a simple yarn

Having turned the emotional corner in this transition, the itch for fibre work is starting up again. The time is coming when I will get out the tools to knit, sew, weave or spin. Yep, that’s a good feeling. It’s coming….but not just yet.

Now, not all of the ‘settling in’ process has been unpacking boxes….nope, a good portion of time has been spent in furniture make-overs. As much as I like the occasional IKEA piece, I’m more of a ‘looks-like-it-has-a-bit-of-mileage-on-it’ type of furniture lover. Perhaps because I, too, have a bit of ‘mileage.’

So, over the years I’ve dived into skips…(North American translation = dumpsters)…and have come out with some super treasures…antique ceramic hot water bottles turned into bookends, a mirrored wardrobe door now sporting coathooks in the hallway, antique school cupboards housing the yarn stash and fibre tools.

But I have to say that I also have generous friends and with a bit of muscle power and lots of sandpaper, their donations to the house furnishing endeavour are beautifully ‘new’ again, yet keeping their bit of history in the dents and scratches.

Julia’s wrought iron and brass bed with a new coat of paint

Old dressing table from the Lodge shed, which used to house hens and freshly laid eggs

Erica’s simple chest of drawers with a lovely secret compartment!

Another old-with-a-new-purpose item is the relocated stone trough in the yard. In times past, I can imagine it being used for the horse-drawn coaches pulling into the stable yard. But even in modernity, it’s quite handy to wash mucky wellies…!