Weaving workshop

I just want to start by saying thank you all so much for all your fantastically supportive comments and feedback about my 'little idea'......the next step is underway and I've been scouting out venues to host crafty classes with mums-to -be. After the large amount of messages I received from those who were not 'with child' but equally wanted to make a sweet little deer, I've also decided to make the design into some kits. So keep your eyes peeled :)

This friday just passed saw me heading up to the little seaside village of Johnshaven with some looms and wool in hand, to host a weaving workshop. The venue is Starfish Studios, where I've hosted a couple of workshops before, and am always happy to return as it never fails to be a really lovely day. The crafty table that sits snuggly in the craft shop can sit 6 ladies around it, which I find the perfect number for a gentle day of chatting, relaxing and creating.

I always seem to say the same thing after a workshop,but I find it so inspiring and interesting to see what happens when you present different people with the same materials, share a few techniques, step back and watch how they make it their own..... so FAB!

Love this combo of colours and textures, makes me think of mossy woods and fairies! 

And how about these sparkle-tastic ocean inspired weavings.....just gorgeous.

Beautiful pale greens and neutrals..... gentle layers and loopy textures. Lush!

Funnily enough 2 of the ladies gravitated towards a similar choice of colours, even though they happened to be on opposite ends of the table with mountains of wool in between! Loving the bold black and grey with pops of purple (one even has a pompom too yipee!...I was being a total pompom pusher that day! haha!).

A super day.....and plenty more inspiration to fuel my next weaving project :)

x

A Weave and Wine evening!

How are you all doing? I'm feeling rather chipper this week following a very fun weekend. On Saturday I 'hosted' a Weave and wine evening. Oh yeah!

I recently mentioned my weaving obsession, which lead me to 'attacking' some wood with a mission in mind. I wanted to make some weaving looms so that others could join me in this creative pursuit. I made 6 and named them (as you do!)..... you can meet the looms  'ladies' below!

All that was needed next was 6 lovely friends, a table just big enough to squish everyone around, a pile of wool of various textures, thickness and colour... and of course the vino (with an extra addition of raspberry gin.Yum! thanks Laura!)

Time to get weaving....

Before the evening began I was curious to find out how much weaving could get done in this short space of time, what with wine and chat being involved as well. I was pretty certain we would need to come back for a Weave and Wine evening Part 2, to finish the piece off.(perfect excuse)

Well, I got that wrong!

It was amazing just how quickly everyone took to the weaving techniques, and how immediate the inventive and creative touches were added. So inspiring to watch and super impressive.

What surprised and made me smile the most was how quiet this group of girls became. It was quite uncanny given our usual get togethers being somewhat 'vocal'!  

However once you see what was created, you'll understand where all the focus and concentration went....

6 GLORIOUS, colourful, texture-filled, tassel-tastic weavings!

Did I say I was inspired?.... I most certainly was....

I wish the photos had been better (I blame the poor lighting, and not the raspberry gin)

But I'm sure you get the gist. And if I didn't have the weaving bug before....I most certainly do now! Been weaving tassels ever since!>>>> 

I'm looking forward to more Weave and wine evenings ahead. 

Thanks so much girls for the fab evening xx

Hello again! Summer adventures

Hello hello!
It feels really good to be sitting here writing this post after a long summer away from the blog. 
How the heckadoodle are you all? I'm hoping you are all really well and have enjoyed at least a little bit of time off  holidaying in one form or another?  
I personally have probably had the most relaxed summer yet, which ultimately came down to letting go of ALL the things I had hoped or wanted to achieve, accepting I had no control over the weather, AND  lastly that pj's on till noon is a perfectly acceptable holiday activity! :)

Here is a little montage of what we got up to (when our Pj's were removed prior to noon!)

Funnily enough, (and as is usually the case) after easing back on what I had hoped to get done business and creative wise, what actually transpired was a decent amount!  

I finished a few embroidery projects.....

This is a wedding gift for one of my oldest friends who was marrying her love of many years. She's a scottish girl, he's an english guy and their home is in the French Alps..... seemed like the perfect gift to celebrate :)

I added a bear and bee to my embroidery repertoire too....

 Meet Maurice, the handsome bear....

I also created 3 new embroidery pattern PDF's....... remember Beyonce's "Put a Ring on it"?.....

well I've come up with an embroidery slant on that...when ever in doubt of what to stitch.....

 I stitched up this sweet peterpan collar with ....oh wait....not just one bird, but 2 birds on it!

OR you could always......

Put a stag on it is available here OR

Put a flower on it is available here

Genius don't you think?! :)

I also squeezed in some weaving, which has become a slight addiction and now finds me hacking sawing away on some unsuspecting pieces of wood which Stu has left lying around. (he's a cabinet maker, so there is ALWAYS some piece of wood or another taking up residence in our home) I'll fill you in on a later date as to what comes of that!

Some of my recent weaving adventures.

So there you have a very brief catch up on my summer adventures! I hope you have been enjoying the last few months as much as I have.

It's good to be back :)x

A weekend of weaving

I mentioned before that I had put a weaving loom on my Xmas list (having been inspired by all the gorgeous woven wall hangings that are out there). Lo and behold I had been a good girl and got one....a mahoosive one at that! 

I also mentioned that I'd planned to use the holidays as a chance to get weaving with the tutorial created by "A beautiful Mess " as my starting point. Yes I have done weaving before, but it was several decades ago on a piece of small cardboard  with zigzag ends.... I know you know what I'm talking about :)

Of course the weaving never got a look in over Christmas, but this weekend brought the opportunity as the girls, Stu and I seemed geared for a quiet one. (Usually the case is small child needs"exercised" and I have cabin fever) So the weaving weekend began.......

                      

It's much like embroidery...a slow, repetitive process, very relaxing and allows the mind to unwind. And just like embroidery I end up jumping about, working on different bits so I get a change in wool/thread colours. (and undoing bits I'm not happy with!)

Come saturday evening I'd gotten this far (above).... tis a slow process for sure, but beginning to take shape...and I've got some tassles on the go so I'm happy!

Sunday morning brought a surprise wee sprinkling of snow. Couple this with sunshine and I felt inspired to enjoy a little weaving on the windowsill. Felt somewhat "historic", as the town I grew up in (and currently live) was once known as a textile centre with over 1500 hand loom weavers around the 1860's. I actually grew up in a an old weavers home, with small low windows where the looms would be positioned under....... 

Yeah well.......don't think they'd be using neon pink wools.....and while  my loom might be big it's no way nearly as big as theirs :)

This is where is where I finished before a venture out into the world called (and a cup of tea and cupcake! ) I'm getting there, just need another weekend of weaving...... xx