Up and running again....

Today is a red-letter day, when we can start to resume a more normal lifestyle.  Lockdown restrictions mean more freedom, lets hope the dark days of isolation are behind us.  It's been a time for reflection, and doing things we havn't had time to do.  I have spun a lot of wool, and some Alpaca, some old projects that had been shelved have been finished, and true to say that some of the enthusiasm for making those has gone, but they were nevertheless finished.  I found some Shetland fibres, and a pattern book, so spun all the Shetland and hand knitted a hat.  I have plenty of yarn left to make something else, perhaps to use it with another spun yarn so it will make a wearable item (sweater, cardigan, etc.), I shall search for a pattern, or maybe just write my own.

I have made some mice with very fine yarns, all colours.  I think too, they have been searching for freedom. 

I've made a number of sweaters, mostly for children, since last November.  I think more than10, but my yarn stash is not much depleted, there will be enough left to make more for the children for next winter.  I've made Star-wars figures in crochet, I'll photograph them and post them next time.

The North Yorkshire Moors Project

The latest project, designed on the North Yorkshire Moors, in August, when the heather is out.

The purple heather, in full bloom.  August 2019

The purple North Yorkshire Moors

The warp for the design is 108cms wide on the Toika loom.  It is created to be woven  as an undulating twill, with random colourways, taken from the heather and surrounding moorland.  The resultant piece will be a 'throw' of about 200cms in length, with a fringe at each end.

The handspun wool for this project was dyed with acid dyes.

Gladstone Bag

The Gladstone Bag



The Gladstone bag is finished, lined in glazed cotton, and with two pockets inside.  It measures roughly 16" wide by 10" deep.

 

Inside, you can get plenty in!

Close-up of the weave structure.

Woven fabric, the latest....

I have been using wool to make a point draft weave with a twill structure.


The warp chain

Here is the warp made, chain linked and ready to 'dress' the loom. 

The next picture shows the threading up.  It's quite a tedious process, accuracy is paramount, but careful work results in an accurate and successful weaving.

Threading hook at the ready

The fabric is woven in bands of colour, then washing (fulling) takes place.

A closeup of the weave structure.

It will be used for a project, stitched into something.....?!

I will post a picture of the result when it is finished.

'Waves', the stole.

 

The finished stole, measuring about 6ft in length, light, warm
and sparkling with silver threads.

The stole was woven in kingfisher blue mohair, white hand-spun Alpaca and Cashgora, with the warp made from royal blue Cashgora, as was the long fringe.

A photograph taken at Scarborough, of the sea,
which was the inspiration for the weaving. 

The waves, close up, white surf, undulating waves
 and sparkling blue.

The weave structure is undulating twill.

Hanging Grimston Exhibition

Here are some pictures from the 'Art and Archaeology Exhibition' from July 2017. 

It was a Community Arts Project, with many items of artwork on show inspired by the archaeology and landscape at Hanging Grimston, the site of a deserted Mediaeval village that was being excavated.

The theme of my work was 'the Wolds', and the colours taken from photographs of the May countryside, with the trees and fields showing fresh spring green with bright yellow oil seed rape in adjoining fields.  Dark shadows provided contrast with sheep grazing the site.





Here are two sheep hand knitted, with needle-felted bodies.

Two cushions woven with a different weave structure, and complimentary machine knitted pieces made up into pleasing examples.

The machine knitted technique is knit-weave.





Update, April 2018

A lot has happened since my last post. 

After gaining a HNC in Weaving at Bradford College Art School I now have a working studio, and established teaching of spinning.  Commissions and experimental work in machine knitting combined with weaving, creating exciting new textures to compliment and contrast, making cushions, rugs and throws.  More on that later, when I will feature some of the latest designs with pictures on this web-site.  Watch this space!