wool craft log 9-5-08

This week, on Thursday, Issy took to the wheel again with some dark blue wool given to her from the dear lady from Aberfoyle who had been visiting Galgael on a Monday when Mary Craig is weaving on the Clyde Tapestry and Laryna was spinning. Issy here is plying it with some fine dark red wool from another Trossach's Woolen Mill Anneruth had been giving to our woolcraft pool. Now Ian Bogle is getting his hopes up that Issy finally will be knitting him his jumper! Well there better be lots of more plying, and winding and washing and knitting to be done. Good that Tawney is lending a hand :-)

On Friday, Sarah from the Eastend came to join us for the first time, and Anna & Laryna introduced her to the first stages of wool processing: teasing and carding (for the rug weavings).

Anneruth had brought the Hebridean Fleece she had washed in the glorious weather of last week, and so everyone (by now also Mary, Flora and Jackie) could remind themselves of the differnt stages of the Hebridean fleece rugs: the loose stage after the first wash, the sewing and needle felting stage (there is one big one still in that stage) and the final touches after the big fulling. Our half rug (from last week) in that stage still needed some needle felting, but with all the hands new to needle felting, we decided to simply practise a bit needlefelting and especially the sculpting side of it. Sitting in the front (the daylit foyer) again, we took over the shop yet again, pushing the poor guys to the side with their lunches...

whilst mice and beavers and owls appeared under our hands, and Jackie was in creature sculpting heaven!

more pics on http://picasaweb.google.com/woolcraft.atgalgael/NewPicsMay08

Jackie took more needles and wool now home to knit gnomes and dolls. We can't wait to see them!

also of Verene's purple hat finally taking final shape with a cheaky and stylish felted flower. Now Verene is looking for ways to felt a button for the top for the last final touch.
How good we did not bin this historcal beauty when the shrinking after the felting last year seemed to have lost the look!
But look now:
:-)