Resolution: must be a better (more regular) blogger

I keep promising myself that I'll get into the habit of writing this and then stumble home exhausted to spend evenings stirring the dye-pot, washing vintage tea-towels , paper work, etc, etc- in fact I'm not sure where my evenings actually go. This evening however was knitting strips of silk for a new design and watching NCIS (truly atrocious but I love it), dinner out was postponed again and as the girls at HML will tell you there is nothing like a stolen night at home.

The last couple of weeks have been busy as a bee. I now have a helper- Pat the Wonder Machinist- in two days a week. Joy-oh-joy! What did I do without her? How did I manage? She's a wizz with the invisible zip, so the winter range is slowly coming together- lots of mixed up wools- tailored jackets made from 4 different fabrics, wool tweed tops with raw frilled loops on the neckline, snazzy pants......it makes such a difference when you aren't making it ALL- just some of it. I even miss her when she's not there! I am wondering if I can clone her.....

Last week saw a mass of cushions go through the workroom, cut, sewn, stuffed and out the door, I didn't get the chance to even blink at some of them and they were gone. The best ones though are still sitting in the corner- four 85cm square floor cushions made from a Red Ensign flag and a Union Jack, the flags were the 'proper' kind, vintage patch sewn wool, hope I can find some more (snowflake's chance I'm thinking but live in hope). I'll download the photos from the camera when I get a chance.

I've been running low on the tea-towel stocks but managed to pick about 50 up yesterday. Its amazing how many I have at the moment that are unusable, might have to send them back from whence they came.
Everytime I get a pile of work completed I don't seem to get a minute to sit back and just look at it- it is a very strange feeling when all your hard slog appears to be for no reason. Phffft gone. I'm beginning to think this is why I always feel as if I haven't actually accomplished anything. It is like some strange act of magic- the Mystery of the Disappearing Handiwork.

Coming back through the Vale of Pascoe yesterday I stopped at what was once on my list of fav op shops. Scored the best half finished embroidered doily of.....the Monarch of the Glen (and his missus). I find the concept of someone wanting to embroider a version of a stag standing on a hill in Bonny Scotland (thistles included) on a linen doily, just bizarre. (interestingly the stag's penis area has been portrayed with a few stitches in pink..... what was this housewife/creator thinking whilst stitching away? Did she blush I wonder. She never go around to crocheting around the edge so I'm guessing it was all too much for her and she had to put it aside.)) I think it will be turned into a cushion for my personal collection. Once again photo to come. Ah- other people's craft is a strange thing. I'll get around to discussing that at a later stage.

Still waiting for the HML girls to come by for a studio visit.....chocolate chip cookies are all gone....

Hopefully I'm off to Daylesford for a break next week (gotta use that birthday voucher before it runs out otherwise I'm deadmeat) so this week feels like I have to cram 3 weeks work into it, Pat will be working whilst I'm 'holidaying' (that's just plain weird- the holiday bit) so I can't believe that things will still be made as I lie around doing what ever it is that one does when relaxing. Wish me luck!