Crafty friendship

Why, my dear souls, I have been most fortunate to spend another glorious day with my two dear friends and colleagues ensconced in all things sewing. I was most fortunate to be the owner of a large quantity of a utility fabric that, divided into three, made suitable quantities for a garment apiece after being dyed to our personal choice of colour. Cottons, interlining and bias binding were purchased on a little "fieldwork" trip we fitted in prior to Christmas. Once the alchemy of the dye process had been completed and the fabric pressed and prepared, a suitable pattern for the students amongst us was chosen and a mutually convenient day and date set, the garments could begin. Once more intent, we cut, sewed, used bias binding of a most desirable pattern, and generally got further than our seamstress "tutor" expected, nigh on finishing the garment in a day of intense learning. A simple lunch was partaken along with the luscious lemon drizzle cake I have previously described (my dears, it was truly delicious and most appreciated by my crafting friends). We laughed, we frowned, we listened intently, asked questions and generally tried to absorb by osmosis the information being imparted from our dear and wise colleague. She is, it has to be said, most diligent in ensuring a high standard and each garment is beautifully finished. Oh, the joy at realising we were nearing completion, only stalled by the necessary parting of the ways to attend to our respective families and prepare for the week of professional toil that lay ahead. Such a delightful way to spend a day away from one's professional toil.

It really does so enhance life to have a hobby one enjoys and shares with like minded friends but also one, it has to be said, that really is quite so practical, my dears. I can thoroughly recommend it, dear souls, for not only is one more competent with the sewing machine, than one's wardrobe has increased threefold; what, therefore, is not for a girl to like?

Restoring order..

We have thankfully come to the end of a period of clearing, decluttering and generally sorting out of all those things we had previously deemed necessary to keep over the years. Many years of paperwork from our early years through secondary education, professional studies, higher education and more have been recycled - dear reader, 'tis truly incredible quite how much paperwork was accumulated. Several tall piles were created and duly deposited at the paper bank. Recyclable items were carefully gathered and packaged, then duly offered to our local charity shop for a cause close to my heart. There was very little to be deposited at the local recycling centre. As you may remember, this has been undertaken in preparation for some further works required on our home. We have met with the various workmen required to undertake the work and now duly await start dates later in the year. Having begun a period of decluttering it makes sense to consider continuing through the house, and thus dear souls, we will continue at our leisure to do just that. 

The male guardian is today once more at his professional toil, and thankful, perhaps, for a respite from the aforementioned goings on. As we rise at an hour before many are even stirring, I have taken the opportunity to undertake a little baking including the luscious lemon drizzle cake that I have previously described. My dears, the aroma really is quite alluring and I have had to firmly place it in a tin and put it away, lest I partake a little too readily before the male guardian has the chance to rest his gaze upon it. The early start has also afforded one more chance to catch up on the chores and restore a semblance of order to one's home after a week of decluttering. It really is amazing what a week of this can do to one's home. Thankfully, order is once again restored.

Whilst a busy week generally, there has also been the opportunity "to stop and stare" for the weather remains largely wet and the garden is sodden, sadly precluding any consideration of getting on with the general tidying of the garden. The woollen garment on the needles grows by the day and the sewing  project I am currently intent upon is coming together. Whilst taking time to stop and stare I have espied some rather gorgeous patterns for woollen garments, encompassing new techniques, that I am placing on my "next to do" project list. Such excitement, dear souls, for one is never to old to learn and I do feel there are many more tricks to achieve in life, do you not agree.

Water, water everywhere....

Whilst not surrounded by seawater, as alluded to in Coleridge's "..Rime of the Ancient Mariner", dear old Blighty does feel somewhat waterlogged at the moment, particularly in this neck of the woods. Whilst the north of the country are somewhat beleaguered by the onslaught of snow, we are being drenched in a somewhat wetter form, ensuring that Wellington boots are THE footwear of choice for any sensible countrydweller. The large pond one of our farming community had created in a nearby field behind us has turned into a small lake with four rather serene swans that glide upon it; such a joy to watch. Whilst t'is frustrating for many, the male guardian and I are embracing it with one of those fashionably named "hygge" days. The fire is lit, music is playing, books are in evidence, along with a woollen garment on the needles, fresh coffee prepared and a rather becoming candle releasing a rather delicious scent to mingle with that of a log fire and fresh coffee. What, my dears, is not to like? After a week of some rather "abstract" shifts between us, it is rather delightful to just relax, and that, dear souls, is exactly what we intend on days such as these.

We have a busy week ahead of us for not only does the male guardian's  carriage require servicing but we are preparing for further work on our small home later in the year which requires some sensible assessment of the possessions we have gathered or acquired over the years. T'will not be an easy task for some will have emotional ties which always makes decision making difficult. Nevertheless, it has  to be done and t'will be done and I am sure will stand us in good stead in years to come. Recycle or repurposing will be the words of choice during the exercise, and where possible we will do just that being staunchly in support of a non throw away society, as you know.

I am due to host another sewing day over the next few weeks with two of my dear friends and colleagues which I am very much looking forward to. In preparation for this I am going to attempt a recipe that another dear friend and colleague in my department made and shared within this week. Oh, my, my dear reader, what a gloriously lemony and luscious thing it was; why, fair makes my mouth water at the very thought of its lemony taste - quite the nicest lemon drizzle cake I have had the delight to encounter. I only hope I can do the recipe justice. It was certainly a great success with those gathered on the day and thus the recipe was shared most generously by said individual to whom I offer a grateful thank you, dear soul. 

A light sprinkling...

