But later it rained…
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Author Archives: Tina
A long term project completed!
Some years ago, I began crocheting squares from some cotton yarn from my stash. Squares are good to take on holiday, as they are small and you can just take a few at a time, but it also means the project progresses slowly… Anyway, I was getting near the end of the cotton, so it was time to decide what to make from the finished squares.
First, they had to be blocked, then pressed. 
I ended up with 33, just the number for a shrug pattern I found. The photo below was taken on the bed while I was away in Cambridge – the whole project was still small enough to take in my rucksack!
The assembled shrug had to be blocked again after I had crocheted the squares together.
Here it is being worn as a shrug:
But the sleeves have buttons, so you can also wear it as a shawl…
…or a scarf!
Very adaptable! But do I store it with the wraps, the shrugs or the scarves??
A few days in Cambridge
I am spending a few days in Cambridge with a group called “Free to Believe”, studying Tom Holland’s book “Dominion”. This afternoon we had some free time, so I went for a stroll around Cambridge. In true Wheeler fashion, I wandered away from the bustle to the river, which was much more pleasant.
There were dog walkers, ducks, a heron and a couple of teenage swans. But I wasn’t expecting cows!
Regency Dress finally finished
Well, the dress is finished; I still need to make a chemise to go underneath the stays, which go under the dress.
Then I can get even more creative and make a turban. Otherwise, I will have to wear my wig…
Playing with our new toy
This week we had the second attempt at proving the pizza bases in the new proving oven:
It starts off quite flat, which is handy for storage.
The lid lifts up, then off, then the inside unfolds so you get a box.
It takes less than five minutes to get to 40°, during which time I make the pizza bases.
Next, the frame which Phil designed and 3D printed is unfolded, and the pizza bases stacked in it. We had to buy new trays because the old ones were too big!
Finally, the whole lot is lifted into the oven. I must say the contraption is much more stable than I feared. It’ll be interesting to see what it’s like with four pizzas!
Regency Dress nears completion.
The dress is mostly assembled; the front is a bit lumpy and requires further work, but I am pleased with the back:
Once I am happy with the front, I only need to hem the sleeves and skirt.
A different sort of project!
Last year, some members of my dance group, Pastime, made a video pantomime. We had such fun we decided to do another video – this time with the theme “All at Sea”. Various people have done various bits and they will in due course be assembled into a whole by our tech wizard (not me!).
I have been filmed reciting a poem. Aniko added a background – in the final video, I am sitting in a boat!
Next, I am going to attempt to add some illustrations…
This has been a VERY steep learning curve!
Some of you may be able to guess which poem I was reciting…
A sad day. but happy memories
As we get ready to pass our old trailer tent on to a new home, I feel very sad that an era has come to an end. I don’t feel ready to give up camping just yet:-(
But oh, what times we had!
Some baby plants arrive
While I had a subscription to Gardener’s World Magazine, I sent off for some mini plug plants, which only cost the postage. They arrived in what looked like an impossibly small package, but inside were 30 tiny plants in 30 tiny pots.
They were quite damp and seemed to be happy, but I thought it best to up-pot them pretty quickly.
It turned out that some of the tiny pots actually held more than one seedling, but I put each pot’s worth into one of my home made paper pots.
Now I am left with 30 tiny plant pots. Can I find another use for them, so they are not single-use plastic?
Time to reduce my wardrobe
That is in quantity, not size! For the past however many years, in the same way that we did when I was growing up, I have done a swap in May and October of the winter and summer clothes which are put in the camphor wood box while they aren’t in use.
This spring I was prompted to start early, and my aim was to reduce the (embarrassing) number of clothes I had so there would no longer be any need to keep the out of season ones separately.
So I took over the front bedroom for several days and emptied my wardrobe and drawers onto every available surface. The beady eyed may also see the kirtle and coif in the foreground.
The shoes alone covered the bed!
I almost succeeded in my goal – there are only heavy winter coats in the camphor wood box now, and there are four bags waiting to go to the charity shop. Furthermore, the clothes I do have are better organised. Result!