2024 Deliveries & Stash Acquisition

[Serinde]

Sari and kimono materials in silk also have few slubs, but not of use to you for your RSN work!

[Steam.Jo]

I've solved the one issue I had with my DMC box: how to know which drawer section has which thread in:



My plan is to put any older skeins I find on top of the laminated lists, hopefully the lower level of skeins will remain neat and tidy for some time to come

Jo

[Arianwen]

Soooooo I've been very, very bad.



These lovelies have just been added to my spinning stash. I only have plans for the bunch at the bottom at the moment

I had to use the flash to bring out the darker colours, so the lighter are a bit washed out. From the top there are 3 x 50g bumps of superfine merino blended with tussah silk in the colour way Meadowsweet (this is a bit 'murkier' than the online image showed but i'm sure it will be fine)

The small batch of red is a sample of cotton fiber in the colourway passion. I've got some cotton I've tried to spin and the staple is so short that I'm not sure I can manage it on my drop spindles. We'll see - its all experimentation.

Next to that is 3 x 50g bumps in the colour way Rosy Maple Moth, again superfine merino blended with tussah silk. This reminds me a bit of tutti fruity. Lots of pale pinks and peachy colours.

On the right as you look at it are 2 x 50g of ramie fibre (A type of fiber from nettles) in the colours Sunrise and Toureg. I plan to spin these two together to give a kind of barber shop twist.

At the bottom is the whole reason I made the order. That is 500g of heather Mulberry silk (100g is unpacked, 2x 200g under neath and I have 100g already) in the colour way Gladys. I am being totally sentimental about this but Gladys was one of my grandmother's names (not the one she used day to day) and she loved the emerald greeny colour you can see and purples, so when I found this I had to buy some to play with. Then I decided that I needed to buy enough for both my mum and sister to have some.

I plan to spin this into 3 balls of 4 ply wool. Each ball will be about 200g when spun and I generally spin to laceweight or fingering weight yarn. I have a wool on my spindle at the moment so it will be a good week or 2 before I'm in a place to start this and I cannot WAIT!

I absolutely love the wool this place produces, really high quality of production, never any issues with the spin and the colours are very vibrant BUT it is VERY expensive, more than double what I usually buy but the quality is better.

I've also bought myself a lucet (for making cordage) and a large eye 'needle' to be used for Naalbinding - this is a VERY old form of knitting and is a cross between knitting and stitching. It is also a craft that is on the endangered list so I am hoping to at least teach myself the basics

I may have to go on a spending ban now at least until the mill hill kits I'm waiting on come back into stock..........

[Serinde]

Oh, now this is just showing off! I'm just learning to spin (still at the "art yarn" phase ), and I can see exactly why you couldn't resist all of these. Are the two ramie fibres going to actually be spun together or plied together? Luceting is fun (you'll have come across Ziggy, no doubt), although I tend to make cordage when I need it either by hand or by using a kumihimo wheel. There's good information online (YouTube, eg) on naalbinding: last time I tried, all I got was knots. Must revisit. I'm told naalbinding (naalbound?) mittens and socks wear like iron. Them Vikings knew a thing or two.

I sure hope you are a member of the Glamorgan Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers!!

[Arianwen]

I wouldnt call myself proficient yet Serinde - more passable. I'm incredibly lucky in that I can spend most of every working day spinning so I get plenty of practice! I will (eventually) get around to weaving and knitting with the wool I've already spun. I have not long washed it all to set the twist in it.

Re: the Ramie - I havent decided yet. I don't have proper combs to blend it so I will probably spin each colour separately and then ply the two colours together.

I don't know much about the Lucet, that and the needle came in a set together so it will all be a voyage of discovery.

There is a fair bit on youtube, and a few websites for Naalbinding, and a few books that I am eyeing up. I've heard that too - more tightly woven and durable than knitted or crocheted.

I am not, no but I might have to look into it now I'm getting more experienced!

[Mabel Figworthy]

Arianwen, that is a lovely lot of gorgeousness - have fun using it!

[Serinde]

I am not, no but I might have to look into it now I'm getting more experienced!

Why wait? I was the most novice-y of novice tapestry weavers when I first started attending. My Guild is full of people delighted to have another person who loves fibre. I'm certain Glamorgan is the same. You certainly don't need to be an expert -- don't be put off by the "Guild" word.

[Mabel Figworthy]

Have just treated myself to a second slate frame from Jenny Adin-Christie in preparation for my Silk Shading module, which I may overlap with my unending Canvaswork module.

[Serinde]

Clearly necessary!

[Steam.Jo]

I've just brought a lovely Magpie tree kit to go with my "And then a forest grew":



However when it arrived the fabric is missing ! I have contacted the seller to see what they are going to do about it.

Edit: The nice seller refunded me the money to buy a new piece of evenweave.

Jo

[Mabel Figworthy]

That's a good outcome, it means you can get a really nice piece of fabric for it!

[Mabel Figworthy]

After a lot of hemming (of the non-stitchy variety) and hawing I've signed up for a two-day Shadow Work class at Hampton Court Palace in July. And then somehow I also booked an AirBnB by the Thames for two nights longer than needed, so that DH can join me after the class and we can explore HCP and the surrounding areas. Odd how these things happen....

[Steam.Jo]

That's a good outcome, it means you can get a really nice piece of fabric for it!

The Wombat sent me a rather nice piece of quaker cloth and I was thinking both the "Then a tree grew" and the "Magpie tree" would look good on it

Odd how these things happen....

Don't you hate it when it happens but hey it would cost more to cancel so why not

I am interested to see your work from the Shadow Work Class.

Jo

[fccs]

Jo, I love the Magpie Tree and will be looking forward to watching it grow.

Mabel, the shadow work class sounds fun and challenging.

[Steam.Jo]

If you recall I brought the DMC thread box and a jewellery box for my Anchor threads. I had already decided to keep all my Cross stitch needles in the top of the DMC box:



In the second box I had left the top layer complete with the "ring holders" and I kept thinking what could I do with it. Today it dawned on me :



The ring holders are ideal for sticking needles in. So I now have somewhere for all my other sewing needles to be stored

Jo

[Mabel Figworthy]

Brilliant!

[Mabel Figworthy]

I've been treating myself to some more goldwork books (they all have a slightly different approach to the various techniques) and yesterday this one arrived:

[Steam.Jo]

Nice

Jo

[Mabel Figworthy]

And the second goldwork book (with a peek at what must be my favourite project from it: a penguin brooch!)

[Steam.Jo]

Love the Penguin.

Just had an Oops moment and won something on Fleabay. No not another cross stitch kit


This:



One of the Ladies at my sewing group brought hers along on Friday and I fell in love with it. Then I spotted this one on Fleabay, bid and WON Its got the table, storage box, cover, a load of presser feet that I have no idea what they are for and now I need some oil ...

Jo