Well, dear souls, I ventured forth late this evening to open the garden gates at the entrance to our small estate to find, after a stormy day, that we had a light sprinkling of snow across the gardens and a small drift upon the front doorstep. The wind is still making itself known, and carries that cold crisp    
air that has the country dwellers amongst us raising our noses to the air and sniffing, before declaring the imminence of snow, although on this occasion such a declaration was null and void such was the evidence laid out before mine eyes. Thankfully, 'tis but a mere sprinkling and one hopes most ardently that this is all that we shall see, for whilst 'tis-pretty, for those amongst us required to go about their professional toil, it can be a little tedious to say the least. As I write, I sit up in my bedchamber  snuggley ensconsed in a lusciously warm bed awaiting the safe return of the male guardian from his professional toil. I must confess, my dears, to never resting before he is safely home, which can, it has to be said, lead to some rather long and tedious hours of waiting followed by some very short hours of rest before we repeat the cycle once more. No matter, for his safety is paramount and one can only relax when he is home. I do so hope you are all safe and sound during the inclement weather, dear friends.

Conundrums...........

Well, t'as been quite a week, my dears. The weather has been largely cold and frosty, much to my delight, although it has made my daily walk to and fro from my professional toil a tad treacherous at times. Why, one morning, I barely kept upon my feet for the ground was most icy; a slippery, slidey  journey, dear souls, most slippery, slidey but oh, so crisply refreshing, enough to bring a rosy glow to one's cheeks for sure.

Following the successful completion of the second garment for my dear friend and colleague, I found myself temporarily without a woollen garment upon the needles. Well, how strange it did feel not to have knitting needles in my grasp. Now, every knitter has a "stash" of delightfully gorgeous yarn to contemplate and consider, which is exactly, dear reader, the position one found oneself in. The problem however, was not the lack of yarn but the decision as to which one would use next and, perhaps more importantly, what to make and for whom. 'Pon my soul, a most perplexing conundrum, why fair took me a week or more to consider pattern, ponder yarn and contemplate style. Hours, my dears, yes hours have been spent caressing the various yarns in said stash and pattern after pattern reviewed. Much to the male guardian's delight a choice has been made and the garment commenced. 'Tis a fine cardigan in lambswool and mohair in a rather becoming shade. The male guardian has persuaded me that perhaps a little something for myself might be in order and thus, this is what I have chosen to do, after much consideration. Such a restful pastime with which to pass the time whilst the evenings remain long and dark and the male guardian is at his professional toil.

Continuing the woolly theme, the male guardian has been wearing a fine Aran jumper knitted for him many years ago, possibly twenty, by my dear late mother. It looks as good today as it did when he first received it and it was so lovely to see him wearing it. My mother was an excellent Aran knitter and the male guardian wearing it today was testament to the longevity and classic lines of a beautifully crafted homemade garment. I do so hope that my attempts at this craft last half as long, dear friends.

Oh the joy...

Dear souls, the sheer and utter, delicious moment of climbing into one's bed to find it made with quite the softest of fine brushed cotton in the midst of winter really is one of life's most sublime of pleasures. Second only, of course, to waking and lingering a while in said warm bed whilst a storm rages forth or, one's cold breath billowing out signals the state of the weather before one actually relinquishes the blessed sumptuousness of said bed. Perhaps the greatest pleasure of all is to linger half past the hour longer than one's professional toil generally allows; why, my dears, it feels positively contentious in our humble home. Such simple pleasures but ones that are truly life's little treasures; the joy and happiness of a warm, soft haven in which to rest ones mind and body cannot be underestimated. We are most fortunate indeed to have worked hard through life to achieve a sanctuary in which we can do just that. We thoroughly recommend it, my dears, on these winter days, for we are mightily convinced that it is good for the soul, do you not agree?

Glorious bleak mid winter

I know, my dears, I know but, a white frost covered morning in deep mid winter is so much better than a sodden, rain filled day in the same season, do you not think? What is not to love about glistening, diamond covered trees and leaves, ones's breath streaking out before you and that warm ruddy glow as you go about gathering kindling and logs for a crackling blaze. The joy of warming one's fingers and toes before such a glad sight is really quite exquisite, hunkered down, with a cup of something equally heat inducing to wrap ones hands around. Oh, I do so love it. I enjoy enclosing myself in soft woollen layers, enhanced by a little something in quite the most softest of cashmere, a gratefully received inheritance from my dear late Mother's stash. We would often laugh about what she termed "your inheritance" for unlike many, what I had in my head of memories was enough, bar my fondness for her cashmere. Whilst jewels and money are considered as most people's inheritance, mine was memories and cashmere, for money and jewels do not immediately warm you. A piece of cashmere, whilst considered exorbitant in price, will repay the outlay, if cared for well,  through the generations. Dear reader, I am most diligent with my inheritance. 

It is inevitable, that during this short, sharp cold snap that a problem will ensue with the mechanism for heating the water. I do not mind the cold, per se, my dears, but to regularly shower in it at five thirty each morning is perhaps a little more than even I am keen on. We are most fortunate, therefore,  to have been visited today by a most delightful gentleman who, in under two hours, had diagnosed the problem, fitted the new part and had all working again. Such a lovely, tidy gentleman too, which is so gratifying. We are most thankful to him and an orderly queue formed to use the bathing facilities shortly after he had departed - oh, the sheer bliss of a hot shower on a cold day.

I am most delighted to report that the second cardigan for my dear friend and colleague is complete and t'will afford me great pleasure to be able to present it to her next week. I am most pleased with this second effort and the rather becoming button band in a colour chosen by my friend. Such joy in giving, dear friends, such joy; to witness that happy smile and pleasure in a gift is something to behold, do you not agree?