Summer at last

Nearly three weeks since my last post – my only excuse is that I’ve been away yet again, and this time the weather was absolutely fantastic.   We’ve been to Pembrokeshire in the summer every year for about 31 years and never had such good weather.   We usually do quite a bit of  walking on the coast path, but this year it was so hot we had to sunbathe on the beach every day – what a chore!  Now I’m back, however, I’m itching to get going on some textile work – I’ve had my rest and now it’s time to get going again. 

 Before we went away, I made a bag and finished some covered books  in preparation for the Green Fayre at Beacon Country Park where we’ve been this weekend, me demonstrating felt making and Liz doing  everything else!  During the two days,  I made 5 pieces of felt which are destined to become pictures or book covers and some beads.   I really enjoyed the two days, - people were very interested in the process and I was surprised at the number of children who seemed mesmerised by the whole business and couldn’t wait to have a go.   Several people expressed an interest in attending a workshop or having a demonstration for their organisation or society so we’ll see what comes of that – I was quite surprised at how much I enjoyed the demonstrating aspect.    There was a lovely atmosphere, lots of people about and lots of interesting things to see and do, and the efficient and friendly Rangers did a great job of organising everything  - we’d certainly like to go again next year.

 



this is the book cover which sold



I sold a few odds and ends, mostly cards and the felt bracelet and earrings I made at the last workshop I attended and one of the covered books which I finished just before I went away.  I also got an order for a patchwork bag so I’ll have to get start that soon.   Liz had designed and made some really clever cards with initials on and a couple of them went too – it was the first time we had displayed them so that was very encouraging.

For next week, though, we’ll be preparing to go to the Summer Arts Market at St. George’s Hall in Liverpool – it’s on Saturday and Sunday and we’re really looking forward to it – the Winter Arts Market there in December is always a great event so let’s hope this will be as good.

The spinning and weaving are having to take a back seat at the moment but I can’t wait to get back to them, especially as I’ve been given 3 large bags of alpaca fleece which needs carding and spinning

Music, Music, Music

Since I last posted, I have attended a felt jewellery workshop with Chris Branch who managed to cram lots of different techniques into quite a short time.   I came home with two corsages and the makings of some earrings and a bracelet.

Calidad Events Craft and Gift Fair on Saturday, 22^nd June, could have been busier but as the weather turned out quite good, everyone went to Africa Oye in the park!

Last Friday,   Liz and I and a friend from when we did City and Guilds courses, set off up the M6 for Woolfest www.woolfest.co.uk in Cockermouth.   It was, as last year, a very wet day awful for Liz who did all the driving, Bless her!  We arrived at about 11.30  and, apart from a quick lunch and an afternoon cup of coffee, we were on the go till we started home at shortly after 4.30 p.m. exhausted but happy.   It was, as usual, exciting, exhilarating and inspiring.    We managed to resist the most extravagant spending, although, as well as replenishing my felting wool stock, and buying acrylic wax and some textile glue, I bought some scrim which is destined for nuno felting and treated myself to a couple of pieces of silk velvet in gorgeous shades of purple and sea green.  I have a couple of ideas for it but I’ll have to experiment first I think.

Since then, we've had a very musical three days - on Saturday practically the whole family turned out to see our eldest grandson playing percussion with Ormskirk Symphony Orchestra.    On Sunday afternoon, my husband and I sang in a concert at the Palm House in Sefton Park - that was interesting  - it's a beautiful building but, when the sun is shining, it gets extremely hot which isn't easy to sing in.    On Monday, we went to see number one grandson again, this time playing with Chethams School  of Music at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.   It was a bit of a nostalgia trip for us, as our younger daughter studied there and, in the nineties, we often went to performances there.   

Although I've been busy gadding about, I have been tying up loose ends and I’ve experimented with making felted soap.  The ladies from the Soap Empire www.thesoapempire.co.uk kindly donated some small bars of soap which I covered with merino wool so that they look like pebbles.    They were quite successful, but I’m not sure I’ll be making many more –I  didn’t find it terribly satisfying.   I did make a couple of pieces of felt for book covers and I’m hoping to finish them tonight.    I’ m making an effort to get some stock together for the Green Fayre at Beacon Park, www.westlancs.gov.uk on 20^th and 21^st  July where I’ll be demonstrating felt-making for the two days.   I’ve finished off about a dozen brooches and a similar number of hand painted silk bookmarks so far.  

Home is the Sailor

 The reason for the long silence is that we’ve been away on a cruise for a fortnight.   It seems as though we’ve been away for ever and, although we enjoyed it immensely, I, at least, was happy to come home.  I find that, after about 10 days I begin to tire of a life of idleness and feel the need to do something creative.   

