Some people, I know, have kept a diary throughout 2020, especially during the Lockdowns and some have had 'Lockdown Projects'. Had I thought of the idea, I don't suppose I would've managed to do either successfully. Looking back through my photos has been far more rewarding in my eyes and I am surprised to find how much I had forgotten about or misplaced in my memory - a testament, perhaps, to the weirdness of 2020; it has dragged but it has also gone by remarkably quickly. It feels very odd and wistful to realise that when I was doing some of my activities in the early part of the year, Covid 19 was not on our radar; Brexit was on all of our minds.
Two of the major themes running through this year for me have been baking and making...a totally serendipitous mix with nothing really planned.....
To try and cater for a special birthday that fell during the first Lockdown, which meant that not only the celebratory family trip to Cornwall had to be cancelled but so was getting together, I made cupcakes instead of a big birthday cake so that we could all share some despite not being able to have a birthday tea, except at either end of computers.
I made a card....
........and a corsage
I long ago lost track of the number of biscuits I have made...
From number 4s....
....via...
....'Sheepy' ones.....
.... and my version of Garibaldi biscuits...
....to number 5s (which I forgot to take a photo of). I also made a lot of number 9s....
There were also, sausage rolls, Scones and Welsh Cakes...
Last but not least (because they are quite difficult to make) some ice-cream cones to enjoy the homemade ice-cream with..
A lot of Sourdough bread was produced together with a variety of other baked goods and new recipes for meals tried out.
To start the year, I made a birthday badge from my own felt.....
I also did quite a lot of hand spinning and one of the items I made of some silk yarn was a shawl. The next was a weaving to go in our bedroom which has the seaside a its theme..
This was followed by a need to knit a Ballet cardigan.
The knitted cushion cover I made next was included in my last blog post as was the rainbow bag I made from handspun yarn.
The piece of work after that was something I wouldn't have tried had I not been joining in a workshop; it was an embroidered Selfie. I found myself using fabric paints which I have never used before but it turned out to be quite a creative exercise, even though the outcome wasn't exactly flattering 😆
As well as embroidery, it has felt to represent the garment I am wearing and the glasses are fabric and cellophane. I used sheep's fleece for my hair and a few beads from an old necklace for the earrings. I felt it warranted being framed even though I look - if it does resemble me at all - about 90!!
My next project also came out of a workshop.
It's a tiny, woven bag made by using a small cardboard loom and a selection of my bits of hand spun yarn. The button must 50 years old as I can remember covering it but not what it was put on.
My little embroidered Bee allowed me to do some Goldwork, which I especially enjoyed. It was another workshop project.
All of the family had hand-knitted Poppies, either to pin on or to clip on to a zip (by request).
Around this time, I began a project of my own that I had wanted to do for quite a while. Not the kind of knitting one can watch television doing...
I really like the Vintage design.....
....which I am knitting in Shetland wool but I am sure it is evident why it needs concentration. Not only lots of different yarns but also, the light button/button hole bands are knitted on smaller needles. Fortunately, I have some very short ones which fit the purpose. I suspect it is going to take a long time to finish this.
I tried knitting a hat but have more or less decided to unpick it because I don't like it and so I won't wear it....I do however like the Indigo-dyed yarn which came from our own Ryeland sheep and I don't want to waste it.
In total, I made 3 Christmas cards; two for a Guild exchange and one from the family.
I must've forgotten to photograph the third one.
The final two items were a knitted necklace, which was a workshop project and the other, a Face Mask decorated to reflect a theme; a Guild Challenge.
I saw the theme of the Mask as Around the World in Eighty Days.
There were two more projects associated with workshops. One I completed, the other is still a work in progress because I had number 9 badge to make....
and it was getting near to Christmas when I had a bit more baking to do.
Lastly, this little, wire Christmas tree, which I found very hard to do. It's made by using a braiding technique but it found a place in my table centre...
The unfinished item is an Angel which is constructed from a background of collaged fabric and other materials and I will show that when it is completed.
In looking back, although I don't feel I have accomplished much this year, I seem to have created more than I do normally. Some of this I put down to the fact that workshops have moved online and have been for me and I have heard for others, too, easier to attend; I have even managed to do two in one day twice when things clashed. This is not quite all, either, as I have been reminded by my photos but more of that next time...Meanwhile, I post my makes, bakes and collections on Instagram where I am 'magicewe'.
