The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Crafts => Topic started by: Lesley Silvester on July 10, 2016, 11:46:06 pm
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No one's posted on here for ages. Are you all too busy with outside jobs to do any crafts?
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Mostly yes, too much to do outside.
I did though yesterday spot a pollarded willow which has lots of bits ideal for basket weaving. I plan to get those cut and maturing to try my hand in a couple of months time.
I bought some carded sari silk at Woolfest and have just started spinning that - it's bumpier than expected, but I think it will look great when it's all spun. I have 200gms.
My art yarn spinning is progressing very slowly indeed, because whenever I feel like immersing myself in it, I'm called away to do something else ::). I need to experiment a lot to produce something I like - colours are too mushy so far.
The only other thing I still have to do is to repair the ever expanding hole in the sleeve of my favourite jumper. I'm going to knit in an invisible patch, with extra yarn I kept by from the original spin.
So what about you MGM and everyone else?
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I've just finished a woven scarf made using the Ashford vari reed I bought at Wonderwool.
It enables you to use different thicknesses I your warp. I will post a pic when I think about it.
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You been on the bottle again Sally?
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Bleep bleep bleep predictive text. Amended now
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I took 13 zwartbles fleeces to Halifax spinning mill last week for washing and carding. Paul said he would mix a bit of softer stuff with some of it to give me another texture to play with.
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I have just finished a dress and coat for my nephews wedding, I always get inspired to,get the sewing machine out when the Sewing Beenis on TV. I am now weaving a scarf, having put the warp on my loom by myself instead of taking it to the workshop where I learnt to weave this winter. It is going ok ish, so may post pictures when finished if I like it! Next project is to weave some cloth from my hand spin to incorporate some Zwarbles yarn from my soon to be neice in law, to make them some cushions as part of a wedding present. Not sure when all this will get done, midnight oil perhaps!
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I'm crocheting a teapot ::) it's to finish off my entry for the novelty crochet item at Turriff show. I've done the cup and saucer, a load of cakes so just need to finish the teapot and do a plate for the cakes.
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I'm crocheting a teapot ::) it's to finish off my entry for the novelty crochet item at Turriff show. I've done the cup and saucer, a load of cakes so just need to finish the teapot and do a plate for the cakes.
Don't forget the tea cosy - that might actually be useful as well! :D
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I've had a break from woodcrafting since last November due to funds/winter but am starting back on Friday, going just once a month to use the workshop rather than weekly but I sold the two river mirrors and one of the clocks so am left with a large/long expensive yew mirror, an expensive pitch pine table and a couple of really nice clocks plus a couple I want to go back and refinish with a bit more style cos I think they look a bit dull by comparison..
The half made oak/elm cabinet needs finished so I can be a real cabinet maker, there are pieces of decorative boxes needing put together, and I've more yew to make a shorter river mirror if I can work out exactly where to make that once only cut that could make or break it's beauty! I also have a commission to do but have been procrastinating on it for months, so it really needs done or given up on.
Without the regular discipline of workshop time with supervision of the owner/expert I just don't have the confidence or motivation to get going again myself so when I ran into Jim in Cupar a couple of weeks ago I decided it was a sign to get my bum in gear and finish things off even if I never do any more - tho I need a trip to the wood supplier for the commission and know fine well I'll fill the boot with unique pieces that cry out for something to be made from them.. !!
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Which wood supplier do you use Ellied?
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I am spinning some extra Llanwenog that came from Backinwellies, to finish the jumper that I started last year. I'm also crocheting a shawl for myself with the merino and silk tops that I bought at Wonderwool last year, intending to make a shawl for my expected grandchild. As he is 9 months old now, he's a bit old for a shawl so I am having it. Need to spin some more of that as well.
Also knitting a summer cardigan for youngest granddaughter out of commercial yarn. Today I extracted my small peg loom from the craft room and hope to have a go on it tomorrow with some silk strips (Wonderwool this year). I've also made some twiddlemuffs for people with dementia and also one for my brother in law who has severe learning disabilities.
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OK - I'll ask it :D. What's a twiddlemuff?
