I'm sure I won't be the only one starting a new project in 2012, and certainly not the only one starting a blog either. I don't know how this will work out (if at all) but I think it's worth a try.
Having finished (and, more amazingly, passed) my last accountancy exams, I now have my free time back. I also got a lot of very generous gifts over the last month, including a sewing machine, a mini greenhouse and lots of very useful books about crafting, baking, making do and generally getting your hands dirty. While I already use Ravelry to keep track of my knitting (sporadically this year due to studying and work), I feel like I need somewhere to make notes on what other projects I have done, mostly so that I can look back and see not only what I have achieved but how I did it, what worked well and what could have gone better.
I plan to try to categorise these broadly by what I'm talking about, whether it be the book I just finished or my new sewing project, but it is all a work in progress at this point so bear with me.
I was at my mum's most of the week and managed to catch up with my longest-standing friends from college and University which was lovely. I also finally finished Lady Chatterley's Lover, which was a struggle given his frankly unimaginative writing style and at times offensive assumptions about women and their 'needs'. I shan't be recommending that to anyone in a hurry. I also raced through J D Salinger's Franny and Zooey which was much better; interesting to read but not a chore. For once I think Pete might actually enjoy it so maybe I should try to remember to borrow it next time we visit.
Now that I have no more exams (can you tell I'm pleased?) I don't need all the bookcase-worth of books and papers that I've gathered over the last two years. I had a preliminary clear out just before the case study but this afternoon I did a proper job and cut everything down to three binders and three books. Now I have lots of space for knitting patterns and books - or I would have if I hadn't already used it for just that. Now not only can all my craft things sit together but I can organise them properly and make use of them - I'd totally forgotten, for example, about the Austrian lace and hose book my mum brought back for me. I will definitely be dipping into that one once my immediate plans are completed.
Speaking of which, I came back with a fair few plans for this weekend and further into the future. I've already repaired a pair of work trousers and a cushion cover that have been looking sadly at me for a few weeks, which was very satisfying.
Tomorrow and Monday I want to get some curtain tie backs made up for the living room and probably use some more of the leftover fabric to make some new covers for the very tired-looking cushions that some dear family friends gave me when I first left for Uni (8 years isn't bad going for silk really). I also have another cushion cover (not the same size sadly) that my granny gave me so I'll have a look in John Lewis for a cushion to go in it.
I picked up some lovely blue and white polka dot fabric in London which wants to be a dress and I've found a lovely 70's pattern in the stash my mum passed onto me so if I have time I'd like to start marking out the pieces and check I have everything I need. There was also a really cute shirt pattern, and I never seem to have enough work shirts, so if I can find some suitable fabric at John Lewis I'll probably get that too - it is the sales after all!
We now have two photo frames that need filling, big ones with space for several pictures, so that's another project for the weekend: picking out photos and possibly ordering some new prints online. This has been a plan for a while so how successful we'll be I don't know but I can try. It seems a shame not to make use of the frames and there are still some walls that are really bare.
If I could get hold of a recipe from Phil I'll have a go at making some bread, and regardless I'll knock up some cakes or biscuits. I don't have any particular recipe in mind yet, possibly some cupcakes although the last batches were disastrous. I'm hoping my new oven thermometer will help me pin down where I'm going wrong with some of these bakes.
Thank you letters to write too, lots of people were very kind this year, not just at Christmas but over the last month or so in general. Those might be an evening project for the rest of the week I think.
Finally, I want to try to put some sort of shelf up for our microwave which currently wobbles on top of a couple of brackets which are at the wrong distance apart. I think we ought to be able to screw a bit of wood on top of the brackets and that should make it better at least, it's worth a try.
Sounds like I'm going to be busy, so I'd better get to bed. I'm still not even halfway through my Willow Cowl either so I need to get something done on that. Not to mention my cardy, but I think that's going to be a long term project...
Having finished (and, more amazingly, passed) my last accountancy exams, I now have my free time back. I also got a lot of very generous gifts over the last month, including a sewing machine, a mini greenhouse and lots of very useful books about crafting, baking, making do and generally getting your hands dirty. While I already use Ravelry to keep track of my knitting (sporadically this year due to studying and work), I feel like I need somewhere to make notes on what other projects I have done, mostly so that I can look back and see not only what I have achieved but how I did it, what worked well and what could have gone better.
I plan to try to categorise these broadly by what I'm talking about, whether it be the book I just finished or my new sewing project, but it is all a work in progress at this point so bear with me.
I was at my mum's most of the week and managed to catch up with my longest-standing friends from college and University which was lovely. I also finally finished Lady Chatterley's Lover, which was a struggle given his frankly unimaginative writing style and at times offensive assumptions about women and their 'needs'. I shan't be recommending that to anyone in a hurry. I also raced through J D Salinger's Franny and Zooey which was much better; interesting to read but not a chore. For once I think Pete might actually enjoy it so maybe I should try to remember to borrow it next time we visit.
Now that I have no more exams (can you tell I'm pleased?) I don't need all the bookcase-worth of books and papers that I've gathered over the last two years. I had a preliminary clear out just before the case study but this afternoon I did a proper job and cut everything down to three binders and three books. Now I have lots of space for knitting patterns and books - or I would have if I hadn't already used it for just that. Now not only can all my craft things sit together but I can organise them properly and make use of them - I'd totally forgotten, for example, about the Austrian lace and hose book my mum brought back for me. I will definitely be dipping into that one once my immediate plans are completed.
Speaking of which, I came back with a fair few plans for this weekend and further into the future. I've already repaired a pair of work trousers and a cushion cover that have been looking sadly at me for a few weeks, which was very satisfying.
Tomorrow and Monday I want to get some curtain tie backs made up for the living room and probably use some more of the leftover fabric to make some new covers for the very tired-looking cushions that some dear family friends gave me when I first left for Uni (8 years isn't bad going for silk really). I also have another cushion cover (not the same size sadly) that my granny gave me so I'll have a look in John Lewis for a cushion to go in it.
I picked up some lovely blue and white polka dot fabric in London which wants to be a dress and I've found a lovely 70's pattern in the stash my mum passed onto me so if I have time I'd like to start marking out the pieces and check I have everything I need. There was also a really cute shirt pattern, and I never seem to have enough work shirts, so if I can find some suitable fabric at John Lewis I'll probably get that too - it is the sales after all!
We now have two photo frames that need filling, big ones with space for several pictures, so that's another project for the weekend: picking out photos and possibly ordering some new prints online. This has been a plan for a while so how successful we'll be I don't know but I can try. It seems a shame not to make use of the frames and there are still some walls that are really bare.
If I could get hold of a recipe from Phil I'll have a go at making some bread, and regardless I'll knock up some cakes or biscuits. I don't have any particular recipe in mind yet, possibly some cupcakes although the last batches were disastrous. I'm hoping my new oven thermometer will help me pin down where I'm going wrong with some of these bakes.
Thank you letters to write too, lots of people were very kind this year, not just at Christmas but over the last month or so in general. Those might be an evening project for the rest of the week I think.
Finally, I want to try to put some sort of shelf up for our microwave which currently wobbles on top of a couple of brackets which are at the wrong distance apart. I think we ought to be able to screw a bit of wood on top of the brackets and that should make it better at least, it's worth a try.
Sounds like I'm going to be busy, so I'd better get to bed. I'm still not even halfway through my Willow Cowl either so I need to get something done on that. Not to mention my cardy, but I think that's going to be a long term project...
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