Printing at its best

A glorious day. I did a complete change of my cube. Still working out how to keep it fresh and encourage sales. Hopefully optimistic is probably how you would describe my frame of mind. Roll on the cold weather.

As I've decided to use this day to see galleries, I thought I would go the the exhibition at the State Library called 'the Medieval Imagination'. Illuminated manuscripts, including some from Cambridge. They were an absolute delight ranging from the Divine, contemplative to the Secular. I must admit I particularly like the decoration around the pages. The pictures are, of course, important, however, to add this extra beautiful detail just astonishes me.

It made me think of how to do things that are slow. Slow in the creation, as if each part is important for itself. To do something for its own sake, that takes time and effort. I love the idea of the Book of Hours, where for important times, there is something to contemplate.

I wondered in and out of this exhibition, there is a lot to see, purchased the fabulous catalogue and vowed to come again. It is on till the 15th June. Well worth a visit, especially if you like books.

On arrival home, my mail order copy of Selvedge was waiting for me. I love this. In particular an emphasis on paper. As we're going to attempt to combine newspaper and wire at the next Experimental Spinning this is definitely coming along.

I love beautiful things to look at.

Quick post

Just to let you know, scarf is knit with machine-washable wool. (I hate machine-washable wool, who would put anything handknit in a machine anyway!) It didn't felt.

Must have lost the CD that goes with the Fireworks book, so much more difficult to do sample exercies, slow and annoying.

Grrrh, bad day.

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.