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We did the Tour of Britain Ladies' Race in June - I say 'we' but in fact I just cheered from the sidelines, despite good intentions to spin rare breeds on the days they went near Stoneleigh.
Then it was Woolfest, to which I took 3 of my sheep for the British Coloured Sheep Breeders' Association stand. First time ever doing anything like that; great fun. And the fleeces from the two two well-coloured sheep (Mr Pie and Gissy) sold within the first couple of hours, along with Wincey's very black, lustrous Wensleydale fleece, to a buyer from Japan! #feelingvalued
Then it's Tour de Fleece, and I have been managing to spin at least a little every day. I'm aiming to stash-bust my Indie-dyed fibre, with a view to experimenting with using my own handspun for weaving. I'm really wanting to get into my stock of Freyalyn's Fibres, but as I hadn't spun much for a while, I've started with some other braids until I think my spinning can do Freyalyn's fibres justice.
First was the Romney my pals bought me back from EYF, which I thoroughly enjoyed spinning and which I think I've done well enough to make a good warp. I've got some predominantly pinky singles I think will go beautifully with it for the weft.
I'll need more than just the Romney for all those singles, though, so started on some dyed-on-grey Shetland. Beautiful to spin, and I love the colours - but it's coming up darker than I want, so although I'm very happy with it for a warp, I think I'll not use it with the Romney. I wasn't sure about how a fabric might behave that had some warp ends Romney and some Shetland anyway. Still haven't decided what to use alongside the Romney... :thinking:
Next, when I've finished this Shetland, I think I'm ready for some Freyalyn. Not sure whether to spin up the Kingfisher on BFL/silk first, which I'm planning on sampling chain-plied and 1-to-1 before spinning up the whole 200 grams. I'm thinking weft, but might come to another conclusion once I've got done samples to play with. Or, I may decide to spin Vivien on Wensleydale next, which I want to spin fine high twist, and chain ply for blocky colours, probably for knitting socks (hence the high twist).
It was Wool on the Wall on Sunday, so that took the weekend up. The fleece sale was great, a good variety of good British fleeces, including some rarities. I resisted buying - somehow! - but did order a Lleyn from a local farmer.
And, in between and alongside all of that, I've been progressing with using the DK cotton warp I have on my rigid heddle, which was for learning but which I haven't been so motivated to do since I got the 8-shaft ;). Plus, I love wool, and am less drawn to cotton. Having said which, my buddy and I bought delicious cottons at Woolfest for making tea towels - they will be the most expensive tea towels ever, but the colours are beautiful, and we'll have a lot of fun doing them.
And I've pretty much always got some Fair Isle on the go - it's the second Otter Beret at the mo; the first was for BH in his choice of colours - and some socks.
Will add some pics when I've worked out how to make them smaller on the iPad.
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Which wood supplier do you use Ellied?
Mostly Scottish Wood at Oakley near Dunfermline, they have bins you can root through for nice shapes but also keep a room full of pieces they've already picked out as specially nice for craft work and cabinet making. It's like catnip in there for me, burr elm, yew, spalted beech, offcuts and slabs 3" thick, I spend an hour in there at least!
Also go up to one mill near Dunkeld and pick up odd bits from the likes of Jim at Chancefield in Cupar when he has spare and I'm passing by. And Jim Brown my teacher who has the workshop I use up at Kincaple, sometimes has pieces I spy and make use of when I'm there, tho not so much now as he sent me to find my own a year or so ago!!
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Thanks Ellied, Dunfermline isn't impossibly far from us so that will be a good mission for a sunny day.
We used to use Boddies of Boroughbridge in Yorkshire, which we found when we lived there. Then later we travelled frequently up and down the A1 so always stopped in. They had some amazing stuff. I was beginning to worry about where they sourced their wood :tree: :tree: :tree:, when they realised themselves it wasn't sustainable. Now there is very little variety, and the tropical hardwoods are no longer sold there. The business seems to have shrunk, or they've changed track a bit, and anyway we no longer travel the A1, so it's good to know where to try up here.
