Sunday 21 June 2015

Yarn bowl exchange

Today is a heartwarming community story. I belly dance with my neighbour Jill, she is the one with 'THE' blonde hair. Her husband is a ceramic artist and plays live music for the local Morris dancing team, he is the one in the stripy jacket. Sometimes this becomes a fusion and he plays alongside a drummer to accompany our outdoor belly dancing performances like this last year. We danced on Sunday in the sunshine this time, in the same spot as this photo.



I commented last August that his jacket was falling apart. I could see the back lining hanging below the jacket and the sleeve lining hanging out of the cuffs. He quickly pounced and said, "Well, maybe my friendly neighbour will fix it for me!" In reply, as quick as a flash I replied, "If you make me a yarn bowl." The deal was made.


It is a messy business re-lining a jacket when you have no idea what you are doing when all you have to spur you on is a self-inflated confidence and a huge yearning for a free yarn bowl .

Alistair invited the girls to go round and watch him make the yarn bowl in his studio in March.



The bowl was made so I persevered and completed the jacket overhaul.



That was in February, it featured in the corner of my Quilt photo reveal.



Now Alistair is a bit arty and time schedules are not his thing. He said he would fire and glaze it when the weather got warmer. Last Thursday, however, Jill came round to go to dancing with me and brought the bowl round. Hooray!!!



Just in time for me to try it out on the final borders of my nearly finished aran cardigan.


I love my new yarn bowl especially how it stands on the old Singer right where I sit in the evenings with the sun streaming in from the large windows. I also love that two neighbours found two skills that were useful to each other. Hope you enjoyed the story. 

Continuing with the red theme...Here is today's strawberry picture. A whole punnet full picked from the allotment.YUM!

More on the crochet later.
Ever had a good skill swap? 
Jo xxxx

8 comments:

  1. I have strawberry envy, everyone seems to be picking and eating strawberries except me, mine are still GREEN, I run outside every morning but still green. I may have to visit the pick your own farm up the road. A great swap, the bowl was amazing, beautiful.

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  2. What a beautiful bowl! It's gorgeous that you were able to trade skills like that :)

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  3. Your yarn bowl is lovely. Well done for lining the jacket. I did one once, and swore I would never do it again.

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  4. That was a great skill exchange !!:)

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  5. I made a dress for a friends daughter in exchange for a cardigan with a bobble border. It is nice to exchange skills. I don't think I would ever consider re-lining a jacket (unless it was my most favourite own one). I like your confidence Jo. Have a great week. x

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  6. It's a thing of beauty! I love talent swaps. X

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  7. Jo, your yarn bowl is a special treasure because of how it came to be made! I keep thinking I would like one. I have an English teapot that has a crack in it so I have kept it to try to use it to hold yarn [threading the yarn through the spout] I'm off to give it a try :) xx

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  8. What fun neighbours! People are amazing, aren't they :) I love your yarn bowl, it's truly beautiful in it's simplicity, and all the more lovely because it was personally made for you :)
    Jillxo

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