Old into New

   It's been a long, somewhat boring day. What better way to top it off then by heading down to the workshop and trying something new. Last year, while running some errands, I spotted an old sewing machine by the road. Although a little dusty, It looked to be in perfect shape. After getting it home it fired right up. 

   Why would someone possibly throw such a wonderful tool away? My answer would soon come in the form of a jumbled knot of thread each time I attempted a few stitches. Something was off. Not one to give into a challenge, I decided to figure out what had caused its lackluster performance. Within a few minutes of searching the model number and the general issue, I discovered that the only issue amounted to the timing being slightly off, a quick fix with the right tools. Of course, Sears, in an attempt to secure lucrative repair fees had made the adjustment nut a proprietary 5 sided disaster. I notched it out into a flathead with a Dremel, found another tutorial on adjustment, and my new sewing machine was back in excellent shape.
 
 Fast forward a year, and I now use sewing for a sort of meditative relaxation. The quiet wrr of the motor, the gentle click or each stitch, and the hum of the well oiled parts working in unison. My past projects have all be trial by fire, and many have turned out quite well. However, I have never attempted modifying clothing, until tonight. After an encounter with some hot water, one of my favorite pants shrunk slightly in length, making them just long enough to dangle above my shoes awkwardly. They were soon banished to the drawer, always with the intention of finding another use. Today they met that use, and became an experimental pair of shorts. Despite never hemming anything before, I figured out the basic concept, and jumped right in. First measuring the desired length and cutting both legs roughly an inch longer.
   
 I then stitched the edges to keep the fabric from fraying.
   
Next, I lined up my folds and pinned them into place.
 
A quick run through with a straight stitch and that was it.
Total project time was less than 10 minutes, and they look much better than I had expected. Despite starting as a way to practice, they fit great and will probably see some use this year.

Spring is coming.

...and you know what that means. Time to go back outside. For the last few months, I'v been waking up every morning facing the wall of my room where some of my climbing equipment hangs. Each morning, I come to the same conclusions about not getting enough physical activity, it it being too cold to do anything useful outside. Of course, I could just suck it up and head out anyway, and I do try. But lets's face it, nothing beats the first 60 degree spring day. Spring has always been the time when life seems to wake from it's slumber. I too seem to follow this pattern. Perhaps I'm part bear, or perhaps I'm just human, and I've evolved to conserve energy, and fat over the period when things slow down. I could probably go much deeper into this, as I've spent hours and hours on the train staring out the window thinking about the interconnection of everything, and how we can't escape that. Anyone looking for a good discussion? Lets have dinner. Back to the main point. Spring is coming, and it's still winter. This means the most of my time staring out the windows on the train is now spent plotting how I'll spend that first spring day. It largely depends what time I get home, what's going on, and if it's wet out. I've come to the conclusion that if its sunny and dry, I'll climb a tree. Over the last year, I've realized that the kid inside me that liked climbing things never really went away. While I much prefer rocks, I also live in the midwest, and terrain isn't exactly plentiful. So, on the recommendation of of some friends, I took to climbing trees and learning arborist techniques last summer. Right away I loved it, as it's the perfect blend of physical activity and tree care. I've since spent the winter studying for my arborist exam, and hope to pass it soon. More importantly, I've learned to go out in the woods, find a massive old oak and learn about it. Usually there's plenty of ropes, a book on tree maintenance, and dinner involved. Guests welcome. I'm not an expert by any means on it, but I do understand the techniques and find it incredibly enjoyable. Each morning I wake up looking at those ropes, I can't help but wait for that first day of spring, and a new year full of excitement.

Getting things down.

Over the last few years I've become fascinated with the world around me. During this period I've tried new things, had many an adventure and most importantly, learned quite a bit about myself and my capabilities. Since starting, I've become a firm believer that anyone can do anything with a little patience, a little improvisation, and the right research. This blog it my first attempt at documenting some of these happenings, outside of the occasional Facebook post. Serving as a way to connect with others, as well as spread things I've learned or ask others for help, I hope to keep it up for at least a few months, if not longer. Hopefully someone can give me a kick every now and then. At first, I'll be trying to post about things I've already done, just to get myself into the habit of writing, something I'm not completely fond of just yet. It will also serve a personal use, giving me something to look back to and reflect on. Well, here goes.