As usual on this type of holiday, I take lots and lots of photos.   I get so excited by the sights that I snap away incessantly, without really engaging my photographer’s brain.   The result is an awful lot of photos destined only for the bin.   That being said, I have now downloaded every one and will start to work on them very soon.      

Just as we were arriving back I received the news that our application to exhibit at the Summer Arts Market at St. George’s Hall, had been successful so I had better get down to work and make some items to sell!  

On Friday, I’m off to Friday Felters in Frodsham where we’ll be having a workshop on making felt jewellery so I’m hoping to be very productive.   Of course, on Saturday, we’ll be off to the monthly Craft and Gift Fair at Lark Lane – this time in coincides with the Africa Oyez festival so we’re hoping that the weather’s good and that people attending will pop in to see your wares.  

 

Another Wet Bank Holiday

Not a lot of progress has been made with weaving or spinning this week.  I did have a visit to Cathy of Lazy Kate, Ormskirk, who is going to get some more bobbins made for my spinning wheel as well as organise someone to do a small running repair- so the spinning is on hold.   Because I’m waiting for the new bobbins, the weaving is also on hold – I need to ply some very fine wool to use on the loom.    I finally remounted the patchwork picture though.

On Thursday, I went to see the exhibition put on by the final year students on the JMU Fine Arts Course, some really interesting pieces, everyone seemed to have worked very hard.

 

 

Our daughter came on a visit from Holland, where she lives and so I spent some time with her and persuaded her to pose for a photo in the tunic I made a few weeks ago.

On Saturday we went to Lark Lane for the monthly Calidad Craft and Gift Fair – a bit quiet this time –probably because the weather was so good and a lot of people had gone into Liverpool for the Battle of the Atlantic Commemoration Celebrations.    The same probably applied to Sunday when we were at the Vintage Fair at the Chapel Gallery, Ormskirk, which again was quieter than we’d hoped.   It was a shame really, there was some really good ‘stuff’ at both and, as usual, the stallholders (and the customers) were an interesting lot!

On Bank Holiday Monday, we set out to see Maghull Wind Orchestra who were playing at Chevasse Park, Liverpool One, as part of the Battle of the Atlantic Event – we took our picnic so that we could spend time, afterwards,  looking at all the ships at the Albert Dock and Pier Head.   Oh dear!    we managed to stay for the first set of MWO’s performance (which was, as usual, excellent) but, despite the free umbrellas handed out, we were soaked, frozen, bedraggled and thoroughly despondent by the interval and admitted defeat and ate our picnic on the train home!   

Tuesday, was not a lot better – we had arranged to go to the Wirral again to photograph the flotilla of ships leave the Mersey.    You guessed it!   It rained, mightily, and though we did take some photos they were predictably disappointing – of course, all the ships were grey and almost disappeared into the grey light- I may be able to wring some contrast out of one or two but I’m not too optimistic.  I thought the light was bad for the Queen Mary but this really was grim.

Was that Whit weekend?

Well, where did that week go?   I’m sure someone stole a couple of days because I certainly don’t have a lot to show for a whole week.  

On Thursday we went to a super concert by Maghull Wind Orchestra (https://www.facebook.com/#!/MaghullWindOrchestra?fref=ts) which was part of the celebration for the Frank Hornby Festival.    They really are improving each time we hear them so we’ll be going to see them again, next Monday, at Proms in the Park, Liverpool One.    We went to another concert on Saturday in Southport – Sefton Music Education Partnership put on a wonderful show in collaboration with members of the Halle Orchestra and some children from out of the area. It was  a really memorable evening – these young people are so talented and enthusiastic.

On Friday, the Queen Mary 2 came into the cruise terminal in Liverpool so, naturally, we went to see her – we actually went over to the Wirral so that we could photograph the ship against the backdrop of the Liver Buildings and the other wonderful waterfront buildings.   The light was dreadful and we were very lucky not to get a soaking but I’m hoping for a couple of half decent shots.   In the meantime, here is the only one which I’ve had chance to look at - I’ll post some more when I’ve sorted them out.

 

Because I’ve been sorting out my entries for a couple of photography competitions, I’ve haven’t done any weaving or spinning all week so I’m beginning to get withdrawal symptoms – let’s hope I can get back to it soon.   I did, however, go to a brilliant workshop given by Dianna Morrison, http://www.dianamorrisondesigns.co.uk/ who was so helpful and  generous with her expertise - her scarves are exquisite.  We used merino wool to make felt ‘bobbles’ on a chiffon scarf – a really exciting new technique for me.   I only made a sample, but I can’t wait until I have time to do the real thing – it might be a while though – lots of  other things I should do first. 

