The Weekend Whim: Loves + Links

Another week draws to a close, and it's another week closer to being summer. This past week has been so sunny and mild that it doesn't seem long before I can banish tights to the back of my wardrobe, eat all my meals al fresco, and hit up the peach iced lemonade at Costa. So, before I disappear with a book into the garden, here's a few things which have made my week.

Blocking: What is it and Should I be Doing it?

Whilst I've been knitting and crocheting for far longer than I've been sewing, I'll freely admit that I'm a little more gung-ho when it comes to abandoning or ignoring traditional techniques when it comes to picking up my knitting needles. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that when I started knitting and crocheting, I didn't really read many blogs at all, let alone craft blogs. If I knew the stitches, I'd simply whizz along until the end of a project, sew it up, and call it a day. Therefore, the idea of blocking a piece of knitting is an entirely new one to me, but seeing as how at the moment I am all about improving my approach to making things, I've been looking into it, and the advantages of doing it.

Project Planning: Suede Skirt

If there's one thing that's changed of late, it's been the time I take thinking about projects. A busier schedule than last year means that I have less time to dedicate to spontaneous making, and although I still do make time for it, it means that I've been thinking more about how to spend that time. I'm actually quite enjoying this - it means that things are a little more thought out and considered than they used to be, although that's not to say that I'm totally against a completely spontaneous project now and again! So, here's something that I've been planning and working on for the last couple of months (yep, I'm that slow of a sewer!).

The Weekend Whim: HOMEBODY

After reaching a couple of deadlines in the past week, I've had a few spare days where I can just relax and not have to do anything except take it easy (hurrah!). Yesterday I did a little baking, and whilst it was hardly groundbreaking, it was fun to do something that I haven't done in a long time (blame working in a bakery!). So, with this in mind, I've compiled a list of different things to do when you want a relaxing day at home - without the requirement to leave the house.

My Favourite Online Resources for Crafters

Let me tell you something which makes me sound old: I remember life without the internet! This makes me feel all the older when my brother, who is four years younger than I, does not know life without the internet, and does not even know the sound of the dial up. Yes, that's right people, I know the struggle, the struggle of actually going to library for homework research, of having to look up stuff in encyclopaedias, of having to buy Smash Hits Magazine to know the lyrics to Justin's latest song (Timberlake, duh). All this means that I'm still in serious awe of how easy it is to find stuff online, and whilst I'll always love my craft textbooks and guides, I find that the best way to gain new knowledge of a technique is to combine the internet with textbooks. Here's four of my favourite online hangouts for crafters...

The Weekend Whim 9 - Gregynog, Easter, + Weekend Links

When Easter rolls around, it always marks the beginning of Spring. However, Easter also holds a lot of other memories for me too; when I was in full time education it was always the mark of the beginning of exams (and of course, revision), and for the past couple of years I've worked over Bank Holiday Monday, so Easter has never really seemed like a very restful sort of holiday. The same applies again this year; I'm working tomorrow, and I've got a couple of assignments due in later on next week, so unfortunately I won't be lazing around in the garden with a book. However, Easter Sunday is an excuse to drop everything, so drop everything I did...

Thrifted Finds - 2

Gosh - I didn't realise it had been two months since my last post on what I've been buying second hand! It's crazy how time flies when you're busy rummaging through charity shops having fun, isn't it? Actually, these posts are some of my favourite posts to put together, regardless of how often I do them. So, without further ado, here's some of my favourite recent finds...