December 2017

Busy putting non-fiber things on the other blog, Love The Seasons

                    Seasons Greetings!           

Prince of Wales craft market

I found myself in the lobby of the Prince of Wales hotel Sunday last (Dec 3).!
I went along with my wares and gadgets and of course Molly the spinning wheel to take part in a Christmas Market there.
I believe this is their first foray into this particular type of venture (I'm sure they do lots of other meetings etc) and things were a bit cramped when I arrived at 9.30 to set up for 10 a.m.
Tables are one thing but they bing with them the need for surrounding space - which was missing hence I ended up in the lobby, alone - boo hoo. Other were in the hall leading tot he market room so I think I was better off then them.
Returning to the main room when things had settled down I found it looked very cororful and organised and I was a bit sorry for myself alone, in the lobby with none to chat too watching the patrons checking out (some having had an interesting evening the night before I think).
However, things picked up - as thy often do - and I had many great fibre-based chats with patrons and quite a few of my creating have found new homes.

Me, looking a little lost after spinning and plying all the raw fibre I had brought with me.

Sorry man with sleepy baby, I thought I'd edited the photo -GRRR.

Never mind, things got a lot better later on.
Indeed we had a school of children turn up to sign carols and the atmosphere was very festive.






I said goodbye to some of my favourites:

Still here is the Yak and Silk Cowl I spun a while ago from some nice roving:

Wearing this double-sided lace knit is like having mobile central heating while it is very soft and light. I suppose the original wearers have a great need for warmth where they live.

To be continued.

A Little Craft market

Attended the little craft market upstairs in V de P's shop.
Went well despite quite low visitor numbers (people don't seem to notice the posters directing them upstairs).

In any event I got most of 100 gms or merino-silk-bling roving spun into two singles as I sat by my "stall".

I was surprised by the number of people who bought my knitted hats - and, amazingly, I didn't get any of the anti-wool comments that I've come to expect. That my be because it was a very very cold day.

A couple of scarves went too - what I really loved was the way people selected hats that suited them - some hats I had wondered about their suitability - and then people came and picked ones that made them and the hats look good.

I've hoping to get a photo or two (from my daughter and some very lovely ladies) to post here at some stage.


Bye for now.


Some photos came through:

My Table (less some items :) )

Got To spin the Merino-lace singles

Plied them later

Daughter took this photo

Lovely ladies sporting my hats

Have enough yarn spun now for another rug

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For Vincent de Paul Craft market

I've promised to set up a table in the VdeP shop in Athlone Saturday next.

I've selected some of my handmade items to offer.

Hopefully SOMEONE will like one or two.

Anyway it should be of passing interest at least and I'm bringing my spinning wheel 

to spin up some new roving I got at the Knitting and Stitching show in Dublin

A selection of my handwoven wool scarves

Handwoven Acrylic scarves (some don't appreciate wool)

Brown sheep and Brown Lamb handspan wool hats

Artyarn I spun and knitted in to a rakish hat I call 

"Rebel Girl"

Swirl hat knitted with handspan BFL roving

Handspun Merino knitted into a beret I call

"Blueberry"

Ribbed beanie - handspan hand dyed in muted colours

Handspun hand dyed little hat - I call "Green Apples"

Some Tough gLoves and Hotfoot bed/boot socks with an

art yarn headband

Cushion cover - crocheted wo

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Rug Yarn Galore

I find plying coloured rug wool yarn the most satisfying 

The e-spinner is great for this

Lying in wait for their instructions

This rug took about 1 KG of handspan wool yarn`

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Spinning Grey Alpaca - again

Not content with having three (or more?) Unfinished Objects, I decide to attack some of the raw alpaca fleece bagged in my spinning den.

I did not photo the raw stored fleece as it looks like a crime scene but I did photo the 56 gm batt I made on the drum carder.

It is pretty nice soft fibre now that I have teased and picked handfuls of it while leaning out over the half-door of the den. Any Alpaca fleece I've acquired has been full of black and grey dust and not great for working indoors.

Hands always looks like this after prepping or spinning it:

I'm spinning it on the e-spinner (the wheels is otherwise engaged) with an angle of around 25 - 30 degrees.

That intermittent noise is from the camera not the E spinner I'm glad to say.

More batts needed as all spun for now.

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Spin, Dye, Knit - rug

Been spinning and dying on and off between various other projects.
Now enjoying knitting up the handspan for a circular rug, below:

Land, sea and sky -in progress - ad to make some more yarn to continue.

Ready to join the others.

More later - if the MacBook allows. It is getting very very slow - all sorts of maintenance done but still very sluggish. Maybe time for a new hard drive ... or a new computer...sigh.
Hoe it lets me put up at least some of my seasonal photos (which have accumulated a lot over time) on my Love The Seasons blog.
Back again later.... I hope.

Order and Chaos

There has been more chaos then order in my life since August last year.
However the black Merino is well spun into useful yarn cakes and available to add to and edge several projects.

I seem to be sending my hand spun fleece yarn to more fanciful projects ('though it is still king when it comes to hats and gloves). It is used here in one of my more chaotic projects - an end-of-bed throw which symbolises earth and space and will frame at its centre words some words and symbols of the wonderful polymath Galileo's observations.

To satisfy my need for order, I sourced some commercial yarn made of natural fibres to make patterned scarves on my rigid heddle loom.
Two such shown here:

Here is another ordered scarf - a thinner one perhaps for a young girl bridesmaid, on the loom.

I love this 3:1 pickup pattern.

Another UFO is a rag rug - which I'll eventually tackle ..... I'm sure.

Variety is nice - especially when it allows one part of anatomy to take a break while employing another e.g. weaving vs knitting vs cutting and sewing.

Bye for now on this bright, crisp cold day in January.

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