Crisp Clean Day

Today's Sunday walk with the dogs didn't go quite as smoothly as planned (Midge + deer = instant deafness, much excited yelping and a disappearance for five minutes 'chase' in the trees. It's okay, she'll never outpace them).

She got lots of exercise. 

Meanwhile Ash partook of a little light strolling, punctuated by innumerable stop'n'sniff interludes.

After such exertion there was only one place to be.

Showing off...

... my finished jacket. 

 

After my concerns that I had not made it big enough, I've been persuaded that it's rather more flattering than the one-size-fits-all version that I would have succumbed to by habit! Still, if I make another version (and I am tempted) I'll make it a little bigger and longer. I like the combination of New Lanark wool/silk aran weight with my handspun and I think a coat-of-many-handspun-stripes would please me.

And now, on this mild February morning, I'm off to the village hall to put the fire on and enjoy the company of fellow stitchers at the first Woolgathering of the year. Simple pleasures.

Snow?

Saturday afternoon and so far only a smattering of snow. Fingers crossed it stays that way as I am more than happy for this 'winter lite' that we are experiencing.

Did manage a reminder of severe weather conditions this week, though, when we checked out the small exhibition about Scott's expedition to the South Pole at the National Library of Scotland. Diary extracts, letters, books, postcards and maps give a very real reminder of the endeavour they undertook. 

As a bonus for me, there was also an exhibition of the entries in the annual bookbinding competition held by the National Library which attracts lots of submissions from across Europe and beyond.

Our little Edinburgh trip also took in the recently refurbished National Museum of Scotland in Chambers Street. Gone are the tanks swimming with fish that my little brother and I use to love when we were kids, and there's now lots and lots of empty space in the great hall. But the totem pole I also remember well has been repositioned in the Living Lands gallery where I took these two speedy pics with my phone. 

The baskets are made by the Dene People of Western SubArctic America out of birch bark. The lower pic is a close-up of bottom section of a man's robe woven from elm tree bark by the Ainu in Hokkaido in the late 19th C. 

Obviously we didn't go all the way to Edinburgh and not eat anything. We drove straight up to Marchmont and a had a delicious light lunch at Toast, before walking across the Meadows to the exhibitions. It would have been nice to linger longer and explore but I am quietly planning to get back up before long and go round the museum and some galleries at leisure.

Obsessed? Moi?

Well don't you think they are irresistable? Lovely deep dyed mother of pearl buttons ready to brighten up the dullest winter day. They are resting on part of the jacket I am knitting in New Lanark wool/silk and handspun. I only have half a sleeve to go so the end is in sight now. 

  

Newsletter No 4 is out and you can download a copy from my Tart's Art site. If you'd like to receive it straight to your e-mailbox in future, just fire off a message to me and I'll add you to the small but select mailing list.

 

Back to technicolour

Today was going to be a sewing machine day  - there are any number of jobs to be done, some creative and some decidedly not. But the possibility of working in a warm kitchen was more appealing so it is a drum carder day instead. The acquisition of a beautifully made Classic Carder has not revolutionised(!) my life but I have scarcely made a rolag with hand carders since I got it. It's just fun.

Today I am carding wool and alpaca and linen and more into 50gm bags of lovely colour blends for fibre lovers of all denominations to enjoy. I'll have them at the Woolfestival on 25th February in Coldstream so do come along and squish a bag or two and make noises about them, won't you?

Yesteryear..

 ...when life was more 'black and white'. 

Here's a contrast to today's mindblowing multi-coloured onslaught on the senses. 

Back to a time when Needlework Illustrated carried these delightful advertisements (1947 to be exact)

To travel hopefully...

I have designated 2012 my year of exploration. 

 

Small scale stuff by many people's standards, I know, but I'm hazily planning a few escapades around the country and across the North Sea this coming year.  

Not in this lovely mobile artwork, sadly. I admired it on Wednesday when we had a wee day oot (in stormy wind and rain) to Glasgow where Hugh enjoyed the rockers' dream exhibition at the Kelvingrove and we checked out the Riverside, the fancy new home of the Transport Museum

And I want to explore new ideas in my artwork too - the list of 'must try this' items on my list is impressive.

As I consider what to do first, I've started work on a version of this jacket. I've spun up four yarns which I am combining with a wool/silk mix aran weight from New Lanark. Stripes? Me? How did you guess?

As 2011 fades away, I want to say thanks for reading this far, for the comments both on and off the blog, and for visiting Woolgatherings or HQ or The Tart at fairs this year. May we all have a peaceful, safe and fulfilling year ahead. 

X L

Good Wishes

Illustration by Edmund Dulac from Hans Christian Anderson's 'The Snow Queen'

THE TART WISHES YOU A VERY FINE FESTIVE SEASON

Winter Preparations

As the temperature falls I'm closing up Tart HQ for the winter. There will be many many trips across the snowy garden over the next week or so as I desperately try to squash the contents of HQ into nooks and crannies in the house to keep it warm and dry till the Spring. Of course I still want to have access to stuff so that I can continue to work with it which means I should really do the storage thing is a meaningful logical manner...

Good in theory but hey, it's a week till Christmas and there are much more pressing things to concern myself with, several of them kitchen-related (no relevant photographs were available due to exhaustive product testing).

Welcome to the Festive Fling!

