adventures in dyeing ~ part one

While at Wonderwool I treated myself to some plain skeins of merino/tencel sock yarn... I have great plans for these little beauties...

I love my Brown-eyed Susan shawl so much - just in time for this seasonally unseasonal May weather (brrrr - nearly lit the wood burner last night but settled for more jumpers and a hot water bottle last night.)

The challenge I set myself was to dye the sock yarn into the purpley shades I love.

I started with KoolAid in grape and tropical fruit but the grape wasn't dark enough for me. So after a while I decided to over dye with some violet food colouring I had in the cupboard... Et voila! the purpley shade I was looking for.

So, three skeins ready to be knitted into another gorgeous Brown-eyed Susan - just the project for long summer road trips. Almost can't wait! Meanwhile the circles throw is growing bit by bit. (75 square circles down - 244 to go...)  Hurrah!

on more knitting and being organised...

I realised that I never showed you that shawl I knitted in Canada last year (I only realised when I figured out that I hadn't uploaded much to Ravelry recently. However, I finally got round to taking photos and thinking about how I should be more organised...

I'll knit another but I think it needs to be much, much bigger - maybe in handspun, who knows....

In other news I have started the Quill Hap shawl.... oh and a crochet blanket.... (need more hours in the day!)

more dolls & sewing heaven

There's a bit of a doll making frenzy going on here - inspired by mini Ellie Jess has the bug too.
We had a lovely day out to Wells with friends and found an inspirational shop Sew Vintage. 
I didn't know where to look first - it's an overwhelming store of fabulousness. (that is a real word.)
In amongst the beautiful fabrics (Kokka, Liberty, etc) we found this gorgeous cut out rag doll fabric from Riley Blake  - a perfect first project for Jess...

a doll for Ellie

See, I'm doing it again... just dropping by to show you a doll I made for my friend's littlest daughter. It's her second birthday in early April and I made her a doll that looks just like her.

It's my first attempt at a Waldorf style doll and I have to say I was sorry to see her go to her new home...

I used a hank of badly plied (plyed?) handspun which I dyed with a combination of onion skins and henna for her hair, some of Jessie's old clothes for her outfits and knitted her up a coat. (It's still freezing here so a coat seemed essential.) I have orders for dolls from my own children so I think Ellie's doll won't be my last. I hope she loves her...

on my needles

With cold weather on its way and all that holiday making over for at least 6 months it's time to cast on for another hat. I mean if it does really snow then I have a new hat to celebrate with.

One of my lovely Christmas presents was French Girl Knits Accessories full of beauties that must be knitted...

show and tell

Remember that pile of grey dusty looking glazing in my studio? Well here it is...
hope you're having a great weekend wherever you are!

elving ~ part one

It's even more of handmade Christmas and Solstice this year than ever before. My list is quite lengthy so an early start is need. Apologies for everyone who is cursing me for even mentioning the 'C' word.

Currently I'm wrestling with quilts for my nieces. I don't see enough of them so I'd like something handmade to keep them warm and hug them while we are apart.

Then there is knitting, more sewing, School costumes to make (a gold ring and a calling bird), cooking and clay....

What are you making to give this year?

in my studio

Things are getting busy here as lots of pre Christmas events are going on... It's easy to keep your head down while time is so precious. (I'm not in the studio for long before a little voice calls 'Mummmmmm!!!!!')

Looking up this morning with the autumn sun shining through the window and I felt
inspired all over again...

spinning the sky ~ part two

 Apologies for the spinning related (some would say obsessed) post that follows.....

From this...

... to this...

.. and this.

Now I know its far from perfect -  I can see all the mistakes but I don't care, it's mine!!! And the goddess of charity shops (for she does exist) blessed me as I found a niddy noddy in the window of a charity shop for 50p! One persons weird bit of wood is another persons very useful spinning thing...

spinning the sky

Ever lie on your back staring at the blue, blue sky? (Not that people in the UK had much chance of that last summer.) Ever been amazed at the vivid colours that appear in nature?

 

Some of the of the bundle of tops I bought in Hay on Wye are the colour of the sky on a summers day. I gently blended them with white merino as if they were clouds chasing across the sky.

Jago says when I have my basket of carded batts that I'm a giant spinning the sky. He's making me look at colours in a new way - how the hedgerow shades would look blended into a yarn... I love the fact I'm seeing the world with a three year old engaging with his fascination and sense of wonder.

in progress...

I have a new love.

