A Spin and A Splash!

Here is my latest spinning.

 

 

It’s a merino and silk blend batt from Wingham Wool. Each year they come down to Cornwall and bring with them a huge lorry of fibre, hire a community hall and set up shop. I walk around dribbling at all the lush fibre! I’m sure they stop at a lot of other venues on their return journey - always worth checking out their website.

It is a large batt and will take me some time to spin! But after spinning the first bobbin I couldn’t help that it might be a little bland and need a bit of spicing up. So, I added a bit of this…

 

 

and it looks like this…

 

I need to ply the two bobbins together now and hopefully the colour will add just a hint of interest. I’m also hoping it might be strong enough to use as the warp thread for my first woven project.

This is where I’ve been enjoying a spot of spinning in the sunshine.

 

Don’t be fooled by the tranquil setting… look what was in front of me!

More than a few splashes came my way!

Hope you’re enjoying some sunshine too.

Becky

A New Direction

I've had a break, recharged my batteries and feel ready to take my blog forward. My interests have evolved over the last 18 months and I have had time to focus on new crafts and skills. I have been very busy and, along with some major changes in both my home and work life, have needed to stop and re-evaluate things. Change is healthy, but too much at once is stressful and I have had to ride out the wave. The waters are calmer...

So, time for a few introductions. Firstly, my drum carder. I don't think I've shown you this before.

It is really useful when carding clean fleece and also for blending fibres. Charlotte and I carded this batt recently. I love the sparkly fibre on the surface.

This is my triloom. I tried to purchase one but they are hard to find in the UK and shipping one over from America is costly so I made my own using instructions found on the internet.

On it is my hand spun yarn woven into a triangular shawl. It has now been removed from the loom and I need a crochet trim to finish it off. It will make a lovely summer shawl so I need to crack on and finish it!

This is my floor loom. It has four shafts and six pedals and was a bit of a bargain.

I have only had it a couple of months and have lots to learn. Using the warp left on it by the previous owner I have had a bit of a play.

Weaving is fast, but warping takes an age! Hopefully, I’ll get quicker with practise.

Lulus has been playing on a loom too. This is a rigid heddle loom and perfect for children as it is not too complicated. It also means little fingers are busy and away from my loom!

I have been reflecting on the reasons why I blog. I love reading other people's blogs, but found I was constantly comparing my crafts and life with theirs. Without realising it, I had put myself in a competition, which then drove me to do more, but for all the wrong reasons. So I stopped... and now I'm blogging again because I want to. I have learnt so much about my recent endeavours through some very generous bloggers and I want to share what I'm learning and continue to learn from others who are accomplished in those crafts. This blog will serve as a record of my journey and a link with others who share the same interests and hopefully can help me to develop my skills. ;)

Becky x

A Bunny, a Blog Award and a Bug!

So half-term is here and I have seized the opportunity (between domestic chores) to do a little felting. Do you remember those wensleydale locks I dyed? Well I put a little to good use this week to make a little bunny...

 

with a fluffy bum...

 

 

and fluffy ears!



I have also dyed some more yummy wensleydale locks in spring green, yellow and pink

and lemon and orange.

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Little Mannie has had chicken pox this week, so Lulus and I are keeping ourselves occupied with craft - visits out are strictly limited to essential only! Keeping to the Easter theme of this post, we used these lovely decopatch papers to decorate some Easter eggs.

She plans to give hers to her teacher. I think the chocolate variety may be more gratefully received!

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So to the blog award, which I mentioned briefly in my last post, is from the lovely Emma at All Stitched Up.

Please forgive me for skipping the 11 random facts but I have done this before and I'm all out of anything interesting or original!

I have 11 questions to answer so here goes:

1. Are you an adventurer or a homebird?
Definitely a homebird.

2. Sweet or savoury?
Both! I just love food!

3. Where is the furthest place you have travelled?
Cyprus (first wedding, we'll say no more!)

4. Where is the favourite place you have travelled?
France, the Dordoigne is beautiful and I love the culture, the traditional markets, the food...

5. What is your proudest achievement?
After my two beautiful children it would be qualifying as a teacher.

6. What simple thing makes you happy?
Quiet time to craft - a bit of a rarity but very much appreciated when it occurs.

7. What was you favourite toy as a child?
Mmmm... that one is tricky. I was fortunate enough to have a number of lovely toys. Choosing a favourite is hard.

8. What calms you when life is crazy?
Music, gardening, country walks, baking (no not baking, I love it but it stresses me out!) and of course craft (there's a surprise!).

9. Why do you blog?
I started reading other people's blogs for several years and loved sharing their journeys. They were so inspiring and it led to my interest in felt. After developing some techniques and making some fun things I wanted that 'Ta-Dah' moment too and the chance to share some of the things I had learnt. I'm so glad I did because I have encountered some wonderful people in blogland who have made my crafting experience so much more enjoyable.

