2022 Projects

 Every year I try and do some objectives rather than resolutions. Its about what I want to do rather than self improvement, especially so at the moment with us living in the worldwide DT (difficult time).

I will be continuing with my unambitious but relaxing knitting, doing some more sewing and getting back into doing some blog pics.

History reading continues and a theme for Xmas was cookery books with Sicilian and Romanian food among others. I am also getting into different wines thanks to my Wine Society membership. 

I do a lot of recycling but plan to improve my eco footprint by buying eco cleaning products and being more aware of the impact of other things I buy such as avoiding plastic, artificial fibres etc.

Lifestyle wise I am trying to be more functional in the mornings with a vigorous shower, face spray and coffee from our new filter coffee maker which has an auto timer! The old coffee maker which is a bit glitchy is going to my work kitchen so I don’t feel guilty. 

Garden wise once the weather improves my project is getting the rotted decking areas replaced and pepping up our difficult north facing tarmacked front garden. The theme to be interesting foliage. I’m thinking pots of ferns, hostas, fatsias and maybe some tubs of flowers. 

To try and relax more I plan to listen to music more and more varied music such as jazz, world etc.

Generally I think we all need to look after ourselves and others again this year. 

 

Christmas Fair

 

Aberdeen has a Christmas funfair outside Marischal College. I love the colours and lights of a funfair, the thing in the middle is a helter skelter not a Dalek.

Think Pink

 On monday I went with Leen to an amazing exhibition of Zandra Rhodes fashion at Aberdeen Art Gallery and it really inspired me. In the depths of the grey winter it was this explosion of colour and fabric. Pink, turquoise, yellow, gothic black, purple, it was beautiful. I bought the big book to gloat over too.

Here’s the picture of the designer whose clothes are sometimes punk, sometimes bohemian and always full on.

 

I’m doing a lot of knitting still and the colours and patterns of the exhibition are getting me into pink a lot. I’m currently knitting a pink scarf with specks of navy and neon yellow. Colours cheer even in these difficult times. 

Modern architecture

 

This is a rather challenging new building at the end of our road. Much of it is clad in black metal and it is a rather hulking presence. The style is somewhere between traditional and modern.

Gaming Socks

 

A new pair of self striping stripy socks. The colour reminded me of the Dungeons and Dragons setting ‘Icewind Dale’ where you adventure in a frozen northern land. 

Drawing Dystopia

 

Inspired by the fantastic book ‘Concrete Concept’ I thought I’d try drawing some c20th buildings. This is in Aberdeen. Coloured pencil on black paper gives an interesting effect.

Woolly Wonder

 

The collector in me had to have the set of these sock wools in colours chilli, tex-mex and guacamole! 

Welcome Autumn

 

It’s Autumn! One of my favourite seasons with the berries and leaf colours. To welcome Autumn breaking out, doing a seasonal clothing changeover. On with the cords (I just made these) and the seasonal nail polish changeover (this is Essie Angora Cardi, a warm pinky red). 

Thumb Gloves

 

Knitted fingerless gloves and then added a thumb bit. I’m not sure why they look different sizes they are the same on. In my favourite colours; pink, green, teal on a grey ground. 

New Projects

 Starting some new things:

Knitting a black jumper in hairy Icelandic wool

Sewing a drapy cardi in dark green linen jersey fabric . I love linen jersey but its hard to find.

Reading the British Librarys Tales of the Weird short stories. The first volume is ‘Evil Roots’ killer plants. Lots of highly entertaining gothic stories. I quite like books I can dip in or out of at the moment.

I don’t have to work at the weekend over the winter.

Stewed apples from our tree in the garden and ate them with custard. 

Begonias

 

 

My many begonias are having really weird exotic flowers, which I am obsessed by. 

Sock it to Me

 

Socks completed! The stripes are off but I don’t mind that. Also the toes are a bit square even for my odd long toes. Started another pair in brown/purple/blue so will see if the stripes match up this time. 

A-Maze-ment

 

I went to the Aberdeen Uni botanic garden with my mum and we walked a grass labyrinth. A labyrinth has one path around and a maze has several. This is the classic labyrinth which can be seen back to prehistoric times and has a spiritual and ritual significance. 

