Meeting up

This has been a fantastic week for meeting up with people.

Started on Monday where the Pin Money Craft Co-operative had our meeting. It was an inspiration to hear what everyone else had been up to and I was left feeling re-invigorated by the enthusiasm of other. Lots of events planned, so I will keep you posted.

Tuesday was knit and chat at Boycott Farm, hosted by Mia from the Naked Sheep. Again a lovely bunch of people and so nice to chat and share our love of knitting. It is a very companionable thing and something which has surely been done, all through the ages.

Thursday saw the September meeting of Brackley Knit'n'Knatter with both new faces and old. We are deciding on a charity to support as several people have already been knitting lots of squares and others would like to make garment too. The generosity of knitters never ceases to impress me. So the task is to decide on a charity to support this year and to start putting together all the squares to make blankets for the Salvation Army.

No photos this week, but look there should be something to show next week, as I am experimenting with dying at the moment.

Check out the shop!!!

I have finally got around to launching the etsy shop. Check it out through the the link on the right.

Things have been busy this week though. I held a peg looming workshop on Saturday evening at Boycott Farm on behalf of the Naked Sheep. Two lovely ladies came along and we spent a lovely couple of hours making sample rugs with fleece roving. They both looked amazing and I hope they have found good homes by now.

The next craft fair in Brackley is the 17th Oct, so I am starting to get things ready for that. I finished spinning all the Romney fleece and started on Tiffany (the Llama)'s fleece from Flore. It is spinning ok, but feels so different from wool, it's quite strange.

Also made another bag this morning, this one has a contrasting lining and I am planning on using recycled sari yarn to knit the front panel. It seems in keeping with the reclaimed material theme that all my bags have.

The first pair of fingerless gloves are nearly finished. I have called the pattern 'Lotte' after my sister, as like her they are pretty and girly. The first pair are in hand spun yarn that I got as dyed roving from the very talented Natalie at the Yarn Yard, but I am planning the next pair in the grey Hammervale Jacob. Should be available in kit form as well soon.

Well 'mum' duties call as the girls have just arrived back from school and carrot cake needs baking and dinner cooking.

A crafty sort of day.

Well the children are back at school and for some reason this always makes me feel like making plans and getting organised!!

So today has been about catching up on a few crafting jobs that have been waiting for a little while.

1st job was playing around with the peg loom. I have been asked to do a rug-making workshop at The Naked Sheep (http://www.nakedsheep.co.uk/) on Saturday 12th Sep from 7-9pm. So I made a couple of rugs to show what can be done with just 300g of roving. I also had a play with some mad eyelash yarn.

I have always shunned the glitzy fashion yarn, but now I have found a fab use for them. Their interesting texture adds that extra something when used on the peg loom.

2nd job was a present for Rachael's 40th, so sadly I can't show any proper pics yet. Just a little glimse. It let me reflect on how lovely it is to make something for someone special, to spend time thinking about that person.

So now back to the spinning - I should have more to show you next week + some dates for our next crafts fair.

Until next time.

Oh for the rain.

I know it's the summer holidays and I know that I should want to be out on my bike or walking the dog, or even setting off with the tent in search of adventure and excitement - but I am really quite happy being forced to stay in and craft. I am very content in the room of requirement (usually wool related) spinning the day away or in the loft conversing with the sewing machine. So I am actually quietly pleased when it's another wet day and I can spend it in persuit of wolley happiness.

Now for some more good news: 'The Naked Sheep' has moved closer to Brackley!

Have a look around at http://www.thenakedsheep.co.uk/ or better still pop in to Boycott Farm, near Stowe, where Mia is now based.

I went to the knit night yesterday and had a lovely time. Tea and cake and good company always makes for a pleasant evening. Mia is planning to run them every Tuesday evening between 7 and 9pm.

Brackley knit'n'knatter are having a summer afternoon tomorrow. We are off to 'The Naked Sheep' to have a look around, a cup of tea and a bit of knitting at 4pm. Followed afterwards by dinner at the Greyhound pub in Brackley and more knitting from about 6.30 pm.

Spinning like a pro!

Well it seems Harriet has a natural affinity for wool. (Wonder where that came from?!?) She took to drop spindle spinning like a duck to water and really enjoyed it. Produced one bobbin on lovely rustic yarn, so needs to do the other soon , so we can get onto plying.

Today has been all about landscape weaving. Lots of fun choosing complimentary wools and thinking about how different textures will work together. Harriet's landscape is beach , and I have been inspired by a lovely walk with friends from Newcastle.

Not sure why colours have got a bit funny..... Will investigate later, as we are just off to charity shop to see what we can buy for Friday's project!

Harriet's Craft Week.

Well, it's the summer holiday and Harriet has an injury to her knee, which means many hours must be spent with her leg elevated, and so 'Harriet's Craft Week' was born!

Here is the plan:

Monday: Making a felt pincushion and time for finishing off a current project

Tuesday: Learning to spin with a drop spindle

Wednesday: Weaving a landscape on a peg loom

Thursday: Knitting a cabled headband

Friday: Embellishing clothes and using the sewing machine.

I found a great link to making felted pincushions on this site:

http://gfwsheep.com/gfw.html (and lots of other interesting things)

Here are our pincushions:

(These may well make an appearance on our next stall - they are so pretty)

Harriet also finished the dog that she has been knitting:


All in all a lovely day.

