I was delighted this morning to have been part of the first stage of a 13 month project run by Inspiring Yarns and Glenside Farm social enterprises ‘Farm to Fabric ‘ project.
15 lovely people came along this morning to learn the first step in processing raw fleece on its journey towards the finished product – how to skirt and wash it. Complete with large trugs, water, detergent and optional disposable gloves, within 3 hours 5 fleeces – blue texel and Suffolk – had gone through this initial step, and laid out to dry.
The next step will take place on 2 November which will look at how to card or comb the washed fleece, ready to spin.
We made fairy bell charms at Craft Club this morning. I love seeing all the different ideas coming from one group!
This is a lovely workshop to run. Everyone can use their imagination about colours, fabrics, and charms, bells and beads and we definitely always have great craic!
This was my view from my ‘office’ today! I was baking soda bread on the griddle at Cockle Row Cottages again. I love my visits here and really enjoy the atmosphere in Groomsport and look forward to visiting.
There was a great variety of projects on the go this morning at the craft club. We had Karen’s fabulous crocheted blanket, complete all bar the pom-poms, card making, knitting squares for charity blankets and spinning.
As part of Ards & North Down Council’s Creative Peninsula season I ran a ‘learn to crochet’ workshop today. The four ladies who participated had never crocheted before. They did really well, picking up the basics, and learning how to include beads into their work.
We spent the morning drinking coffee, eating home made scones and soda bread, and making Fairy Bell charms (also known as Witch Bells), historically used for keeping good energy in and bad energy out of our houses. They were hung on window and door handles, and the bells chimed when there was danger or negative energy in the area.
On the evening of Monday 5th August, I ran a Nalbinding workshop in Ards Arts Centre, a great venue for workshops. Five lovely ladies came along and got to grips with Nalbinding very quickly and plan to keep practicing at home.
We had a change of pace for Kiri Cottage Crafts club this afternoon. Sharon invited us over to her premises for a pilot of her ‘Celtic Kraut’ fermentation workshop, and to hear about the land and sea connection with the Irish goddess Cliodhna.
Kiri Cottage had a very busy day today, with our normal every second Tuesday Craft Club, soda bread and scones this morning, and then a peg loom workshop this afternoon with Janet, Kim and Joanne.
Kiri Cottage was visited by another lovely family from Florida, visiting Belfast, the North Coast and Ards Peninsula. I was very fortunate to meet them at my workshop as part of their peninsula travels with tour guide Lizzie Charley.
