New Spinning Wheel

This photo sums up how I feel right now:

Sort of serene and dreamy and very warm and contented inside. If I were a cat I would be purring now : )

I have just ordered my first spinning wheel - and Ashford Elizabeth 2 from Wingham Wool Works .

The wheel comes with a £25 fibre voucher so I have ordered nearly 2kgs of Shetland white tops to learn with. A very kind friend who lives nearby is going to show me the basics. I am so thrilled because I didnt think this could happen. I tried several at Woolfest and the ball bearings on the Elizabeth made treadling easy for me. I was supposed to wait until December as my birthday and christmas are close together but......well......you understand I just couldnt????

PS The photo was taken by my son at Woolfest. It is the view outside our bedroom window in the B & B on the second night.

Goin' Quilting

I am sooo happy. On Wednesday I am off quilting for 5 days with a group of fellow quilters in Leicester. I will have 5 days of peace, no housework, no phone, no internet - nothing. Just me, my sewing and about 40 other quilters for company.

Bliss!!!

PS This is the link to all the details if anyone fancies coming some time: Quilting retreat

Not Woolfest-ing

This is what DH, DS & I were doing up in Cumbria when we were not browsing around Woolfest or having a great time on the campsite with other fiber-loving people:

The men-folk were canoeing on the local lake whilst I sat in a comfy picnic chair by the lakeside knitting. While I was there I met 3 ladies who were walking past. They saw me knitting and said hello. It turned out that they were from the Medway Guild of WD&S and were here for Woolfest. We had a lovely chat about wooly things and duck calling : )

More Socks & A Cardigan.

I made another pair of socks for DH's size 13 feet. I really enjoy knitting these. There are so many plain rows that they are idea as a project to take anywhere or knit while I am watching TV. DH is also very appreciative of them so that is a plus too : )

I have finished my latest project, a Cardigan in DK for me. I altered this pattern a bit by using 4.5mm needles and changing the shaping of the body. In the pattern there is a shaped body starting with rib but I did double moss stitch for the bottom border and then continued straight to the yoke shaping. I also altered the sleeves to make them taper all the way up instead of straight to the elbow and I put a double moss stitch border at the wrists too.

I used Cascade 220 and found that my tension was too tight on 4mm needles and it didn't drape very well, so I switched to 4.5mm needles and made a smaller size. Iso had to make the body and sleeves 3" shorter than the pattern......small, me????? No way, these patterns are designed for giants LOL

Taking a Break

Normal blogging service will resume after Wimbledon....and the heatwave : )

Spinning Frustration

WARNING: Self pitying whinge in progress!!!


OK, I am feeling very sorry for myself because I cant spin on a wheel. My ankles wont let me (long boring medical story) and it just isnt FAIR!!! Stamping feet and pouting are going on here. I am off to Woolfest and I will have to ogle all these lovely wheel, shake my head sadly and walk away (with my stick in my hand)


I love the way wheels look, the faint whirring sound they make, the feel of the wood, everything - but I cant use one.


I dont want an electric one (adopt whiny tired toddler voice here) I dont want a Charkha (been there, tried that, the spindles are too small and the ratios too high)


I feel a serious sulk coming on to get it out of my system before the spin-in where I will be surrounded by wonderful wheels and - even worse - people SPINNING with them.


I love my spindles and can (and do) use them everywhere, but DAMMITT - I WANT A WHEEL TOO!!!


OK, and relax, breathe and think of your blessings woman - rant/whinge over.............thanks for listening LOL

Fabric Stashing - again

Sorry for the delay, life got in the way of me posting this LOL. These are the fabrics I bought at the Malvern Quilt show last week. They are all Oakshott fabrics

All of the above fabrics are 1 metre lengths.

These are packs of fat eighths.

I enjoy using plain and marbled fabrics to highlight the patterned ones, but these are uniquely different. They are woven using mercerised cotton which gives them a sheen like silk. The weft is a different shade to the warp which then appears as a two-toned material. This gives life and depth to the fabric instead of the 'flat' look of true plain cottons. The new range shown here had its debut last week and is called 'Gemstones' and they truly have the shine of opals or jet.

I am going to enjoy using them, along with the free patterns I was given. I have favourited their website so I can order some more online if I 'need' too.

My only other purchase was the new quilting book by Pam & Nicky Linnot called Layer Cake, Jelly Roll & Charm Quilts. The authors were signing the books on their stall so I was able to get a signed copy. I have several jelly rolls already so I am looking forward to using them in the Summer : )