Daily Drivel

At long last!

I cast on my Kiri shawl in February last year. Not quite sure why it has taken me this long to finish it but it's done! It was my first 'proper' lace project using laceweight yarn (it's malabrigo lace). I love how it's turned out- it's a good size - could probably be blocked a bit bigger but I didn't have room! Dodgy photos as it's a bit gloomy. Will take some better ones at the weekend if I get time.

Looking forward to casting a new lacey project soon :-)

I've almost finished a sock too - and I love the pattern. I used Wendy Johnsons toe up with gusset. I love that there are no stitches to pick up. It's definitely my favourite method now!

Creative spinning

I've spent the day at a 'creative spinning' workshop with Alison Daykin (arranged by the Guild I go to). It was great fun and everyone produced some lovely yarns. We used pictures as inspiration for colour and texture. I had a go at blending using hand carders (and I'm going to order some as soon as I've posted this!) and I think I've got the hang of andean plying too which is really useful.

Not brilliant photos I'm afraid - I just snapped them quickly and it's a bit dark here now - but here's what I did:

i carded up some dusky pink with some red and a tiny bit of blue for the main colour and added in some small cut up pieces of white and yellow fibre. I then blended some greens. I spun the single alternating randomly between bits of the main colour and the green. Andean plied to finish.

For my second effort I carded some yellow with a little bit of orange and added some small cut up pieces of very dark red. I spun the single, adding small amounts of red fibre in between the yellow sections. Andean plied.

For my last effort I spun a single in red and an overspun (not over spun enough!) single in green - then plied them together, allowing the green to ply back on itself at some points to try and get the effect of the green 'filaments' (sticky outy bits!) on the flower.

Alison also explained a couple of ways of using beads - I didn't have time to try that but will have a go soon. I've borrowed the book from our guild library to have a proper look through.

Plan B

I don't actually have a 'plan B', unfortunately! My plan to go to college 2 days a week has gone a bit pear-shaped. I went to the 'end of year show' last week to discover that the course is now 2.5 days a week. I can't do that - need to work 3 days a week to pay my 'keep' so to speak! I was pretty annoyed about it for a while - maybe I know nothing about running a college but I would think that it's a bit late to be changing things now. Nevermind. I've almost finished working out a new plan. I've signed up for an evening class in silversmithing as that was one thing I was really looking forward to trying. I really want to make a shawl pin. Ill probably sign up for a life drawing class too - again, in the evening. I've also been looking at the courses on offer from the 'Open College of the Arts'. Originally I wasn't keen on studying something arty by correspondence course (and this is an ex OU student speaking!) but as there aren't really any other courses I can do locally I don't have many options if I want to do something.

Must dash - have to get ready for my guild day. It's the fleece sale today!

Slimbridge

I met up with my friend Helen on Sunday at Slimbridge and we spent the day taking photos of ducks :-) I fear some of my best shots might be quite similar to Helen's - but I'm posting them anyway! It was mega sunny and a bit too hot at times - plenty of sun cream required! You could definitely spend a lot of time here. Need a better long lens though - my best shots were close portrait type ones using my macro lens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barn owl encounter

We had a nice encounter this evening on the way home. We saw a barn owl flying in a field next to the road - managed to stop and watched him/her flying round the field looking for supper!

Owl day...

We've had a brilliant day at the 'International Bird of Prey Centre', near Gloucester. A bought me an 'Owl experience day' for my birthday. We spent all day learning about the owls. We flew some different owls, fed some babies and held some other owls and a massive black eagle (he was heavy!). The weather was great (although I think I've had a bit too much sun!). I've got loads of photos - I'll put up some more when I get time to go through and convert them.  I'd love to go back and do a photography day some time. Click photos for a bigger version.