February (can’t resist ing-ing)

Yes, I know, it’s the middle of March. Keep up, SpinningStreak.

 

But I’ve been busy. Fighting freezing conditions in the way I know best…

Walking over icy Sussex Downs with my lovely sister-in-law – all about the frozen dew ponds and shivering sheep:

 

Hiding away for a week in a cottage in Rye. Entertaining family members from over 90 to under one month!

 

Visiting Tenterden, Hastings Old Town, Tunbridge Wells…

 

Listening to tales of a childhood in the early 1930s and really really wishing I had recorded it…

The weather was frankly grim. The following week, of course, was almost summer – though vanished again now.

IMG_5785Three year old granddaughter’s current favourite place to visit – ‘Pirate’ park in Reigate.

Working, reading, working, knitting, working, spinning – well, no change there.

Some Serious Planning is also going on backstage – but enough – I think I might have just about caught up!

January-ing

 

Joining in this for the first time!

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Walking over the misty Sussex Downs. Thinking Ravilious.

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Reading: three sorts of scary.

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But also dipping into these.

 

Making: wonky bread, marmalade, quince jelly and chutney.

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And making fires – LOTS of them.

 

Sorting china – plenty more where that came from…(the roof!)

 

Watching and waiting – think the narcissi are winning!

 

Listing: in the Etsy shop – cosy stuff! Cushions, cowls leg warmers…

AND plenty of time spent BlogLoving: this month I have particularly enjoyed:

https://www.frond-and-feather.com/

https://cjabovetheriver.blogspot.com/

https://www.attic24.typepad.com/

https://christinascolourfullive.blogspot.com/

All about the trees?

 

Mine, with a few others from Standen – plus my bowl of quinces. All over now, except the quinces which have morphed into jelly.

Bit late, but it seemed churlish to ignore it altogether! I do feel nostalgic for the festive greenery, despite still finding trails of ivy under the sofas. On the whole, though, I’m glad to be emerging from what is always an unreal few weeks.

But January? The blogs I read (and do really enjoy) are urging me to ‘welcome winter’ and ‘go with the seasons” etc etc.  All very good advice – what is the alternative after all? So I am happy to reflect on winter walks, icy bracken, subdued colours of nature, roaring fires, hearty food, cosy reading (in fact, everything ‘cosy’) – but this is definitely an idealised view.  The reality out there, from this urban window, is mild, damp, grey and full of scuttling, rather miserable-looking people. Luckily, I can move to another window which will give me twinkling lights and sea views!

Maybe the best thing about January for me is the holiday I take from my Etsy work. Apart from some custom dyeing I don’t usually do much for the shop. Just a little fancy spinning for myself, and stuff for friends and family. I’m currently crocheting a blanket for daughter number 4 (I’m pretty sure she never reads this!) and a few other projects mixed up below!

 

Back with a bump

Weather-wise, that is. From regular mid 30s to not even 15 degrees. So hard to accept that summer is over! The days we spent in Vieux Lyon were probably peak heat – over 38C. The rather sinister looking bars above were actually our window in an amazing 15th century hotel building – very lucky to stumble across this one.

You may have guessed that the big draw for me was the Textile Museum. For about 500 years Lyon was a world centre for silk production. I have been wanting to visit this museum for almost that long…. and it did not disappoint!

Back now to work, family and a much neglected Etsy shop. Internet for a couple of hours a week is not great for running an online business!

Choices, choices…..

Over this weekend I have had to offer two sorts of sock yarn. (I think people must be starting to knit socks for Christmas, though it could be for summer shawls instead!) My first instinct is always to grab the dye pots and have some fun experimenting – but I peeped into my stocks and decided to get realistic. I fished out the first 20 skeins (probably about a third of the sock yarn ready to go) and spread it around.

The first choice was not too tricky – ‘luxury, soft and feminine’. So I went for some silk and alpaca in more pastel colours, and will probably end up with this top one, which is more subtle than it looks, especially when knitted up.  It was a very successful batch, though I say it myself.

But choice number two is harder. It is for ‘something different’. Hmm. I assume that EVERYONE who orders Indie hand dyed yarn is looking for ‘something different’ –  otherwise there are dozens of perfectly good commercial yarns out there….

Does it mean in-your-face, saturated colours, like these?

Or just unusual combinations – maybe these?

I’m really not sure. Any ideas?

The bird that never flew

The tree that never grew

The bell that never rang

The fish that never swam….

The four miracles of Saint Mungo, represented on Glasgow city’s coat of arms and commemorated in stained glass in the Cathedral.

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The outside of the cathedral did not look too promising – but what a feast inside. A magnificent medieval building, on the site of Saint Mungo’s shrine. His tomb is in the crypt, which is mid 13th century and just as atmospheric as the one in Canterbury – a really special place.

As you may have guessed, I seem to be having trouble leaving Scotland behind. That trip was over a month ago now – but it still surfaces in my thoughts every day. In a very good way.

 

From batt to skein: brief but fun part of a textile journey.

 

The spinning bit!  My favourite. Carding can be tedious, fighting the drum carder to make the art batts is usually interesting, dyeing the silk threads is always exciting – but nothing beats the actual spinning process on the wheel. Once you have decided on the effect you want, and how you are going to get there, you can sink into a sort of rhythmic trance, watching the magic spool out from under your fingers…

Then you have to decide whether to use it, stash it (!) – or toss it into the Etsy shop and hope for the best!