Introducing - Delilah

This is my new spinning wheel - Delilah. I have called her Delilah because I found it so hard to get the hang of using her that I found myself saying 'Why, why, WHY did I buy this wheel.I hadnt realised how hard it would be to get used to a completely different way of treadling. My other wheel is an Ashford Elizabeth 2, which has bearings and the wheel is on the right, not in the middle. I just flick the wheel, and off it goes. With Delilah the wheel is in the middle, as is the treadle, and I cant flick the wheel. It took several hours of patient, and not so patient practise before I could get the wheel to go consistently in the direction I wanted it to.

The sliding hook flyer took some practice too. All in all, it was like being a beginner again. I persevered and now love Delilah as much as Elizabeth, but I've got a bit more practice to do before I am as competent and confident on her.

My spinning corner looks just right now. The radiator is switched of permanently until Winter, when I shall move my wheels to another corner. Having a travelling wheel has certainly expanded my horizons and I hope to take Delilah to Wonderwool Wales if I have stopped using naughty words when spinning on her.

Its alive..Its ALIVE!!!!!

Mr Sunflower's Clanger is now finished and gracing our windowsill, much to the amusement of the secondary school children who walk past our house on their way to school and back.
The Clanger has leather clothing, turned inside out to show the suede side. It is embroidered with bronze-coloured metallic thread. We think he is a Gladiator clanger, but haven't come up with a suitable name yet. Suggestions are welcome : )

Snake Surprise!!!

My DS is 16 years old. He is doing his GCSE in Art and has a rather 'interesting' teacher. Last Friday she decided to set him some Art homework involving photographing and then doing an oil painting of a snake. A live, real snake...................

Now, in Coventry, live snakes are a bit thin on the ground for an ordinary customer, especially on Friday tea-time. With the help of Google we found a shop which was open and they kindly let us photograph their Python. They even got her out of the tank and let us handle her while DS took action shots, which I thought was very kind of them.
The python was very large, heavy and quick so much giggling ensued when DS got wrapped up in a tangle with this big snake.

At one point, I put the camera down to help him and got the snake round my neck and almost in my ear!!! The staff were great. I totally recommend Godiva reptiles if you ever what anything like that.

It was a surprising end to a school week. I hadnt expected to pick DS up and then be snake-wrangling all in the space of an hour. DS and I both like snakes and enjoyed the experience very much. I'm not sure how the snake felt as we dont speak parseltonge!!!

Can You Tell What It Is Yet?

Its beginning to come together now and look like a Clanger : )

Finished my Hexagons

I went to my Spring Quilting retreat this weekend. 30 ladies of a 'certain age' get together at Quorn Hall and spend 2 days bissfully quilting. Much laughing and chatting goes on, plenty oef eating of cake, and very little sleeping.

I set up my table with the hexagon quilt and all my odds and ends, plus a not-very-helpful pneguin who refused to do any sewing.

Success. At 1.59pm on Sunday afternoon, just before we had to stop sewing, I sewed in my last hexagon. I am very happy, as you can see. I just have to sew on the borders, quilt it and do the binding............................ but it has gone back in its box for a few days until I catch up with my housework : )

Of Clangers, Onions and Quilts......

Mr Sunflower is busy knitting his Clanger. He has nearly finished the body, head and legs which is all knitted in one piece.

It looks a bit scary, but I am told that the holes are for the arms to be attached.

Meanwhile, I am making preparations for my Quilting weekend which starts on Friday : )

And in the kitchen, our onion have started to grow. Now I know that Spring is in the air!!