Autumn Mood

 

The old apple tree in our garden has a good harvest this year. It’s an espalier so they grow along the branches.

Finally some Baking

 

This is from a great book I borrowed from the library: Carpathia Cooking from the Heart of Romania. Its a yoghurt and apricot cake which is fat free and uses whisked egg whites to help with rising. The arrangement of the apricots is quite pleasing. 

Noro Knitting

 

Knitting a snood from this very interesting self striping wool from Japanese company Noro.

Finally Some Architecture

 

The very grandiose classical archway to Robert Gordons College in Aberdeen. Archways provide a great opportunity for architects to go nuts with a bit of Roman inspiration. An entrance arch provides security and drama for what is beyond. I feel an archway drawing project coming on. 

Lovely lilies

 

I was really delighted when these lilies I bought from the supermarket last year reappeared in the pot better than ever before! I love exotic flowers.

Fuzzy Jumper

 

I am obsessed by cable knitting, but mine often goes wrong. This is the good front bit of my jumper I am working on, excluding the goofs above and below. The colour is a greeny grey and it is fuzzy and baggy. Now also photo of completed jumper!

Finally some art

 

A few weeks ago Alistair went for an outside pub lunch at the very scenic and historic Four Mile Inn. It is four miles outside Aberdeen. I loved this old country building with the row of trees dotted along. 

Finally Some Sewing

 

It took me a while, but finally an actual dress is sewn and not in easy stretch but in lightweight denim chambray embroidered with lobsters. I felt this gave it a fun summer vibe. Its a relaxed fit with pockets. Feminist pocket rant could follow but I’m sure you can all imagine. 

New Projects

 Following a week off, second vaccine and all that, feeling a bit more energised to start some new projects apart from just mindless knitting:

Sewing, getting back into sewing with non stretch, which is more difficult due to fit, having to use zips, buttons etc. The lobster print denim dress progresses slowly.

Cooking: reading about cooking to expand my use of ingredients, inspired by the Guardian food magazine I got from Leen. Two recipes I liked were cheese straws with zaatar and coffee icecream. Sadly not the super healthy Tofu wraps or Japanese stir fry. Really feeling into Italian food right now.

Pampering: booked optician and hairdressers after the longest time. Started new skincare regime. 

The history reading continues. Mostly medieval/Tudor/ renaissance.

Still Life

 

Quite enjoying some still life at the mo. Its all about the colours and shapes in still life, although the subjects are not usually that exciting. 

Powerful Pyjamas

 

My new pyjama shorts patterned with tiny Victorian strongmen. My next project is a blue denim dress patterned with small embroidered lobsters. 🦞 

Bottles Windowsill

 

Over lockdown we have been collecting interesting drink bottles on our kitchen windowsill, and here’s a rather wibbly watercolour of them.

Another weird knit

 

I love knitting but I don’t like instructions. So here’s a triangular scarf of my own design. I haven’t knitted anything triangular before. 

Perfume Line Up

 

I liked this line up of perfume bottles. Usually I keep them in the boxes as it preserves them better and I have had some for years. For extra points, can you identify any? What perfumes do you like?

More Allium Obsession

 

Foxglove Print

 

Getting back into art. This foxglove print is technically a hot mess, but I like to embrace the chaos in my art. Scratched the leaves in, left the blobs and smears to get a vibe of the vigour of the natural world. 

Amazing Allium

 

Obsessed by these alliums I planted. I bought three, two survived. I have already ordered more for next year. Seen against a rhubarb plant due to the eclectic nature of my garden planting.

Moebius Cowl

 

A small fun knitting project. The cowl is basically a circular scarf, I put a twist in it so it is a moebius strip  cowl. I thought this befitted the crazy nature of the wool which is hand dyed in colour ‘Radiance’ by Countess Ablaze, a wee wool workshop in Manchester. 

Crook of Devon

 

We sent to see Alistair’s family last weekend and on the way we passed this lovely fabric shop in an old mill in the scenic village of Crook of Devon. I looked up the name and it is confusingly so called because the river Devon bends and makes a crook shape on the village. Disturbingly, this pretty hamlet was the scene of witch trials and burnings in the 1660s. 

