Tag: Fleeces

Inspiring Yarns

Inspiring Yarns in Newtownards has a lovely selection of wool, and plenty of other craft supplies. Well worth a visit!

Kiri Cottage Crafts Club Rename

We have now become an ‘unincorporated constituted group’, and renamed ourselves ‘The Makers’ Moot’. The main aim of our group is to help retain, share and promote local heritage, and other crafts by increasing our skills and knowledge as a group. By becoming a group such as this, we can apply for relevant grants so that we can learn more crafting skills.

Craft Demonstrations

As part of Ards and North Down Council’s Creative Peninsula, craft demonstrations were set up in the North Down Museum in Bangor on Sunday 3 August.

I brought several lucets, a Scandinavian braiding tool, for demonstration. Lots of chat with interested visitors, and a few who tried it out Lucets were used to create decorative braids and trimmings for clothings and household, and also to make more practical cordage and fine rope.

Opportunity for Creativity

Ards and North Down Council kicked off Creative Peninsula on Friday 1 August in the square in newtownards. A number of us did some demonstrations in the Arts Centre, offering opportunities for the visitors to have a go at the crafts on display.
I had brought a number of peg looms and had plenty of customers, aged from under 10 to over 80.

Peg loom weaving is fun, easy to learn and provides an opportunity for creativity.

Thursday with Molly

I had a lovely morning on Thursday with Molly, over from England and staying with her daughter Zoe for a couple of weeks.
An experienced knitter, Molly was interested in the Scandinavian craft of nalbinding. So we spent a couple of hours nalbinding, between cups of coffee and homemade cherry and lemon scones, and soda bread.

Donated Fleeces

I was given about 20 fleeces this morning from a local farmer – a very welcome gift.

The first job to do is to ‘skirt’ the fleeces which involves removing both the very dirty fleece, and the shorter and weathered parts of the fleece as using these would create a poorer quality yarn once spun.

Raw Fleece

This has turned out as a lovely, bright wool. It is hand dyed Galway fleece. It is spun as a single and is very textured.

More Spinning

I am now spinning some raw fleece for a customer to knit an Aran jumper. She has asked that some lanolin is left in the wool, as that is what her customer for the jumper has asked for.

Storm Éowyn Spinning Completed

I have just finished spinning the pet sheep commission from yesterday. It was really successful and produced approximately 2 kg of lovely Aran weight wool ready for my customer.

Storm Éowyn Spinning

I have plenty of spinning to do tomorrow. There will be need to go out into Storm Éowyn!

I have already washed two large fleeces, then they were picked and carded. Hopefully, I will have them spun by the end of the day.