Back in the blogosphere (do people still call it that?)

I’ve been extremely remiss in my blogging responsibilities.  I allowed myself to get distracted by so many other things and before I knew it months had passed.  Giving myself a metaphorical shake by the shoulders, I realised that I don’t need to write the (crafting) Odyssey every time I go online.  I could just comment on what I’m working on at the moment. 

Since I’ve last blogged, a lot has been going on mind you.  Aside from knitting and quilting, I spent two weeks at the Royal School of Needlework completing the Jacobean Crewelwork module of the Certificate in Technical Hand Embroidery.  One of the most physically demanding two weeks I’ve ever had, it was also probably one of the most enriching and exciting things I’ve ever done.  I found a home away from home and am planning (if I can wangle some more unpaid leave next year) to continue to pursue my certificate.



Two weeks hard labour - my baby!



I have also been on a Rowan two day colour techniques workshop up at the Mill.  It’s a glorious part of the country – one of those places that twinkled in the autumn sunshine on Saturday, and whose colours glowed in the rain on Sunday.  I was a little alarmed by some of the “elbows out” behaviour of some of the other attendees – hey, we all love cheap yarn and books but let’s be civilised about it people – but it was a really fun weekend.  Every now and then a cow or a horse would hove into view and all would feel right with the world.  It’s the most amazing insulating bubble to be in and returning to the real world a fairly hefty bump.  Sarah Hazell, who taught the class, is also a bit of a legend – she’s one of the nicest, funniest people and I learnt so much about the techniques and ways of working.  Am a fan – not at all possible to spot that is it. 

The other thing I’ve been doing – and conscious my attempt at brevity being rapidly undermined – is starting a journal of “things I’ve made so far”.  At the moment it’s rubbish print outs of snaps from the blackberry but it’s a useful catalogue of how things have progressed from my first attempts at knitting, embroidery etc to becoming more proficient and all the revelations that went with it.   One such revelation is just trusting myself to be quick – I met someone who’d got most of the way through the leg of a sock in an afternoon.  It brought it home to me how much I procrastinate.  Since then I’ve been flying through projects – most of a sock on the drive home from Cornwall on the last bank holiday weekend for example or whipping up a lovely Milo top for my niece’s forthcoming birthday.  These are small revelations but revelations nonetheless. 



The Milo so far




Close up of the cable



My teaching has slightly stalled as the class I had prepared has several people on the waiting list but none available for those dates.  Hopefully there’ll be something before Christmas.  I hope that will take off in 2013.  In the meantime, it’s all go on wedding planning for now – a mere three weekends to go.  Think it’s nearly planned so am fairly relaxed but don’t want to speak too soon – once the stationery is printed then I can relax.  Final fitting this weekend so my rather late attempts to tone up are futile now but, really, isn’t that why we wear long dresses to weddings; to save ourselves the hassle of getting skinny?