Waiting, watching — An Elegant Sufficiency

We are waiting for the Beast from the East to put in an appearance around here. Since the end of last week, the meteorologists have been predicting dramatic weather events and we weather watchers were glad to note we didn't have much in our diary for this week. We took note and possibly peaked too soon, wrapping up warm to meet friends in Cheltenham on Saturday for lunch and then the opera at the cinema and then feeling overwhelmed and overheated, because really, it wasn't that cold after all.

So here at home, getting on with this and that in the studio, I peered through the blinds from time to time to see if the occasional flurry of snow was settling.

It wasn't. But in doing so, I disturbed a few things on the windowsill.

The windowsill by my sewing table is - ahem - not exactly empty, either. Whatever it was I disturbed fell down and revealed the biggest, horrible-est cobweb imaginable, and in moving that cobweb I discovered the secret place that every woodlouse in the area goes to die.

I'm sure that when I bought my amazing sewing machine, I didn't give enough thought to the space I would need to accommodate not only the machine itself, but all the "stuff" that comes with it, like the embroidery module, the large box of feet and attachments not to mention the assortment of hoops and related things. Thankfully the IKEA solution to that problem rolls on a set of castors and pulling it all away from the wall was where I found the dead woodlice. Hundreds of them.

With nothing better going on then, I set to clean up a bit. An hour or so later I had everything back in place - cherished things such as a couple of old planes and a whetstone from Daddy's toolbag - memories from my childhood.

Memories from more recent times too - and of fun times to come in the next few weeks as well.

As I replaced everything, I came across a brown paper bag with some fabric in it. Cotton jersey fabric I'd bought at a show some time ago with the intention of making a couple of infinity scarves - for our South American adventure, I think?

Hmmm. Infinity scarves like I was just looking at and considering for our next adventure, when a bit of mosquito repellent fabric might be handy. Maybe I should make them up and treat them with some anti mossie stuff?

It was around now that those who know me well might like to sit down, for the shock of the next stage in this story might just be too much.

I got out my overlocker! Feeling hugely relieved that it was threaded and ready to go, I did a short test run on a little spare fabric and in no time at all...