and a Happy New Year. Best wishes to all and a very safe holiday season.
I am hoping to do better with this blog and continue to put more of my craft on here.
Cheers, Colleen
Monday, December 24, 2018
Saturday, December 22, 2018
A Finished Weaving..
...I had lots of leftovers on the bobins and plyed them all together. Great lot of colours. This was going to be my weft yarn. for the warp I blended a bright blue with a darker green to get an almost teal so spun this for my warp. Very happy result and will go on sale in the New Year.
Sunday, December 9, 2018
Christmas approaches and a hot summer follows...
And so I have had my last market for the year. It was raining at the start, so waited a
while for that to settle. Thought it was going to be a bit quiet but made a few sales of my poncho/shawlettes, which are so ideal for any season. and had to pack up quickly at 11.30am as the heavens came down with thunder and lightning in the midst. so now drying out gazebos and the van awning.
so time to slow down and reassess what new items I can add to my stock. Plus restock beanies and mitts for adults and kids.
Handspun yarns I just keep adding, trying different colours.
I have purchased local fleece for yarn processing. This is a shared project, but my share is 75kg minus the loss in processing. This is white Corriedale and it is a very soft yarn and I will have fun dyeing it.
while for that to settle. Thought it was going to be a bit quiet but made a few sales of my poncho/shawlettes, which are so ideal for any season. and had to pack up quickly at 11.30am as the heavens came down with thunder and lightning in the midst. so now drying out gazebos and the van awning.
so time to slow down and reassess what new items I can add to my stock. Plus restock beanies and mitts for adults and kids.
Handspun yarns I just keep adding, trying different colours.
I have purchased local fleece for yarn processing. This is a shared project, but my share is 75kg minus the loss in processing. This is white Corriedale and it is a very soft yarn and I will have fun dyeing it.
Monday, November 26, 2018
It definitely has been a long time Posting..
It has been pretty busy this year. Lots of family issues, to work in with the markets and making products. But the year is nearly over and I will look forward to a small summer break from the markets.
But making for sales will be stepped up in an air conditioned studio over this time.
I have improved my machine knitting skills, so socks will be added. Little kids fingerless mitts have been pretty popular, so more of those to do would only do a few and they sold out each time. so a good heads start will work well.
I continue to handspin my yarns, so a good start to the season for next year will be a bonus.
The Yarn Van was in dire straits this year, and needed an engine replacement , very costly exercise , which I hope I never have to do again.
Coming up next year is the Coloured Sheep Congress in May in Italy, and am so looking forward to it. The Biella Wool Company is sponsoring it so it will be more about the processing.
As part of the North East Yarns, we will be processing white Corriedale fleeces into yarns, when that is done, I will be handdyeing these for my markets. I also love dyeing sock yarns as well.
Ok, lets see if I can focus on this blog a bit more.
But making for sales will be stepped up in an air conditioned studio over this time.
I have improved my machine knitting skills, so socks will be added. Little kids fingerless mitts have been pretty popular, so more of those to do would only do a few and they sold out each time. so a good heads start will work well.
I continue to handspin my yarns, so a good start to the season for next year will be a bonus.
The Yarn Van was in dire straits this year, and needed an engine replacement , very costly exercise , which I hope I never have to do again.
Coming up next year is the Coloured Sheep Congress in May in Italy, and am so looking forward to it. The Biella Wool Company is sponsoring it so it will be more about the processing.
As part of the North East Yarns, we will be processing white Corriedale fleeces into yarns, when that is done, I will be handdyeing these for my markets. I also love dyeing sock yarns as well.
Ok, lets see if I can focus on this blog a bit more.
Saturday, January 13, 2018
Thursday, December 7, 2017
Busy times...
The last few months have been really busy, and not only with woolcraft.
Late September and October I took a trip to the USA, where I first caught up with a friend in Vacaville, North California. It was about sheep and wool. Jacalyn introduced me to some of her friends in the Fibershed group and I purchased some lovely dyed Wensleydale locks and a little (pin)
cushion from weaving offcuts. Lovely group of people. I purchased yarn and some cotton material from the lovely shops in Winters. More new friends for me.
Jacalyn showed me her huge carder that she makes such wonderful batts from, using fleeces from her own sheep. And then she puts it through her Felt Loom (needle) machine. Wonderful.
