Feast Your Eyes on This.....

All this lovely yarn was spread out on the table when I arrived this morning. Donated by Ruth, and VERY gratefully received.

Am half way through another tentacle, and about 8" deep on the tapestry. Moley kindly refined the tentacle maker by sawing off the ends to make it easier to hold, which may well speed me up!

Location:Time Machine

More Loot, LouLou's Patented Tentacle Maker and the First Tentacle

'nuff said!

Location:Home

Loot!

I went to Rudgwick Steam Rally yesterday, being particularly fond of the smell of steam and hot metal. Add in the promise of auto jumble and I am likely to be a very happy woman, especially accompanied by a good (strong) friend with a huge swag bag. Look what I got:-






Stainless Steel bucket (For dyeing)
Enamelled Deed Box (either a tool box or a stove/kettle etc box for the car boot)
Steel cash box (sewing box)
Steel junction box (just an interesting box)
30m of cotton rope (no plans, apart from knowing I can dye it in my new bucket)

Best of all, all this for under £20. Joy and rapture unconfined.

Location:Home

A Good Day!

About 3" of weaving on the new warp. I had to do a bit of tightening with a big spanner before I started, and there are some shed sticks on the right hand side where it was still a bit soft. Good to have made a start.

I also solved the tentacle making problem; finding some long staples to make the pegs, and grey-brown Swaledale for the actual tentacles. I experimented with overdyeing it purple and it went fine.

Best of all, I nipped into Chi at lunchtime and visited the yarn shop. In the sale bin they had this:-




The perfect blend of colours to coordinate with the Harris I already have, and half price. What could be better? It is called LuLu. Yarn that really has got my name on it. Woohoo.

This afternoon we had five children in for workshops and two of them made VERY glamorous puppets:-








A very good day all round.

Location:Time Machine

Started*

*only three days later than planned!




I got the warp on first thing this morning, before visitors were due to arrive, and was rewarded with a cappuccino and slice of chocolate roulade, brought out to me by Paul. Even with the early start, it was hot work.




The sea palette, with the first random blend on top. I do love my wool winder!!

I left the warp to settle, and will start weaving tomorrow morning. We had a lovely group of children and adults in for the second day today, so I made another pan of compote (blueberry and black currant today; yesterday was plum and apple) and did another mega batch of drop scones (=scotch pancakes, griddle scones, girdle scones and, I think, flapjacks). They were all scoffed before I could photo them.

I also spent some time experimenting with various jigs for fat French knitting, having decided that it will the best way to cover the yummy fat nylon rope we have wombled for making the octopus tentacles. Several prototypes and samples, and I think I am almost there. Now to enslave small children to make the 8 metres of FK I need!

Location:Time Machine

Finished!*

*though I reserve the right to add more crochet flowers +/or bees if the urge overcomes me


Back view.

Now for a cuppa and a spot of bread and cheese.

Location:Time Machine

Side Tracked

Crochet flowers felted in washing machine




Space dyed in the microwave with acid yellow and a 50:50 mix of acid red/acid blue.

This excursion, and a number of visitors means that I still have about 4" to go to reach the top of the panel. But they are worth it I think. I shall make some more as brooches.....

Location:Time Machine

Loopy Lou

The pile of loops that I made at Mum's while away for the weekend. I thought they wd be enough, but no. I have made and used twice as many again, but the sunflower is finished. I also made some more crochet flowers using Rowan Blue Faced Leicester yarn, a particularly good one for felting in the machine. I space dyed three this morning, and the five I did this evening are felting as I type, and will be space dyed tomorrow. Only about nine inches of weaving to do, and the panel will be finished. Cue much rejoicing!

Location:Time Machine

New Picture

The latest flower, made from loops of dyed Swaledale. Each loop is made off the loom, then one orange and one yellow are Larkshead knotted round a warp together. The centre is woven with a mixture of browns, with every third pick a separate strand with beads pushed to the front. I will get a pic of that once I have done a bit more.
There will be a bit of a gap in both weaving and blogging, as I am journeying North tomorrow to take the Boy back to Uni. We have to travel in stages to save my back, so will have some time with Mum and Dad in Northants on the way up and the way back.

Location:Time Machine

The Giddy Heights

Now using a bit of tree on top of my platform to get enough height. It also gives me a good view of the lane to spot invaders visitors. The newly dyed yarn should be dry by tomorrow in order to work on the new flower.

Location:Time Machine

My New Best Friends

Decoys brought by Moley, guarding the yarn I dyed yesterday which is still not dry......

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Time Machine

A Bit Nearer Still.....

Still behind my (self imposed) deadline, which is always annoying. I woke up yesterday with a sandpaper throat and a sawdust stuffed head. Probably picked something up from one of the youngsters on Friday [note to self, start regime of echinacea to ward off future lurgies] and have nursed it with fresh peppermint tea and Ribena, and a day off. Back in today, and progress on the background and another vine re-insertion. Also had a lightbulb moment about what to do for the last large flower, so prepped some lovely fat Swaledale yarn for dyeing yellow tomorrow, and sorted a load of brown beads for the centre. Does this give you a clue?

Not this, I just like the picture



Decided that there is no need to race to the finish. Slow and steady and all that.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Clay Ln,Chichester,United Kingdom

Nearly There (and other things)

Still Life with Beetroot and Onions


Lovely Texture or Wot?



The latest flower




The whole thing, except for the bit at the bottom covered by the platform, but you've seen that before!

Hope to have it finished, apart from some crochet embellishments by Tuesday.....

Location:Time Machine

New Flowers

Crochet, beer bottle tops and cable ties



Blocks of loops in a variegated acrylic and eyelash yarn


Lots of visitors, so progress a bit slower than I would like.

Boy is cooking supper, and has just requested me to go shopping for more butter. I shall, as ever, obey.

Location:Clay Ln,Chichester,United Kingdom