To Dream or Not to Dream

I know I am a bit of a dreamer at the best of times, but you need to dream to start ideas which latterly move on to actually creating and bringing something to life a birthing procedure.  To dream of doing something then taking little steps to actually bring something into fruition now that gives me so much pleasure. 

 I am sorry I have been absent for a while but I have been playing more than a little bit. It all started with having a go at things I had never tried before - like making some earrings, making a necklace.  Its sort of sparked my creativity a little and given me a little boost as some of the items I have had a go at have turned out quite well and I am chuffed to little bits with them.

Redeveloping an interest in nice clothes  and getting the itch to get the sewing machine out and making some skirts and pairs of trousers in fabrics of my choosing.  Also falling in love and liking a lot of lovely accessories only to find they cost an arm and a leg has also been the ignition point.  A spark I have followed through with on the basis that  I thought nah - I am not paying that (especially as one or two of the things I looked at the quality was a little waff for what prices were being charged).  The thought process then went something like  - I can make things like this  all I need is time to play and the materials to play with.  I can crotchet, knit in a fashion, make jewellery from tiny seed beads, and other sized beads, make hair bows, slides (there are tutorials on You Tube and dotted all over the Internet).  I can Crotchet that shawl and what's more because I have made them it is very unlikely that someone is going to end up with the same things exactly as me  - now that I found appealing they might have something like but not the same.  Now that excited me.

From  the playing  I seem to have in recent weeks found a lot of pleasure in simple things. I have been  having a go at things I would not normally consider; this all achieved in between real life events getting in the way when all I wanted to do was to  play and escape and dream and make and despite stopping and starting I have eventually got to play big time which has been very satisfying.  I still have loads of work in progress  - well the unfinished objects of which there are a pile  - erhm mountain might be more specific but I have also been adding little bits and bobs to the stash of materials.   A little bit of this and a little bit of that.   This pattern would look nice in that wool or this wool or that cotton or with this trim.  So far what I have been playing with I have used things I already had so no pennies spent now that is a plus at the moment.  (There will be a separate post with photos in relation to this  showing you what I have been up to). 

During the past week specifically I decided to get to grips with something I have a love hate relationship with - Knitting.  It has always been my nemesis - my achilles heel and I decided that it was about time that I really got to grips with this.   I have surprised myself in the process as I have persevered and things I did not understand I have googled and sorted things out and then felt quite chuffed with myself.   Its very empowering and has helped with some confidence issues I have a nice little boost at the right time.  

I think the knitting has been spurred on by the fact that I have just purchased two expensive jumpers from a well known shop of which one is a cable and the other stocking stitch. I come from an extremely long line of knitters I love proper jumpers, jackets and coats that is made in a yarn or a stitch of your choosing as I love hand crafted items.  Besides a home made jumper has a life and soul of its own and after all it is made with love.

I can knit in a fashion - I have been told I am quite a neat knitter, but I would not call myself proficient in any way shape or form - it still can be quite painful and still a strong learning curve, especially when you have to pull several rows down and then string everything back together neatly by picking up stitches that seem to disappear into nowhere. 

The knitting in turn seems to have coincided with me sorting out my UFOs  into a stock pile in the bedroom and deciding to tackle things one at a time.  Some of my UFOS were partly knitted Jackets and I have surprised myself in the process and actually quite enjoyed the knitting.  I have aimed not for speed but for neatness and have tried not to hurry the process as this seems to be when my concentration disppears and the time when I am more than likely to make a mistake.  I have three of these jackets on the go at the moment, a cream jacket taken from a Rowan pattern (but an alternative cream Aran wool worked in stocking stitch) a blue marled fashion yarn jacket also worked in stocking stitch and a kit that I bought yonks ago using four strands of wool (pale green, cream, a leather cream thread and a brown) to knit on gigantic needles and create a marled thick cozy jacket worked in moss stitch.  I have now got to a tricky stage with all three and I need to sit down and plan what I am going to do with each one and write a script for each individual jacket which I can tick off as I g along.  

This has in turn led to me looking through books, picking out patterns and planning for ongoing projects. Once these three out of the way there are plans for a couple of fair isle jumpers.  I am getting  a little adventurous. There is also the crotchet jacket with  the flower trim worked in white cotton with lilac, pink and purple flower trim with green leaves and the wellie boot socks to keep the tootsies warm during the cooler months (they might also make some useful Christmas presents for the keen gardener).  After a long time in the wilderness I am getting excited at the prospects of what I can and cannot do for myself and I feel incredibly lucky.  So for me to dream is an essential part of the tool kit it makes all things possible a rehearsal - sometimes we just have to sit and play rather than dream, dream and dream and not do anything so I will be having a regular play day in future as it has opened up a whole new load of possibilities and I feel inspired, and excited and more importantly a lot happier in the process.

Catch you all soon

Pattypan

xx