Needles on the Move

Wonderwool was great fun as usual, and rendered more so by the crowd we managed to track down there. Seems every knitter and her dog were hanging out in Builth on Saturday! I went with Alice and had arranged beforehand to meet up with Grit and Michaela, and Ali, Nick, Chantelle, Rhiannon and Andy. We also found out that Justine and Sally were going to be there, and bumped into Jen and Woolly. I also, completely by surprise, found Rosie and Linda - friends from Kennet Valley - who proved extremely useful in letting us hide heavy stuff under their stall.

After we got tired of looking at yarn (yes it can happen eventually) we wandered back to the hotel for some drinks, and then to a pub for dinner and some more drinks. The place Alice picked out for us was awesome, there’s some photos on her blog.

I didn’t bring home very much, and I didn’t take my camera to the event I’m afraid, but I have some photos… Books:

And some yarn which will look lovely once it’s woven into a scarf (yes, I know it already looks lovely - it’ll look more lovely).

Are you sensing a theme? Then this arrived in the post today:

And unpacked to reveal this:

Only one page of instructions, so I took a deep breath and picked up the screwdriver… how am I doing?

And finally:

There were an awful lot of bits left in the box at the end of the instructions. This thing didn’t come with a book, so I’m going to have to wing it with the chapter on rigid heddles in the Ashford book I was given by mum.

Any tips hugely appreciated!

Fibrey stuff that happened while I was away…

I didn’t get any actual weaving done but I did read all of Mum’s weaving books (and snuck a couple home with me) and spun up the warp for my first project.

It’s merino/silk blend from Wingham Woolwork and it’s spun to a fairly firm 2-ply. More on that later.

On my last day at the farm we went to the Field Days, which is kind of like a county fair but without the competitions - so lots of displays and people selling and demonstrating stuff. I fell in love with Supernova:

And begged for and subsequently brought home some of his fleece:

I also wept that there was no room in my suitcase for these:

But luckily, Mum has a whole farm and is going to buy a dozen or so Yay!

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In other news, I got copies of Having Hope printed and will be selling them to people I bump into, and I might put them in a couple of shops. Alice may also be stocking them at Socktopus. I’ll keep you posted.

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Wonderwool this weekend :-D

Something in which I do NOT take after my mother. I love the idea of big gardens and growing things but mostly stuff just dies ;-) The only thing I have been successful with is my herb garden back home, which I really miss. I can’t wait for it to be warm enough to start one here on my balcony.

These are some of mum’s vegetable gardens. The netting is there to keep the chooks out, who otherwise have free run of the garden. This bed at the front has been planted with carrots, celery, brussels sprouts and some other stuff which I can’t remember, and mulched to help retain moisture.

Scampers the guinea pig keeps the grass down on the paths, behind him are the beds being prepared for climbers like peas.

My hands go nowhere near the soil, in case of plant-assassination, but I carried buckets of worm poo and untangled netting :-D I think these are cabbage seedlings mum’s planting here.

Lunch.

And just cause they’re cute - some chooks.

While I was home we had several meals which were almost completely composed of home-grown produce (including some yummy roast goat), it is so satisfying to be able to just pop out and pick whatever you fancy eating. The vegies mum planted while I was home will mostly be ready towards the end of winter and will provide nearly all they need for the season, plus plenty to freeze and preserve as well.

… and sunny B-) are you jealous? I hear it’s been snowing in London. Console yourselves with the thought that there’s no decent coffee for 300km.

Today so far, I have had breakfast (home grown eggs, and locally produced jam and bread from the farmer’s market) fed the chooks, collected eggs, admired the goats, and helped put dinner in the crockpot.

Later Margie and I will hang out while Mum takes Alan to see the orthopaedic surgeon in the next town. I had planned girly movies and knitting - Margie says however that we may be shifting pigs from the paddock to the yards. Hmmm.

Tomorrow most of the breeding sows will be going, leaving just a couple with new litters and some weaners in one shed (the young pigs being fattened up). This will take a great deal of pressure off as there is a lot of work in feeding pigs scattered all over the farm every day.

Tomorrow M and I are going to Melbourne to get a coffee, and maybe do some shopping. We’re staying a couple of days with Cherie and baby Chloe, and a couple of days with my brother Shannon. Back on Saturday, and it will only be one more week then until I come home!

I’m missing you all heaps - I pop by here to read comments occasionally but can’t really get to reading other people’s blogs much or get onto Ravelry at all. Cherie and Shannon both have broadband however - so I will do some catching up this week :-D and upload some photos!

Take care, xx