I must admit that there are more cons than pros for me personally trying to work in this heat.
I need to be out of the studio by about 2pm at the latest as the studio has been exceeding 34 degrees and there’s just no point in trying to fight it!
The clay has been drying out too quickly and crumbling as I’m trying to work with it.
I have been getting work made but not as much as I would have expected for this time of year - I like to have a little backlog of Christmas stock by now but I haven’t got much ready at all yet!
There’s no-where in the house that I can really transfer working to as I don’t have a dining or kitchen table. (I could work on the floor if I really had to)
The only good thing about it is that if I need a piece to put in the kiln within a day, that is do-able with items that would normally take 7 days to dry out.
Whether you love the heat or hate it, how is it affecting your work?
Not good - once I have dragged myself out of bed, walked the dog and done whatever jobs need doing around the house I have very little energy or enthusiasm for doing much else. I am trying to push myself but it doesnt seem to be working
Hi. You must be South of me as the weather here in Southport has cooled down. However, I feel for you, our heatwave lasted nearly a month and trying to paint and resin was awful,; a sticky mess and that was just me:joy:. Like you @OrchardFelts I lost all motivation, my depression kicked in and I felt like giving up! I took a couple of days “self-care” read a bit, trawled mindlessly through Pinterest, Twitter etc (call it research) and ordered some new supplies. A tidy up of my studio kickstarted me back to creating although I’ve not used resin yet:see_no_evil:. You come first, enjoy the sunshine and stay “cool”
Really struggling: we broke up yesterday, so I was hoping for the traditional start of holidays downpour, but not yet! My fingers feel all sticky and clumsy, I have no patience and there’s no way I can use my blowtorch…
I live near a park and during the summer months the ice cream van goes up my road tinkling a way, it stops long enough to disrupt me from working by thinking ‘ooooo ice cream’ but not long enough for me to get my shoes on and go and get one.
On the plus side when I have to oxidise some silver the reaction happens much quicker and standing in line at the post office is a joy as they have air con.
I’m not complaining about the heat but would like a little rain occasionally for the garden.
I work from 6am till about 2pm. Then my workroom is in direct sunlight so I decamp to a shady place in the garden with a book - or the sofa and Netflix - for the afternoon.
I like working for myself
I haven’t been as productive as I normally am. It’s not the sewing, it’s the pressing and ironing my patchwork pieces, and blocks, it’s too hot. So I have made only 4 blocks this morning, but I am half way there, only 32 more to go. I would like snow today, just for a couple of hours.
Wire isn’t reacting as it normally would messing up my work, it’s too bendy, if that makes sense. Macrame can’t go on for long with sweaty fingers.
Doing fairs in it is a killer too. I’ve had heat stroke a few times, even under gazebos, drinks don’t stay cold in cool boxes and trying to take enough it stay hydrated all day.
On the plus side, turn out at fairs has been fantastic so sales have been amazing, just desperate to be able to restock properly
Why am I in the house on the pc instead of at my bench… under my south facing full sun window…
Came inside to throw water over my head between cutting and grinding.
Back to the grind now
We’ve had heat for over 6 weeks now, only had rain once in that time which lasted for about 4-5 hrs. Today it’s 30 degrees again and supposed to be getting hotter.
Now I love a bit of sunshine like everyone but I’m not great in the heat, I’ve been walking to the post office really early and I have a very large fan in my shed to keep me coolish when I’m painting but I must admit that I’m really looking forward to the thunder storms due late tonight and tomorrow (although they’ve promised them before). I love a good storm.
It’s the “not having sold anything since April” that’s really affecting my productivity I just think “What’s the point?”. I’m not grumpy about it though, just accepting. I suppose it’s nice that I no longer feel any pressure to constantly keep creating and enjoy doing other things.
Still, can’t wait for the weather to break. I look forward to the summer and it seems so long coming, but this is a bit too much for me
I think I have been more productive. Sitting in the cool of the house during the hottest hours has given me the opportunity to knit. So I have just finished a little Big Jonah Fish jumper. The trouble is now I have to get the iron out to press it, and that’ll be hot work.
Suzzie x
I have been working on a wedding dress…its cooler here (mid twenties) but not when you’re under seven layers of satin and tulle…I’m just glad I won’t be wearing this gown! Sweaty hands and ivory silk do not mix.
I haven’t sewn much…my sewing room is at the top our 3 story terraced house and faces South…it just gets way too hot. Add the iron in to that and I just can’t face it much! I have managed a summer dress for me , but it’s taken me days to do it, just spending an hour in the evening in there.
My workroom is so airless…today and yesterday have been so hot that i’ve actually been sitting upstairs feeling like I’m being suffocated. It’s rotten.
I had OH come home early yesterday with sunstroke, so I spent 40 minutes with him sitting in the bathtub whilst I poured cool water over him trying to get his temperature down. Thank goodness it worked as he was really unwell. He’s a gardener and today his client thankfully sent him home saying it was too hot, as her thermometer was reading 29 degrees. This is the east coast of Scotland - we’re supposed to be cold!
My painting is suffering, and it’s so hot that when I try and do the outdoor varnish on some of my signs it’s taking forever to dry, as it’s so warm it won’t ‘set’. Thankfully most of my customers have been lovely about waiting an extra week or two, but there have been a couple of mardy ones
I was also hoping to have got a good pile of Christmas stock made over summer, but that’s gone by the wayside too as paint and glue are both drying out before I can use them.
Fed up of the heat and hot, humid nights, fed up of the garden dying off through lack of rain, and really fed up of the local heathlands being destroyed by fire…
I’m in Dorset - we had a dry May, and even drier June, and July is even worse. We desperately need rain…
This thread has made me want a Mr Whippy now but our ice=cream van comes at about 5.45pm every night - too early for pud. too close to dinner for a snack - meh!
. You come first, enjoy the sunshine and stay “cool”
