Fabric and knitting

Yesterday was supposed to be hard working, get ready for the next market day, unfortunately, the day was eaten up with washing, cleaning, catching up with friends, ailing, as it turned out. I didn't get to do anything till late at night, so I decided to work on a project that had been given some reality on our trip to Harrietville.


At Red Ramia in Myrtleford amongst all the treasures they have there, and there are alot, were loads of Japanese fabrics. I bought this one.



The project I have in mind is to cut up the fabric, (sorry to all who care about the fabric as a whole) and attach to a length of machine knitted wool. Scarf length, so I can have a finished product and it is a good test. I'm then going to felt it and see what happens. I actually have no idea what I'm aiming at, just hoping for an interesting result.





Red Ramia is a wonderful shop in Myrtleford full of Japanese clothing, fabric, furniture, bits and pieces. In particular, I love the calligraphy brushes. All sorts of sizes with the most exquisite handles made of wood, jade, all sorts. They've now included Morrocan ware and will be making a trip to India. It's a large fascinating shop, well worth a visit

Spinning and Yarn Magazine

A very enjoyable weekend spent Experimental Spinning on Saturday. I'm not sure I got much spinning done, but did get to practice my long draw. I thought it would be ideal for using when including 'bits' but wasn't as successful as I'd hoped. Perhaps more practice is needed.

We then spent some time going over our entry for the Australian Sheep and Wool Show which is coming along very well. We've got colours, ideas and can start spinning natural coloured yarns and doing icords to our hearts content. The next 3D5S meeting in April will continue this planning. After that we need to get down to some serious production. Again, the process is proving to be very enjoyable with everyone contributing.

Sunday, I did pick up the bridge cosy and will be displaying it at the HWSG meeting in two weeks. Had a lovely cup of tea on the verandah looking at the beautiful forest, we even managed to be on the same time, as we'd both forgotton it was the end of daylight saving!

I have been poring over the latest edition of Yarn magazine. As you may know, it was in danger of being lost, however, some intrepid people have taken over and we have their first edition. There's lots of reading, which I do enjoy. I don't really collect the patterns. I do like how they range over a wide variety of yarn ideas. Silk being this editions focus. And it's Australian.

Yarn stash scarves

Well it's all back to business with a working group meeting for the 9x5 QMM market, which is next Sunday (13th April), and all the planning that goes with it. With a new co-ordinator, hopefully we'll be back to being organised and a little less hands-on involvement.

This made me think about the next market, and, my idea to use the skills from the bridge cosy to knit really big, thick, chunky scarves, which might not take too long to spin up and knit. This proved to be the case with the first 'orange' scarf. It is very orange and bright.

Hopefully, this will fit the bill of a quick turnover item during the winter months, which I hope will be long, cold and not wet on the Second Sunday of the month!

Today is Experimental Spinning day, we'll be happily spinning Corriedale, well a little bit, woollen spinning, if I can remember how, all combined with 'bits'. Should be fun.

The weekend fibre sandwich

One of the workshops at Harrietville was Viv's fibre sandwich. This is a wonderful group activity which results in much laughter, sharing and exhuberant yarns. As I've already participated in one, I didn't do this workshop. However, she decided to run an open for the whole weekend, for anybody to contribute either 50gm or 100gm, for which they would receive the appropriate amount back. This I had to be in!

Well the fibre turned into a rather large pile, as you can see, chair high. It really was!

Over 40 people participated with over 80 bags distributed. It felt like Christmas had arrived early with Santa giving out little bags of joy for good girls!

I have now put it through my drum carder and spun it all up. I will ply it with some black and some white, as before, though I am a little tempted to find some purple and use that. Have to have a think about that!

Computerised dyeing

The workshop at Harrietville run by Carmel and Jan was inspired by the self striping yarns created for sock knitting.

They've come up with a way to 'replicate' that process, which involves measureing out your yarn in an approximately 40ft skein and dyeing and tying with plastic. It was actually alot of fun. My skein was coloured with left over dye, so is perhaps not quite the colours I would choose.

I chose to crochet a scarf, rather than socks and to use a wave pattern. (3dc, 2htr, 2tr, 3dtr, 2tr, 2htr repeated, with a dc row in between). I quite like the effect.

I have a small ball left over, a result of not winding a tight enough ball on my ball winder...I should have been able to get the lot on, but it has given me the opportunity to make another set of cuffs....I only have to find a suitable crochet pattern to create a frilly edge.

Bridge Cosy

Ah yes Harrietville. On the return trip from Harrietville last year, after a conversation with another participant, my driver and I decided we needed to do something special, both for the weekend participants and the people of Harrietville. After much brainstorming, laughter, and 'we must be mad!', etc., we decided on making a scarf for the bridge at Harrietville.

Logistical considerations meant that we needed to enlist help and a number of people were roped in. After a minimal stash busting exercise we had more than enough to ply together and knit into a long scarf. More helpers were roped in and the length was transported to Harrietville for installation late Friday night.

Enlisting another helper at the last miniute and then trying to be as quiet as possible...how far does the sound of giggles travel...one for the scientists!...we laid it out and found we had just the right amount to cover the length of the walkway side of the bridge and bows in each end around the columns.

Immediate response was quiet as the interest built through the day, puzzling most people, and we were able to keep it secret till the Saturday night when we announced ourselves as the culprits. It was a wonderful success as an installation, but also such a wonderful process, working/playing with my wonderful friends.

At the end of the weekend all that was left were these bags!

PS. No stashes were harmed in the making of this scarf!

Harrietville 2008

This weekend was the annual Handweavers and Spinners Guild of Victoria, weekend in Harrietville. Travelling with friends was a good day in the car, punctuated with stops at First Editions and Wangaratta Woollen Mills, lots of talk and laughter, and we did manage to eat and drink along the way, as well. Purchases were made and other travellers met and greeted. The journey to Harrietville is an event in itself.

Harrietville is a relaxed Friday night to Sunday lunch. With all meals provided, workshops you can drop in and out of, beautiful surrounds and welcoming locals, the weekend passes too quickly. There is so much to talk about that I'll add for the rest of the week.

This first post Harrietville post is about the workshops I managed to attend.

Marianne Little is a wonderful artist and paper maker and I managed to make two sheets of paper. Having done a little paper making, it was just a privilege to listen to her, look at her paper and, most delightfully to look through the portfolio of her art work. Inspiring!

On Saturday afternoon, I managed to attend Carmel and Jan's dyeing workshop. Inspired by the computer dyed yarns that have been available for sock making, they have devised a very interesting way of creating our own controlled dyeing versions. Much nicer, I think. I was using left over dyes and am not quite sure of my colour choices. I've skeined it up and it's not that bad. Trying to find a suitable pattern. I think I want something wavy!

One of the other workshops was Viv's fibre sandwich. I didn't participate in this, but she decided to create a weekend long fibre sandwich, which was such fun. With willing helpers, she ended up with over 40 people contributing and 80, 50gm sandwiches to distribute. I can't wait to spin mine up, I think I'll card it first. Just love it.

More throughout the week.