{blogtober day 30} new stuff on my desk
One of my favourite things about Blogtober, is the way it pushes me to make on a more regular basis, and also to try new things. A lot of my projects at the minute are larger and ongoing. My card a day project, I love it, but one update post a month is plenty. Film photo a day? Cool but there’s nothing to show until they’re developed. The quilt is making slow (very slow) progress, as is my crochet blanket. My knitting is slightly faster, but again, who wants to see one additional row added every Wednesday? When sharing daily posts, I like to mix it up a bit. It keeps the blog interesting – for you and for me!
This year’s run through Blogtober has been a ripper for new crafts. I finally got around to trying shuttle tatting, over a decade after I first bought the class for it. I’ve been practicing and slowly getting used to the movements; it’s quite meditative and I think it could become very addictive! I would like to get a new shuttle, though, a Clover one that is similar to my original shuttle, and is just a bit sleeker than my spotlight cheapy. The current one has been good for learning on, though, and getting a feel for if I would enjoy it, before investing in a more expensive one.
Also added to the collection this month was some macrame cord, picked up on special last trip to the big smoke. Over the weekend, we finally got a hat rack put up in our laundry, and I want to make a couple of hat holders for our wide-brimmed hats. I reclaimed some wooden rings from my destash pile, and last night, got to work. I can see why it’s booming in popularity again; the rhythm of the knots and the speed it works up are both super satisfying. Even with a busy couple of days coming up, I can see my holder being ready for use by the weekend. And everyone knows, a quick finish is a good finish!
Yesterday’s find might be my favourite yet. I picked up a latch hook a month or two back, for an idea for an art piece that’s next on my list as part of my paid tier on substack. Ever since, I’ve been googling for rug yarn, and canvas – the canvas being my biggest stumbling block. I only need a small piece, but it generally comes in larger pieces. Logical, really, since it’s a craft designed for rug making. On one of my last minute googles yesterday, I saw Kmart actually had kits, with close-enough yarn colours, on clearance, in stock in the regional city I happened to be in for an appointment. Heck to the yes. I raced in, grabbed the kit I needed, and can’t wait to get started. Cost wise, it worked out about what I was looking to spend anyway, and I’ll have leftovers (and a spare hook!) I can pop up on my destash to on-sell to the next crafter who only needs a small amount for a single project, or wants to soothe the idea itch before committing to a deep dive.
Today, I’ve just about gotten all the kiddos schoolwork all done, and after I power through my chores, I should have an hour or so to myself before I need to head to town for drama class. I’m not feeling 100%, thanks to a small boy thinking my lessons in sharing include sharing germs, so I’m going to put my feet up and pop on some Netflix, and keep pottering on my macrame. We have a busy weekend coming up, and the last thing I need is to be down and out with a bug! A bit of medicinal downtime should fix me right up…
(joining Sarah at Sarah’s Craft Shed for WOYWW – What’s On Your Workdesk Wednesday}
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That type of mat can be made with two techniques depending which part of the UK you come from. A Proggy Mat is where you push the yarn strips through from the top (progging) and a Hooky Mat is what you’re going to do. Good luck, hope you have fun. Hope you’re enjoying being part of our group, it’s fun to visit others on the list and leave comments, all about sharing the crafty love!
Hugs LLJ 5 xx
I tried to leave a comment but it seems to have disappeared. Anyway, hope you enjoy making your yarn rug, it’s still popular in the UK where you can make a proggy mat or hooky mat!
Hugs LLJ 5 xx
I got both comments!! I have moderation turned on to try and keep spam under control 🙂 thanks for stopping by!
OMG! Latch hook! I’ve not done that since I was a kid – so much fun, but did I ever finish a project? Not sure I did. Have you ever seen the tufting guns? They look fun, if expensive, but would whip out a rug in a day – my kind of timetable 🙂 Also tried tatting but had more luck with needle tatting than shuttles. Enjoy all the new crafts and techniques.
