Saturday 4 October 2014

Leisurely Saturday


Drizzly weather greeted us first thing this morning, but as I have no chores lined up today it didn't put a dampner on my mood.

Plus we have a pretty great weekend lined up, more of that anon.

Just for a change we made pancakes for breakfast. We often have a cooked brekkie at weekends.

Black Farmer's sausages or Spoilt Pig bacon, with eggs and mushrooms.

But the pancakes are better for our waistlines and our purses. Mind you not if you eat them in Sinatra quantities. Just a squeeze of lemon and the tiniest drizzle of honey. Lots of hot coffee, perfection.

I decided too as I'm up to date with most things in the home I could catch up with reading some magazines. All in all a well earned lazy Saturday morning.


As I mentioned before, this week I have made a start on my woven rug. I'm making it from the Ryeland fleece I bought from a local farmer. I have hand processed it apart from using an electric carder, borrowed from a chum. Carding, in case you don't know, removes unwanted knots from the fleece and aligns the fibres. You could after this stage spin the wool and make a yarn with it.

I promised Chickpea I would post some pics of the peg loom I'm using. The loom cost me £11.50 and the fleece £5.00. The jute twine was an absolute steal from Hobbycraft at £1.99.

Carding process



The fleece is ultra squidgy, soft and warm and so should be ideal for a bedside rug. In my mind I'm hoping the woven fleece will give a 'pebbled' look to the rug. Btw, when it is finished the jute string will not be visible.

8 comments:

  1. "Waiter..Waiter...Will the pancakes be long".
    "No sir....Round"...! :).
    (Best pancake joke ever...it can't be battered).
    And...Yep! l'm partial to a pancake or three....
    like them sweet or spicy...mmmM!
    Though, l start each and every day with a fry up!
    Naughty l know...But! There it is...!
    And, sometimes, Bertie, the springer, next door
    comes back from the farm. and brings me a young
    bunny, he's caught...I skin it, clean it, wash it, and,
    straight into the pan, with a bit of bacon....!
    Hare to~day...Gone tomorrow...! :).

    The rug looks nice....HeHe! Is that the only colour it
    comes in....No! must'nt joke...Mia Mama...She used to
    make such things to...And, l used to help out to...Hence,
    l'm blessed with so much talent! Shackled to her in my
    younger days, l learnt so many things....Sicilian boys are
    raise just like the girls....

    Oh! l meant to say Jean....I do like your new bathroom
    layout...The statues and waterfall...Very nice....Hope
    there's a lock on the door....HeHe! :>).

    Must goooo, footy's on.....Ciao..Ciao!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Took me a while to work out the bathroom joke, duh. I wish I did have a bathroom like that. So Italian, so decadent and so beautiful. Yes, yes, Willie, I know, just like you :)

      Btw It's in the grounds of Hever Castle.

      Jean
      x

      Delete
  2. Oh wow that rug is going be to be so soft and beautiful Jean! The fleece is lovely, the soft greys and white just the perfect foil for any interior as it goes with any colours or just neutrals.Such a great price too, and so nice that it is local.
    May I ask where you got your loom from? It seems such a good price, and it is one of those crafts I would love to try some day. I have made a couple of braided rugs in the past from braiding recycled polo shirts, and one from old work shirts, but on my " to make" list is a proper woven rug like yours made on a loom.
    So please you have posted photos, I have just been trying to imagine it all when you mentioned it in previous posts!
    Sounds a lovely Saturday, starting off with a great breakfast. Hope the rest of your weekend is as fun and relaxing!
    Gill xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Gill, thank you very much for all your sweet comments. I like the organic look of the rug, but I thought It might not be to everyone's taste. It is for our bedroom which is mainly cream and grey so should work well. The loom I bought from a friend who is a member of the same Weavers, Spinners and Dyers Guild as me. One of the members makes them. You might find you have a local WSDG. They are generally very interesting and supportive, helping new members
      acquire new skills. Ours also has a good craft library and let's members borrow equipment.

      Jean
      x

      Delete
  3. It's almost time to shear tge alpacas again and I haven't done anything with last years fleece yet.

    An electric carder - brilliant! And the loom for £11.50 - WOW!!! Won't you please publish close-up details of it? Please :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Dani, I'm hoping to get the rug finished by next week. I will show some close ups of the loom and all it's paraphernalia in detail, once I have removed the work in progress.If you are handy with a saw and drill it would be quite an easy thing to make. Maybe a bigger size for Alpaca fleece?

      Jean

      x

      Delete
  4. Thank you for the photos, it looks fascinating. The rug looks gorgeous, it will be wonderfully soft underfoot. I would love to have a go, I will add it too my very long list of things I would like to try :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. It looks great, I bet it will be lovely, warm & squishy to step on come winter. Can't wait to see it finished. Your Saturday sounds perfect, my youngest is rather keen on pancakes so I've been making them all week for his breakfast.

    ReplyDelete

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