This is my bargain of last week, a 1,000 piece jigsaw from my favourite charity shop for £1.95. I have to admit that I would never have mentioned it here, but when I sent a ‘look at my bargain!’ message to a few friends and family I realised from their replies that puzzles are people’s guilty pleasure. Or maybe we are just a really uncool lot! Actually today I saw that Hobbycraft sell them, so maybe they’re popular again?
I’ve harped on about wanting to do a jigsaw after reading a Christmas novel, which I bought from a charity shop sale shelf for 25p last January. My friend got me onto Christmas fiction and so I keep my eyes open for a few books for December every year. Anyway, the main character in Twelve days of Christmas by Trisha Ashley cooks for house parties in the summer and house sits for a rest in the winter. This year things turn out rather differently and she ends up with a houseful of the client’s family. While stocking up with food and presents she sees the village shop has a jigsaw, which she leaves on a table in the dining room for everyone to do gradually as they pass by. It just caught my imagination for some reason. Suddenly I really wanted to do my first jigsaw since childhood. It’s a joke really as I found the outside so hard to do, the red background and yellow script are REALLY hard, and I lost my mojo. However it turns out I live with a puzzle genius who has now completed nine tenths of it. I deliberately chose one with a fly fishing theme, as I thought it might interest him into helping me. It worked, with bells on. I don’t give up on them all though – I await a delivery of some of my friend’s jigsaws (“Not hard ones please!”)
I found this personalised tea towel the other day. I’d forgotten I embroidered this, I was asked to add a trout but that wasn’t the original plan so I’m not. It’s going into service. I might do a ‘moron’ one to complete a set….! It’s a family joke.
I’m baby hexieing still, mostly just doing a group of seven at the weekend, so am sticking to the original one-a-day plan now, though might have a splurge and make lots more at points during the year. It depends how I feel. The thing is that the material doesn’t have a lot of drape because the hexagons are so small.
This is the boring part of the process….
Yesterday there was a knock at the door with what I guess is the signature flourish of a local florist’s delivery driver. Isn’t this a beautiful bunch of flowers? Forsythia, tulips, freesia and something which look like hyacinths. The card says they are to brighten these drab February days. They certainly do and smell delightful too. Lucky me.
I did an incredibly nerdy thing the other day – I made an inventory of my Clover Amour hooks, just so I know what I’ve got. My new 5.5 mm and other (I can’t remember!) sized one arrived in the post and I thought it seemed a good idea at the time. This is more embarrassing than the jigsaw puzzle probably. I hang my head in nerdiness.
What’s happening with you? Do you want to write a Five Things post and put the link below?
The Little Room of Rachell 
I love jigsaws and I have an excuse to do them as me and my girls do them together. I’ll have a think and see if I can come up with 5 interesting facts over the next couple of days.
Excellent! You’re in the puzzling club too! I’ve done lots of children’s jigsaws as an adult helper, and don’t find 50 pieces too challenging, but 1,000…phew!
Are jigsaws uncool? Not that I mind. I love jigsaws and so does one of my crafty friends. Your flowers look lovely and if they smell delightful that sounds even better!
I don’t really know what I’m saying – I don’t have any pretensions to coolness anyway do I?!
But seriously they seem to be one of those things that people don’t talk about doing or liking until you ask. It’s curious isn’t it?
Very nerdy indeed – the crochet hook thing clinched it. :-)
Alex and I used to do a lot of jigsaws together when she was little, we loved them. And it was interesting how often a passing person would stop and try to find the next significant piece, without making it look they were trying too hard.
No drape is required with bookmarks. I love mine.
I’m glad you like it. I might make some more as it’s quite different looking to the usual.
That’s it isn’t it? People are drawn to solving the puzzle but no one really wants to admit they enjoy them for their own sake – it’s hidden behind ‘helping’ a child tee hee.
Hi Rachel, I have always liked jigsaw pauzzles. In fact I was at a bookstore with my son tonight and saw a puzzle that I thought I would love to make n told him I would love it for my birthday.. Maybe I will get it and will post on my blog … It will take me. Very long time to finish as it is also 1,000 pieces and I have not done one in a very long time. I used to do them with my dad whi has been gone for 5 years now. I love the clover crochet kooks also ( I actually have a couple of the same size as I didn’t pay attention and bought thm twice). I love your hexagons blanket, lovely.
Nice to hear from you Taci, maybe we should start jigsaw posts, and set up a JAL where everyone buys the same one?!
I loved that book! Haven’t done a jigsaw for years, only then my son’s 6 piece ones :) I always used to do one over Christmas with my grandmother.
It was strangely compelling, it made me move a bit faster some days as she just works so hard and without complaint!
Love your post but I don’t like jigsaws! Love those hexies and your flowers. Lucky girl! Mr E bought me red roses cos he missed when I visited Mum.
I love jigsaws too, I think of them as holiday activities – funny how a jigsaw left set up somewhere prominent will often attract help from most people!
There are several really rather brilliant jigsaw apps for iPad. I indulge regularly!
It’s just not the same! Try the 20th century version and turn off the electronics (she says typing on iPhone with ipad at the ready!)
We have jigsaws. I like doing both. But I do like my app. :)
I might try – it would be funny if I could do an e-jigsaw but not the real kind!
What beautiful flowers to receive! In a couple of weeks time I hope to have my Five on Friday posts opened up to everyone to join in if you would like to take part you would be most welcome! xx
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Love jigsaws…. but years since I did one. I like the idea of leaving one out on the table… but where would we eat then?? When we were kids we used to have the top off a washing machine which we could leave them out on but move them out of the way too.
Oh… Just remembered I meant to say….. Nerds ARE cool…… Or is that geeks?? No pretty sure it’s nerds 😉
Aren’t they the same really – intelligent, thoughtful people who use their power for good?
Well I’ve recently learnt that you can buy puzzle boards which you can roll or close, store under a bed, sofa etc and some even stand up without breaking up what you’ve already done! Magic eh.
That idiot towel is funny. Your baby hexies are like little yarn buds. The flowers are beautiful.
It makes me laugh too! Thanks for all the lovely comments.
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I know it’s a bit late but here is my contribution…