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.

Frustrating moments

This is a picture of a disappointment. I've spent a good part of the afternoon, knitting, unpicking, knitting....to come up with this, which isn't right. So this will be unpicked and started again!

On a rainier note, after the heat of a week or so ago it's now glorious rain. However, looking out my window.....not only is my washing still on the line but so is my neighbours. Both optimists, obviously.

Happy Easter

I hope everyone had a happy Easter. We went to the beach and ate chocolates. Not bad really. Saturday afternoon listening to Ross Wilson on Churchill Island, Sunday afternoon, cheese and wine at Phillip Island wines. The rest just lazing really.

I wasn't totally non-productive. Some spinning was done. I had purchased at the last Australian Sheep and Wool Show some dyed fleece. I've spun it up to create a few different yarns. I'll take this all to Harrietville. I need to find some matching top to ply with, and I'll start knitting as well.

As I haven't used these yarns in anything particular it will be interesting to see how they knit up.

This is the last lot of spinning that I won't record how long it takes. I've decided to no longer apply a flat rate to each yarn, but an individual one based on the time taken to make. This will, hopefully, highlight which will be better to sell and those that I need to use in a more productive way. I suspect some of the more fun yarns are faster, not just fat, slubby yarns. It also fits into the way I'm going in that each piece is unique and is priced accordingly.

Everyone made some sales

I checked my stock at In.cube8tr to discover I made a sale. At last, cheers all round. I must make some more interesting cuffs, as it was the black multi-colour handspun cuff which hopefully looks wonderful on the buyer.

I also called in to a shop in Smith St which sells all sorts of 'goth' stuff. Lots of black t-shirts, corsets, very interesting jewellery and a great range of killer shoes. These are my purchases, which are a bit tame, but still fun. Look at the label.

Stash busting

I have been working, despite the lack of blogging. A combination of our wonderful heat wave and computer issues has meant a lack of movement on this front.



I've had a commission for a set of my red cuffs in a much smaller size.



Also, I've been doing some serious stash busting. Spinning 5 or 6 different unwanted commercial yarns together and then knitting on extremely large needles (25mm) is a very quick way of creating a really bulky fabric. If you take more care than I have on the colour combinations, it actually results in quite a good look.


The sad thing, is that even though quite a number of yarns have been removed from the stash, there seems to be no more space in the storage boxes. It's as if all the yarns relaxed and breathed out!

Masks of China at the Immigration Museum

On a blazing hot day in Melbourne we headed to the Immigration Museum for the 'Masks of China' exhibition. It was worth it. Masks ranged from the very beautiful to the quirky to the downright disturbing! As a bonus there were some beautiful textiles with the traditional embroidery that we associate with Chinese textiles. Colours were vibrant with a great combination of the three primaries plus green and white for a scheme which worked better than just the three primaries.


I would love to know more about Gnome Grandma and Gnome Grandpa, especially Grandma, who had some very interesting facial expressions.


Unfortunately, knowing I would be unable to take photos, I had assumed that the Museum would have published a catalogue which I was ready to purchase. There was none and there was, apparently, insufficient funds to produce one. This Museum needs more funding. Its exhibitions are always interesting and in a country of migrants this is intrinsic to how we think of ourselves.

Meet some rocks

Kandy




I thought you might like to meet some new friends. I've finished four out of the six. The other two are nearly done. I'm very happy with them and seeing them again this morning did make me smile. I hope it does that for others. They will look cute on the stall on Saturday night.

Trent

Tomorrow is a busy day. Boys tennis, the Black and Coloured Sheepbreeders Association are coming to the Handweavers and Spinners guild to sell their wares. And I have to go to Twilight Sounds at Sills Bend for the market.

Kylie

Sunday will be equally nice with a visit to the Immigration Museum to see the Masks of China exhibition. I will miss youngest son in a rock band, but hubby will be there camera in hand.

Heather