The joy of socks is all-embracing. Someone asked me the other day if I ever wear anything I have spun? Well Yes,I do. And so do lots of other people too. Mostly it is socks; from the joy of spinning, through knitting and wearing them or, better still, giving them to someone I love to […]
This fabulous work reminds me of sunrise straking out across an imaginary landscape. It is worked by my Knitting Advisor, Erica. Also in the picture is Val who teaches long draw spinning in the Leicester area. Erica told me The pattern for the shawl is called ‘the Doodler’ and is byStephen West – it is […]
Successful spinning lessons are a great joy to me. Another promising pupil is my neighbour who has her own sheep – she learned to spin on her first lesson. Like all my pupils, she learned to spin on Blue Faced Leicester (BFL) prepared tops. I always start beginners off on BFL as it is the […]
Beginner’s spinning ‘First spinning is very special – it is the measure of future improvement – but it is difficult to imagine a more satisfying outcome of your first spinning than this lovely hat in blue faced Leicester fleece in its natural colours. It is only a few weeks since Angie inherited her spinning wheel from […]
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 yarn structure. The fibre choice […]
Gotland pullover – pupil news from Jane who completed this cosy pullover for her husband. Jane learned to weave this time last year and subsequently learned to spin – so she has not been spinning for a year yet. What an achievement! It was prepared with hand carders and spun on her Ashford traditional.
Summer school on Thursday was about structure in spinning and weaving. We made boucle yarn, and did lots of weaving on knitters looms.
The Haphazard knitters have been knitting these little outfits for African orphans that get wrapped up in newspaper as they have nothing better to wear – hence the ‘fish and chip’ tag
Gill brought along this lovely cardigan she has knitted along with the pattern in A Passion for Colour by Sarah Burnett
The weather was so lovely on Wednesday we sat by the pond…Erica couldn’t resist spinning up some of the new clip Shetland I had washed
The HapHazard Knitters are starting new semi-circular shawls now that everyone has finished their Shetland Haps…mine is in a finish “Water Yarn’ a mix of hand-dyed merino tops plyed with silk to preserve the colour sequence and knitted on size 5 KnitPro circular needs
I got my yarn twisted round the bobbin and flyer when demonstrating at Fernie Country Fair on Sunday because I was enthralled with the music and display of these JCBs – it was superbly choreographed –
Frances has learned to spin and knit in the last three years or so – she was delighted to finish her shawl at Haphazard knitters on Wednesday evening…it will need to be washed and blocked now
The Haphazard knitters are planning to make Radiance Shawls – with help from Erica, SpinningSchool’s Knitting Advisor. Here, Val is plying her hand dyed merino tops with some indigo dyed yarn from Indigo-inc, purchased at our recent Indigo workshop.
Some are daunted by lace knitting believing it too complicated to even try. Such a shame because lace, like all knitting is just a series of knit stitches and purl stitches. The most difficult thing is finding a quiet time when you are able to concentrate undisturbed by children, partners chores etc. It does require […]
Hi Pam Remember the bag of fleece you have me? Attached is a photo of my latest creation: a tissue box cover, using hand-spun (in the grease) Black Shetland fleece and hand knitted! Each panel uses a different stitch. I am now producing fibre suitable for hand knitting, which was my ultimate aim. Thank you […]
Our little HapHazard group has completed four Shetland Haps so far and four more are ‘work in progress’. the one on the left is in handspun Blue faced Leicester by Val who only learned to spin in July – she works part time, and has a family and horse to look after so it is […]
Here is another shawl in four shades of Blue Faced Leicester plied with silk and mohair that I have just completed. I started it while knitting with my Wednesday group