January

Yes, and now more the 'new' loom. An uprioght tapestry loom, gifted to us from the Coachhouse Trust (thank you!). It is in need of some TLC, but Laryna and Ian are at the case, and there is its space for the moment, in the cold (brrr) workshop, and then it is set to go Sarah-Jane's flat for the time being, until we have more space at Galgael.

Oh, and did you notice: Ian has got yet another new hat made by a woolcraftyatgalgael one! Well, you see - Naomi had great success and joy here with knitting wiht handspun wool: she loves it! And so does he needlessly to say! (what one earth has he done with all the other hats?)

Whilst we are in the showing off mood: a camera finally got hold of the beauty Jackie felted last year: her shoulder bag! It is already much loved and in good use. It can be used in two different ways. See our photoalbum for more details.

Then we have Hazel being mega productive with the sewing machine she had been given for Christmas: making little pouches and big teddybears! Well done Hazel!

Other products in process? Of course the baby blanket! Here you can see it now off the loom, being stitched together (2x90x28 cm pieces). It has not been fulled yet, but you can see the little off-cut having been heavily felted for to make a little bag out of it: it has mega shrunk!

And then we have another miracle of the month: Here you can see Alison very sucessfully learning how to spin (she has been dreaming about that for ages!)....

And here is what she wrote later on that week, reporting back from the woolcraft at Galgael input (sorry no camera on site: your imagination is engaged now)

The re-shuffle took place on the 31st January. It was an event for the community and for all to get together to discuss community issues. This was an opportunity for the woolcraft group to get involved and to promote our group so that more local woman and men can get involved, particualry on the new slot on thursday evening and to check if there was any interest. Naomi, Hazel and myself where involved. Naomi worked with the kids making gods eyes, Hazel sold some of her own beautiful merchandise and I taught some spinning. I thought this was a good opportunity to speak to local people, considering that at present we are discussing of where the woolcraft group is going. It was really just as an addition to help in our plans and see if there is an interest from local people in learning woolcraft skills and what would be the most suitable time in the future if we where going to establish a group to local people. It was a quiet day but I was able to get some names and email addresses to correspond with in the future. The results where that people where interested but only a few would make it on a Friday morning.

Well done Girls!

Midwinter times

Singing Carols at the Galgael solstice celebration by candlelight, and dancing with old and new friends...

for more pictures click here....

Midwinter times are quiet and cosy times, esp when we met at Verene's whilst Galgael was shut over the New Years' time. By candle light with punch and food, four of us carded, spun, knitted and made a warp. And the warp was for the baby blanket for Anna's baby, to be woven by Anneruth

Anna is here carding the alpaca wool herself, which is from Breeze in Ford (you can admire her here) .

Once Galgael opened again Ali and Sarah-Jane had an actual first in winding wool, namely the alpaca (spun and washed by Anneruth) from a skein into balls. Gosh, don't you remember doing that with your Gran?!

And Verene also had a first: namely plying and skeining her very first skein of wool at last!

You can still see her playing it above (in the back of picture, behind the loom not warped up for the blanket), and you see it here in full glory.

Melissa came to sit with us to do some knitting, and inspired Ali to rediscover her knitting skills. She also sported Anneruth's felted hat which suited her splendidly!

You can see it all and more for yourself if you go to our midwinter folder here.

Such as Sarah-Jane starting with needle felting her puppets hands, and the tapestry loom at the Coachhosue trust... well but that is for the next blog: January/February, really ...