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?

Soft shades ll

 Alternative shades this week: 

one of our cross Light Sussex/Scots Grey chooks, 

lovely low light catching the textures in a handspun and stitched cushion, 

bargain lightweight woollen check remnants from ScrapStore, 

 

and part of our mint jungle.

 

Autumn shades

Some seasonal textures, from silver birch to bulrushes and blueberries, captured in a recent brief afternoon of sunshine.

Tart's Temptations...

Well, that was some weekend!

Despite the vagaries of the early autumn weather, lots of lovely visitors made their way to Tart HQ and Hugh's arty cabin.

Now was it for the display of painting and stitchery, the stimulating conversation (read cheek in Hugh's case) or the supplies of coffee and cake? Our kindly regular visitors probably knew what to expect in terms of the latter, but the many new art trail followers were hopefully pleasantly surprised by the whole experience. 

The HQ afficionados succumbed to handfuls of handspun yarns and bags of buttons and lots of other treasures. It was a real boost to my confidence before I head into the main art and craft fair season over the next few months.

Two more sleeps...

....till Crossing Borders Art Trail (West) hits town!

The shelves are dusted, the rugs shaken out, the windows are a little cleaner (it's not my forte) and the Tart's choice merchandise is on display. There's a bit of primping to go yet, some pricing and much bunting to be strewn about. Baking is well under way and the coffee machine was seen en route to Hugh's cabin this evening, where it will be fired up to keep our hundreds of visitors well-fuelled . (a girl can dream)
You are very welcome to call in from 10.00am Friday onwards.Do you like this? It was such a lovely leaf, lying on the grass under the washing line today that I thought it should be recorded for posterity and inspiration

Artists on the loose

Crossing Borders' Fourth Annual Art Trail launches Friday 2nd September. There are lots of great artists and craftspeople out there waiting to welcome you to workshops, studios and village halls across the East side of the Borders this weekend. (It's our turn next weekend).
Look out for sheep signs and big arrows directing you to their doors.
Hugh and I are heading out early tomorrow to see arty friends across Berwickshire, admire their glorious quality handwork and maybe sneak a few bits home with us....

And these little sheep? You'll have to come and visit next weekend to see them!

Southdean Show Snaps

Just thought I'd share a few pics of a lovely sunny day on Saturday at Southdean Show. Children ran races, pets were judged, jam was tasted and teas and beers drunk. Many a burger was munched and I sold out of ice-cream. A proper day out!

Southdean Saturday - Smailholm Sunday

image from here

The alliterative weekend ahead should be great fun! On Saturday I'll be serving up 99s (maybe not 6d each, though) and lollies to the masses attending our village show - it officially kicks off at 2pm and we have a very fine BBQ not to mention all the usual show stuff and some great craft stalls this year.
On Sunday I'm spinning at my own tarty stall at Smailholm's Fete where there will be yet more village entertainment, regardless of what the weather may threaten.I might even remember my camera.

Sheep Theme Continues

Last Friday and Saturday were spent in a craft tent at the National Sheepdog Trials which took place near Jedburgh. We had a sunny Friday and a rainy muddy Saturday in our fine marquee. It was great to have good company from stall holders and to meet interesting new folk (and dogs) as they toured the stalls. The local scout troop acted as overnight 'security' at the site, though one showed a surprising aptitude for other skills...
I was pleased to sell some handspun, including the skein I told you about, with the pink and Black Cheviot. It was bought by Rachel who together with husband Nigel breeds very handsome Jacobs at St Boswells. They plan to learn to spin and set to work on their flock. You can read more about them here.

After a soggy Sunday spent in HQ, while Hugh and Ross undertook an equally sodden recce for Hugh's next off road adventure, I was ready for a change of scene.

So we ran away to Fife on Monday.

Pittenweem was our destination, to catch a few hours' worth of the annual Art Festival. There were lots of regular exhibitors with familiar but impressive work, but it was also a treat to find others new to me. I'd seen pictures of Helen Denerley's fantastic animal sculptures welded from scrap but to see them for real all along the pier wall was terrific. (Pity we forgot the camera...)

As a complete contrast, I bring you a scan of a card of an original artwork by Cheryl Brain. She had lots of bright mixed media work on display from her travels, with many Indian-inspired images but I fell for this image of sandals.

More Sheep Stuff

Did I share this view with you already? I certainly meant to show you the summer view from HQ. I had to get out with the secateurs yesterday and prune some of the undergrowth from the side windows - it was in danger of becoming overgrowth instead!

It's been a busy weekend what with the Border Union Show and a lovely sunny craft fair at Harestanes today. I had talented illustrator Lynne's company and once our stalls were set up, she whisked her knitting needles out and I set to with needle and thread. We had a productive day in between the customers...!

Here are my latest yarns, spun, washed, dried and ready to be twisted into skeins and labelled up. The pink + dark Cheviot one is a scrumptious blend of shades and I'd quite like to keep it for myself.
And this cheeky ewe? She's the cover girl for the new Crossing Borders Art Trail booklet. The Art Trail this year is split over two weekends - 2/3/4 Sept for the East side of the Borders and 9/10/11 Sept for us Westerners. Get yourself to the Crossing Borders website to learn more or leave me a comment or e-mail and I'll post you a booklet with details of all the open studios you can visit.

Hugh and I will be on our best behaviour and look forward to meeting as many new faces and old friends as possible. There will be coffee and cake and artwork and no doubt some cheek too...

Happy Mondays

They don't always turn out as planned but today was a fine example of a day off. It still involved bits of work because they sneak in anyway, but it feels different when you are choosing to do stuff. And at the moment, carding and spinning are a little addictive. I had company in Tart HQ yesterday which was lovely. We put the world to rights over coffee and fleece. I had combed and teased out some of the black Cheviot and I was easily persuaded to incorporate some into otherwise solid shades of tops. Here you can see a bundle of clean fleece with a mixture of pink shades spun on the bobbin. I made quick rolags with added Cheviot and they have given the pink an interesting depth. This morning I started a second bobbin of a mauve shade of merino with added soya fibre and cut dyed linen as highlights. They'll get plied together this week and I'll show you the finished washed skein in due course.Yesterday being such a fine day, I also got the first of the Blue Texel washed and this second pic shows the variation in shades in one half of one fleece. It's very dense but fine and I look forward to combing some and spinning it.

The general aim is to do some walking on Mondays and there was no excuse today. We strolled a simple little loop - over the Tweed via the pedestrian chain bridge at Melrose, along the riverbank, across Lowood Bridge (this is the view from the bridge looking towards Galashiels) and back along the other bank. The hot weather necessitated the consumption of ice-cream on our return to Melrose. Back home, a few more jobs done and then dog-walking time again. (Yes, they'd have loved to have come with us today but our water-loving dogs and fishermen paying large sums of money to fish the river do not mix.)