Ceramics you are my first love, nothing will ever change that but spinning is warm, fluffy and much more portable. Before Jess was born I bought a secondhand spinning wheel and had a few lessons. Then I found out I was pregnant and pregnancy and sheep and lambing time don't really mix -  I live in a rural area with lots of lovely sheep all around. So I gave up for a long time. My spinning wheel looked mournfully at me from the corner of the room. I felt a bit guilty...

This summer I was walking through Hay-on-Wye (as a stop off on our way to Snowdonia) when I found a shop with with a baskets of beautiful hand dyed merino and bamboo tops. A few of those bags came home with me and I dreamed of my wheel again, it was time...

By the time we got to our holiday cottage I was dreaming of the yarn I would make... The fates were smiling on me and in a local store I found a drop spindle and a copy of Respect The Spindle. I'm hooked. I go everywhere with a bag of fibre and a drop spindle (along with my knitting.) The house is covered with fluff, I answer the phone spindle in hand and get in a muddle as I realise that I can't write down notes and spin at the same time. My family just smile - and indulge me - bless them!

(More about what I'm spinning in a future post)

a little light holiday knitting

I know I should be going on about the wonderful Nova Scotia - but can I first go on about some wonderful yarn I got once I got there? Last time I was in Canada (which makes me sound like I go there all the time - I don't. Honest.) I picked up some beautiful yarn by Fleece Artist - hard to source in the UK but not impossible. This time before I went I researched some yarn stores and decided that Baadeck Yarns was the place to go. My, what store! I restrained myself from buying too much but I did treat myself to some malabrigo to knit a little something while I was away. In fact I sent most of my spare time  - at the beach, in the (huge!) hire car - knitting. It's finished now - just waiting to be blocked. I'll show you it in all it's glory once it's looking very beautiful...

Now, to start my next knitting project with yarn from my stash...

forgotten treasure

Wandering around a charity shop today (the best way to shop) I found these beauties, stuffed at the back of a shelf in a large plastic bag. There are about 200 of these hexagons made (hand sewn), one hand sewn together and all of them in beautiful vintage prints. On the back of one of them is the date, December 1968.  It made me start to think about who had started this all those years ago. Would she be pleased that someone was taking this project on 40 years or so later? It also made me think that most of these gems I find are the results of house clearances... I'm hoping I can do this quilt justice...

candlemas

Our plans to go to the Light Spiral at the local Steiner School were cut short by the brief snowfall that we weren't forcast... We stayed at home and cooked our supper on the fire by candle light. Outside our ice lantern sparkled and glowed in the cold...

{this moment} nearly finished

Joining Amanda at Soulemama

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

This is a present for my mama - Christmas came and went.... and now it's finally ready for her birthday. Happy Birthday mum! (oh, and Merry Christmas too!)

making

There is plenty of making going on here these days. Jess is designing, making and being most secretive. Jago is drawing on every surface he can find (not always a good thing but hey, it's a creative thing) and I'm trying hard not to be overwhelmed by the big 'to do' list.

Spending my evenings making presents by the fire is just perfect. Obviously I can't show you what is going on because as Jess says...'it's a secret'.... and I know family check in on this space from time to time...

in my basket

I have one of those wonderful clever mothers who encouraged me to make, taught me many skills and supported me in my craft. Right now in my basket is something just for her. Something that only another maker would appreciate, with love worked into every stitch. Made in Rowan Summer Tweed, designed by Kaffe Fassett it has the tones of a beautiful old kilim. I plan to line it with rich velvet and give it with much love. I've Raveled it here

apple pressing day

Our press arrived just in time amidst much excitement. With boxes of freshly picked apples waiting to be transformed into crisp refreshing juice we've been reading this book in anticipation. It was a job for everyone in the family with washing, cutting, bashing, pressing and then freezing our bounty. I've never tasted juice like it... Autumn is a wonderful season and winter will be even better drinking our own mulled apple juice. I dream of cider next year.

maybel

What do you make a very good friend who deserves so much more? A portrait of her car of course! Maybel the beautiful VW beetle is now immortalised in applique and quilting. I'm loving my handmade year. Just you wait til the holiday season is here....

Autumn

There's a hint of autumn around here. Finding conkers in the park, trying to be inventive with the huge and glorious apple glut, welcoming the sight of blackberries and watching the hazy sun rise in morning mist. Realising that while making Apple and Blackberry Butter that it smells like autumn. I'm mindful that I should grasp at every last bit of summer before it disappears for another year. Yet I know I welcome the change, I love the change of the seasons and that the autumn preparations for winter is just another part of my handmade year.  Jago just loves the fact he has new playthings. Just wait til our new toy turns up.....