Dye workshop in my studio came up with a whole range of fibres in toning colours to be spun into yarn for a Shetland Hap. My pupil dyed all these colours in the studio workshop - a one to one learning zone where mistakes are not failure or wrong, simply [...]
Spin long draw in one lesson is achievable as this young lady recently demonstrated. Long Draw technique is the hallmark of accomplishment in handspinning. This rosette, the second one to be awarded this month, came as a great surprise to Melanie at only her second spinning lesson. It is always [...]
Pothole outside Spinning studio is very dangerous and took out a front and back tyre of the same car this last bank holiday weekend. The county council's method of dealing with this hazard is astonishing...
Robin in the greenhouse nesting in a bag I left on the staging during the winter. There are five white, brown speckled eggs in a beautiful nest made with only a beak. And we spinners make a fuss about making yarn when we have two hands and a host of [...]
Long draw spinner - the world has another one and she was awarded one of my 'Long Draw Spinner' rosettes for her skill. This lady made a three hour trip from Yorkshire to learn the ancient craft with me. It only took her an hour or so to master the [...]
Wheel bracelets a unique new way to secure spinning wheels for transport or when not in use are now available in my shop. These high quality handmade bracelets from Celtic Leathers (Wales) prevent the flyer falling off or thread getting into a tangle on Ashford Traditional and other wheels which [...]
Yarn to dye for is worth the trouble - even if it is a two-stage process - when the colours feel as classy and sophisticated as these feel to me. I did a lot of dyeing this winter and will be demonstrating how to do this at the First Wednesday [...]
Dyeing with complementary colours a new workshop Dyeing with complementary colours a new workshop takes place at Knuston Hall on Wednesday this week. Dyeing is always fun and doing something different even more fun. This new workshop is a chance to find or discover a few things for yourself. - [...]
Took my youngest granddaughter out on Nola last Sunday. Granddaughter is 12 and Nola is 25. All three of us had a lovely time. She posed for this photograph to show her friends - probably on Instagram or some such thing - I could imagine a picture caption 'Riding my [...]
Twill weave, my house-pigeon must like twill weave - here he is inspecting two of my oldest rugs dating from the late 1980s and still going strong. I have not seen pigeon for several days now - nor found feathers or remains in the garden so hoping he has made [...]
House pigeon - things you do for your friends. This poor old scraggy pigeon spent several months in a cage recuperating from a nasty accident. Thinking he needed to be able to fly, my friend released him in with her hens - who attacked it mercilessly as hens do. He [...]
Nature's Best Nature's best things are virtually free - this plateful was picked this morning. I planted the Conference pear tree at the millennium along with a vine and a Brown Monkey Turkey fig - they continue to give me free harvest every year and every year the bounty seems to [...]
Mohair locks and blue faced leicester top went into this yarn made by Jane who attended my lBeginners Long Draw day at Knuston on 6th September. "Inspired by your session at Knuston last week, I made a skein using the lovely dyed curls carded into some blue faced Leicester top. [...]
Spinning Retreat Spinning retreat at Knuston Hall ends today. A huge success for spinning and Knuston Hall which was so fully booked there was not enough room in the newly refurbished dining room - the second time spinners have dined in the library in a week. 11 ladies from as [...]
A moment of enlightenment. I bought some new picture lights and decided that I would put them up myself - but will stick to the knitting in future… I did put one up - it was not easy, I needed three hands and being up a step ladder that was [...]
Life Changes Life changes and change is about the only certainty in life - and with bereavement comes massive change. And unexpected pleasures. I commissioned this headstone from the Cordazzo Kindersley workshop in Cambridge. It was fixed in place on Monday 21st August. It brings me enormous pleasure. The stone is perfect, my [...]
Socks with meaning make delightful gifts and now is the time to start on knitting unique Christmas gifts. These socks are called Meadow and knitted with my own art yarn. All yarn has basic elements which can be used in the design process; these are fibre, spinning method, colour and [...]
Art yarn is a spinners response to fibre and colour and texture, in the same way as any art is a personal response to something. Art yarn is yarn made for the purpose of art. Not designed for a project, but created as a result of the will or personal response. The [...]
Iceberg lettuce is like watered down cabbage compared to what's in season here at the moment. I'd rather have English leeks which are at their natural best at this time of year, and there are still a few brussels sprouts, sprouting white and purple broccoli, cabbage, onions, turnips, celery, swede and potatoes and [...]
Making rolags during photoshoot with Danish photographer, Dorte. All looks a bit Hygge I think. . I wondered if I should ask my daughter Jenny - who has lovely elegant hands - to model for me, but Dorte said; "No Pam, your hands know what they are doing' and I can [...]
