Sunday 10 January 2016

Jigsaws


One of our favourite Christmas presents  is a jigsaw.   Preferably one or two to help us through the dark winter nights of January.
This year we got three beauties - one of Van Gogh's Bedroom at Arles - which we have done and you see above.

The next one was breeds of Chicken, Ducks and Geese, which looked really exciting to do.   We are on with it at the moment .  It is, without a doubt, the hardest puzzle we have ever done; in fact several times we have been tempted to abandon it.   But no, we have persevered - and at last we begin to see some semblance of the finished puzzle.   What's more, it doesn't get any easier as the pieces get less.  I really think that it will be hard to the very last half dozen pieces.   Rachel - if you fancy having a go at it then I will willingly send it to you if you let me have your address, because one thing is for certain - we will not attempt it for a second time.

When this one is finally finished some time later this week then we have one more to go - and it looks to be equally difficult because it is rows of books on library shelves.   But, nothing ventured....... 

24 comments:

Derek Faulkner said...

My ex-wife, who could do jigsaws faster than any one I know, used to have two favourite types. One type was a "Where's ??" where you had to find somebody or thing among all the various people in the picture.
The second was one where the finished picture was the reverse of that on the box, basically as if you was standing behind all the people and object shown on the box. Me, I have no patience at all for doing them.

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

My attitude towards jigsaws depends entirely on whether I'm doing one or not. Once one is begun I become totally obsessed with it, even forgetting meals and, especially, bedtime. Luckily this doesn't happen often, as when not engaged in the activity I regard them as infuriating time-wasters!

Penhill said...

I really cant see the point of jigsaws I'm afraid,likewise these so called adult colouring books.I can understand knitting or crochet,there is an end product,although I am not very good at either.

Heather said...

I used to get through jigsaws at quite a rate with my daughter when she was first ill with ME. I haven't done one for years but I can see that these must be very challenging and will certainly keep you out of mischief! I shall be lazy and just enjoy looking at this picture in a book which I have about Van Gogh and his work.

Linda Metcalf said...

I bought a new puzzle at Christmas but haven't started on it yet....procrastinating! but love doing them along with crosswords.

Elizabeth said...

Well done you both!

Rachel Phillips said...

The jigsaw I have on the go has been hanging around on the go for 12 months. I get little time to do it and a lot of problems with the cats trying to "help" and I have a feeling it will still be on the go in 12 months time. Like John above says, I occasionally become obsessed with them but not at the moment. So I will decline your kind offer to send me your very hardest ever jigsaw. I like easy ones in any case!

Gerry Snape said...

We helped the blessed daughter "neviepiecakes",this holiday when we took a trip down south and she was doing her annual jigsaw....1000 pieces...less is no fun! Hope you get the ducks all in a row!!

Dartford Warbler said...

I admire your perseverance Pat. I have enjoyed looking at the end result. It's a great painting and an insight into Van Gogh`s life.

Jigsaws can be of great benefit to children with visual/spatial difficulties so I`m sure they are equally good for adult brains.

Enjoy your Rare Breeds jigsaw. We had a jigsaw "phase" some years ago but these days there just isn`t time!

Joanne Noragon said...

I hope we have pictures of all. I have a sister and friends who bend over jigsaw puzzles for hours. I can't do that.

Gwil W said...

Well done. You can now stick it on the wall. I think this painted was shortly before the troubles with Gaugin began. I've always suspected it was Paul who cut Vincent's ear.

Bovey Belle said...

I enjoy jigsaws too, but the cats are too willing to "help" and now the girls are no longer here, I would be doing one on my own I fear. They are - like the adult colouring books - great for letting your brain just unwind and you can forget all life's problems. Having just discovered a problem with the flashing here on the biggest chimney (done 3 years back) I could do with something to help me forget too!

Mac n' Janet said...

I like a hard puzzle, but some of them about send me round the bend.

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

What do you do with the puzzles when you are finished? Do you ever remake any of them?Do you display them in a frame? I'm not really much of a "puzzler" because I don't really have a spot where I could let it sit for the whole time it would take me to complete it. -Jenn

Stephanie Gau t said...

I love a jigsaw at Christmas - we had a really hard Christmas themed one this year. I think setting up a jigsaw swapping scheme would be good - we never do ours again...

Derek Faulkner said...

In answer to "coffeontheporchwithme" - do you know that you can buy a large felt covered two-piece board type thing to do jigsaws on. At the end of each session you close the top part down on it, fasten the velcro fasteners and can stand it against a wall, etc and all the pieces remain in place.

Dawn said...

I remember my dad used to do big massive jig saws, and then used to stick them down and frame them, during the sticking process they had to be kept flat with weight on top, so the were put under the carpet (days before fitted carpet) with a board on top so when we walked across it it helped it stick, he used copydex for glue ( I used to love that stuff)

Mary said...

Well done - love this one especially as I visited the recreation of Vincent's room when in Arles and every details is spot on.
Don't do them anymore myself but just sent one to England to my dear cousin who is about to start cancer treatment - she has a puzzle going on a table constantly. I found a colorful Carl Larsson painting of Swedish girls outdoors at a summer picnic table - very pretty. Don't know if it will be difficult to her, but thought it might be nice for a wet winter day - she seems happy with it, and will have plenty of time to sit and 'puzzle over it' so to speak!

Mary -

Sue in Suffolk said...

I wonder why I love the sound of a "Books on a Bookshelf" Jigsaw! :-)

Coppa's girl said...

You've done a good job, Weave, and so quickly. We used to love doing jigsaws, and many was the time we dined around one underway. The annoying thing was having to remove it when we had people in to dinner. Not sure I'd have the patience now - the last one we attempted was a large, gazillion piece one of the Dutch bulb fields (the picture was very pretty). I think we got bored with it and shovelled it all back in the box and took it down to the charity shop. Needless to say, we didn't count the pieces when we put them back, so I can imagine some else's frustration trying to do it, because we kept finding neatly chewed pieces all over the house, where the dog had hidden them !

Wilma said...

That is a great puzzle! It looks deceptively simple, but I bet it was nice challenge. We had a round Christmas puzzle that we did every year for decades. The pieces were of various shapes and sizes with no "rows" to go by. It was hard, but we loved and of course each year it got easier. I still remember the arrowhead shape of the smallest piece.

The Weaver of Grass said...

What do we do with our puzzles when we havefinished them? Unless we really love them (in which case we keep them to do again) I take them to the charity shop. Because we are in a holiday area folk on holiday buy one to do on wet days and then return it to the shop at the end of the holiday - so there is usually a market for them. Now that Rachel has declined my offer (probably a sensible move Rachel) this one will go to the charity shop when we have gloated over the finished puzzle (which should be later this week).

Frances said...

You've reminded me of long hot summer days of my childhood, when my friends and I would sit on a side porch either putting together jigsaw puzzles or playing canasta. Or going to a swimming pool. Nice memories.

xo

potty said...

Another blogging lady here in France does jigsaws on line. How that works I have no idea, but you will never miss a piece and it wouldn't get dusty if it took weeks to complete.