Just a quick blog!

Just thought I would do a quick update on Pin Money goings on. Rachel and I went for a brilliant workshop at the Rainbow venue in Banbury. (http://www.therainbowvenue.vpweb.co.uk/). We did a course on landscape weaving on a peg loom. I loved it and was pretty pleased by the result:

Next couple of events coming up are:

13th June - Brackley Carnival. We are taking part in the procession ( As Mary Bobbins) and then going in to the field for a knitting extravaganza! It is Worldwide knit in public day after all!! I think we will be going without public liability insurance!! (how brave!!)

18th June - next Brackley Knit'n'Knatter date. See you at 7.30 at the Greyhound.

22nd June - Pin Money Crafters meeting - my house at 8pm. If you would like to come along please contact me via the comments.

That's all for now folks!

What a day!!

I have sheared a sheep!! I am so totally proud of myself (and so totally exhausted!) I tell you they make it look really easy when you see someone experienced doing it, but don't be fooled - it is REALLY hard!!

We had four sheep to shear and it took 7 hours!! The last one was done by me and done with the hand shears (the electric ones seemed to be blunted and just not going well) which was hard, but actually gave the best fleece and the sheep didn't look too bad afterwards. I have to say they are not going to win any beauty contests, but they are definately cooler than they were and I have a big bag of fleece to spin. So all round a successful day.

Pictures when I get home and get them loaded on the computer. I am just off to peel potatoes for our roast dinner (leg of lamb!!) but not before I record my admiration of anyone who can shear a sheep single handed in less than an hour!!

Inspiration

- an unconscious burst of creativity in an artistic, musical, or other intellectual endeavor.

It has certainly been a day of inspiration. This morning Rachael and I visited The Rainbow Venue, where we were warmly welcomed by Amanda. They have a lovely shop/ workshop space and somehow the morning was spent chatting and knitting and drinking tea. Time really does fly when you are having fun!! Pop in and see them on http://www.therainbowvenue.vpweb.co.uk/.

On our way home we popped into the alpaca show at Purston near Banbury. Lots of beautiful alpacas and some very nice knit wear and yarn!! We watched the Oxford spinners spinning some fleece - it is incredibly soft. Check out some beautiful alpacas on http://www.purstonalpacas.com/

Rachael is now the proud owner of a glass kiln and look what she made:

They are absolutely beautiful and as soon as the etsy shop is up and running, they will be available for sale.

OR see us in person at Brackley Town Craft Fair on the 20th June and at Evenley Garden's Lily Festival on the 26th July.

We had a lovely day at the Craft Fair in March, here are a couple of pictures:

Let it snow!!

Well, we don't seem to be able to make it stop!! No complaints from me though - we have had so much fun building snowmen (or strictly speaking a snow-bear and a snow princess - we are crafters after all!) and throwing snow at each other. The dog has loved it too, and made it his mission to make tracks in ALL the virgin snow, the only ones who haven't found it much fun are the chickens. They turned their beaks up at the sight of snow and refused to lay any eggs.

I have had lots of use for my hot water bottle cover, made with homespun Jacob, from my friend's flock. I separated out the dark sections and spun them as a chunky. This is knit on 7mm needles and is an adaptation of a pattern from Simply Knitting. I am thinking, however, of designing a pattern of my own to go with the rest of the homespun.

Home knitted jumper promise has finally been fulfilled and I am very pleased to announce that my handknit has been accepted by the fashion conscious 12 year old of the family.

On more stictly Pin Money note: Our next craft fair has been decided upon, it is to be on the 7th of March in Brackley Town Hall. The sock pattern is finished and has been knitted up in an equivalent yarn. ( I am still waiting for the Hammervale Aran Jacob to come back from the mill) Here is a glimse:

We have also set a date for our first crafting meeting: Monday 23rd Feb at 8pm. Anyone interested in coming along, please leave me your e-mail address in the comments sections and I will get in touch with you with details of the venue.

Hooray it's Friday.

We had our first knit and knatter meeting of 2009 last night. I just love going to the pub to go knitting - it's a chance to knit and be proud. We always get lots of comments, although the locals are getting used to us after seven months. The darts team meet upstairs on the same night, so they usually pass a humourous comment on the way out for a smoke. Welcome to Sonja and Jackie, it was lovely to meet you. Sonja has been struggeling with a pattern from Simply Knitting, but toghether we were able to conquer the pattern!!

We meet once a month at the Greyhound Pub in Brackley from 7.30 onwards. Next time on the 26th of Feb.

See you then!

Happy New Year

Well a happy new year to you all! (A bit late I know, but still!)

I don't know about you, but I am still finishing off crafting projects which weren't done in time for Christmas. I have two pairs of pyjamas to sew (My lovely daughters received several meters of fabric wrapped up) and a jumper for my elder daughters birthday.

One pair of PJ's have been cut out and the jumper cast on. So hopefully should all be done in a week (too ambitious?) I will post pictures of my progress.

Once those things are done, then I am into getting ready for the the next outing for The Pin Money Craft Co-operative Craft faire!! I am thinking kits. Socks for sure, maybe hotwater bottle covers, (I am seeing them everywhere at the moment) and possibly felting kits also.

Well right now, I am off to watch a film with Harry and get the knitting needles working.

bis bald x