My recent woolly days

Trying something new this month, merging the Spinspiration blog with this blog, writing separately for both has become difficult at times so I hope those who link up to Woolly Wednesday will understand and join me here as I really enjoy reading your posts, being inspired.

Since last months post, I have finished a Shawlette I made for a lovely friend of mine. This is the project I couldn't post about just in case the lady in question saw it. I shared a picture of some dyed fibre and the yarn spun - remember these bright yellows! Well it was knitted into a Garden View shawlette and gifted recently as a birthday gift and also a thank you for organising a yurting weekend for a group of us with a day trip to Wonderwool. I was pleased with the overall effect. Hand-dyed, handspun, hand-knitted.

 Garden View Shawlette (folded in half)

leaf detail

Other knitting projects are, yes still the cushion - haven't touched it for another month!; plus I have started a Sheep Heid hat but again haven't knitted it in the last month, I will get back to this soon though; and there's also a tunic top for Imogen started and not picked up in ages.

So knitting that has been happening (yes, there is some) this month. I spun a Monet inspired dyed fibre back in January/February and always had in mind a knitted bag with the yarn. I separated the fibre out a little so that there was more of the lighter shades at one end of the skein and darker shades at the other. When making it into a ball (yarn cake) I again separated the colours a little so there were 2 equal length balls going from light to dark shades. This was with the intention of making a circular bag, something I thought would complement the yarn and tie in with the inspiration of the Money picture, the water lily pads.

Monet inspired yarn

The circles were knitted and the last rounds finished whilst away at the Yurt.

 2 circles knitted

To join the circles, I had recently been spinning some light blue/grey fibre at an even - just randomly picked for something to spin, and then realised it was a lovely match for the bag. So on my return from my yurt weekend away I set to plying the already spun fibre and here is some of the yarn now being used to create the gusset and strap for the bag - hopefully this will be finished by next month!

joining the circles with a gusset and strap

I have always thought that I want to felt the bag too, although this gets mixed reactions when I tell people. I think it will look good felted and create a firmer fabric so I still think I will, and maybe line it too. Watch this space.

In other knitting, there is a pair of socks on my needles. A gift for another friend.

Sock knitting with handspun yarn

But what about spinning? Well I just looked across and both of my wheels are empty at the moment. The blue is all plied, although there is more of that fibre so I shall probably continue to spin that up. But you have 3 wheels Dawn, don't you? Well yes, kind of, one is destined for my daughter, and is currently out on loan to another friend who I helped recently get going on a spindle, and yep she's loving it!

And hey what about Wonderwool?
Well I had a wonderful time. I blogged about the yurt stay here if you want to read about that part. I didn't take many photos at Wonderwool, some stalls understandably don't want you to take photos of some things, and the rest of the time I was just taking in all the beautiful things.

Gorgeous colours all around

 Lovely British sheep fleece

and a lovely knitted garden scene

I picked up a few things, a braiding kit with yarns for my daughter, a lovely collapsible weaving frame, some odd bits and pieces, some dye stuffs and a little Shetland fibre for a project. I hadn't gone with the intention of buying much and stuck to that very well, after all there's always next year!

Looking forward to seeing what others have been creating. You can link your blog post to Woolly Wednesday here. See you on the 5th June for the next Woolly Wednesday x