woolly wednesday - June

Currently I've been working with some fellow artists for a show as part of Somerset Art Weeks - using both my fibre work and my ceramics. This month I've been experimenting with the natural dyes around me. Buttercups are abundant in the meadow near my studio and they produce a pretty subtle yellow. I mordanted with alum and cream of tartar and solar dyed over a 48 hours period. The yarn is spun from Portland on my new (!) wheel - I can't wait to use it in a bigger piece later in the year. 

This is cross posted in Somerset Stitched - a blog following our creative journey towards Art Weeks in the autumn....

at the Bath and West...

I love an agricultural fair.... We managed to catch the rare breeds sheep, mountain and moorland pony class, whilst managing to play at the funfair, drink cider and watch the Morris Men (morris men are obligatory at such rural occasions) and see the mechanical bull charge at bales of hay. 

All in all a perfect day!

in my garden... May

Last year I got a bit despondent with gardening. It was so cold and wet, the only creatures that seemed happy were the evil slugs which munched everything.

This week we got our first Rocket Gardens delivery (we got it as a family Christmas present.) Part of me feels a bit guilty that we're not growing our own from seed but in reality I don't have the space to raise such a variety of plants. When the box arrived - plug plants carefully wrapped in straw - it was like Christmas all over again. The children and I have spent most of half term in the garden planting out, dreaming and sowing a few plants we didn't get (butternut squash and globe artichokes.) We're dreaming of a proper summer - hot sun, breakfast outside, wandering round the garden to pick crops for our meals. If I think positively it'll happen, right?

Tomorrow we're off to the 150th Bath and West Show - an extravaganza of all things agricultural and rural from the West Country. We all have our favourite areas - Jago can't wait to see more tractors, Jess wants to see the moorland and mountain ponies and lots of her friends, Mr Oak is holding out for the steam engines and I want to see the rare breed sheep... We're taking a picnic and a camera - be prepared to be bored to death by pictures of rural things next week...

Enjoy your weekend!

bank holidaying...

I love May for all those Bank Holidays (I'm not so fond of the fact that we have to wait until August to get another but hey, I'm greedy...)

This weekend I have...

• walked in the woods surrounded by sunshine and wild flowers.
• eaten outside as much as possible (who knows how long the sun lasts round here?)
• danced and hunted for goodies at the Pack Horse Fair.
• realised that a friend's birthday is very close so cast on quickly for a pair of mitts.
•  spent valuable time with fellow artists just making... (I'm part of a collective called Stitched - we're exhibiting together as part of SAW in the autumn)

circles

 My bestest (only) sister gave me a subscription to the Natural Dye Studio Mini Skein club for my birthday - how fab is she?

It's perfect for my circles blanket (I love a blanket)

 

So far 2 packages have arrived as the lovely people at the NDS ensured I had a package to unwrap on my birthday. The colours are amazing and I'm inspired to keep going with all these little squared circles. I can't wait to see next months offering...

hellos and goodbyes...

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There’s been a fair amount of saying goodbye this past week  - my vintage Husqvarna sewing machine finally gave up the ghost. She was made in the 1960s so it’s probably only fair she’s allowed to pass over to the other side but we did have fun together. I have a tudor dress to make by the middle of next month so I have to borrow a machine very soon! (any recommendations for a new machine gratefully received!)

Plus my first spinning wheel – also made in the 60s (I believe) an Ashford Camelot has gone to a new home. I’m sad to see her go, it’s a little like saying goodbye to your first car. I learnt so much with her but she has gone to a fabulous studio with the installation artist (and buddy) Leah Hislop. Leah creates wonderful webs and weavings. I can’t wait to work with her more on projects.

There has also been some saying ‘hello’ too.  No new sewing machine yet (gotta sell a lot of pots for that!) But thanks to my wonderful husband a new birthday* wheel arrived. Can you guess what it is yet?

 A Schacht Ladybug all the way from the Threshing Barn and a bulky plyer. (For those of you out there in blogland who care about such details...) I love her – she’s amazing, we’re going to have great adventures together… I can’t wait – now to name her… Any suggestions?

*More birthday goodies later... warned they are mostly fibre related....

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Welcome to my new followers - nice to see you here!

sunshine and weekends

The novelty of sunshine is not taken for granted in these parts. When sunshine and weekends coincide we tend to quickly pack a picnic and get out there! This weekends jaunts included Lytes Cary in Somerset - another fabulous National Trust property - dating from the 1340s and having strong Tudor links (perfect for Jess's Tudor project) and Ham Hill - gorgeous ancient quarry visible from the A303. The National Trust are doing their best to encourage families now - when I was small it was staffed by ladies who hissed 'shhh!!!!' at us a lot.

So to discover a children's play trail was fabulous...