A Grand Day Out

As an enthusiastic supporter of Sustrans I am slightly embarrassed to admit that not only do I do a thirty mile round trip to work every weekday, but lately I am venturing into the lovely county of Wiltshire  to Steeple Ashton on no less than two Saturdays a month.  This is a conservative estimate of an extra eighty miles a month principally because the area around Bath, Bradford on Avon and Trowbridge is so utterly beautiful, but to an unfamiliar eye, all a bit similar and when you are putting the world to rights and generally having a giggle with a car share buddy it is very easy to take a wrong turn!  Never mind. We will get to know all the journey after another couple of attempts. At least we car share and we are part of the movement to use natural yarns and to share and develop textile related skills. We did even discuss the possibility of biking to the Wiltshire Guild of Spinners Weavers and Dyers meeting, but quickly came to the conclusion that it would mean taking a tent and making a weekend of it.

I did however, get to practice my rather inexpert skills spinning with my spindle.

I finished my second Borrowed Plumes Cowl.  Try as I might, I cannot get a good photo of it- the yarn is everyday double knitting wool ( probably not wool!) and the effect with a single coloured yarn is really nice, but it is black and as I am camera skills challenged I think I will just leave that one to your imagination. Better still - have a look at the link!  Here is the first one I made with my GKK secret Santa present yarn - one ball of Wendy Fusion.

We did a workshop on beaded knitting.

And had a chance to see the workbooks of one of the members who has a lifetime of experience of creating beautiful textiles with natural dyes.  The key thing to remember is to have a method.  To record everything, from inspiration through to finished article, then at least you have a sporting chance of replicating any successes.

 That would be a good plan in general.

As ever, yarn and life are intertwined!