Three Tulips

 

I have become really obsessed by growing tulips this year. Every one is different and they change and develop with weird jagged edges, coloured streaks or warping forms. I also recommend reading The Tulip by Anna Pavord about the history of the flower and the Dutch obsession with exotic tulips. 

Longing for Landscape

 

I really miss my long drives in the country. Later this month, however, we are driving to Perthshire to see Alistairs brother. So I made a mono print inspired partly by the Scottish landscape and partly by some corrugated cardboard I received with a parcel. 

Seed growing 2021

 This year I am again growing things from seeds for the garden. I am still experimenting but have also learned what grew well last year. This is the year of flowers and herbs.

Flowers:

Nasturtiums, including the sinisterly named Bloody Mary

Sweet peas, going for the old scented varieties

Marigolds did not come up

Giant sunflower

Edibles:

Basil and coriander, home of many greenfly

Cucumbers

Squash, dont grow squash here but great leaves

Courgettes, not germinated yet

Chilli

Rocket

Apple seedling grown from apple, yes I know they dont make the same kind (clones)

Fennel and dill

Some mystery seedlings, I forgot to label the pots.

Hat making

 

I made a giant sunhat! And a yellow waterproof rain hat. Why are waterproofs traditionally yellow? 

Panorama

 

A panorama from the roof terrace of Aberdeen Art Gallery. I like the way it includes Gothic and Baroque architecture. The trees are lovely in Spring. 

Wardrobe Update

 Spring is here! And my thoughts turn to that Spring/Summer wardrobe. My fabric order finally arrived, I didn’t realise it was coming from Germany until Brexit and now it takes about two weeks to arrive. Nice though. I am planning to make:

Dusky pink sweatshirt

Unicorn pattern pyjama trousers (pictured)

Black cotton/linen trousers.

I wasn’t much if a trouser wearer before All This but as comfort now reigns supreme and as no one sees you professionally full length why not. 

I also bought shoes which is tricky on the internet so I go a half size up and then buy insoles.

I got some navy leather and leopard suede flats from Hotter who make very comfy shoes.

The knitting continues although it is not currently very seasonal, I am not a fan of knitted cotton summer tops/ beach ponchos etc Ugh.

Spring Leaves

 

My ivy in the garden looks like normal ivy but has crazy leaves, all different shaped and blotched with yellow and white. Everyone says don’t plant ivy but I love it and so does the wildlife. 

Swing Set

 

I liked the colours and patterns of my neighbours children’s swing set. Although there is something quite dystopian about an empty playground, like in Terminator. This is ink over oil pastel using a resist technique. It’s good for doing a strong background without having to colour round everything. 

Rom Com Project

 Success! After many hackneyed and leaden romcom film offerings I really loved The Jane Austen Book Club. A group of women (and one man) form a book club to ponder their lives and discuss Jane Austen's books. Each character is allocated one of her novels to discuss in the club, which seems to reflect their life. Through their reading and discussions they come to understand their lives and relationships better. 

A varied group of characters, witty dialogue and great actors make this a satisfying watch where you really care, there’s also the book by Karen Joy Fowler which I might have to read too. 

My favourite Jane Austen is Persuasion, with a close second for Pride and Prejudice. I’m not sure what that says about me....

Nasturtiums

 

One of many pots of small plants starting off on my bedroom windowsill. 

70s Wall

 

Completed: my first macrame project. it’s a wall hanging about 60cm long. It’s a bit wonky but I really enjoyed making it and am very pleased with it. Macrame was a very popular craft in the 70s and I remember doing it at school. 

Macrame is a rather pointless hobby but very soothing and obsessive. I can even do it during zoom meetings. 

My next project is a plant holder kit I got for my birthday. After that, definitely some more.......

Stripy Shrug

 

Front and back views of my weird shrug. Basically a tube knitted from two different colour schemes of wool, each ball of which is fairly different in itself. I like it though. I might knit some more variants of this, it seems useful. Wool used is a Japanese hand dyed called Noro Kureyon. 

Viewing Project

 On Wednesdays Alistair does online wargaming. So I have a project, following on from my christmas films project, of watching things he wouldn't enjoy.

Currently this is romance/romcom films. My favourites so far are ‘Crazy Rich Asians’, which is more of a romantic drama, but a bit of a Jane Austen style set in Singapore. Beautifully produced film in amazing locations.

