15th Feb 2012 - day off :-)

We're taking some much-needed time off this week - today I get the house to myself ☺ I SHOULD be doing address changes (I'll do it in a bit, promise) instead, Muse is on the stereo, I've done two loads of washing, fixed the wobbly dining chairs, fed the birds, loaded up the dishwasher, half-cleaned the toilet and hung prayer flags. The flags are partly for the traditional reasons, and partly to make the place look more inhabited - the problem of living at one end of a semi-derelict 19th century mill is that people do tend to treat it like a tourist attraction and wander into the garden.





Procrastination can be useful sometimes ☺

I've also been doing a bit of outdoor weaving:



my Earth Loom, propped against the mill wall. It's a work in progress, as I happen across things I'll add them to the weft.

I cast on for a hat for Steve - progress so far:



Sock yarn does not make for quick hat knitting ☺

Sewing

I've been having a discussion on Ravelry about clothes. I have been struggling hugely to find stuff I like, and the consensus seems to be "sew your own." So I'm going to have a go. I've ordered some pattern books from Japan and I'm busy bookmarking helpful websites. I also got pointed towards a couple of shops which have some stuff I like ready-made, including La Redoute of all places. There's an order winging its way to me as we speak, and a trip to Winchester is in the offing ☺

Although I've not had huge success with sewing in the past, I'm determined to give it a go - after all, I have a sewing machine already, I have a big dining table, loads of pins and a pair of shears, and I have the internet (and my vintage Singer sewing book!) - how hard can it be??? (famous last words)

I'm going to start I think by taking up the lounge curtains - not garments I KNOW but it needs doing as it's driving me spare. They need about 3 feet taking off the bottom!

~♥~