Inspired by Emily of Nerd in the Brain (note her new self-hosted web site) here are my Three Things Thursday. As she says…
*three things that make me smile: an exercise in gratitude – feel free to steal this idea with wild abandon and fill your blog with the happy*
First, my birthday (even though it was a big one). I had a lovely time on Monday going out to lunch with my family plus Mr Snail bought me these:
Second, I finished knitting my jester work bag. It’s currently in the washing machine on a hot wash so fingers crossed the felting works. In the mean time here it is stitched together before felting:
Third, threading my overlocker. Despite everyone telling me how difficult it would be, I successfully rethreaded my overlocker after two of the threads broke the other day. Now, I’m not saying it didn’t take me a few attempts, but the diagrams in the manual were clear and once I had worked out why the first thread had broken (a bit of entanglement in one of the thread guides), it wasn’t too bad. I’m feeling rather less intimidated now.

Not as bad as it first appears… look, there’s even a little colour-coded diagram inside the machine on the right
So, those are three things making me smile this week – what about you?
shellssells
/ January 5, 2017I can’t WAIT to see that jester bag felted, the colors are divine!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 5, 2017I’m getting there… I try only to use the washing machine when it’s sunny (we have solar panels) and so today was good for the first run, but rain is forecast for tomorrow so further felting may have to wait.
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nanacathy2
/ January 5, 2017Love the bag, good luck with the felting.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 5, 2017I’m always nervous about felting in the washing machine, but all seems to be going well so far. It needs at least one more wash and possibly a couple.
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Nice piece of work
/ January 5, 2017Happy (belated) birthday 🙂 A big one, you say? Come on, spit it out…
After reading your post the other day re the overlocker, I remembered that I have one as well !! – haven’t used it since I moved. So I dusted it off and rethreaded, all good, but then couldn’t think of anything to sew…
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 5, 201750… eek!
Currently I only have eyes for underwear with my overlocker… but I’m sure I will diversify…
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Nice piece of work
/ January 6, 2017Seriously?? I thought, from seeing the odd pic of you, that your answer would be 40 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 6, 2017Yup… 40 is a distant memory!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 6, 2017oh, and I love you ❤
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BrokenTune
/ January 5, 2017The Three Things Thursday reflection is a lovely idea. I’m really looking forward to the next installment. Also, please post a picture of how the bag turns out. 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 5, 2017It’s had one run through the washing machine now, but it’s not felted enough yet, still it’s looking promising.
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katechiconi
/ January 5, 2017Overlockers are fine, so long as you’ve got the long bit of wire with the loop on the end… Now, rethreading an industrial buttonholer, that’s a whole different ballgame! Happy Biggie Birthday, Dr Snail Ma’am!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 5, 2017I was determined not to be beaten by the overlocker and actually, the actual needles were easier to thread than the one on my ordinary sewing machine. It’s good to be happy about little things 🙂
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katechiconi
/ January 5, 2017There’s a sort of mythology about overlockers and how hard they are to thread. Not true, as you’ve just demonstrated! I thought of you last night as I was doing a spot of fabric shopping; there was a nice little box with a make-them-yourself kit for knickers!
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Alice Nine
/ January 5, 2017Happy Birthday … from the looks of it you are on your way to your “15 cheeses” for 2017. Did you see the mug on Emily’s post (procrastiKNITing)? A match for your second one.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 5, 2017I love the idea of procrastikniting!
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thecontentedcrafter
/ January 5, 2017I knitted a hat once that was too big and floppy. I hand washed it in nearly boiling water, which really did nothing much so I flung it in the dryer for 10 – 15 mins. It came out a perfectly sized, waterproof, felted hat. It was worth using the dryer for in terms of time and effort. Love the colours of your bag – it is perfectly named! And a Belated Happy Birthday Greeting from us down here for your 21st! (Well, you said it was a Biggie!!) 😀
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 5, 2017I don’t have a tumble dryer! The pattern suggests a couple of hot washes will do the trick. Ah yes, 21… nostalgia!
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thecontentedcrafter
/ January 5, 2017Whatever the number is, we’re only as old as we feel 🙂 I know you don’t have a dryer, but there’s always the local laundromat if the other washes don’t work out.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 5, 2017I’m sure I can find a friend with a dryer… they are not all as mad as me… actually I think my sister has one
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nerdinthebrain
/ January 5, 2017Happy, happy birthday!!!! 😀
I can’t wait to see how that bag turns out!
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Born To Organize
/ January 6, 2017Happy birthday! Big ones are a lot of fun, aren’t they? I love that jester bag. I’m intrigued. Will you post again once its shrunk to its proper size?
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 6, 2017I will post again when it’s shrunk to my desired proportions… I wonder how many washes it will need.
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Born To Organize
/ January 10, 2017I wonder…:-)
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insearchofitall
/ January 29, 2017Still catching up. Happy belated birthday. At my age, they are all big ones. 🙂 Congrats on being able to thread the overlock machine without difficulty. My problem was always my vision to see in the dark recesses of the machine. It’s become easier with practice but don’t practice enough. Have a wonderfilled week ahead.
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