July 5, 2025

Not the most eventful two weeks. Experimenting is a lot of trial and error, and I don’t have much to show for all the errors…

However, I have finished the Grobbendonk jumper. This year, the wool is definitely a bit softer, likely from a younger sheep, and I might have spun the yarn slightly thinner. So the last sleeve is a lighter, softer knit fabric. I don’t mind as much as it adds to the character and story of the jumper. Overall, it’s been a great success. I enjoyed the cable patterns and designs. I did block the jumper at the end and mixed in some conditioner to try to make the fabric a bit softer and less scratchy.

My bag-making is going pretty well. I’ve been trying different kinds of padding. I like all the styles to be honest, but I do think the firm structure is preferred, though more difficult to work with. Once you add in the padding, it becomes almost too bulky to go through the sewing machine. The ironed plastic bags work, though they are less smooth than shop-bought foam padding, which is obvious. I prefer to upcycle plastic, even if it’s slightly less polished, so I’ll continue to try to make that work. I’ve been doing lots of iterations to refine the construction process as well, to make the sewing lines as straight as possible.

On the field, I made a vertical tool storage. First, I had some long logs dropped off by the arborist. I dug those into the ground with gravel to stabilise them. Then screwed on some horizontal planks with cut outs to hang the tools. It’s worked brilliantly. I’m hiding the tools with some burlap cover. It does mean the tools aren’t locked in a secure box, so I am trusting the neighbours / public. So far, I haven’t had any issues, but I know it’s a bit of a risk. 

Otherwise, there's not much to do right now on the field, except continue path making. The grass is super tall and at some point I should cut it all down, but that would take a while. Path making is a satisfying job, as it creates more structure. I’m starting to think about where I would put a pond or two. The more structure I put in place, the more new ideas can surface and find a home. 

I’ve still got a bunch of logs, along with the latest woodchip load, and I’m trying to come up with good ways to use them. 

Now that the big knitting project is over, I don’t know what I should do next… I have lots of merino wool and Grobbendonk wool I need to spin. So I’ll do some of that, while I think about what I should knit with it. I might try to dye some of the wool a darker brown or grey and then knit something white with grey contrast.

The Japanese chair woodworking project is going to be let go. The wood I bought bent like crazy and just isn’t fit for purpose. So not going to even try put that together. I can probably use the wood on my field somehow.

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