Indigo Dyeing on Silk

I had a good days dyeing even though I prefer to dye in the summer there was a clear day when I managed to get the scarves dripped if not dried. The patterns on the silk were made buy tying and stitching. I kept using the dye bath untill all the colour was used which is why the wool samples got paler as I worked.

This is the dye bath and the next picture are the scarves hanging and turning blue in the air. It's like magic. The indigo  needs air to go blue. You can see there is very little blue in the vat. You can also see the corks tied into some of the scarves to make the shibori pattern.

Hazeldean Christmas Fair.

I will be here come and say hello and start your Christmas.

Felting Angora

 In the hot weather I had to clip my Angora rabbits early to make sure their coats stayed short and they didn't over heat. That left me with a lot of very short fibre that was not suitable for spinning. A visit to the National Angora Club stand at Fibre East and a chat with Lesley Hordon who suggested felting and gave me instructions as well, set me off on the road to the scarf pictured.
There were a few false starts. I began with small squares which came out a bit holey. But slowly I got got the hang of it and I am really pleased with the result.

As for the holey squares. Nothing goes to waste. I used part of one to make my favourite snowman. The yarn for his body is a Angora mix as well so he is a fluffy fellow.

Dyeing to Spin Craft Fair Headquarters

Good friends Martina and Ian lent me there garden to have a trial run putting up  the new gazebo I have brought to take to craft fairs. It was fairly straight forward until we discovered that one of the legs had been put together wrongly by the makers. I thought I was going to have to send the whole thing back but Ian managed to perform a bit of magic with a drill and all was well.

 So look out for a smart white tent, it could be me. The first outing will be at the Chilterns Countryside and Food Festival, at the National Trust Ashridge Estate Bridgewater Monument, Near  Berkhamsted Herts, HP41LT. Sunday 14th September 10am - 4pm. This is a very good craft fair with lots to do and see. A really country event.

Felting Angora

I had a go at felting some of my angora and was very pleased with the result, it being my first attempt.I will give you a run down of how I did it. But there are some very good books and videos out there if you want more info.

I laid out a towel to catch the water, a bamboo felting mat and a layer of bubble wrap. The fiber was arranged in three layers at 90 degree angles to each other. The a net curtain covered the fiber. I poured on enough soapy water to wet the angora out but not so much that it ran every where. The whole lot was rolled up round a broom handle. Then the hard work started. 

 I did 100 rolls before unrolling the fiber and giving it a quarter turn rolling up and starting again. After four turns my arms were falling off but the angora was firmly felted.

 For the second piece I spread a thin layer off coloured silk on the fiber which felted in much better than I expected. I am going to try and make a whole scarf next time . Does anyone know where I can get a felting mat long enough. The video I watched does not use one. How would that turn out I wounder.

Fiber East

Had a good day at Fibre East in Bedford yesterday. It is the first time I have been to the Redhill venue and it seemed to work well even if it is a bit spread out. I had to make sure that I didn't miss anything.

It is always fun to see unusual kinds of spinning wheels. I called in at the National Angora Club stand and got a bit more advice on felting angora fiber. I will certainly be having a go soon.

Make a date for your diary and see what some really talented crafts people can do.

Happy Bunnies

 Here are my  rabbits looking very scruffy. Although they were not ready for clipping I could not leave them with their coats on in this hot weather so out came the scissors. I usually clip them every 10 - 12 weeks the fibre will be about 3" long plenty long enough for spinning but this time it is only 1" long so I think I will try to felt some . There are some good videos on You Tube explaining how so it will be fun to have a go. I will let you know how I get on.

 At least they are a lot more comfortable now. Clipping angora rabbits is an important part of their welfare especially in the kind of hot humid weather we are having at the moment.
From top to bottom they are Farthing, Guinness and Daisy.