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OK - I'll ask it :D. What's a twiddlemuff?
http://www.repod.org.uk/downloads/Twiddlemuffs_Instructions_24-01-15.pdf (http://www.repod.org.uk/downloads/Twiddlemuffs_Instructions_24-01-15.pdf)
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Thank you Buttermilk - isn't that just the most wonderful idea :thumbsup: :knit: I hope it catches on in all homes and hospital units for older folk with dementia.
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Going by googling twiddlemuffs, a lot of hospitals are asking for them now. There is a lady from my spinning group who collects them as she works in community health. She said the recipients love them and don't want to part with them even for laundering. They cuddle them as well as twiddling. I imagine it's similar to a toddler's security blanket. I use eye lash yarn at some point in each one as the texture is so goo. For my BIL, as he is blind so enjoys sound, I crocheted a circle onto the muff, then inserted some crumpled sellophane and crocheted over it to make a ball that crunches.
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Similar idea.
Our WSD guild made a lap blanket with different colour/ texture squares for the challenge at last years All Wales get together.
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To answer the original question, no. Been utterly distracted by painting outbuildings and driving around th country buying unnecessary sheep and goats. I wish I would just buy handbags like everyone you read about in the media. But then I prefer to muck out the goats than a handbag any day.
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Handbags are hard things to muck out.
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You haven't seen inside mine Buttermilk- it usually has more straw and cobwebs than the goat house. :yuck:
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Who knows what might be found at the bottom of my handbag
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Hand bag :o ??? ??? Whatever do you keep in your pockets then?
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Hand bag :o ??? ??? Whatever do you keep in your pockets then?
My pockets are already stuffed so I need a handbag to keep everything else in. A long time ago I found a discarded lightbulb at the bottom of my handbag. God knows how long it had been there or where it came from :-)
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We were on holiday in May in rather posh hotel (Mum's idea of a good holiday and she was paying) and, while in the bar, I was looking for something in my bag. I plunged my hand in and found something very slimy. I took myself of to the nearest toilet to investigate and turned out my bag. At the bottom was a partly decomposed banana skin that I was presumably (some time earlier) taking home for the goats. It was stuck to everything and my mum was banging on the door to see if I was alright, I was in there so long.
Note to self: if taking banana skins home for goats, take them out of bag as soon as home.
Second note to self: there are three windfall apples in bag that were donated this morning. Get them out NOW. :roflanim:
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Other people's hand bags mysteries can be useful too. I was once leaving work and my car wouldn't start. Before the days of mobile phones so I walked back towards a phone passing a colleague on the way. Problem? She asked. Yes. I said. Do you have a hammer? Yes. She said, taking one out of her hand bag. I walked over to my car and smacked the starter motor into life, then handed back the hammer. I'm not sure who was more surprised her or me, or the male colleagues walking past but neither of us showed it!
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Been too busy but I think my next project is another crochet bear for my friend who is expecting her second baby, I like to do personal gifts where I can. I cannot knit to save my life but I may have a go at also crocheting a twiddle muff and send it off, it is a lovely idea :)
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I love the idea of a crocheted bear. Don't forget the picture of it when it's finished.
The great thing about making twiddle muffs is that you can use up all those oddments that have been hanging around.
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I love the idea of a crocheted bear. Don't forget the picture of it when it's finished.
A crochety bear? I suppose they can be grumpy sometimes :idea:
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My handbag doesn't usually contain too many odd items (apart from pony nuts, pliers and crochet hooks of course), but all my jeans and jacket pockets seem to contain just enough baler twine to be useful!
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I went back to Jim's workshop since replying to this post and I've booked to go about once a month (all I can afford right now) to complete the oak/elm cabinet with a new design that has no doors cos the internal shelf is just too nice to hide! The door wood is now going to be the top of a wee natural edge oak occasional table along the lines of the pitch pine one I made a couple years ago. And because I need to go to Scottish Wood to buy more oak for the table to have legs.. well let's just say I will have an empty 4x4 boot on the way down.. ;)
He's also started making boxes with dovetail corners - he was learning when I was last going regularly and taught me some basics but I never bought the dovetail jig and saw to do it myself. Now I've seen some of what he's been creating I think I might like to have a go as it is something small enough to do on a table at home in winter.
