Welcomes and Winner

A quick post this evening folks as I'm just back from a short and sweet visit to Bath. Haven't even unpacked yet. I will post 'proper' in the next day or so. But I wanted to pick the winner of my blog's 3rd anniversary giveaway.

First though I would like to welcome some new followers, Jo, Alexandra and Laura.

I'm sorry everybody that entered the giveaway couldn't win a prize, but I will be doing another giveaway in the New Year.

So the winner is......................................

Congratulations Yvonne, please let me know your postal address and I will get your parcel off to you forthwith.


email at:birchlen@btconnect.com

Immersed in Craft

Bear by Heather Drage

Had a fun and full on day with the knitty group at the Knitting and Stitching Show at Ally Pally yesterday. The rain first thing put quite a few folk off, but that was a bonus for us, as we could walk around the show without being squished to death. It was great.

I got a good deal on the tickets by booking early, then booking as a mini group, then adding a discount code that Texere Yarns had very kindly sent through to me. So instead of £16.00 per person we only paid £10.50, what a bargain!

I only made a few necessary purchases, which I will share with you another time. Small items that I needed for my projects list and one C*******s present.

Looking at and buying gorgeous materials and yarns is only part of the many pleasures of the annual show. I get so much more from experiencing other peoples work and understanding their inspirations. This show offers a large and varied body of work put together by artists and makers from all walks of life. Fascinating.

We Are What We Eat by Helen O'Leary

Closer to home, a local maker Polly Kettley, is opening up her studio for a one day 'Introduction to Lampshade Making', on Thursday 16th October. Using the most amazing vintage fabrics, you can, with her help, create your own bespoke shade.

Polly has actually made a few shades for me, which sit mighty prettily in my studio and drawing room. So I'm confident you will get good value, in every sense, from the experience.

So if you are within easy travel distance of Lewes, East Sussex, pop over to her site for the full details.

Also don't forget to enter my exciting 3rd anniversary blog giveaway. Remember you have until this Sunday to participate. Good Luck.

Weekend Plans and a Surprise

The mister and I had planned to pop along to a small Real Ale festival in Lewes on Saturday night. He is usually the nominated driver when we venture forth, so it was my chance to drive him so he could imbibe more fully. I'm not a great fan of these things you understand, but in a relationship it's a good thing to share each others interests, no? And of course I took some knitting with me, so the evening wasn't a complete wash out, even though there seemed to be a LOT of SHOUTY people in the pub.

The plans for Sunday were much more up my street. Southwark Cathedral to see the Wool Week exhibition, which is free entry btw. A stroll down through Bermondsey to the Kerry Taylor auction house to view some vintage Biba bits, followed by some nosh in Maltby Street, all very trendy now, don't you know.

As we were preparing to leave the house Sunday morning, Steve Wright let slip on radio 2 that Ray Winstone was to be interviewed that very afternoon, for a BAFTA special: 'A Life in Pictures'. Where is BAFTA HQ? I asked the Mister. Why, Piccadilly says he. My cue for some over excitement.

Tickets for this fabulous event were only £15.00 a head and that included a Tattinger champagne reception before the talk. I was beyond happy, as you can imagine.

bar @ BAFTA

Any hoo, I've managed to come back down to earth now, after breathing the same air as Mr. Winstone for nearly two hours. He was everything I expected him to be, gracious, honest, funny and diamond geezerish. Wonderful.

For those of you not quite so in love with Ray, here are some more pics of the day.

The Shard

Old Southwark reflected in New Southwark

Lovely London boozer

Another lovely London boozer

The Wool Exhibition at Southwark Cathedral

Ah Londinium, how I love thee.

3rd Anniversary Blog Giveaway

Hello to all of my lovely fellow blogging chums. As you will see from the title of this post I have been wittering bestowing my wisdom and wit on this here site for three years this week.

Only fair to organise a little giveaway I thought. So with apologies for the pics, (I must blame failing light at this time of day and season). Here goes.

So the top image shows the giveaway prize in total. 2 x 50g balls of 100% pure Alpaca yarn, made in Peru. Only the best for you lot.
A pattern for some delightful fingerless mitts and various flowers and leaves, in case you can't think what to make with the yarn.
6 x pretty crochet hooks. Plus as a random afterthought, a small perfectly formed nodding doggie.

There you have it. Should you be so inclined to enter the giveaway, you will need to be a Google Friend Connect Follower and leave a comment on any of my posts this week.
Yes this is partly a ruse on my part to increase my listed followers. (Hundreds of lovely peeps visit my site so I know you're out there).

For every comment you make you will get one entry, so more comments more chances.

I will pick a name out of the proverbial titfer Sunday night.

I'm very happy to send the parcel anywhere in the world, so this giveaway is open to everyone.

I'll be back tomorrow with a 'proper' post about my exciting weekend. I know, you can't wait.

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.

Funeral Today

This afternoon, following the funeral of the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire, the gardens at Chatsworth will be open to all for a celebration of her life.

Everybody is welcome to attend the service this morning. It's a shame I couldn't make it up to Derbyshire today but I know she will have a massive turnout of people paying their respects.

She was a great lady.

Wool Week Is Happening

Regular readers of my blog will know I'm a bit of a woolly enthusiast. I love all the myriad breeds of sheep, I love their fleece and I love working with yarn made from wool. Let's face it I just adore wool. There I've said it.

If you want to try and understand my obsession check out all the woolly gorgeousness that is going on next week. The Campaign for Wool is celebrating Wool Week, which officially starts on 6th October with a whole range of activities.

The interiors collection exhibition at Southwark Cathedral will no doubt be amazing if previous events are anything to go by. You will be blown away by the quality and creative inventiveness of the designers and makers that use wool in a thousand different ways. It opens this Sunday 5th October and runs until Sunday 12th October, 10-7 daily with a late night on Thursday until 8pm, admission is free. Click on the CFW link above for more information.

via

Today I finally started on my woven rug project, which incidentally was inspired by a visit to Somerset House during a previous Wool Week. I set up a peg loom with some natural jute to create my warps which I have woven through with my washed and carded Ryeland fleece. It is a very exciting process and at the moment it's all looking good. And the best bit is just twisting the fleece into place without having to spin it, creating a very organic and artisan look. I'll post some pics soon so you can see the effect.

I'll sign off today with a little wool flick to get you in the mood. The Uist Wool Project uses restored carding and spinning machines from the 19th century and 1950s. Click here to view.

Uist Wool via

Welcome to my new Google Friend Connect Follower llhame az, who can be found on Pinterest.