Show &Tell - Woolfest

I do love a day trip.  I am not a good traveller on a coach but make an exception as The Knit Studio in Newcastle organises a visit to Woolfest in Cumbria.  It is held in an auction mart in Cockermouth and it really is all about fibres.  Animals such as rare breed sheep, alpacas, angora rabbits rub shoulders with stall holders, designer makers, spinners and weavers all sharing a love of creating. Gill P, Gill W, Anne, Wendy and I all spent a lovely day meandering through all the stalls.  I always buy lots of bits and pieces to use in my work and yesterday was no exception.  My first purchase was wool tops in two lovely colours.

wool tops for felt making

 

 

a dinky jar of my favourite mother-of-pearl buttons

 

Gill W and I spent a happy half hour on the coach on the way home examining each and every button, there were an awful lot in such a tiny jar!  A few gems included - a couple of hand carved tiny buttons, some smoke mother-of-pearl and a few very large buttons.  

 

 

I do love a button

 

 

silk carrier rods for dyeing

 

 

hand dyed silk fibres from Oliver Twists

 

 

a lovely old tattered table runner

 

All in all a very enjoyable but tiring day spent with friends.  The carrier rods and tattered runner are in the dye pot as we speak.  I am going to try out my new fibres tomorrow.  Until next time.....

Jayne x

New Ventures........

After much deliberation and advice from my lovely blogging and facebook friends, I have done it!  What may you ask - well, opened an Etsy shop.  It is something I have thought about for a long while.  I am a ditherer as you may have gleaned from my blog posts.  If something can be put off, I am your man (woman) so to speak.  Procrastination should be my middle name.  I gave myself a good talking to and got to grips with listing, taking photographs, describing, measuring etc etc, oh and then there was how much should an item be!!!

Bespoke Vintage Lace Corsage

 

I have been making lots of accessories with a view to opening a shop online.  I took a lot of images of my work and listed away, until my friend Gill told me about online photo editing!  Back to the beginning and enhancing each and every image and re listing them.

 

 

Vintage crochet duck egg blue neckpiece

 

 

detail of corsage



A few wrist cuffs were listed to complete a small selection of work for sale. So after much tweaking the shop is now open. 

 

pale grey and pink on linen

 

 

It is so lovely to see the sun is shining, and summer has finally arrived.  Until next time......





 

 



 



 







 

 

Back to normal...

After all the excitement of the last few weeks things were settling down and getting back to normal and then out of the blue a tummy bug hit.  The best laid plans etc, out of the window.  However, a week on and I am raring to go (well almost)!  Inspiration packs have been selling like hot cakes and Etsy shop opening preparations going well. 

Raspberry Crush

 

Gill P and I are having one of our 'making days' tomorrow to fine tune my Etsy shop.  Chorizo, squash and pasta dish prepared, strawberries washed and hulled, teapot rinsed and at the ready!  Hopefully it will be ready to open by the end of the week. 

 

At Tynemouth flea market yesterday a lady was selling tiny doillies, something I always look out for to use in my work.  I bought twenty five lovely pieces....

 

 some unusual shapes and sizes

 

 

Today some of them ended up in a teal/grey pale dye bath, they have been soaking all day, I am really pleased with the result a very antique looking grey shade.....

 

 

shades of grey in the making

 

 

A fantastic purchase today from my favourite charity shop as it was closing - just in the nick of time to find this box.......

 

 

as you know, I have a bit of a weakness for a battered box, what would this contain I wonder?

 

 

a bolster pillowcase

 

 

pure Irish linen double sheets and pillowcases

 

I own one vintage pure linen sheet which I inherited from my grandmother, and have been looking for another for quite a while.  Imagine my excitement when I realised that this was an unused set, scalloped edged and a little drawn thread work.  The only fly in the ointment is that they are very grubby so will probably require a lot of tender loving care to restore them to their former glory.  I am wondering if they were a unused wedding present.

 

Until next time, so lovely to see the sunshine, Jayne x