My net visit was with my daughter and son in law in Dallas, Texas, where I spent a whole week. Rebecca and Matt took me to visit several places when they weren't working. And I took some museum tours. Ate lots of food.
My next journey took me to New York to start a 2 week tour through the east coast and into Canada and back into the US through Pennsylvania, Washington, Philadelphia, and finishing up in NY. A wow of a trip. I still need to organise my photos and details so this is a brief story.
Next was a trip on Amtrak from Penn station to Rhinebeck to meet up with Marie Minnich who was showing her CVM Romeldaye sheep at Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival. I stayed for 2 nights and one whole day at the Festival. Oh boy, those crowds, and those stalls full of fibre and yarn and lots other things. And, yes, I did buy yarn and fibre. I had a lovely time dining out with Marie and her friends.
So I, now, have new friends in California and Pennsylvania.
So, leaving Sunday morning, I caught 3 trains before catching 3 planes back to Australia.
And, no time to slow down after getting back home, I had to start preparing for a trip to the Gold Coast in Queensland for Leigh's son's wedding. All went well and it was a great time.
Next came Christmas lunches, luckily I only have 2. Hopefully now I can slow down from travelling and get some work done.
Uh oh forgot some medical appointments coming up and Nursing home visits to my father. Then Christmas and family time.
Late September and October I took a trip to the USA, where I first caught up with a friend in Vacaville, North California. It was about sheep and wool. Jacalyn introduced me to some of her friends in the Fibershed group and I purchased some lovely dyed Wensleydale locks and a little (pin)
cushion from weaving offcuts. Lovely group of people. I purchased yarn and some cotton material from the lovely shops in Winters. More new friends for me.
Jacalyn showed me her huge carder that she makes such wonderful batts from, using fleeces from her own sheep. And then she puts it through her Felt Loom (needle) machine. Wonderful.
My net visit was with my daughter and son in law in Dallas, Texas, where I spent a whole week. Rebecca and Matt took me to visit several places when they weren't working. And I took some museum tours. Ate lots of food.
My next journey took me to New York to start a 2 week tour through the east coast and into Canada and back into the US through Pennsylvania, Washington, Philadelphia, and finishing up in NY. A wow of a trip. I still need to organise my photos and details so this is a brief story.
Next was a trip on Amtrak from Penn station to Rhinebeck to meet up with Marie Minnich who was showing her CVM Romeldaye sheep at Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival. I stayed for 2 nights and one whole day at the Festival. Oh boy, those crowds, and those stalls full of fibre and yarn and lots other things. And, yes, I did buy yarn and fibre. I had a lovely time dining out with Marie and her friends.
So I, now, have new friends in California and Pennsylvania.
So, leaving Sunday morning, I caught 3 trains before catching 3 planes back to Australia.
And, no time to slow down after getting back home, I had to start preparing for a trip to the Gold Coast in Queensland for Leigh's son's wedding. All went well and it was a great time.
Next came Christmas lunches, luckily I only have 2. Hopefully now I can slow down from travelling and get some work done.
Uh oh forgot some medical appointments coming up and Nursing home visits to my father. Then Christmas and family time.
Sunday, September 17, 2017
It has been a while...
...but I am still here. One wonders how much a person can do in this world of technology.
This year has been hugely busy. Building up stock levels of garments and accessories to sell at the markets, creating an online presence, spinning and dyeing yarns. And attend markets, events and keep and eye on family issues. At present parents are becoming older with the inherent medical issues that come with that.
In the meantime I have been planning a visit to the US particularly to visit my daughter in Dallas, Texas and include visits with woolly friends, plus a tour. And this is happening soon. I leave September 26 and return October 24.
To ensure you see what I am up to follow me on Facebook
www.facebook.com/collarn
This year has been hugely busy. Building up stock levels of garments and accessories to sell at the markets, creating an online presence, spinning and dyeing yarns. And attend markets, events and keep and eye on family issues. At present parents are becoming older with the inherent medical issues that come with that.
In the meantime I have been planning a visit to the US particularly to visit my daughter in Dallas, Texas and include visits with woolly friends, plus a tour. And this is happening soon. I leave September 26 and return October 24.
To ensure you see what I am up to follow me on Facebook
www.facebook.com/collarn
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