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A podcast for people who love knitting, Dorset Buttons, creativity & Scotland, especially the Highlands & Islands.
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Welcome to the 38th episode of my podcast – Creating Time
Thank you for joining me once again and welcome if you are a first time listener.
I start with chatting about the different ways we all move through January and how I’ve focused on managing my time.
The format of this episode is abbreviated with no interview.
The Weather
We’ve moved from “Soggy Skye” to “Saturated Skye” separated by a snowy interval. The photos show the stunning contrast with different light on the snow at sunrise.
Join me below and watch as I stopped and took a moment to soak up the stunning scenery. Listen in to the incredible stillness.
The gritter doesn’t always get down our road however we have lots of Do It Yourself grit piles dotted along the roadside.
You can keep track of the Scottish gritters online and also submit a name for them as long as it’s on the theme of winter weather, e.g. Snowing Me, Snowing You inspired by Abba Knowing Me, Knowing You! There are lots of amusing and very clever names.
I chat about the changing light in January and how it feels like there is extra time being created in the day as sunrise and sunset change by a couple of minutes each day.
I tell you about an incident with a spider as I wrote the show notes for the last episode – no pictures!
Creativity
During January I’ve been working at “creating time” and talk through a couple of techniques I’ve been using.
Firstly I’ve adapted an aspect of the Pomodoro Technique to enable me to achieve different tasks throughout the day in 20 minute slots. I’ve found it to be a great way to be productive and have energy to get a lot done during the day.
Secondly I’ve been applying the concept of “Eat the Frog” detailed in a book by Brian Tracy.
Based on a quote by Mark Twain “if the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the rest of the day knowing the worst is behind you.” i.e. get up in the morning and do that task which is challenging or difficult or you just don’t want to do! I’ve found it helps my energy for the rest of the day knowing that I’ve achieved something so early on in the day and I mentally feel lighter as I’m not spending the day thinking about this task.
If you have any time management tools that work for you please share them.
Giving myself a deadline of producing another podcast episode forced me into action to unblock my block about blocking! Here is my Stephen West Shawlography shawl being blocked at last! (link is to the Stephen West website). Although you can hear how it did get delayed because of a planned visit by the plummer!
I haven’t made any further progress on my Belmont cardigan although it’s now on my desk.
I’ve spent January furiously knitting up my squares from the Debbie Abrahams 2017 Mystery Blanket before the 2023 one arrives. Last episode I had knitted 11 and I’m now on the 29th of the 49 squares.
The start of the 2023 project is delayed due to the cyber attack Royal Mail has encountered which has meant that international parcels have been affected. This has given me more time to try to get as much of this 2017 knitted up.
I’m off to Vogue Live Knitting in New York 9 – 12 February and I chat through the different workshops I’m attending:
Riffs on Sequence Knitting with Cecelia Campochiaro.
Make the most of Short Rows with Veera Valimaki
Mastering Two-Colour Fisherman’s Rib with Mina Philipp
If you are going to be there I will be hanging out in the marketplace on Saturday so drop me a message as it would be great to say hello.
I have purchased Stephen West’s ebook for sock knitting although have resisted making a pair yet as I think it may be addictive.
At my job for a textile charity as a craft workshop tutor for vulnerable adults, I’ve been looking at upcycling some felted jumpers we have and have used blanket stitch to decorate pieces to make wrist warmers, phone / glasses case or a purse.
Dorset Buttons & wider news from the TJFrog Pad
The online shop is back running. We’ve had a few technical glitches with the website and email marketing software which has delayed some aspects of new work.
I have some new Dorset Button earrings and brooches which will shortly be appearing on the Highland Hiddle website. This is a great place to browse if you’re looking for something made by makers based in the Highlands.
I’m very much looking forward to exhibiting at the Yorkshire Yarn Festival 4th & 5th March at Sandburn Hall Hotel near York. Saturday is nearly sold out but there are still tickets left for Sunday if you are thinking of coming along.
Skye Focus
For this episode I draw your attention to some online programmes where you can hear and see more about Skye.
Radio Skye is a great place to hear a piece of Skye news as well as other stories from across Scotland and some great Scottish, Celtic and Traditional music. On a Monday between 2 and 3pm you will be able to listen to me reading articles from our employee local paper the West Highland Free Press.
I chat about a TV programme available on BBCiPlayer called “Take a Hike” (The BBC iPlayer links are restricted to the UK so I’ve added in some other links about the places which are talked about in these shows.). This follows a group of 5 people from a location who each host a walk which they are marked on. There is one on Skye with the first episode taking in Coral Beach which we first visited during covid. A stunning beach which is famous for it’s white sand which is actually dried and bleached fossilised seaweed and algae.
Another beach, in South Skye, which again we only visited for the first time during covid is Ashaig, best visited at low tide.
The other walks on the programme include taking a boat trip from Elgol out to Loch Coruisk, walking in the foothills of the Cuillin from Sligachan and going to the most northerly tip of the Trotternish peninsular on the North of the island, Rubha Hunish.
Finally I draw your attention to an 8minute long programme on BBC iPlayer about a couple who live just down the road from us Loop, Shorts: The family from Skye turning waste plastic into art.
That’s it for this episode.
Thank you for joining me again.
Until next time . . .
Music:
One Frog For a Prince, by Ron Patton & licensed from Melody Loops.
