Crack!
I went to my third whip workshop[1] today, and it was really good! I wasn't sure whether I'd enjoy it on my own, and I hadn't practised much since the last one so I worried I wouldn't progress, but both of those concerns were unfounded. I had a great time, I learnt yet more new stuff, and I'm now fairly certain of what kind of whip I want next: either a stock or a bull whip. And I'm going to learn to make it myself, initially from paracord, but if it all goes well, who knows? I may graduate onto leather at some point.
I made my first cracker today, too - the cracker is at the very tip of a whip, and is the bit that makes the noise. As it often moves through the air at the speed of sound, and sometimes hits things, crackers are usually made so they can be swapped out, but to do this you have to either pay money for new crackers, or learn to make them. It's really very simple, and involves making a twisted cord. So I made one cracker at the workshop, and a couple more when I got home. I now feel pretty accomplished :-)
Otherwise, the weekend has been very lazy indeed. I re-started an old knitting project now that I've found some more information[2] on a technique I wasn't sure of, and had in fact messed up the first time round. It's going well, but it's going to take a long time to complete, as it's a vintage pattern, which means very fine yarn on tiny, tiny needles[3]. Other than that, I watched a few films and a bit of TV, with the requisite homemade popcorn of course. And had a fairly lengthy hunt for the knitting pattern, which lead into some tidying, but sadly to no avail. The pattern didn't turn up, and re-printing it lead to further tidying, this time on the computers when it emerged I couldn't find the pattern file where it should have been. That's how this weekend was, laziness punctuated by housekeeping. But overall, I think I feel better for it - especially since it ended on the high note of a successful workshop, and Plans for Learning Things.
There are still one or two other posts brewing, and I even started one of them. Hopefully, I'll also get around to writing something about Bruges. However, now it is time for bed (trying to re-set the body clock again), and tomorrow shall be filled with Productivity. I have a plan and everything.
Night!
[1] I mean a workshop for learning to crack a whip. There are whip workshops in Lindy Hop; they're about learning a fairly important move called The Whip, which is similar to a Lindy Turn. I haven't done any of those whip workshops yet.
[2] Thanks to a video tutorial on Crafty Crafty, which lead me on to a website called KnittingHelp. It not only has excellent video instructions for every level, but it actually shows techniques for both English and Continental knitters! I am overjoyed at this, but it will probably mean little to you. Ah well...
Anyway, thanks absinthecity, that was a useful link :-)
[3] Size 12, this time. They're probably around 2mm in Real Money, possibly smaller. Eep.
I made my first cracker today, too - the cracker is at the very tip of a whip, and is the bit that makes the noise. As it often moves through the air at the speed of sound, and sometimes hits things, crackers are usually made so they can be swapped out, but to do this you have to either pay money for new crackers, or learn to make them. It's really very simple, and involves making a twisted cord. So I made one cracker at the workshop, and a couple more when I got home. I now feel pretty accomplished :-)
Otherwise, the weekend has been very lazy indeed. I re-started an old knitting project now that I've found some more information[2] on a technique I wasn't sure of, and had in fact messed up the first time round. It's going well, but it's going to take a long time to complete, as it's a vintage pattern, which means very fine yarn on tiny, tiny needles[3]. Other than that, I watched a few films and a bit of TV, with the requisite homemade popcorn of course. And had a fairly lengthy hunt for the knitting pattern, which lead into some tidying, but sadly to no avail. The pattern didn't turn up, and re-printing it lead to further tidying, this time on the computers when it emerged I couldn't find the pattern file where it should have been. That's how this weekend was, laziness punctuated by housekeeping. But overall, I think I feel better for it - especially since it ended on the high note of a successful workshop, and Plans for Learning Things.
There are still one or two other posts brewing, and I even started one of them. Hopefully, I'll also get around to writing something about Bruges. However, now it is time for bed (trying to re-set the body clock again), and tomorrow shall be filled with Productivity. I have a plan and everything.
Night!
[1] I mean a workshop for learning to crack a whip. There are whip workshops in Lindy Hop; they're about learning a fairly important move called The Whip, which is similar to a Lindy Turn. I haven't done any of those whip workshops yet.
[2] Thanks to a video tutorial on Crafty Crafty, which lead me on to a website called KnittingHelp. It not only has excellent video instructions for every level, but it actually shows techniques for both English and Continental knitters! I am overjoyed at this, but it will probably mean little to you. Ah well...
Anyway, thanks absinthecity, that was a useful link :-)
[3] Size 12, this time. They're probably around 2mm in Real Money, possibly smaller. Eep.