Float'n'purl

Friendship Day

Today was spent with old friends (left to right - Antonia, Me, Gail, Morag and Marek).

I'm visiting home and catching up with friends and family for the weekend. This afternoon was spent with Gail, Alexis, Morag and their kids with lots of lovely food and a chocolate birthday cake for Morag (have a lovely day on Monday).

We've known each other since our Girl Guide days but this spring was the first time we've been together for over five years so it's good to meet up again so soon (Antonia, Alexis, Gail, James, Morag, Marek and Emma). Thanks for a lovely afternoon ladies!

New Toy

Guess what I put together the other night while DH was watching the footie! 

The Thrills of Twills

Its been a while but at last my computer seems to be fully functional. I keep on finding that I'm missing handy little programmes that I'd downloaded ages ago but other than that everything is ok.

As for the rest of life - its been a funny month full of ups and downs so far. My job in Wales finished which I knew what happening as I'd only been contracted for 18 months so no more lovely trips into the Welsh countryside but equally I get to spend more time at home (I used to work away three days per week).

I had arranged to work for another Architect, also in Wales when I finished but after only a week things were clearly not going to work so I left yesterday. It was hard to do but this is the first time in my life since leaving Uni twelve years ago that I've been jobless! As I'm self-employed this should be a normal occurance from time to time but its a first time experience for me. Needless to say today has been strange and I'll be keeping myself busy with things I needed to sort out like my accounts, work on our house plans (oh, forgot to say I've submitted for planning approval - yipee), and there's my CV etc to review.

DH has been lovely and said that I should take a month and review what I want to do before diving into another contract. The aim is eventually to work for myself but this coud take some time to come to fruition so for now staying self-employed but working for another is fine, besides I start back teaching one day per week at Liverpool Uni on 25th September so at least I have that to look forward to. I'm just finding it hard not having a deadline to meet or rushing to work or from work. I've realised that I don't take out time to simply stop or slow down and appreciate what's going on around. Its going to be an interesting month to say the least.

Craft wise it's been busy too! The guild weave week was wonderful. I managed three full days of learning to weave on a four shaft loom and now I'm hooked. So much so that I've ordered a Louet Klik loom from Scottish Fibres (this was before my sharp fall in income - oops). I did a bit of reasearch before hand but my main poin is storage. I've borrowed the Guild Ashford loom since the workshop but its far too big and I've had to negotiate storage in a friend's workshop for it so the Klik seems perfect, escpecially as you can extend it up to sixteen shafts (unlikely but eight would be useful). I was also inspired by Sweet Georgia's post showing her Klik with a beautiful dyed warp.

This is my sample weave from the workshop. Can you believe that it took us all day to warp the loom for the first time! We worked through varies weave patterns - twills, hopsack, chevron and steen in mercerised cotton. It was hard work and sometimes you could almost hear the concentration in the room as everyone was warping up but it was really rewarding.

Ravelry Que

It seems like I'm in for a long wait:

You signed up on August 15, 2007 You are #25792 on the list. 15634 people are ahead of you in line. 2425 people are behind you in line. 35% of the list has been invited so far

My computer is playing up, especially the internet so I can't post any pictures but I had a great time on my 4 shaft weaving course last week. Hopefully one day (soon) I'll have some pictures to share.....

New Mag

My internet is playing up at home and I need to upgrade my operating system so I have to wait for DHs kind friend to sort it all out this weekend. In the mean time I'm using the connection at work (after hours of course).

I just wanted to say something on the new Rowan Mag which I love to bits. I didn't buy the last one as it had nothing I liked but wind-swept scottish landscapes do it for me and I realised that I'm a winter knitter (good job since its August and lashing down outside as I write)!

I very much doubt I'll actually knit anything from it as I'm such a slow knitter and have too much on the needles already but here's my choices:

1. WHAT I WOULD KNIT AND ACTUALLY WARE: Cologne - this is nice on the model but even nicer on "real" people in article with the Rowan staff modelling (and you can see the garments better here too!). I also love the Fyne Vest which I think you could get a lot of wear out of.

2. WHAT I WOULD KNIT BECAUSE I LIKE IT BUT WOULD FEEL SILLY WEARING IT: Faero Wrap which looks lovely and cosy but I bet the model is about 6ft and I'm only 5ft 4" so I would be drowned in this plus I don't have a spare £108.75 for the wool!!!

3. WHAT DID THEY THINK THEY WERE DOING ???: Narvik - even the model looks miserable wearing it. It would have been lovely had it been longer?

Some garments are really difficult to see in the mag with the lighting so I can't comment on them all. I love Rowan's styling but sometimes we'd just like to see the whole garment and not marvel at the art director's obvious talent for styling................just a thought.

