I was so touched by the comments that I got about my previous post. As I said before it's a thread that I picked up elsewhere and I just wanted to add my penneth worth to it. A lovely lady called Joyce, who doesn't have a blog said this "....what I would like to know is what difference does it make how these wonderfully talented people find the time to do what they do? I just want them to keep on doing it so that I can have the pleasure of viewing the results. I am also amazed by what seems to be an overall generous spirit amoung most of the blogs I read. They share patterns and send each other presents without having ever met. I say keep on crafting and keep on blogging, I love it!!!" Hear. Hear.
I didn't think it was possible for us to grind to more of halt than we have done but we have. I'm worried about returning to the real world in September when we go back to school. What will it be like meeting people, leaving the house, teaching a lesson. I have surpsired myself on how lazy we are being. Well lazy in the antisocial sense because in truth we are doing various things in the house. Amber and I have started knitting. She wanted a tank top from the Boden catalogue but I said No Way when I saw that it was £39. So she rifled through my knitting basket and found some balls of wool and this pattern from knitty and she's off. Here's the progress so far:
I've started a tank top for Raj from the Knitting Pure and Simple pattern and the dyed Madder wool:
Raj potters about playing football, doing lego and the odd bit of felting:
He made put some of the dyed wool around a golf ball and then once it was felted we cut it in half to make two nests (something he did at Kindy he said).
Rohan more of the same, but no felting (come on Mum you know what I feel about handwork) is reading this:
He bought it with his birthday money. One of the first things we did is to go to the charity shop to look for an old tobacco tin to put in his 'essential kit'. Two pics here and here .
Other than I am trying to use up the wool that I've been so madly dyeing. I've spun (if that's what you can call the result) some on a drop spindle a voila:
I'm so pleased with the colours. The orange is madder with citric acid, the purple is blackberry, the bright yellow is onion and the pale yellow is goldenrod (not as bright as I'd hoped), the blue is indigo and the green onion and indigo. A neighbour came over yesterday and gave me a spinning lesson but I just cannot ply, feed and do my feet at the same time. So Raj is turning the wheel for me while I learn to feed and tease the wool with my hands. We'll get there.........
Thanks for spurring me on to join in on the debate - it was/is very thought provoking stuff. Your dyed wool is just fantastic and I love the pics of the boys - especially the one with the book!
Posted by: Max | August 09, 2006 at 05:40 PM
I love reading your blog, because you are into so many things I have never tried, like spinning,dying and felting wool. It is fascinating! And the knitting I see happening here is amazing! It has always seemed like a bit of magic to me... taking needles and some yarn and somehow a garment appears!
Posted by: *jenny | August 09, 2006 at 08:36 PM
Sounds like your all having a wonderful laid back summer. I love that essensials kit, just what every child needs for an adventure! Congrat's to amber on knitting that wonderful tank top. I've never bought anything from boden their prices are outrageous!!
Posted by: weirdbunny | August 09, 2006 at 08:49 PM
your wool colors are so gorgeous! I love the creativity in your househole!
Posted by: brenda | August 10, 2006 at 08:20 PM
!!!sorry for the typo! household---I meant household!
Posted by: brenda | August 10, 2006 at 08:22 PM
amber, once again lovely work. i love the little marker too!
simmy, the wool is all looking gorgeous. and plying is an art. really hard getting the right tension without it over twisting.
Posted by: prairiemouse | August 11, 2006 at 08:06 AM
Oh wow! Such fun going on with your family!
I love the felted nests...great idea.
Who is the author of that book? It looks intriguing.
Your handspun yarn is lovely!
Posted by: Dannielle | August 12, 2006 at 05:35 AM
wow those colors are great! If you want to chat with other spinners come to http://talk.pixiepurls.com
we would be happy to have you!
Posted by: pixie | August 12, 2006 at 06:04 PM