The Link Age Event our mid month meeting too!

Hi Folks

Well what a day I had -busy or what!
The run up to the big day meant regular meetings and then meetings almost daily. I went over and secured the area for SpinDyeWeavers and sorted out the whole room for the others too.
On the day in the workshop areas we had Christine Hales, a lovely American lady who paints 'icons', using traditional pigments, egg tempura and gold leaf. Pauline Cook an artist, who not only did a starters drawing class but did some old time dancing too. Mark Newman from Woodwork 4 Men, completed the line up, with his beautifully made childrens toys, bird boxes and handmade wooden items. Quite a select group and soo friendly.
In the long corridor there were, some displays of quilting from the Golden Agers an Afro-Carribean group, also some wonderful photo's from two local groups and watercolours from two local gents.
In the main room there was constant action from food, Somali Lamb in tomato, Somali fish, Curried Goat, loads of cakes and desserts. There was singing from 2 choirs, keep fit dancing, Tablah drumming and singing from India and stalls showing various items. Art from various people decorated the walls.
SpinDyeWeavers was of course well represented by Chris, Gill and myself. We had a good day, and were asked by very interested people about spinning and weaving, the fibre we use and also the mechanics of the wheels. I had two young Afro-Carribean brothers, one who had a go using my wheel, and both very happy wearing 'wristlets' of wool.
All in all a great day out, very tiring and I ached all over, but very pleased for the groups that it all went so well. Here are some photo's of the day.

That's all for now folks.


Hug

Keith

What wasn't wrong with my Pc

Hi Folks

All better now, the doctor had a look at my Pc, upgraded my working memory, de-bugged everything (no viruses tho') and here we are again.
So the next blog will be after the 12th June - Link Age Event Day.
Bye for now

Keith

Oh dear what can the matter be?????

Hi Folks

Well, thank goodness my DH Andy has his own Pc, mine is having great difficulties.
It all satrted last week when I tried tomdownload the latest version of Pc Guard (virgins own anitvirus/firewall etc:) It is very good and free to virgin members. It would not download properly and then all hell was let loose with other things going wrong aaarrrrggghhhhh!!!!
I have another firewall and antivirus prog to cover me but my poor old Pc just doesn't want to play properly. Looks like it's gonna have to got to hospital and be seen by the experts. Still I am able to use Andy's
Pc to keep up with things. So if I'm slow in responding to emails and other requests I'm sorry.

Hugz

Keith

Spring is here at last in all her glory - and so is the HAYFEVER

Hi Folks

Well what have I been up to since my last blog on May Day.
Spinning, spinning, spinning - well it's what I do!
I've been spinning up the yellow/green Spring is Sprung roving and I'm almost there. And of course we had our May meeting of SpinDyeWeavers. It was a lovely day plenty of sunshine, so it was windows open and away we go. I was spinning only, but Chris and Nina were going to use their natural dyes from Tintoria, that they bought at Wonderwool. They had done the wool mordanting at home so got off to a flying start. Why is it that the dyes always look so uninteresting when you first put them on. Brown, more brown and another nondescript colour went on - how could this possibly work. But boy oh boy the results are wonderful, it's definitely something to have a go at. Also the Landscape dyes from OZ are something we are going to have a bash at and I've ordered mine via Gill (Sassy Spinner), plus a bit of Merino DK yarn via Nina, we will see what we can create.

HAYFEVER : something I have never had before, has decided it's my turn to suffer, so it's nose spray and eye drops for me this year, unless of course it's just the tree pollen that is affecting me (we are right opposite some trees at our flat level) I can oly hope it is. I've been a gardener all my life and have inhaled all the pollen there is before, so why now??

Birthday's, it is my huzbear Andy's BIG 40 this weekend on the 23rd May. We are having a party at The Old Market Tavern on Saturday and sharing the party with Sylvia his workmate. It will be chocolate fudgecake all round and to hell withe diets.

Well that's about all folks, I expect the next blog will be after the 12th June as we are taking part in the Link Age's - The Art of you Life exhibition, which is a project that aim's to encourage and support people over 50 and the elderly to take part in Arts and Crafts and be part of the community. We at SpinDyeWeavers are putting on an exhibition of spinning, weaving, dyeing and felting. Encouraging people to watch and take part in these activities. There are also dancers, singers, films, paintings, and restored film of old Bristol.
Food from various cultures is also being displayed with a chance to taste too. So all in all a good day out.

That's all for now folks.
Speak soon

Keith

Wonderwool! oh wonderous Wonderwool!!!

