weaving and mending

I once saw some weaving on forked twigs
(sorry I don't remember her name,
otherwise I should tell you)
In the garden I used to be on the look-out
for some good twigs to give it a try.
I finally did !
(I think the twig was a bit of my rambler rose
that tends to grow so vigorously
that I have to cut it down real hard
or otherwise the Malus will collapse under the weight !)

(I only have pictures of the finished piece :
after an update my phone refuses to speak with the pc
to upload the pictures I took from the start)

Front and "back" side

It was really fun !
For the warp I used cotton
and for the weave wool (sock yarn leftovers)
The weaving is about 9 cm.

*

My mending basket is still really full
though I did already some overdue work.

So today I was darning more socks !
Hmmm, I didn't find the right colour . . .
but because the holes are always at the bottom
I don't really mind.

Done !
and the crystal ball (really handy inside while working)

tells me I will enjoy these socks for some time !

last day of January

 The first month of this year is nearly gone.
We had a bit of ice and also snow,
though much less than in the north of the country.
Birds are still coming to the garden

but the first Aconites are already above the ground since the 16th !

My mending basket was overflowing and I finally started
on the fingerless mittens daughter made for me last year :

I repaired some stitches and knitted the top again on thinner needles.

And oh my, I really needed those on the Sundays
that I was working on the big "slavery-project"
because it was COLD in the big hall !!!

This BIG project has finally come to an end !

Here they were still filming the last steps of this GIANT tapestry.

But tomorrow we will celebrate the completion of the 35 meters
 with a joint festive lunch !

In February this monumental tapestry is exhibited
in de Grote Kerk, Den Haag (13 - 22 February)
After that it will make a tour along the cities where the work was done :

Rotterdam, Delft, Dordrecht, Gouda, Leiden.

mending

 
I found some little paper bags with old used postage stamps,
unfortunately there were no more landscapes
but I might give it a go with some animal stamps
. . . . .
But there was something else
I could do this last week :
another Stitch Challenge on FB
by Textile Artists.org
(like the ones we had last year's spring)
This time by my favorite Merill Comeau.
"text in fabric"

I chose the word "mending"
something that isn't done very often
since the "throwaway society"
is more common than not.

I get a lot of little repairs from daughter and the kids
(two trousers waiting for me right now)
I love it when things are functional again
with just some fabric, thread and a little effort !

all kinds of small scraps
in not too bright colours.

and a variety of matching threads
(after basting everything down)

finished !

Here some detailed pictures
to show the details of the different ways
I stitched the letters down.

That was really FUN
. . .
and now on to doing the "real thing"
which has to be less visible !

quiet ... quiet ... quiet

Yes it's quiet here,

the year walks quietly to its end.

We had lovely family days

and the rest was really quiet.

Just mending a bit

(not for me)

...

and knitting

(the zigzag pattern)

...

and making some more stars

(for the tree)

The jeans of daughter that were lying around for quite some time :

busy mending at last !

the beginning

the outside                   ...         and using pliers !!!

inside

(with some extra cotton fabric for strength)

*

Because the zigzag scarf pattern was so much fun

(using up all the sock yarn leftovers)

I thought I should make some socks

to go with the scarf

:-)

Now two socks on one circular needle

Nearly there !!!

!

I coloured some more wooden stars

such fun to do !

Some more for the tree ...

(which will be outside again soon !)

slowly going

That's what I'm doing at the time

My creative things 

aren't growing very fast,

nor are the flowers in the cold spring garden

...

But the local garden center

is very helpful

when it comes to slow gardens

Not home grown, 

but from a tray full of bright colours !

Not that my days are idle, oh no,
the stack of jewel squares is steadily growing and

I'm busy de-cluttering the bookcase,

Though it may not lóók like progress, but it really is !

I got rid of all the tiny bits (and dust) that gathered on the shelves.

so you could hardly see the books anymore.

Now the fun things only stand on the ends.

Now you can see again this lovely Wayang Golek head

(It is fár from finished, 

and I had a hard time to persuade the man who made it,

to sell it to me unfinished !!!

But he did, and I cherished it for many years now)

 While I was working the bookcase

and Man colouring his Mandalas (or studying Italian)

the little one had work of his own

*

Today 

(the bookcase is finished)

I started mending an etui (container)

that a dear friend made many years ago

(the zipper was broken)

...........

but I can tell you :

that making a new one

would probably have been a lot easier

than replacing this broken zipper 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(but I'm glad anyway !)

mending a hole

 

There was a hole in a brand new trouser

of little grandson

(someone probably snipped off a thread

and snipped into the fabric as well)

 

Although daughter is a good seamstress herself ...

these kind of things always end up on my plate

 

Then

I had an idea !

The little one likes books,

now he knows there is always someone who will read aloud, and

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

is his favorite of late :

he loves to poke his tiny fingers through all the holes

 

First some interface on the inside

 

my green embroidery floss and a cup of tea

and a sharp needle

.....

 

and this is what I ended up with !

 

(so sorry the little one can't see the caterpillar on his bum ...

or ... I might make the butterfly,

if he gets a hole on his knee)

?

 



baby stitches

Our days (and nights !)

are still filled with "a lot of baby"

Though we worry about various things

he grows like cabbage

(that's all he has to do isn't it ?)

When I see and smell one of my fresh "New Dawn" roses

I think of our new little grandson

sweet !

And in between all the hassle and bustle

I find bits of time

to do some stitches on the little "lots of love" cloth

little bits of fire for the fireman

this one is for Mo Crow's interest

*

There was also time for some mending and washing

......

someone cut of the ribbons of this woolen baby shirt 

so I put on some new ones that I found in my stash

and ten year old "Maisy" clean again

but still dripping !!!