Thursday 2 February 2012

DRYNUARY

(See also 'The Janopause')

This post has nothing to do with drinking. It is referring instead to the definite lack of anything on Crayon Maison recently, and more tellingly, my inability to think of a better heading. But this is a new year! And these are all things we (I) can work on.

EVERYONE makes resolutions, and blogs seem to be covered in posts outlining what it is they intend to improve and include over the coming year. Since this blog is quite apparently still at the dummies and nappies stage, any projection of what I intend to improve this year would be of little merit; perhaps the best thing would be if I could actually post with some kind of regularity. But let's not be hasty.

Given that today is the 2nd of February, we are now past January entirely, so many well intentioned resolutions will already have fallen by the wayside. Call me a coward but, now I've got past the first month, I can actually state my intentions for self-improvement this year with some certainty (see, I tricked you! It is a resolutions post after all!)


1. Learn to crochet

I consider myself a fairly competent knitter, but I have no idea whatsoever how to crochet. My attempts so far have been... mixed. I understand the stitches, but since I'm not really familiar with how a crocheted piece should look, it's proving a little tricky. 

As we speak, a copy of Stitch 'n Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker by the very clever Debbie Stoller is finding its way to my little Bristol home, care of Amazon, my bank account and Royal Mail (possibly).


I already own the original Stitch 'N' Bitch and, whilst some of the patterns aren't exactly fashion-forward, the instructions and techniques are so clear and comprehensive that it's a little knitting bible. No doubt my crochet skills will come on leaps and bounds! We can only hope.

2. Knit socks

Let's be honest, this isn't a million miles away from the first resolution. But I've got it into my head that socks are the thing to make this year, and that I'll have completed a pair to send to my sister in Germany before she moves back to Manchester in the spring. This is furthered by the fact that, after a fairly mild winter, it has suddenly become FREEZING round here, so I can only imagine what the temperature will be like in Bonn (I checked, it's currently -5ºC, with a low for the week of -14ºC). She definitely deserves socks.

There's an abundance of excellent (free!) patterns on Ravelry.com (4,720 on my last check), and I am brilliantly supplied by two great shops - Sew 'N' Sew in St Nick's, and Katze, 2 minutes away on Gloucester Road - to pander to all my wool and needle needs. I initially tried making a pair on circular needles, but realised almost immediately that the length I was using was only going to work for someone with calves the size of a cow. Fetch the double pointed needles!

3. Paint and draw more

Pretty self-explanatory. I used to draw a lot, now I don't. Maybe I'll join a life drawing club?

4. Watch less rubbish television, eat fewer Wispas etc. etc.

What?! This is a general resolution; today is my day off.

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