Here’s something you may not know about me: I love jigsaw puzzles!
If you are puzzled about my puzzling habit, you are not alone. Many people think it’s a bit of a strange habit … but that’s okay, I can be a bit strange sometimes. So strange, in fact, that I’m now going to interview myself so that together we can discover what I find so fascinating about them …
When did you first discover your love of jigsaw puzzles?
It all started with a 1000 piece puzzle I was given many years ago for Christmas, when our kids were still small.
That summer I remember sitting up til midnight on New Year’s Eve, working on my puzzle. I also enjoyed puzzling while the hubster was watching boring cricket. It was something I could idle over during the holidays, and I came to associate it with a relaxing break from normal everyday life.
I find it completely absorbing, and an hour can pass in what seems like five minutes when I am puzzling!
How often do you do a puzzle?
Over the years my interest in doing jigsaw puzzles has waxed and waned, I can go months without doing one, but it’s something I keep coming back to.
Each puzzle takes me about a week or so to complete, and I take a photo of the finished product before breaking it up and putting it back in the box. According to my phone camera I’ve done over 20 in the last year!
So, where do you get all your puzzles from? That must get expensive!
Well, let’s just say my family is never stuck for ideas when it comes to presents! I’ve swapped with a couple of friends, and also pick them up when I’m op shopping, though you never know if all the pieces are there til you’ve finished it. It doesn’t really worry me if there are one or two missing, just makes it extra challenging. (I’m also a shocker for losing bits myself so I can’t really complain!)
Kmart has some really nice quality 1000 piece puzzles for about $6. I hate the ones that feel thin and cheap, or the pieces don’t lock together properly.
I love puzzles of beautiful places, with lots of detail.
And some puzzles remind me of places I’ve been:
Do you puzzle alone?
Most of the time, yes. Although Miss 20 sometimes helps me, and Mr 23 has a bad habit of hiding a piece right near the end so that he can have the honour of putting the last piece in place! The hubster has also been known to sit down with me occasionally.
Even Miss Fleur gets in on the action!
Visitors (like Miss 20’s partner!) usually can’t resist, if I’ve got a puzzle on the go 😉 .
Oh and here are some photos of some of my regular helpers …
Where do you puzzle?
Normally at the dining table because the light is best there. But hubster has set me up with a board so I can move it out of the way if I need the table for something else (like, eating – fancy that!).
Do you have a system?
Call me a creature of habit, but I like to start by taking out all the edge pieces, and trying to put the frame together.
I then start working on the most obvious areas, and gradually it all comes together. If I get stuck I consult the lid to see where pieces belong.
Have you ever given up on a puzzle?
It was very close a few years ago with a Monet painting, it was really hard, but eventually I finished it. I must confess though it had numbers on the back to roughly indicate the quadrant they belonged to!
I gave up on this one earlier this year. No helpful numbers on the back and all the puzzle pieces seemed to be the same colour, shape and size. I hated not finishing it, but I hated doing it even more LOL.
What do you think your love of jigsaw puzzles says about you?
That I’m weird and have nothing else to do with my time? Just kidding. I think it shows that I’m patient and good at paying attention to details. I enjoy a challenge, and have the sort of personality which knows that by chipping away at something, slowly but surely you will begin to see results.
Funnily enough – I read an article recently that said that people who love jigsaw puzzles are usually good at Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) – which is my “day job”! Isn’t that cool?!
Is there anything you don’t like about it?
I have to remember to use both arms, otherwise I get quite sore in my right arm and shoulder if I’ve been doing a lot of puzzling.
What puzzle are you working on at the moment?
It’s an underwater scene of fish and coral – so there is a lot of blue!
Finally, I’d like to thank me, myself and I, for so generously agreeing to be interviewed on this absolutely fascinating topic.
You’re welcome!
Tell me – do you like jigsaw puzzles too?!
I like doing jigsaw puzzles but don’t do them very often. I’ll have to get one out over Christmas.
They are such a great Christmas activity 🙂
I love jigsaws and I could have answered your questions in almost the same way. I tend to save doing them until I’m on holidays or it’s a long weekend. I also only choose ones with lots of different things in them – I HATE ones where there is too much of the same colour – so frustrating. I also get a sore shoulder from too much puzzling and in the middle of doing one I can see puzzle pieces behind my eyelids when I close my eyes at night to sleep!
Haha yes I get that too!
I like jigsaw puzzles too. At the moment I have an app on my iPad. Not quite the same as doing them on a board, but right now I don’t have the space!
I know it’s not the same – I’ve tried the online ones too! But needs must x
I have never done a jigsaw puzzle bigger than 8 pieces. I am extremely spatially chanllenged! I am married to a person who is the opposite and it is his favourite past time other than sport on tv. He says it is meditative. His 1000 piece ones are WASJIGs where you have no idea of the picture as it is the view from the photo on the box. He buys them online and keeps them all to do again and again. We have a cupboard full of them and he made a frame in which in he can do them on the Dining table then lift it off to store on a shelf when we have visitors. I take my hat off to you jigsaw experts!
LOL my hubster laughs at the way I puzzle, he calls it the “hit and miss” method. He studies each piece carefully before placing it in exactly the right spot. I on the other hand, just physically try it wherever it looks like it might go! A WASJIG hey? Will have to look them up!
I don’t mind doing them with the kids, and we usually do fairly easy ones. I’ve never attempted a 1000 piece jigsaw. I think I’m a bit impatient with it. LOL.