Hmm, think I may have the bug again! I wish I could post photos of my stuff here but I still can't work it out!
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ellied, we would love to see pics too.
Perhaps you can explain the problem and someone (not me) may be able to help
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(https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13428525_10156962529170335_3639299030113984694_n.jpg?oh=42fb52ee60f7170a8b4a6c22d7c20b11&oe=58214BAC)
If this hasn't worked, how do I post pictures to a thread? It should be a picture of my first attempt at a crochet bear.
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It's worked and she's lovely :thumbsup:
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I have just spent a whole day spinning at Yealmpton show in south Devon. There was so much interest in spinning, I have almost lost my voice talking and explaining! And soooo many comments about Sleeping Beauty!
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I have just spent a whole day spinning at Yealmpton show in south Devon. There was so much interest in spinning, I have almost lost my voice talking and explaining! And soooo many comments about Sleeping Beauty!
Get them to find the needle she pricked herself with on your wheel :thinking:
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The number of people who said we were knitting or sewing when they spotted us at a show last weekend was astounding. One twenty something lad told me his granny used to sew on a machine like mine. Mine is a majacraft wheel...
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The number of people who said we were knitting or sewing when they spotted us at a show last weekend was astounding. One twenty something lad told me his granny used to sew on a machine like mine. Mine is a majacraft wheel...
Our role is to educate ;D. I used to sit next to the sheep pens spinning at the Highland Show (it can otherwise be very boring) and there was always a crowd around. Funnily enough the men were far more interested in general than the women, mostly in how the wheel works. I found it helpful to have a spindle to hand, to show that a wheel is just a complicated way to do exactly the same job as the spindle :spin:
Women came in 2 varieties, those who thought the whole thing was weird, and those who really wanted a go. There were even a few who went away with the intention of learning - those were the best. I am always fascinated by how quickly children learn to spin - minutes instead of weeks :o
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I have just spent a whole day spinning at Yealmpton show in south Devon. There was so much interest in spinning, I have almost lost my voice talking and explaining! And soooo many comments about Sleeping Beauty!
Get them to find the needle she pricked herself with on your wheel :thinking:
I do have a quill spindle for my Traddy, now. But I don't think I'd want to have it at a public event, or it really could impale someone!
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I did mention distaffs for flax spinning as a possible point for Sleeping Beauty to impale herself on, so I was trying to add a little education! I find men are fascinated by the engineering of the wheel, and children usually tell me it is really cool! I shall be going to two more shows this summer, so lots more opportunity to educate the non spinning public. And recruit a few more to the fold!
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I always say that she pricked her finger on a thorn in the fleece.
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She was probably using a great wheel with a very sharp spindle.
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ellied, we would love to see pics too.
Perhaps you can explain the problem and someone (not me) may be able to help
The basic problem is I take pics on my old BlackBerry and have options to text email or send to Facebook. The photobucket site I had I have lost somehow in changing computers last year and it was a faff sending emails from phone to PC uploading to photobucket and making links work anyway. And my webs sites were frozen because I went over the free allowance and they wanted me to pay business rate which I can't justify for the light traffic and marginal sales potential. It was mostly a blog for its own sake. But they denied me access to reduce the memory used so I couldn't make it what it should be. They held me over a barrel and I refused to be blackmailed for my memories. Standoff.
So I have spent the last few days making a Facebook page for the holding and stud as the webs websites were not going to be resolved and I'm told a FB page is the way to go. It seems to be true from views and likes in a couple of days.
There are a lot of pony photos plus some of hens to be built up with regular chick updates so they hopefully sell quickly as they reach the right age, and a photo album for the crafts which has some woodcraft items to give an idea what I've done so far. Tho it needs more focus and info. And I will add my novice knitting in from last year's thread when I made the scarf! And some felted and other things now I am not limited in picture size/numbers.
Link in my sig SHOULD work.. Still working on it for more content and open to any helpful feedback on how to make the best of the FB format as updates are fine but other than trawling pics I'm not sure how folk will see more. I am thinking that the massage/therapies side needs to be a separate page, still to do that and somehow cross reference the two..
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Yss, the link does work. You have made some lovely things. Well done
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You are very talented.