The Netherlands

Well, still no oak leaves so the cocoons are still in the fridge. But I have been to The Netherlands for the annual teaching trip and these are some photos of the yarns my students designed from their images. Didn't they do well?!

Is Spring just around the corner?

Well, I was tempted to think so because we have had glorious sunshine, the birds are building their nests and there is evidence that leaf buds are forming on the trees. Today has brought the cold winds back, though, and a cloudy sky so maybe we'll have to be patient. I'm hoping the oak is not as late in leaf this year as last as it puts my caterpillar season back.

Still, I have mordanted 3kg of yarn over the last 24 hours and am just about to put some more on to cook. This is destined partly for Unravel, in Surrey at the end of February, and partly for a new venture down here on Dartmoor, The Art Chapel (www.partofthecountry.com), run by my good friends Anne Middleton and Brigid Arnold. There will be craft kits to buy, courses to take and all manner of goodies! Grand Opening is on 6th March and by an amazing coincidence, that is also the day of the Moretonhampstead (Art Chapel's location) Food and Drink Festival! If you are on Dartmoor, come and join in.

Now to decide what colours to dye the yarn.....I'll show you later in the week what I have done.

Jane

Christmas comes but once a year.....

and thank goodness for that!

Santa bought me a fridge (reconditioned, secondhand) to keep my cocoons in as the household fridge space was getting a bit tight.

No moths or cats at the moment, but two gorgeous little grandsons, visiting from Australia and loving everything, most especially the snow.

I have to weave three cushions, spin a basket of yarns and make some storyboards by the end of next week and am not sure how I am going to do it, but adrenaline has always been my friend in a tight spot!

A very Happy 2010 to anyone who reads this blog.

A long silence!

Well, a long silence indeed! The caterpillar season is nearly over - should be well over - but I have 6 cats that are persistantly refusing to spin. They look about fit to burst and really need to get going because the oak trees are really beginning to shut down for the winter. I dread to think what will happen if we exhaust the leaf supply before they have cocooned.

Today I added to my collection of wheels - I need another one like a hole in the head - but this is special. It is an 1840s (approx) double flyer flax wheel. My good friends Amanda and Welmoed already have double flyer wheels, so we are going to try and crack the mystery of how they work - well, no mystery, but requires a good deal of technical skill. Spinning with one flyer, this little beauty goes like a bomb. A picture will go up in due course. The long dark evenings aren't conducive to photography.

I have a list of things to do that grows hourly but I must have big mordant session, followed by a series of dye sessions, really soon.I have design work to do , three commissions to weave, spinning to do, workshops to teach.....

Better go and do some, instead of sitting looking at the computer screen!

Two cats, and you can see the silk on the left under the back feet of one chap

Well, what a few weeks I've had! I've been very busy getting the coursework for the new term's classes running (dyeing starts on 24th September, 13.00-16.00, at The Duchy Square Centre for Creativity: http://www.duchysquare.org/). Spinning, weaving and textile design will be along in the next couple of weeks.

Meanwhile, the caterpillars are spinning up with a vengence. My silkworms and moths are going to be the subject of a book that is being written by Elizabeth Bailey, and bound in a handmade cover. Elizabeth came for one of her regular visits yesterday and it was frustrating for me because I knew at least one of the Robin cats was thinking about spinning, but he just wouldn't settle down and get on with it whilst Elizabeth was here. This afternoon I got home from a course standardisation meeting (very exciting, I don't think!) and the little so and so was not only spinning, but trying to entrap one of his siblings in the cocoon. Escape was possible, so I won't be getting a dupion cocoon after all, as the trapped one is also now spinning but as an individual and not as a pair. I shall be glad when this year's cocoons are all in the fridge, as I have three weaving commissions to complete, plus work for an exhibition in the late autumn to produce.

I will post some pix of the spinner, and possibly one of the two worms entwined, but the focus is not brilliant as I was using a macro lens, and the area was a bit too big for it all to be clear.