And ‘13 Going on 30’ with Jennifer Garner (from Alias) and Mark Ruffalo (from Marvel). Jennifer is a 13 year old girl who suddenly wakes up and is 30, in the future, and sees her life has gone off track. It’s very funny.

Popular films I didn't like included The Proposal: leaden and obvious humour. And The Holiday: great female cast but the least appealing romantic male leads ever gave it zero sex appeal.

Anyone agree/disagree or have any recommendations for my project? My favourite romantic comedy is When Harry Met Sally. Genius.

Week Off

 We took a week off to rest and replenish. During the week off I have:

Tried new wines

Revamped front garden with large pots and shrubs to relieve the expanse of tarmac.

Progressed new striped knitting project (pictured). I have a line up of knitting projects plus wool ready: three jumpers/cardigan, one gloves, one socks. 

Made jeans

Read weird and interesting novel: ‘Piranesi’ by Susannah Clarke, I feel I should get back into reading novels and am enjoying travelogues in lieu of actual holidays: currently Empires of the Indus by Alice Albinia. 

Made cat linocut

Went for some different walks

Window Puddy 2

 

I noticed this cat in a window of the tenements that look over our garden yesterday. Linocut print.

Holiday Projects

 

So we have a week off coming up. But we can’t go anywhere. So to take my mind off the fact that this should be a holiday I have a lineup of fun projects:

Knit shrug from this lovely, if wacky, Japanese wool (pictured above)

Sew pair of comfy jeans

Do painting of the hellebore flowers which are currently the best thing in the garden.

I am also doing the spring wardrobe purge including cheap and nasty acrylic jumpers, coloured tights (why?) and shoes I bought on the internet which don’t fit properly. 

As I am a sucker for punishment I also did a lot of work on the front garden, installing pots and putting in shrubs and plants. It looks better, but still not great.

Jumper Joy

 

I finished the jumper! And it was easier and quicker than I expected. I have been too intimidated to make a jumper for years, but now I am so pleased with it. More to come.....

Big Pidge

 

I love the big wood pigeons that live in the trees at the back of our garden. 

Sewing Wagon

As Spring seems to be emerging I feel the urge to sew again. 

I have some really nice dark blue denim for a pair of jeans style trousers (still not got hang of front zips) and some grey jersey. Mysteriously this is formed as a tube. I have had various ideas for it including tracksuit trousers (I just dont wear them), 80s style skirt (not needed) and dress (not a very peppy colour scheme). But I think they may end up being a cardi with useful leftovers for another project. (Shown above). 

The knitting goes on as it is long and mindless so quite relaxing and I have ideas for some 80s inspired jumpers from the Vogue Knitting book. This book has patterns from the 80s to present but the 80s seemed to be a decade of appealingly crazy knitwear.

Spring Style

 

So I am knitting my first ever jumper. The colour scheme is a more spring friendly one of pinks and purples. As the weather has significantly improved I am going over to spring things such as: floral spring perfume, pastel/bright nail polish instead of dark and a colour scheme of blue/green/pink/grey instead of black/red/navy. 

The little things to celebrate a new season. In the garden bulbs are emerging.

 I haven’t been needing many new clothes lately, nor have I been able to take any old stuff to Oxfam. So far this year I have bought a new bra and a long sleeved tshirt. I’ve got rid of a couple of 100% acrylic jumpers which looked nice but felt very sweaty even in winter, and a pair of unsuccessful trousers I made. 

Back in the Garden

The weather has suddenly warmed up and I can enjoy being in the garden in just a light jumper. Today I braved B&Q for the first time in a year and bought some plants.

I got a drypoteris fern for the bottom border, which is north facing and damp, so I am going for a woodland vibe. There are also snowdrops and a hellebore (pictured).

For the right hand new border by fence I got a camellia. This is more of a shrub border, the aim being to conceal a huge fence.

The left hand border is more of a fruit tree and traditional flowers border. I am hoping for signs of life from my bare root plum tree. 

The south border is just strawberry plants as they grow like nutters there and nothing else gets a look in. 

My shady, north facing tarmac front garden with the log shed is yet to be cracked though. So far the planting consists of anything that has survived and some eclectic pots.