Cushions and Dinghy Racing

 

 

Do you remember back in March I had some "warp waiting" on my loom?  With inspiration taken from the sea and shoreline I chose a variety of different coloured yarns and in a free style of simple stripes, I created a warp ready to weave some fabric.    

  

 

 

I decided to keep the weft of the design very simple choosing two yarns;  4ply cream and Aran oatmeal fleck. This made the stripes of the warp sing out, giving a wonderfully soft tone to the finished hand woven piece. 

 

I liked the effect very much and so have made two scatter cushions with the material produced. They look quite

 at home in my knit room with it's relaxed nautical theme in shades of blues and whites.   

 

For those of you who like to read of my sailing adventures will know that Skipper and I have fun racing our old mirror dinghy on the river Medina in the summer months. The race series is light hearted, but that's not to say that it is not competitive! We are currently in second place, the chances are pretty slim for us to gain first position, but we will  certainly try very hard- today the weather conditions are predicted to be very light breezes so I shall be sending Skipper out single handed for a change to make the most of  the conditions with a light boat. It's all about tactics... you know...

 

Below is a link to the MMA  

 

 

http://www.medinamariners.org/#/dinghy-racing/4570018027

 

 

Knitting On Board and Working Outdoors

 

 Well it's good to be home and get started on lots of ideas and projects in wool. I sit on our little yacht moored up on the river Medina on the Isle of Wight waiting for the tide. It is wonderful to watch the wading birds, the river and the sky ever changing. The light throws different patterns and shadows and the breeze moves constantly always creating interesting and inspiring scenery.

I grab a ball of wool from my stash on board and it is just perfect to reflect the land and seascape before me. A ball of Rowan Felted Tweed; the flecks of blue and white blending with the soft muddy browns and greys. I Cast on...
I decide to knit the yarn into a hat (pattern from memory) and enjoy the easy knitting of the afternoon on board.

 

At home in the garden I am inspired by the colourful summer flowers and spend many hours working under the light shade of my gazebo.  I have my spinning wheel outside to make some yarn and I use my drum carder to prepare some more fleece to spin.

BUT I didn't realise just how hot it was getting in the garden and the following day when I came to take the drum carder out into the garden again to get some more fibres ready I noticed that the drive belt had broken!! It is rubber and must have got too hot in the sun, expanded and then shrunk and snapped overnight.

 

Took a week to get a replacement, now I'm more careful of the conditions outdoors!

Nevertheless I do enjoy being outside working with my wools.