Needle and thread…

My needle-case – kantha stitched over a couple of days whist unwell and needing to re-centre through the rhythm of stitch a few years back! The threads are from the Hand Weavers Studio

The beauty of a running stitch …

The simple strength and beauty of the running stitch for kantha work

 

Keeping warm…

Chill from the windows – draughty, too cold! Some make-shift curtains called for.

I found some calico and treated us to some fleecy interlining

A little bit of unpicking as I remembered I had a ‘walking foot’ to smoothe the stitching!

I tend to learn by making mistakes – in making I work out how to make! So I kind of find myself having a go – unpicking – re-thinking and re-working and something emerges as I work – it isn’t the ideal way but it is is my way of understanding. That process was wonderfully captured in this image – a blur of thinking, making, re-making

Some tabs to run along the cord – ad hoc ‘rail’ – red bias binding left over from Christmas – cheerful and why not?!

Ooh – they work! A week now and creeping down in the early morning light it is true – warmer and a sense of achievement – they may be make-shift but I made them and they work and we are warmer!

Caring with crochet

It started with winter present making and a desire to keep loved ones warmly held

And, yes, loving the chunky texture and ‘big-stitch’ look of big wool after delicate thread stitching!

Crochet is wonderfully rhythmic and I don’t feel stressed about any un-picking like in knitting, as one tug on the strand and it easily unravels so I can remake stitches.The repetitive action relaxes my mind – back to the meditative again and those interesting connections!

There was a continuation too – the finishing of a small random blanket from bits and pieces of leftover wool that someone had watched ‘in the making’..

Some research into making mittens brought me quickly back to Attic 24 and I so enjoy the colourful joy here! Christmas night had me finishing a pair of these till 2am – hey ho – I had made a mistake and didnt see it until I laughed at the resulting muddle – quietly though, as everyone was sleeping! I am fascinated and intrigued that the children in my family then got so involved and enjoyed the designing and decisions they could make in requesting neck warmers and mittens for me to make for them during the rest of our stay. They shared the mistakes, the problem solving, their thoughts about colour, and watching the process and this was as much a part of giving as the ready finished gift… why do we worry so about these matters of presents, when actually I realised this ‘making’ time was what was a memorable delight ..

Bobble edge courtesy of Attic 24 – SO easy and flowing to follow for someone like me who often finds patterns really hard and frustrating to understand

And so to sew – next time the trials and tribulations of keeping warm and of some very ad hoc curtain making! Oh, and in the background new exhibition work brewing in my mind…