CVM Romeldale
Manx Loaghtan
Jamaican Very Berry Coulis
Possum Fur
Citrus Zinger

Hi Folks

Did I mention I was going to Wonderwool??? Well I did go and what a great time I had. I could spend all day telling you all about it but I dare say quite a few of you went anyway.
So off I went in the company of the fab Anjie P, Shirley and Erin (Shani couldn't come because of work and we missed her loads). We had a lovely journey to Builth Wells - with a minor detour through Monmouth (such a lovely town), so nice we went there twice.
We stopped off for a fresh cup of tea and coffee in what was a former car showroom now a cafe. Lovely drinks but they really must do something about their fridge, which did a pretty good impression of a banshee, despite having had a good kicking earlier on. As ever, we made somewhere popular - other people came and spoilt the show. Time to move on.
We arrived at the show in good time, parked in the disabled car park (very close to the action) so at least I know I'm good for something. Everyone should take a crip when they go somewhere.
We got inside the show and went our separate ways. I thought I would see them quite often, but only caught up with them twice.
First off, I met Jon Dunn from Easy Knits and bought some handbalm Vanilla Latte well at least I smelt nice. No honestly it's very good. I did the rounds taking in all the stalls and then went round again doing a bit of shopping. I met Longdraw James @ Woodland Turnery while I discussed a faster whorl for my Timbertop wheel. In fact I met so many people old friends and new I would be here all day naming them. Suffice to say I had a good time. I didn't overdo the spending so I've got a bit left over for later.
What else has happened. I sent away for some CVM Romeldale from Lilac Ridge Farm WI USA which has arrived (see photo) it is lovely and soft and springy. Also I ordered some Manx Loaghton top from Dickies. It too is lovely and soft - so much nicer than the fleece I bought years ago and threw on the compost heap as it was sooo coarse. Since Wonderwool, I have done some dyeing with Kool Aid dyes bought while I was there (see photo's) Jamaican Very Berry Coulis and Citrus Zinger. So now I've caught up on the goss and will have to get down to some hard graft to spin my stash.
I hope everyone is ok and I'll speak again soon.

Hugz

Keith

Wonderwool here we come.

Hi Folks

So what have I been up to, well last night I went to Spinnning Weal in Clevedon again (my 2nd time) and thank goodness I did.

Prior to that I had spent 5 hours at Southmead Hospital seeing 2 doctors. It seemed to go on for ever and by 5pm when my transport finally turned up, I hadn't eaten or drunk anything for 9 hours - yep I was very hungry tired and fed up and panicking because I had to be home by quarter past five for my lift to Clevedon (courtesy of the Fabulous Anj P.) The taxi driver was rather yummy and managed to get me home in time-just.
Yet another great night at the Spinning Weal, it gave me a chance to chill out and spin in the company of some lovely people. So with cheese and tomato rolls (provided for me by my DH) and Dave's tea, life returned to normal.

We are having our main meeting of the month for SpinDyeWeavers on this Saturday and next Saturday we are off to Wonderwool, I can't wait.
We did sort of promise Dave last night that we would have a group photo taken of us at Wonderwool displaying our Violet Spinning Weal Bags, I'm sure that we can.
I had a good go at my Timbertops wheel which sits in the hallway looking beautiful. I gave it a good clean and oil, so I think I will use it to spin up my last dye job "Fire Glow" as I haven't used it for a long time. Other than that I must continue spinning my 'yellow stuff' as their is loads of it. It has gained an admirer (we won't say who on here) but suffice to say this person wants my wool and wants it preferably ready spun. Gonna keep a close eye on my stash in future.

Week 2 of the general election and I'm sick of it already. When will they understand, that I'm a grown up now and I'm quite capable of making my own mind up, without them mailing me in person or slagging each other off on the tele'.

My poor huzbear has hurt his back and is unwell - lucky for him he has a disabled nurse to look after him LOL.

That' all folks
Speak soon

Keith

OMG where have I been?

I can't belive that it was in March that I last blogged. Where has all the time gone?
We had our meeting on the 27th March and had a great time. Dyes everywhere and everybody looked as though they meant business. We started off with a bit of a show and tell and then decided to get on down and do some work. I decided that I really should try using more vibrant colours in the reds and browns and add a little black to tone it down. So I did and the result is "Fire Glow", a lovely mix of reds, oranges, browns, bluish grey and black. It does look like the glow of embers in a fire. Well see what you think, I'll put the pics at the end.
We had some great colour combinations with, Gill taking inspiration from some Iris's and Chris producing her own version of 'fruit pastilles'. It was yet again a good day, with time flying by and it was 4pm before we knew it.
I bought a "fishermans bag" the other day as I wanted to have a bag that would carry everything for spinning, including my 'niddy noddy' and 'lazy kate'. And it does the job well.
It's very "manly" - green canvas and has loads of pockets.
It came complete with 8 plastic boxes that would normally hold 'flies and weights' etc. What I'll do with these I do not know.
Well Easter is here and I must carry on spinning my yellow fleece, we wont be going anywhere so it will be a quiet affair. But I have had confirmation that my car has been ordered and may well be with me in May, that will allow us to have some nice days out this year and I think my huzbear deserves some nice time out.
Oh well that's all for now folks.
Speak soon
Hugz
Keith