Spinners, knitters and weavers were very interested to hear about my new Ashford agency at Woolly Day – some of them went on a shopping spree….
This is my new workshop – it was started three weeks ago, old wiring taken out and new ‘first fixing’ for the spotlights and downlights installed. A new insulated floor has been put down, the plumber removed the water tap and a toilet and basin has been removed to accommodate the access. On Friday the roof […]
This skilled yarn was made at my Creative spinning course at Knuston. It is in Ashford’s Corriedale fibre and has little snails and coils picked out in the two colours…Playing about with new colours and techniques in spinning is very fulfilling. I remember seeing colour everywhere I went after my Rainbow Dyeing course in Gretton […]
The e-spinner was very useful for spinning coils, Add-ins and fat yarns as it has a large orifice and a sliding flyer which doesn’t have any hooks to get caught up on. My e-spinner is the best £385 I spent this year!
Marilyn made some lovely rolags in merino and alpaca at Knuston – she found it easy to spin long draw with them
Every year I try to take a picture of my three youngest grandchildren on this bough of the horsechestnut in Nola’s field behind at home. The bough is quite springy and the children love to make it bounce. The horses love it too – Nola has a good old scratch every now and again – […]
Everyone had great fun with the drum carders for mixing and blending fibres. We have a new Ashford carder like this one for sale. It is still in its box, unopened – £285.
One of our ‘day’ pupils took the new yarns home to dry them overnight – these are all First spinnings! Either we had exceptionally talented pupils or we are getting better at teaching! Or perhaps a combination of both… if you click on the image you will see how good these yarns are….
Syliva and Sue learned to spin long draw over the three day course at Knuston Hall. Sue had never sat at a wheel before and was making an enviable long draw before she knew it! Born to spin. Meanwhile, Syliva announced on arrival that she had been trying to spin on and off for 10 […]
Frances took this picture on day one – everyone, including me, has their heads down….there were eight pupils, all beginners. Mike, in the background, is about to assemble a new wheel.
Facilities manager Mike, helped get ready in the Practical Room at Knuston Hall. Mike, a spinner and beekeeper, also assembled my the new Kiwi2 in his own time, which was much appreciated by the new spinners. Kiwi2 is easy to learn on for two reasons: 1. it has a low turning ratio and new spinners […]
Rachell helped Audrey to sketch out her chosen image on paper and then copy it onto the tapestry warp – I think the result is going to be quite spectacular but we will not see it for some time yet.
We discovered that two heads are better than one when threading up a complex overshot pattern – but the satisfaction of getting it right was glorious
16 feet of 240 ends of this fine yarn were one of the challenges at Weaving Retreat this time
We shared some amusing stories during our meals together at Weaving Retreat….
Sue made this lovely little rug on her peg loom at Weaving Retreat. Six weavers worked on six different projects over the four days, work included a pashmina, two wall hangings, place mats in various twill weaves and a table runner in overshot weave.
which she keeps in the Weaving Room at Loddington Grange…
There is nothing quite like the pleasure of seeing your work when it comes off the loom – here, Julia hems up her first ever place mat at Weaving Retreat 2013