Lunch cancelled due to illness so I’m here
Happy WOYWW.
Mary Anne (3)
I’ve never tried it but I was forever envious of my cousin who got a patch hook kit one Christmas!! The guns would be fun for bigger projects. Needle tatting is next on my list once I master the shuttle I think.
I hope the illness passes quickly!
Goodness me, I haven’t done a latch hook anything since I was a child, and macramé totally passed me by, I get it though, the knotting and rapid growth…I like chunky crochet for the same reason!
I’m in the midst of a crochet project that I wish was chunky – it’s going so slow!! Some projects you need that visible progress for motivations sometimes, don’t you?
Loved tying knots in the Girl Guides as a child and then as a Leader. Remember macrame’ing hangers for my pots in my final exhibition at college. Keep at it
~`hugs, `neet 1
oh what a cool final project! I only did brownie guides, but my youngest now does scouts and I will confess I’m tempted to see if his leader wants to do it one week!
Looking forward to seeing how the latch hook work goes Rachel. I haven’t done any macrame in years either – nice to be reminded about some of these crafts. Stay safe and Happy WOYWW. Sarah
They are the kind of crafts one doesn’t really think of until we have a reason to, aren’t they?
Hope we get to see the project develop. Macrame used to be so popular but like many other crafts they come and go and then come back again. Wishing you a very happy and creative woyww. Hugs Angela x11x
It’s interesting the way different crafts are “fashionable”, isn’t it? I’ll definitely be sure to show progress!
I have not seen a macrame hat holder before, did you make up the pattern? Hats are difficult to store. Happy WOYWW. Angela #13
I found the pattern on Pinterest! Hopefully it will keep my brims nice and flat!
I tried to comment on your blog but it only allows google comments – love your rectangles, did you do Sketchbook Revival too?
I like macrame a lot and get into it now and again. I hope you feel better soon. Happy WOYWW, hugs, Lynnecrafts 10 xx
It’s fun to have crafts to dip in and out of, isn’t it? Thanks for stopping by!
good luck with the macrame. It’s not something I’ve ever done. Happy WOYWW Helen #2
It’s my first attempt at it too, but I’m finding it not as scary as I expected!
I tried macrame for the first time a few years ago, the draw for me was that now you don’t have to only use beige yarn so I made a pink plant hanger and it’s still a favorite! 🙂
And rug hooking is a craft that’s been on my wanna-try-list for aaages too. It looks so fun!
There’s so many awesome colours in macrame cord now, isn’t there! I will be sure to report back on the rug hooking, I’m excited to try it!
I’m getting such a kick out of seeing these new-to-you/I-want-to-try-it crafts because, I tried them all, back in the 1970s! I was big into macrame, making a 14″-wide (or so) X 30″ long (or so) piece to put into the long window beside the front door. Used spring cafe rods to hold it in place. As well, I macrame’d a dozen or so hanging baskets holders. Oh, and a purse! Latch hook too was a brief-lived activity. And tatting? Gosh, I got into that too, even to making a long length to sew into the edge of a blouse collar, and at the cuffs. So many crafts to try, right? I’m glad to see the come-back… as we’re also seeing in quilted jackets and vests. I made those too, back in the 1980s. There’s really nothing new under the sun, is there?
Oh that’s so fun! I remember my mum having some macrame in the house in the 80s, but have never seen tatting in the wild. And funnily enough, a quilt coat is on my list, but my besties won’t let me because I’ll “look like their nanna”.
Definitely nothing new under sun!
ooh wow I have never tried this craft before, looks really detailed too. Hope the class germs have passed and thanks for visiting my WOYWW blog
Kyla aka lilpidgedesigns
It’s been a fun challenge for sure! Like any new craft, the learning curve is only half about the actual skills, the other half is repetition to build the muscle memory! Thanks for stopping by for WOYWW!