The Journey of the Rings

It's Spinspiration time again!!

It really is quite a journey of discovery creating these rings.  I have finished the 2-D one, I might add a few more touches to it, but am pleased enough with it.  The clam shell and fishes are crocheted and sewn on.  The grey edging (zwartble) is supposed to be a porthole that you are viewing the underwater view through.  And everything else is needle felted.  The 3-D one of the robin on a nest is hitting a few stumbling blocks, which is a shame as I was really excited by the idea of creating this.  The biggest problem has been the dyeing of the wool.  I was hoping to spin enough white Portland to then dye it with woad and weld.  Firstly I've not had enough time to spin the white, and then the whole process of dyeing using woad seems to complicated, and I never have enough time in any big enough chunk of time to get anywhere with it.  So I am contemplating spinning some green roving I have, and see if it is enough, I'm not sure it will be, but I really do want to get this done.

 The robin is headless at the moment, and is awaiting its red breast.  Time is ticking on, and I will really have to crack on with it.

The Guild have announced their new competition to be completed in time for Christmas.  A cushion cover, so I am looking forward to having an excuse to sit down with my wheel and get some serious spinning done.  I have also been browsing Ravelry for some ideas for designs.  If I can co-ordinate it with our revamp of our lounge then I can see it having pride of place on our new three-piece suite!

That's probably all the woolly news for now.  Looking forward to seeing what others have been up to this last month.

Woolly Wednesday - The Ring(s)

 The first Wednesday of the month, so that must mean it is Woolly Wednesday over at Spinspiration.  So what has February seen me doing on the woolly front?  I have been taking advantage of the warmer weather and getting some of the Portland fleece washed.  A first for me, washing a fleece, and not as bad as I thought it was going to be!  I am hoping that some of the bits come out when it is carded, at least that is how it worked with the alpaca. 

For this wool I have already washed, I have great plans!  I need some green wool for the rings that we are producing at the guild.  So in the spirit of learning new skills, I thought I would have a go at dyeing the wool I have.  So I pop along to the Guild and ask what would be the best way to get a green colour, and I get pointed in the direction of Teresinha who is a fountain of knowledge, and just happens to sell natural dyes.  She was wearing a green jumper she had dyed using weld and woad, which was the perfect colour that I was after. Next day saw me on her website ordering the necessary ingredients. 

 I haven't taken the next step yet, a bit nervous to be honest.  I am assuming that I dye it one colour, and then remordant it, as the weld and woad follow a different dyeing process, and then over dye it with the other colour.  I am also assuming dye weld first to get the yellow, and then overdye with the woad.  If anyone has any ideas on this I would be very, very grateful!!  Oh, and another question regarding dyeing.  Is it better to card the fleece first, or even spin it first?  Or do I just dye it as is?

As far as the rings are going I have done something on each of them.  The background for the seascape, for my 2-d one...

 ... and a robins nest and eggs for my 3-d attempt. 

I am looking forward to getting a bit more time to work on them, as I hope they will turn out as good as they are in my head!!

Looking forward to seeing other things people have been getting up to with wool this month.

A distracted yarn along

It's Wednesday, that must mean it is yarn along time. 

Well, this week has definitely been one for bits and bobs, and getting easily distracted by other woolly projects!  I knitted up the billy goats gruff for another story bag order.  And am currently doing the parts of the troll, ready to assemble and await the arrival of the book from that big bookstore on line!  But my distractions have been to finish off spinning/plying some beautiful purple wool.  Just have to think what to do with it now!  And a little needle felted bunny rabbit, which is my first attempt at needle felting a three dimensional object, ready to send off for a birthday present!

In amidst all my distracted crafting I have started to read "Car Sick", a book I found at the library whilst searching for something completely different, I'm only one chapter in, but is already has me thinking about our car use, and how, when I get some wheels back, I will be far less ready to jump behind the wheel to do a short journey.

Looking forward to seeing what everyone else has been up to, hopefully they have been sticking to the tasks at hand a little better than me!

Woolly Wednesday

 Back last spring I got this lovely surprise bundle of wool from Sarah.  She had hand dyed it and sent it to me, and I have been itching to start spinning it up, but there has always been some other projects with a deadline attached, so it has stayed on the shelf, until now.  I had spun a small amount of it prior to Christmas, but once all the guests were gone, one of the first things I did was set about on the wool!  It was so lovely getting reaquainted with my wheel, which had sat collecting dust in the corner for far too long for my liking! 

This is about half of it, nearly finished the other half, and am looking forward to plying it, and seeing how the subtle changes in the colours contrast with each other. I have no idea what I am going to make with it yet, but it has been an utter pleasure working with it. 

Other woolly goodness was a needle felting set for Christmas.  I made a heart garland as a wedding present for some friends who got married just after Christmas, and as usual, with these last minute presents I forgot to take a photo!  Great fun though, and initiated my nieces into needle felting too!!

Oh, and that bag I made for the competition.  Another friend has tentatively asked Stuart if I could make her one!  Not sure if she wants handspun wool, but I hope she is patient!!

Good to be back in the land of wool!  Happy New Year to you all.