wool craft log 25-4-08

Today were gathered: Anna, Flora, Laryna and Verene, and.......... from........... Laryna had brought her along from her German Stammtisch, and it turns out that Flora knows her, too, from the weaver's guild.

Anna finished her pegloom rug piece. We must weigh it next to see how much wool it has swallowed. Laryna suggests to make another one and then stitch them together and then have a seat cushion.

Laryna made such a one out of two pieces of the nursery rainbow wovens, and also a ......... from another piece

...

Verene felted an ear piece for her purple hat, and Flora and ...... had lots to catch up on whilst teasing the Jacobs fleece for carding.

Earlier this week Laryna progressed with making a gnom (based on the Magic Wool book), and here is the first stage of it:

It is still undergoing some 'surgery', plus getting dressed with boots and hat (picture to follow as soon as).
These little things are made with pipe cleaners, and demand some skills, but would be ideal to be learned by mothers who would like to give their children some handmade 'dolls'.

If you would like to keep updated or catch up with people and projects of woolcrafty @ galgael, there are now a number of themed photoalbums online:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/woolcraft.atgalgael/WoolCraftPeopleInAction
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/woolcraft.atgalgael/WoolCraftProductsInProcess
Captions are still needing to be written.

Other albums, such a "woolcraft processes", "work from our members and guests", "Galgael and other events", are gradually being developed - as one picture is worth hundred words!

You can leave comments there, too (under each picture are such options). As well as here on the Blog.

wool craft log for weekend of 18-4-08

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Friday was big action day at Galgael: preparing for the 'Given to People' Film all weekend event, and especially for the launch on Friday evening.

During the week Laryna had been busy with making mobiles to sell,
and when Anneruth came they washed the newly found Jacobs Fleece

On Friday was mass attendance of wool craft folks:
Anna, Annie, Anneruth, Flora, Jackie with Emma and Erin, Sarah-Jane,

Jackie and the children had only little time, so they teased wool and practiced carding for the rug weaving.
The white wool getting ready: Watch (by clicking on the links) the teasing and the carding.. by Emma and Erin



Flora and Annie dried with towels the Jacob fleece and hang the hammock up in the bothy to put the non-dripping wet wool into it for drying.

Everybody else (Anneruth, Sarah-Jane and Anna) got started with the tidy up for the event, bbut got considerably sidetracked by Tom from Sunny Govan coming by and interviewing the wool craft group. Annie narrowly escaped at here first day with us being interviewed! Welldone Flora for the rescuing us shy folks and hanging in there for being the interviewee, and Saah-Jane for singing-performing straight from the sheet the spinning song Anneruth happened to have found!

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Inbetween Flora and Anna produced a wee wool craft flyer for to hand out to interested people at the weekend, and Anneruth and Annie laminated some wool craft group materials for display.

Annie showed us a scarf she has knitted lenghtwise on round needles creating length stripes.

And we thank her especially for the gifts of patterns and nice colourful raw silk strands (for felting)

We had asked Gehan to lend us her Hebridean fleece rug so we could put it up for display and hopefully attract some orders, so here it lay out then as part of the wider Galgael display:

The 'Given to the People' film weekend was a great success for Galgael, celebrating and discussing the time that was at Pollok Freestate, and what happened since (= Galgael).
Although we (woolcrafty) did not sell anything (not having been able to produce much at all next to our busy lives!), there was some interest generated in the wool craft group and we are looking forward to see who will come along one of these days :-) There must be people out there who have some time and skills at hand to ehlpus buildup the stock for the summer events ?

In the last hour on Sunday Laryna had an opportunity to teach one of our founder members, little Shannon, Helen's daughter (click to watch here=>), a few new tricks of the weaving trade:

wool craft log 11-4-08

Anna, Anneruth, Jackie and Emma today

Jackie came today for first time with her daughter Emma (being school holidays). Both are quite versed already in wool and needle craft. Emma had brought her colour full embroidery along to needle away,

whilst Jackie first watched Anna weaving with raw fleece.

Jackie then had a go at the rug weaving at the big frame: starting to learn how to pull just the right amount of wool through the shed,

and she used up the carded wool in no time! So we had to start to tease the other Blackface wool Laryna had washed the other day with Sara.

It also became time to adjust the warp again, which involved Dave from the workshop as man and tool power. He made us a spanner to fit the wingless nuts and bolts we need to loosen to lower the upper beam of the weaving frame, so that we can pull the woven piece round the frame.

Yes indeed: the different processes involved in weaving a plain rug like this is not as plain as it looks, and especially not fast. :-) But it is fun and makes one appreciate a piece so much more.

wool craft log 4-4-08

Anna, Flora and Laryna

did some more needle felting on Hebridean #3

Anna had brought her friend .... along who also dug in with the needle felting


...........to be continued.................

planning meeting at Laryna's

We met for planning ahead, as well as looking back over the last half year or so.

and Flora brought the new name for our outreach and in-reach plans:
The Unbroken Thread

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copied from our minutes:
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The Unbroken Thread – Woolcraft at Galgael

A summary of recent activity and proposals for the future.

Summer/Autumn 2007
Hazel, Anneruth, Verene, Flora and Anna started gathering on a Friday morning to share woolcraft. We taught, learned and created by washing and preparing fleeces, carding, spinning, knitting, dying, felting and making rag rugs. Most of the materials we use would otherwise be thrown away. We recycle it into something practical and beautiful.

In November 2007 some beautiful precious Hebridean fleeces were given to the group (thanks John from Iona Hostel!) and these are being felted into quality rugs.

In January 2008 Heather and Laryna (re)connected with the group. Heather picked up the threads at the ‘Weaving the Clyde’ tapestry loom. Laryna was able to continue the work that Helen had started, bringing weaving into the local nursery. (Helen was unable to continue with this because of her new baby – congratulations). This year at the nursery Laryna has introduced “wet in wet painting” to encourage colour and form sensitivity. She built and taught peg loom weaving and then brought painting and wool craft experiencing together by “weaving the rainbow”.

“woolcrafty @ galgael”: We have also developed a craft group blog. This is still private as we develop it but the plan is to make it public so that anyone interested in the craft group (new participant or potential funders) can see what it’s all about.

Long Term Aims
* Development of the sail loft at Galgael for a craft learning centre.
* Certificated modules in wool craft.
* A productive creative working environment people want to participate in, including singing and dancing old and new craft community songs and tunes

The next steps
Weaving ourselves in and out of the Galgael base doing outreach to build interest in traditional woolcraft activities, and let people know they can join in also here at Galgael to build a resource base. This will include giving workshops at already established community groups in the area and by taking stalls and giving demonstrations at events. For this we need to develop a pack of display material, information and leaflets that can be given away and pieces of craft that people can have a go at.

We are now searching for people with songs and dances which can join up with us in integrated outreach venture called specifically: “The Unbroken Thread”.

The money from the sale of all things made at the craft group will go towards the sail loft renovation fund.