Despite ferocious weather here today, Tart HQ is cleaned and polished, primped and ready for visitors from Friday till Sunday. Understated it is not, but you wouldn't really expect that, now would you?

Sadly no images to tempt you but believe me there are lots of lovely textile and paper creations as well as a stash of cheap-as-chips sale items. Then there's spicy mulled apple juice, coffee and home baking to encourage you to linger and chat. 

Hugh's cabin will be open all weekend too. He's there now, reducing the prices ridiculously on his lovely paintings. 

Drop by if you can - wellies optional!

Another Suitcase in Another Hall

OK, I'm no Madonna, but I've been whizzing round halls for the last few weekends, with cases and boxes full of textiles and cards, prints and pincushions, and generally failing to record the facts with my camera..

The Art & Design Fair was a well-run event with lots of lovely quality handmade items for sale. Several of us were demonstrating our skills and I enjoyed talking to people about spinning, not to mention selling them my yarns...

Yesterday was a bit of a change as I baked all morning and sold my wares at our local village hall in the afternoon. It was a great wee gathering of very local craftsmen and women, and I came home with quite a few presents bought (mainly for me...)

Today I was in Lauder at a Fair in aid of The Lavender Touch, a very worthwhile local charity providing complimentary treatments for cancer patients in the Borders.

Tomorrow I am teaching Su how to spin, then there's some more making to be done before my Festive Fling here at Tart HQ on 9/10/11 December.

Do you like the Tart's new pattern to accompany a skein of handspun? Her personal designer has whizzed up a lovely easy pattern to make this cowl with a twist!

Kelso beckons...

I'm off there Friday afternoon to set up my stall for two days of Art & Design Fair. There will be a fantastic mixture of quality work on display so it's your perfect opportunity to get shopping in comfort and warmth! I'll be spinning, others will be demonstrating too, there are refreshments all day both days, free parking - what's not to like?! 

Saturday and Sunday at Springwood Park, Kelso, from 10 am to 5pm - stop by and say hello!

Woolgatherers Unite!

I'm hoping for a fine Autumnal day for Sunday's WOOLGATHERING - a crisp morning and a clear sunny sky! But I'll put the fire on in the Village Hall too so we can be sure of a little warmth even if the weather doesn't deliver... 
Everyone's welcome to come along and join in the gentle work day from 10.30am onwards. An earlier start to give you the option of not driving round the Remembrance Day service at the village crossroads.

A Textile Treat...

...awaits you tomorrow at Coldstream! Organiser Louise from Woolfish is badging it as a Wool and Craft Festival and it takes place in the Community Centre (the old church) from 10.00am.

See you there!

The Future's Bright

 

 ... and full of fibre. New bright chunky hand spun yarns, plied with silk in a rainbow of shades. I still do subtle, of course, but it was time for an injection of pure colour to offset the murky days we're running into here. I hope the visitors to the Woolfestival on Saturday like 'em.

And I bring you the awesome purple clogs - bright leather courtesy of the makers in Invermoriston, stylish soles by yours truly with an indelible marker!

Nose to the Grindstone

One fair down and several more to go, but I am not complaining. It's good fun meeting all sorts of people who come to fairs to peruse and chat and buy and it is lovely when someone falls in love with a skein of yarn I have spun, and you can see them scheming what to make with it.

Next stop is the Woolfestival at Coldstream on 5th November where textile treats await the lucky spinner/weaver/knitter/crocheter/person of taste...

I am desperately trying to upload stylish pics of my clogs but Blogger is sulking. I'll be back later......

Autumn Daze

It's difficult to concentrate when the rain is driving horizontally at the windows, and it's not a helpful beat to spin to. BUT, it's warm and comfortable in the kitchen this evening and I'd like to claim that the wheel and I are in perfect harmony. I certainly love it and spinning with my NEW PURPLE CLOGS on is good fun. I will photograph them as they deserve a wider audience. I had them made on holiday at the clog shop in Invermoriston. I sound even more like a baby elephant than usual, clumping about on our laminate floors but I don't care.

On Sunday I am off to Aberlady to a craft fair with some familiar goodies and some new stock too.  These are my Amulet Shawl Pins - what do you think?

Forts

George and Augustus

Sailing the length of the Caledonian Canal would be rather fine, especially in one of the crewed boats we saw navigating the lock at Fort Augustus. The scenery is dramatic and maybe early October is the best time if it means missing midges.

My Fort George images give little idea of the scale of the construction of the 42 acre site.

Hugh is standing in one of the 'sights' for the cannons so he's about thirty feet above the shoreline in this pic. I won't give you a history lesson - you can read more here!

And this is the braw wee cottage we stayed in.

Northern Exposure

Batteries are recharged after a week spent in a very fine wee cottage close to Loch Ness. We had the River Moriston at the foot of the wooded garden and miles of forest tracks accessible from the door. The dogs were in seventh heaven and we didn't do so badly either...

We carried out a poll over the week of the available coffee & cake stops between Fort William and Nairn. The winner on cake quality was the cafe at Fort George. I didn't photograph the carrot cake (Hugh) or the apple/cinnamon/walnut loaf (me) but I do have some pics of the 42 acres that the garrison fortress covers. Tune in next week, folks, for more on this impressive edifice.

To show that we did do some walking in between refreshments, I bring you these in the meantime....

The Road Less Travelled?