The week in Assynt was wild and wet on the outside, warm and filled with lovely cooking aromas on the inside. We cooked up a storm in the kitchen, creating tasty healthy food for everyone and sharing many many laughs.
The rain did not stop the hardier members of the group from getting out and exploring the terrain. Others could not be parted from their knitting and carried on intricate work with beautiful yarns. I'll save my knitting efforts for another post(!), but I did get a few skeins of yarn spun.
Some of us also opted to take a spoon carving workshop run by Chris Goodman. It was challenging work with unfamiliar tools but we all produced creditable spoons, in alder, birch or willow.
I'm off north in a few days, to share a big house with a lot of talented women who will be wielding pointy sticks and using gloriously hand dyed yarns created in the workshop of this alchemist!
I'll have images to share of the dramatic setting in Assynt but in the meantime, here are a few from the last foray north, when Hugh was training mountain rescue personnel in offroad driving techniques.
We stayed in a cottage on the Alvie estate, a few miles south of Aviemore. The setting could not have been better for us.
Above is fearless tracker dog Ash, intently studying a potentially deadly moth or similar behind the cottage.
And below is a typical game with both animals. Midge enters into the spirit of it 200% while Ash finds something much more important to do and is deaf to all commands.
We were fortunate to have lovely early autumn weather; early mornings were gentle misty affairs.
And to finish, here's my newest Blue Moon yarn - Luna Laceweight, a mixture of baby alpaca, silk and cashmere. Seen here in 'before' and 'after' shots.
but it's a flying visit.
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| Yarndale's 'Bert' |
After a gloriously busy Yarndale I have been dyeing yarns, stocking up on buttons, spinning, planning and generally chasing my tail.
Tomorrow I am off to join in Dumfries Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers' Gathering which is open to visitors too. Contents of the Tart's stall are ready to be loaded into the car in the morning, along with wheel and fibre so I can spin while I mind the shop.
Do you like the yarn? It was spun for the lovely Riikka in Finland who emailed me today to say that it had arrived. She called it beautiful, gorgeous and amazing so I think she's pleased with it :)
The rain did not stop the hardier members of the group from getting out and exploring the terrain. Others could not be parted from their knitting and carried on intricate work with beautiful yarns. I'll save my knitting efforts for another post(!), but I did get a few skeins of yarn spun.