10. Do you have a list of things to do during your lifetime?
No... but maybe I should.

11. Have you ticked them all off yet?
Can I get back to you on that one!

Thank you, Emma. I always accept awards gratefully as I believe they are a lovely complement. At this point I'm supposed to nominate 5 lovely blogs but there are so many I love, but not so many who recognise these awards. So, if you want it, it's yours! As long as you have under 200 followers - in order to abide by the 'rules' of this award!

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 I started writing this post Tuesday evening and since then have done nothing due to a horrendous tummy bug. How nice of it to come on my week off! The children have been lovely, keeping themselves entertained with games and entertaining me with puppet shows!

 

 

I'm feeling a little better today, thank goodness. I'm normally the healthy one in the family!

Hoping for a healthier weekend and wishing you a happy and healthy one too!
Becky x

100, 2 Years, Bunny Egg Cosies and Dyed Curly Locks!

Lulus and I had to miss our spinning group last Saturday :( and so we did some felting together instead. I decided to think ahead and make something with Easter in mind and so some themed egg cosies presented themselves...

With wet felted bodies and needle felted ears and tail, these two are real cuties!

I took time, for once, to plan out the little details: ribbon, heart button, stitches, and I'm really pleased with the results.

I have a tutorial planned for these; the photos are ready so I just need to get the instructions written.

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Life has been a bit hectic round here over the last two weeks. Si and Grandad were both in hospital last week; Si with flu and Grandad with a broken hip after having a fall. Then Lulu's went down with chicken pox. People keep saying 'well, these things come in threes' but this was taking the rule to the extreme!

Anyway, things are beginning to get back on an even keel, though Grandad's recovery is going to be a slow one, and so I have tried to find a little time to distract my mind and relax a little.
I bought a big bag of washed wensleydale fleece a little while ago and a super range of acid dyes, so I had a little go at dying some curly locks.

I used the microwave method as this was how I had dyed some merino tops at the spinning group last year and it was very quick and easy.
I lay out 50 grams in a dish, taking care not to fluff up the curls.
I then wet them and left to soak for 20 minutes. I've read somewhere that this helps the fibre to take up the dye. Then I added the mixed dyes; turquoise and hyacinth.

After cooking (!) for 8 minutes they were gently rinsed and laid out on a towel to dry.

The colours are so gorgeously dreamy, not as intense as in the bowl prior to rinsing, and will look beautiful felted into a bag or bowl. They would also make lovely hair for a fairy or mermaid. I feel a new project coming! This fibre is SO expensive to buy already dyed, I am so pleased I have found a way to do it. A little of this fibre might just find its way into my Folksy shop and I hope to dye some more colourways soon.

I have also been the proud recipient of a blog award recently, thank you Emma of All Stitched Up! As part of accepting this award I must answer some questions about myself, but I'm afraid I must leave this for my next post as I have a large pile of marking calling which I really should have started about 2 hours ago! If you haven't visited Emma's blog before then pop over and have a look - she has a lovely relaxed style and shares some great ideas.

I have also realised that this is my 100th post and tomorrow is my 2nd anniversary blogging! Thanks everyone for making it such a pleasurable experience - your kind comments, generous giveaways and endless tips and ideas are so gratefully received here at the fluff pot. You are all an endless source of inspiration to me. THANK YOU!!!
Becky x

Waiting...

It is coming... there are clues if you look hard enough for them.

Everywhere you look, nature is slowly getting ready...

Good things come to those who wait...

Becky x

Emma - thanks for waiting! Next post, I promise ;)

Bring Me Sunshine!

I have been completely fed up with the rain. Persistent and endless, it has been so heavy our roof has sprung two leaks. Thank goodness the sun came out over the weekend.

We were becoming stir crazy and every attempt over Christmas to get some fresh air had been rained off! I should have been glad for the excuse to cosy up and get some hooky, felting or spinning time but we seem to be having such a long wet season that I'm left yearning for some dry and warmer weather.
So yesterday we donned our wellies and headed off to Portreath beach, just a 10 minute drive from home. The sun was shining and we filled our lungs with fresh air as we raced across the beach.

Heaven!

Unusual stones were found and waves were paddled in.

We blew away the cobwebs and recharged our batteries!

I hope you all got to enjoy some fine weather this weekend too.
Did anyone have any snow?
Becky x

New Crochet Magazine

Have you seen the new magazine Simply Crochet?

It is produced by the same people who make Mollie Makes and Simply knitting. I received an email in November to say I could subscribe to the first 3 months for £5 so I thought I would give it a go!

It is full of crochet patterns, ideas and advice and is produced in the same colourful and familiar way that Mollie Makes readers are used to.

There are a range of patterns: clothes, both dinky and full sized, accessories, jewellery, furnishings and a toy dragon!

I suppose it has left me wondering whether it is really offering me anything more than I could already find for free on your lovely blogs, but I have 2 more to go before I need to decide whether to continue a subscription.

Have you seen it yet? What do you think?
Becky x
PS I am using my new Xmas pressie to do this - after agreeing to not buying each other too much for Xmas my husband surprised me with an ipad mini! I'm struggling with the blogger app a little and have no idea if the photos are where I want them to be in this post so I hope it's ok!
PSS Sorry, all pics at the end and apparently nothing I can do about it! How annoying!