Sheep Day 2011 - more photos

Tina has just sent over some photos she sent of me demonstrating at Sheep Day earlier this year. When demonstrating I never take photos of myself nor what I'm doing so I will share hers instead. It was a really windy day so I just used the microwave and not gas stove.

Before I do any dyeing I use an acrylic yarn to tie off the skein in about 4-5 places so that it will not tangle (or at least that is the theory)

What you can't see is that the painted yarn is on cling film ready for rolling into a sausage to be "cooked" in the microwave. If you do this make sure that the steam can escape both ends.

Once out and cooled you can then carefully cut away the cling film to reveal beautiful yarn. This is a Blue Faced Leicester 100g,  DK weight bought ready for dyeing. I love it so much that I haven't sold it and it is in my stash waiting to be knitted up into a scarf.

Natural Dye Workshop

Last Saturday I taught a Natural Dyeing workshop at Unique Cottage Farm Studio. It is a workshop I enjoy teaching, especially  if we can get outside on a hot July Summer day. Not this time, it rained heavily all day and despite being confined to the studio progress was good and we used eight different natural dye products throughout the day. Some were native to this country, others like Logwood chips had been harvested in other parts of the world. I do always make sure that I buy things from a reputable source though. It is a good class as we cover dyeing with flower heads, powdered roots, bark and wood chips as well as the tiny Cochineal bug.

Julie and Kat, can't remember what was in that pan though.

In the studio

The washing line was full of samples I had brought with me. The clothes dryer was becoming full of the samples from the pans.

The cochineal pan, Nigel had the job of crushing them before dyeing.

On the day we dyed with dry daffodil heads, these are marigold heads from a previous session.

The Brazilwood pan, can't nature produce amazing colours?

Birch bark before being added to water.

And finally a rescue. On Wednesday Simba cat had been very interested in a baby sparrow. A short while later I saw him looking very smug with a very full mouth (think hamster). I realised that anything in his mouth would be dead but couldn't bear the thought of him eating anything with feathers. After catching him I made him give up his mouthful and imagine my surprise when instead of sparrow I discovered tiny mouse. It looked very dead and was placed in a container until I could dispose of it without the cat seeing him. When DS came in from school the mouse started to jump up and down in the container very much alive. DS then took it into the cornfield in front of the house and realised it (cue Born Free music), I couldn't resist sharing this photo of the tiny tiny mouse.

Stolen Quilt

I have just heard that this A4 sized quilt was stolen along with a number of other items from the quilt show I visited last week. Please spread this image round your blog, especially if you are a Lincolnshire blogger.

If you do have any news just contact me and I will pass on your message.

A Grand day Out

I'm about a week behind at the moment. Yesterday I taught "Natural Dyeing" with nine fantastic people, I'll save that for another post. Last Sunday saw me driving up to the Lincolnshire Wolds for a Quilt Show. I also managed to see a friend for lunch whom I haven't seen since last FoQ so a good day.

It was a wonderful display of quilts of different sizes, techniques and colours.

I loved this one, my colours and using hand dyed fabrics.

Lots of things to see which were all exquisitely made.

Sorry I can't remember who made this tiny landscape.

I like the quilting which gave this bed quilt movement.

This was one of my favourite quilts. It was made by Bev Anderson for her City & Guilds course.

This was all made from blankets which had been dyed. Woolly and lovely.

When I first married DH we had a cat called Skimble. he was black and into everything. Yes, I have a memory of him nearly falling into the fish tank so this made me smile.

Its the last week of term - five days to go. DS2 will be leaving his school to move up to secondary school in September. This is going to be difficult for him as he doesn't like change and has an emotional age much younger than his years. At least we are prepared for this and the rocky road which might be ahead. A fun packed summer holiday is planned so I hope the weather will be kind to us.

Natural Dye Workshop

Have you ever wondered about the amazing colours that plants can give us, and the odd insect?

Confused about which mordants are better?

Come and join me for a Natural Dyeing workshop at Unique Cottage Farm Studio in Spalding on the 16th July 10-4pm

Jo has just told me that there are a couple of places left. If you are interested click here

Hope to see you there..................