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A Number of Housekeeping Items

July 17, 2014 by Jennifer Raymond

This next week (July 21-25), I’m going to be running the second session of my daycamp, String Theory, with Montgomery County College. If you were thinking about signing up, it is already full, although there is a wait list. There is a third week of the camp running from July 28th to August 1st. If you are over the age of 16, this camp is not for you, sorry. Kids only.

BUT!

This means that I have some mornings and evenings free. If you have missed me terribly since I’ve moved, or you’ve been needing help with that tricky sweater, or you were looking for special instruction of one sort or the other, shoot me an email. I’d be happy to set up a private lesson with you!

I’ve been using this break week to work on a number of things I haven’t been able to get to. Oh, the amoun
t of design subs I’ve gotten off this week… I can’t even tell you.

Meanwhile I’ve been working on a few designs that I’m releasing on my own or in conjunction with a few other parties. Bill Bryson’s A Short History of Nearly Everything has been my good friend. I love listening to books on tape when I’m doing some marathon knitting/crochet, but I prefer non-fiction. If you’ve got suggestions for any good non-fiction to listen to on audio, let me know. I’ve nearly run out of Bryson’s backlist. Other non-fiction pieces I’ve really enjoyed: The Disappearing Spoon and The History of Hand Knitting have been good. I’ll give preference to science/history/textile stuff, since that’s where most of my interest is, but I’ll take nearly any recommendation.

Also, anyone have any good recomendations for workout videos? All this traveling has make a consistent bike schedule really hard, and I gotta get in some other way to move. I’d love some dance based stuff, and I’m looking for a good balance that includes a lot of stretching. Yoga based things need not apply – yoga (even though I have many people who have been telling me how wonderful it is) and I don’t get along. I think I really need to take some good beginner classes.

Michael and I borrowed a corded drill this week so week could hang our shelving units. Boy, what a difference it makes!

This little shelf is perfect for putting detergent and other laundry supplies on.

Then, we got up a shelf in the dinning room:

The perfect place to put teacups and other pretty display items – where the cat’s can’t knock them over.

And also in the Laundry Room, some extra shelves:

Let me tell you, getting these up isn’t easy.

What a difference it makes to not only have the shelves and other things up off the floor, but to also get things off the floor by putting things in them. We’ve nearly got all the different “public” places in the house under control.

Routine is Returning!

June 6, 2014 by Jennifer Raymond

I’ve been finding it hard to write a blog post that isn’t one long tirade about the state of our house, the number of boxes I’ve unpacked, and how many I’ve yet to go. I normally try to have a positive outlook on life, but this last week (and indeed, this last month) I’ve found it very hard.

But with the end of my week coming to an end, I’ve happily seemed to find that I’m carving out a routine. I’ve been able to bike regularly, work productively, and it no longer seems like the world is coming to an end. Well, as long as I keep the door shut to the upstairs guest bedroom, which still makes me want to weep incoherently.

So posts will be coming in a more regular manner, now.

Watson, in our new rocking chair, in my new workspace

Crafting Spaces

April 26, 2012 by Jennifer Raymond

Inspired by a few people who where talking about their knitting nooks and where they work on the Three Irish Girls forum, and also a post or two that I cam across in the last week (which I now can’t find the source… oh well). I thought I would share some pictures the new place Michael and I have moved into.

By new place, I mean we’ve been here for more than two months, but before now, it hasn’t really quite felt like home, just the place we crashed. I’m starting to feel proprietary toward the place, which tells me that it’s starting to feel like home.

So, my time is divided by two places. Most of my blogging and pattern writing happens at the computer desk that I share with Michael. However, since I spend more time there, I have my bookshelf right next to the desk space. I do have to try my best to keep the desk space clean, because Michael also uses it, but now, after a few years of sharing a desk, he’s become quite tolerant of my mess.

When I’m just working on a project or a sample, swatching or doing other things, I’ll put a show I don’t have to watch on my computer (or put a book on tape on) and work at the couch. I’ve got an ottoman where things get thrown into when I’m not working on them, so Michael doesn’t sit on them and they don’t get tangled or ruined.

Stuff that needs to be blocked or needs to be spread out is put on the kitchen table. I can add two leaves to it, and then stick my mats on it to block something big out.

Finally, if I’m just crocheting for fun I’ll settle into the comfy chair, but the comfy chair is only really for work that isn’t under a deadline, because most times when I’m in this chair? I end up drifting off or falling asleep. Also, this chair is comfy, but not so much when you are trying to get real work done… it doesn’t provide much back support.

So now that I’ve shared my work space, what does yours look like? Tell me about it, or post some pictures and link back. I love to look at where other people work.

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