that I do, from lunchtime on the 7th I plan to be well and truly retired!

I've collected the final printed labels from the graphic designers/print shop and spent a pleasant evening a week ago packaging up and labelling all the socks I have already made.  I do hope that the 'Made in Stirling' shop will want to stock my products but if not I shall find a craft fair at which to sell them.

But socks will be mostly an evening occupation.  Through the summer I hope to get the garden sorted out -- pretty much rebuilt really, and also to go through the house thinning out 'stuff' and reorganising as I go.  I have no doubt that the paper bin will end up very filled and I shall also have a lot of shredding to do.  Some redecoration may be necessary thanks to the ministrations of Wee Hamish and Archie, and once the winter comes I shall be happy to get back to some quilting.

Before then of course, there are a few jollies to enjoy - a short trip to Wales to help with house-packing, a week-long trip to the Faroe Islands for a knitting and stitching holiday and a couple of visits to London to be wined and dined by friends.