I like making things: October 2016

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Using my crafting skills

I haven't been posting much lately as I have been busy on a project outside with my husband. If you read my other blog you know we acquired an old camper which we thought would be an easy job to convert to a hunting blind for my husband.........wrong!!!!

I have realised though that it is really just like doing crafts but on a bigger scale. Making windows, repairing the outer shell, replacing timbers, foam insulating, laying floors etc. all involves measuring and cutting out and covering up. So I have enjoyed doing some of the things myself and helping out on others.

The worst part was gutting it, it was horrible!!! There were mice nests in the ceiling and walls and mud dobber nests everywhere and the furniture and fixtures were old and dirty and smelly. Yuk!

But we are getting there now. The outside, we hope, is all repaired and the windows are all made and in. We think we have all the leaks fixed around the windows, that has been quite the challenge. The inside is getting insulated and covered. The stands and tables have all been made and are in. The window props were all made from recycled steel we had. My husband is a wood man not a metal one but he has fashioned these things wonderfully. Also he has done all the camouflaging of the outside. He still has to finish it but it is well on the way.

We are still a long way from being fully finished but there is an end in sight now. We are taking a break for a few days though as he has just plain worn himself out. He is 72 in a couple of weeks and has a chronic auto immune disease that attacks his muscles and nerves and this project has got the better of him.

I haven't been taking pictures regrettably so there aren't any to put up but will take some when it is all done.

We had to stop one day last week and go to the doctors as I had a bad attack of dizziness and nausea, turns out I had an inner ear infection. Antibiotics were prescribed and I am OK now. Had other routine tests done too and all is good but I have to say that prepping for a colonoscopy is not fun! The procedure is done under general anesthetic so you have no idea what is going on but the prep is 'orrible!

Hopefully it won't be as long between posts next time.

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I started this blog in 2011: Ever since my Mum taught me to knit at the age of about six or seven I have made things. Back then it was doll clothes. I was also inspired by Mrs Levitt an elderly lady who had a sewing room in a conservatory type room on the back of her house. I would sit and watch her in awe as she sewed.

When I was a child living in England the school system was such that you started at 5 years, did two years in Infant School, then four years in Primary School then five to seven years in Secondary School, depending on whether you chose to stay on after fifth form to get qualifications to go to University. I can't remember much of the Infant school other than making the standard square doily thingy from fabric that had holes in it so you could embroider patterns into it. A bit like the modern day cross stitch fabric but with bigger holes and spaces to make it easy for small hands to use. I also remember with great joy getting a toy sewing machine one Christmas which sewed only chain stitch but I did make doll clothes on it and that was before I started Primary school. I do have very vivid recollections of Primary school and having sewing and knitting lessons. In Primary school I knitted gloves and made a dress from scratch hand sewing it all.

Secondary school continued on with sewing by which time I had progressed to using full sized sewing machines and was making more intricate skirts and dresses. My parents bought me a proper sewing machine when I was thirteen. I used that same machine right up until I emigrated to Canada at age forty six years.

I have always had a fascination for sewing machines and knitting machines. I bought my first knitting machine at around age twenty one from an ad in a newspaper for twelve pounds. I had absolutely no idea what one was just that I wanted one. I trundled on the bus to the address in the advert and handed over my twelve pounds having absolutely no idea what I had really bought. Fortunately it came with a manual. It was an aged Knitmaster, very basic and I loved it. I wore it out. Next was a Brother push button one which I didn't keep because it was at a time in my life when things were difficult. Later on in my life, around forty, when things were better I bought a brand new Brother punchard machine with a ribber attachment. I loved it and made many things. Life took a different turn, I moved countries twice and along the way, regrettably I sold it.

Now, through the universe's blessing I now have another machine. It is a vintage one because they stopped making them early 90's but works perfectly and I love it. So I decided to make this blog to document my knitting progress and include sewing projects.

In 2013: we embarked on a new hobby, leather-work. My husband got started with it and it drew me in. It is something we can do together. We have a workshop so have plenty of room to work. We added another workbench for me to work on in 2013. We already had one but we were tripping over each other both trying to work at it. We only make things we want to make. It is strictly a hobby. We made some things for our good neighbours who help us out a lot. I am also working on Christmas presents. So this blog now incorporates the leather-work. Knitting and sewing will always be my first love though.

Fast forward to 2023 and now age almost 75 years. I have seven sewing machines, four knitting machines, several ribber attachments and a garter carriage for one of the machines. I am blessed beyond words, but I know that I have more than enough machines to keep me going in my lifetime so I don’t think I will be adding to my collection any time soon……….unless a nice embroidery machine manifests itself very cheaply.

I am a Brit living in the USA, sometimes I spell like a Brit and sometimes like an American. Sometimes I use slang and even make grammatical errors. I blog for the pleasure of it and to record my endeavours in the event that my memory fades, as I am sure it will with more age. I will be able to look back and remind myself of the things I have made along the way. So please forgive my mistakes when reading about my life making things here in the hinterlands and I hope you get as much enjoyment from my blog as I do from reading the blogs I follow.

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Saturday, October 15, 2016

Using my crafting skills