Back to Winter

The Bikes and Barrows event at Scorton https://www.facebook.com/#!/bikesandbarrows?fref=ts didn’t disappoint – most of the usual stallholders were there and we had new neighbours, Vikki and her mum from Cupcake who we hope to meet again soon.  

This week, as well as doing a bit of gardening (ugh!), I’ve had a big burst of creativity.   The weather was so wintery on Wednesday, I suddenly decided that, instead of the usual scarf, picture or book cover, I was going to be more adventurous and make a garment.  I did consider a waistcoat but then decided on a vest/tunic.   I had some muslin which I’d dyed ages ago so I nuno felted onto that in shades of pink and purple.  I also added some painted silk strips, purple and white silk fibres and some pieces of pink yarn.   I made it all in one piece so it was far too big to fit on the table.   In order to lay the wool out I had to put in on the bed.  When it came to the actual felting, I had to do it a section at a time and then roll it up – it was quite heavy when wet and a struggle to manoeuvre.   However, after a lot of huffing and puffing, I got it done.   The results were really pleasing – it shrank quite a bit more than I expected so it’s a bit closer fitting than I’d envisaged but it still looks great.  I’m intending to join the side seams in such a way that it will be reversible.    Next time, I will make the garment pieces separately and join them together – it will be much easier, I think.

 

I’ve framed one of the remaining two textile pictures successfully, the mount for the other one is not quite right and I’ll have to re-do it.   Grrrr! 

 

I’ve also used some  strips of curtain fabric, organza, lots of machine embroidery, zapped with a heat gun  to produce  a very opulent looking book cover – it’s amazing how a fairly ordinary set of materials can be transformed into somethingcompletely different.   It’s a bit time consuming but very rewarding – I think I’ll be doing some more experimenting with that technique.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Friday, Liz and I bought a quantity of warping thread so that we can continue with our weaving – we were going to warp the loom on Sunday – hoping to be a little more successful than our first effort.   We did have some tuition but that was 3 months ago now and the memory has faded a bit so it could take us some time!   We’ve bought enough thread to make quite a few scarves so I’m assuming that, by the time we’ve used it all, we’ll be old hands at the warping bit?   While we were out and about it seemed a shame not to visit Black Sheep, near Warrington, for Liz to replenish her stock of wool for the knitted bags.  Of course, I couldn’t leave without buying some gorgeous yarn to knit a different kind of scarf than I’ve made before – I’ve already started it.

On Saturday we went to another new venue – the Hope Centre in Old Roan, Aintree.  What a lovely, bright, open space – it was the first Craft Fair there and although there weren’t an awful lot of customers, we are hoping that, as people get to know about it, numbers will increase.

We did start on warping the loom on Sunday but, as always, it takes far longer than we thought it would so it’s been done piecemeal and, at last, today,  I stole a couple of hours finish threading it up.   Almost ready to get weaving!

 

Spring?

Is it Spring at last?   It might be, the daffodils are out and it's beginning to feel a bit warmer.

 

At the end of last week,  I tried some nuno felting using some silk which I’d batiked for a project a couple of years ago.   The colours are lovely, purples, blues and turquoise – I thought it would make a lovely scarf.   Unfortunately, the sample  results were most unpromising and I’ve had to abandon that idea.   The silk has gone away again until inspiration strikes!

We went to Lark Lane on Saturday – it was great to meet up with old friends, and make some new ones.   It was a good day, quite a few people about and I sold a couple of prints and quite a few cards.   Liz sold some cards and had an order for some more, so she was well pleased.    While we were at Lark Lane, I picked up some picture frames which I’d ordered and so I’ve got some mount cutting (ugh!) and some framing to do.  I’ve had 3 textile pictures hanging about for months waiting for the right frames – no excuses now!    I’ve photographed the smallest of the three before I put it behind glass – it is much easier to get a good photo that way.    It’s made out of strips of fabric, velvet, cottons, organza, lace etc. which I’ve machine and hand- embroidered and finished off with some tiny beads.  

I’ve spent quite a bit of time this week carding some of the fleece I was given with the spinning wheel – it takes quite a while but I’m trying to do some each day and then spinning it in the evening.   When it’s all  spun and plyed I’m going to give it a really good wash and then dye it – I think I’ll probably dye it all the same colour – but I haven’t really decided yet.

We went to a new venue for a craft fair on yesterday – a garden centre in Tarleton – not a good day for us, there really wasn’t enough footfall.  Still, we met up with a few old friends and made a few new ones so the day wasn’t wasted.   Tomorrow we’re off to Scorton for their Bikes and Barrows festival – we always enjoy ourselves there so here’s hoping tomorrow’s no exception.