Back soon I hope with some pictures and a FO - yes, its been too long. Plus I'm having Thursday and Friday off to go to a weaving course run by my Guild on 4 shaft looms. I can't wait! Then Saturday is our Guild picnic (hope the weather improves).

Weaver on the Weaver

I wonder if I can really call myself a weaver? I'd happily say that I'm a knitter but spinner or weaver? Not yet. I still feel too much of a beginner to give myself such titles but I did go for a walk on Sunday along the river Weaver near home. We've actually been on the weaver aboard "Sissy" down the famous boat lift and I can say its one of the most beautiful and peaceful inland waterways I've been on so it's always a pleasure to walk along it's banks. Our motley walking gang and some pictures from the walk.

The white bridge is actually a horse bridge from the days of horse-drawn barges. Its what I call "real" Cheshire countryside - posh period houses on vast farmland with lots of ancient trees. It looks like it might have done 100 years ago!

But wait a minute - maybe I can call myself a weaver now I'm the proud owner of two looms. In addition to my Ashford Knitters Loom I've bought 2nd hand from a member of my guild, an Ashford Rigid Heddle Loom (60cm) for only £40 complete with a 2nd 12dpi heddle so I can do some very fine weaving!

I haven't warped it up yet as I've just started a scarf on the Knitters Loom in georgous undyed cashmere and silk mix I bought on Skye. I'm trying out some different weaves from this book (which I highly recommend).

The lacy open weave is 1/1 lenco and the raised lines are float patterns - everything else is a balanced weave. Its fun to do and I plan to dye it once I'm finished.

It's been a while............

I won't moan about how little time I've had recently and what little crafts I've been doing. Instead, as challenged by Anne, here is what I bought recently on Skye (I should rename this blog float'n'shop!).

A jumper kit from here which I started on holiday but hasn't made much progress. My fair isle technique on the purl side needs some work! The picture is of a finished sample in the shop and its really handy to be able to try it on before knitting one. Its also a good job I took this photograph as the pattern isn't always that clearly written.

Spindles are the new black

As you will see from the Woolfest post below a few of us bought spindles. Now I've never been keen on spindle spinnig and went straight onto a wheel but when I tried on of Johnathan and Sheila Bosworth's drop spindles I had to have one! Mine is a featherweight in purpleheart wood - simply lovley. It takes a bit of getting used to but I'm willing to persist (fibre is merino and tencile mix).

A lot of my goodies are yet to arrive by post as by the Saturday many things were sold out. I ordered a carry bag for my Ashford Knitters Loom (purchased last year) from Twist Fibre Crafts who I also bought a 10 dpi reed from for finer weaving.

I also ordered a natural dying starter kit from Debbie at DT Craft and Design. She sells the lovely Earthues dyes which are easy to use (apparently).

I was very good and didn't buy any yarn given my recent yarn purchases on Skye (which I've still to confess) but I did by fibre for spinning - baby alpaca and BFL for a hat for DH. I also bought a felted jewellery kit from Firery Felts mostly due to its lovely presentation and some beautiful ceramic buttons from Injabulo.

My haul seems very restrained but in truth when I looked at my purse at the end of the day it was still empty!

Washed (wooled) Out

Actually the weekend was far from a washout as far as our little group of nine fibre enthusiasts were concerned but I have to say the drive back on the M6 yesterday was terrible due to the heavy rain!

The weekend consisted of lots: eating :: drinking :: eating again :: wool/fibre shopping :: eating :: more wool/fibre shopping :: eating :: drinking :: spinning :: crochet :: knitting :: eating yet again :: more tearooms :: shopping :: finally a tearoom with "live" cow milking here (the cakes here are highly recommended) - what more does a girl need for a wonderful weekend with friends old and new.

As for photographs - I'm afraid the quality isn't great as I took them on my phone but you get the picture (pun intended!):

Lovely handwoven jacket on the House of Hemp stand.

Giant knitting!

Cosy sofa for tired shoppers?

Lots of lovely yarn (I like the sign suggesting that those who are of a persuasive nature leave their heavy purchases for collection later!).

Deep into a crochet lessons at the B&B (left to right - Lynne, Kay and Averil)

New drop spindles (left to right - Beryl aka Fifi and Annie)

Ali and Janet knitting and finally me trying to spin on my new spindle which seems a lot harder than a wheel?

Thanks to everyone who came along for a lovely weekend, and what did I buy.........more on that  tomorrow.

Woolfest here we come!

Off in about 2 hours to Woolfest!! Busy counting the pennies in my sheep piggy bank........why is there never enough?

This is a picture of two runaway sheep on Skye who could hardly move with their overgrown coats (which were rock hard). I felt really sorry for them. It can't do them any good to be left this way!

Back soon with lots of goddies!!