Other craft skills

[g7g7g7g7]

There are a lot of woodworkers and a few metal-workers on this site, but what other craft skills have you all picked up on your travels, how diverse a skill set is there on this forum.

Since taking up woodworking a few years back I'm amazed at all the extra skills I've had to pick up, the most surprising so far has been trying upholstery skills, with fabrics and sewing, ended up re-hemming all my trousers and darning all my socks for practice, the missus was quite impressed.

 

[novocaine]

my sweeping has come on leaps and bounds and I'm now quite proficient at starting small fires using nice dry wood.

 

[Roxie]

Re-caning chairs. I was asked, as a furniture repair/restoration person, I was asked if I could repair a Regency caned tub chair. As I welcome a challenge I set about learning this craft and as there are few, or indeed any, caners ( :wink: ) in Bedfordshire I became overwhelmed with work. A satisfying craft, albeit a little slow in production.

John

 

[Racers]

I make jam

Jam today, jam tomorrow! by Pete Maddex, on Flickr

Pete

 

[Glynne]

Lots of bread makers on the forum - "Man cannot live by woodwork alone".

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Still warm. Matthew's Cotswold Crunch with added sunflower seeds and chia seeds. Excellent value flour - 7.5kg at 76p per kg on the extremely wide river.

 

[Paul200]

Still warm. Matthew's Cotswold Crunch with added sunflower seeds and chia seeds. Excellent value flour - 7.5kg at 76p per kg on the extremely wide river.

Man, that looks good! =D>

 

[Steve Maskery]

+1 for Pete's jam
Phil, I wish you'd not posted that picture. I've not baked a loaf or a cake since Christmas. I really miss my bread.
On the plus side I've lost 19lb since then.
It's hard going, but my sleep has improved massively, so that is good motivation in itself. I occasionally have a carbs blowout (pie and mash last week) and I pay for it that night.

 

[g7g7g7g7]

Well that's some tasty looking preserves and bread that's for sure.

I used to be a chef so I appreciate the skill and time involved, although I think last time I made jam was when I was about 7 with my gran, you are tempting me to start planting some fruit bushes in the garden.

 

[DTR]

SWMBO can turn her hand to just about anything on a whim.







It makes me sick :evil:

 

[finneyb]

+1 for Pete's jam
Phil, I wish you'd not posted that picture. I've not baked a loaf or a cake since Christmas. I really miss my bread.
On the plus side I've lost 19lb since then.
It's hard going, but my sleep has improved massively, so that is good motivation in itself. I occasionally have a carbs blowout (pie and mash last week) and I pay for it that night.

Nice one - keep going you're doing well

Brian

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I've not long done jam - apricot and stem ginger, and rhubarb, root ginger and lemon. Go with the bread nicely.
Apricot and cardamom was interesting as well.

 

[Lonsdale73]

I make jam

Jam today, jam tomorrow! by Pete Maddex, on Flickr

Pete

From offcuts?

 

[novocaine]

Early raspberries are picked and frozen, waiting on the strawberries and late raspberries now. might go blackberry picking too soon as they are starting to look good.

then it'll be in to the kitchen and make enough jam for the next year.

oh and courgettes are starting to be picked ready for this years chutney, unfortunatly the onions didn't make it but the tom's are looking good so I'll only have to buy store cupboard stuff to make it.

add to that the plums are looking decent, shame I don't like them.
add to that the pears seem to be doing ok, so they'll be perry to drink, but that needs to lay for 2-4 years first I think, although the 2 year old batch that's hiding in the garage should be ready now.

most of our garden is for growing food and stuff, got a grape vine on the go this year, Chateau Novocaine is unlikely though.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

My friend used to make Chateau Vertheflor.

 

[Racers]

I make jam

Jam today, jam tomorrow! by Pete Maddex, on Flickr

Pete

From offcuts?

Just plum skin, chunks of ginger and lime zest slivers.

Pete

 

[sunnybob]

I never realised there were so many domestic goddesses on this site.
I think he was hoping for sparkys and plasterers and rocket scientists and stuff like that.

 

[novocaine]

I do that too Bob.

next week I'll be skimming the spare room and ready for the 4 year old to move in to it.
between that I'll be laying a new floor in the conservatory, rebuilding the motorcycle (ongoing project), making a swingarm pivot stand for said bike, removing the paint from the lower third of the outside walls of the house, replacing a few bricks and repointing, fixing the decking at the bottom of the garden and a whole host of other tasks and repairs that are sat on the healing bench at the moment.

bit better for you?

 

[NazNomad]

I've turned my hand to sheep shearing, but I don't think it's a spin-off from woodwork.

 

[skipdiver]

Working as a self employed joiner/builder for years alongside my mate who is a bricky/plasterer, i learned to do both of his trades and he mine, along with many other trades that go into building work. Used to do basic plumbing and wiring before the health and safety police made that impossible. Learned to fit carpets, decorating, all mannner of stuff.

I also cook and make bread, but i don't do jam. I'll have a go at almost anything if it means i don't have to pay someone else to do it.