I know why I spin!

As I was gathering all my latest spinning up to wash it and let it relax and set, I just looked at it and thought how wonderful to have these yarns that are just mine! Thought I'd share them with you.

Tarndwarncoort

'Tarndwarncoort' is now indelibly marked in the hearts of the six of us (Snb Rosanna) who ventured to the Western District to stay at the National Trust Property, Tarnwarndcoort. The property has been in the Dennis family for around 150 years and Wendy, Dave and Tom Dennis are wonderful hosts.

We stayed in the historic homestead, where we could sit on the verandah and knit, taking in the view and the sounds that surrounded us.

From our kitchen, breakfast room we sat and

knit around the fire with the most wonderful view of the shop! It was a real trial to make the trek across the yard and decide what purchases we 'needed' to make. Made worse by staying from Friday afternoon till Sunday afternoon, by being able to go back and make that 'extra' purchase.

As this was mostly self catering we managed to provide a wonderful feast each night and the 'leftover' lunch on Sunday was magnificant. We even managed to make S'mores - Graham crackers, Hershe chocolate and toasted marshmallows. Even my sweet tooth could only take two! But we did giggle.

Here are my purchases!

And, I did manage to get some spinning done. I finished the extra yarn from the puff yarn, spinning a single and navaho plying. It now goes into the stash to wait with its' partner for inspiration!

The blue is some Wendy Dennis rovings, plyed with blue cotton.

I must admit that both were plyed when I got home. I was tired and on a roll!

It's so busy!

I'm sure I'm not the only one, but isn't this year strange? I can't seem to get on top of everything and then there are all the weird changes that seem to be happening......my favourite shop changing hands, people selling houses, us building....the list does go on.

So that's where I've been, worrying about building (getting up early and moving the car for the builders!), all my classes, starting a new market (the Rose St. Artists' market) and just getting on with living.

Rose St. Artists' market is a work in progress. My second market was a distinct improvement, but there is a way to go. I realised that much of the difference comes down to not having a group of wonderful regular customers/friends who either buy something or bring their friends and family along. That's what happens when you've been at a market awhile. So I just have to perservere!

I did want to show you what I did yesterday! In a class called 'Workshops', we have guest artists who come along and show us a technique or way to work. For two weeks we have the wonderful Junko who is teaching us Japanese calligraphy techniques. Quite obviously the tip of an enormous iceberg.....she practiced bamboo for six weeks, we did and hour and a half. However, it was lovely. A very different approach, the actual painting is quick, but because it is about single strokes, you really need to focus on what you are going to do and the act of carrying it out. It's very meditative.

As part of the course we have been given these wonderful tools.

And here is my first bamboo!

Oh! and here's the house without the last couple of days, they've been bricklaying and electrifying!

Here 'tis and where am I?

I did manage to finish my puff yarn and I'm quite happy about it! I did have one of those, 'gee I'm glad I bought that' moments, when I'm sitting at my lovely little poly wheel, happily plying without any hitches, and still not quite filling the very large bobbin.

English Leicester, being what it is, a fibre that has the loveliest lustre, that dyes beautifully, but is a strong wool, which means it's not going to feel nice against the skin. This yarn is not going to make a scarf or neckwarmer, so I'm going to have to think about it a bit. Therefore the yarn is going to sit around a bit more, I think it's used to it!

Now, as for me, I've just been accepted into the Rose St market for the next two months, the first market being this Sunday. Yes, I know it's Mothers' Day, well I did after saying 'Yes' to the stall on Sunday, and checking the dates......

I'm just about to update the blog page with the dates, etc. So come and say hello, come out for a trip, it's Mothers' Day!

On the edge of a disaster?

These two bobbins have been living with me for quite a while and it's time to finish things off.


The first big bobbin is full of the first half of a puff yarn. I learnt this yarn from the HWSG Country Conference and really like it. It consists of wrapping a fibre, in this case some dyed English Leicester fleece, around a core yarn. At intervals it is wrapped much more thickly to create a 'puff' ball.



The resulting single is then plyed with a fine binder yarn. In the process the 'puff ball' 'puffs' out as it is untwisted in the process. Lovely.

In my wisdom, I've decided to spin the binder yarn in the same fibre...I have plenty! However, there has been no effort to colour match, how could I? and so, I'm not sure how this is going to turn out, could be the worst barber pole ever!

To add to the difficulty, because, the bobbins have been sitting around for awhile, apart from the last bits that I've spun, they've settled, which means that I might have to second guess the plying.

Oh well, that's tonights problems, now I'm off to Snb to just sit and knit a rib band.....no thinking!

What did I do at Mt Zero?

I thought I'd better show you a couple of my drawings. I do like photographing them, I can look at them with a less critical eye, and, I do think, that they look better photographed!

I couldn't help including textiles in my week away, so I did another of the texture studies. I used some raw linen and much larger needles than before. I did want to get something that is substantial enough and could be finished within the week, with only finishing to go. This mostly succeeded and I am very happy with my little study.

Mt Zero Art Camp

Mt Zero Art Camp, that's what I'm calling it. As with all good things, they don't last long enough. With a trip to and from, it's really only three days of intensive drawing.

Mt Zero is at the top end of the Grampians, turnoff from Dadswells Bridge. The cabins were basic but comfortable. There were five of us with an extra in the tent out back who shared our facilities. So with good company and plenty of food! we were well catered for.

For three days the routine was to rise fairly early in the morning, breakfast and then head off to the site where we would spend the morning, lunch, then off again in the afternoon.

There would be an art gallery showing each evening and it was wonderful to see all the work, analyse your own and decide what to do the next day.

This was broken with a day at the Mt Zero Olive Farm with a lovely hearty lunch with a glass of wine.

On the last day we also did some sculptural work. I made a small, intimate piece which I don't have a good photo for. So you'll have to just imagine from my photo. I was actually quite pleased but you can't quite tell why?