tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46310064206533059442024-03-19T08:44:50.289+00:00Ruth's embroideryRuth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.comBlogger117125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-81319774336632349532015-10-18T09:05:00.000+01:002015-10-18T09:05:01.844+01:00Craft Fairs - no rhyme nor reason to what sellsI am flopped on the sofa after a day touting my wares at the Highland Wool & Textile Fair at Eden Court Theatre in Inverness. This was a lovely event in a great location, but as the weather was splendid for the time of year, I think a lot of people decided that being out of doors was a better plan. It was really quiet compared with previous years. However, those who came were buying.<br />
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I just wish I could work out what makes people buy particular things. Is it how they are displayed? What colours things are? How much space they have to browse? Is it better to have things individually priced or to have big labels saying e.g. "<a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-scarves.html" target="_blank">Harris Tweed Scarves - £40</a>". Does it make a difference where I am on the stall - behind the table? off to the side? sitting or standing? I wish I knew!<br />
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Today was strange........... lots of sales, but all completely different things. More often at craft fairs there will be a particular thing that I sell lots of and other things that are not looked at but today I sold a scarf, a hooded scarf, a bag, two different styles of hats.......... etc. etc. I know I tried to cram too much onto my stall (....... I have never mastered the art of minimalism!) but still people looked at everything. Or rather, some people looked at one thing, others looked at something else and it was as though they only saw that one thing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qiVIPX7PgdVa7Cw3uLVQti655QDFlaATrVUVywmwsSCAJDs9VoCSdivJWQ5YFfEs3-Ox3fnZ4vkdPZrgLtvKKdoumN6olXFRjbApl2678dESWTRcB_PVpzI5vltAnbn3d_3fj2oDDF0/s1600/HWTF+stall-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qiVIPX7PgdVa7Cw3uLVQti655QDFlaATrVUVywmwsSCAJDs9VoCSdivJWQ5YFfEs3-Ox3fnZ4vkdPZrgLtvKKdoumN6olXFRjbApl2678dESWTRcB_PVpzI5vltAnbn3d_3fj2oDDF0/s320/HWTF+stall-3.jpg" width="320" /></a>What did get a lot of attention was the new jackets I had made this week. One was a petite size swing jacket (pictured on display right), <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-offers2.html" target="_blank">the other was an oversized dufflecoat style (modelled by me below)</a>. They are definitely going to be included as part of our range of products although they will generally only be made to measure. <br />
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The fair ran from 10am till 4pm. At 3.30 it was dead and some stallholders started to pack up but then there was a sudden influx of people coming in to see an early show and lots of them did a quick whiz around the fair first. I got a couple of last minute sales, so that rule of "don't start packing up until the show is closed" is worth stitcking to.<br />
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When the last customer had gone I started packing and got it all done and car loaded within the hour. As I had to go past the house to get to my studio I stopped off to have a quick bite to eat - having gone hungry all day. By the time I headed out to the studio to empty the car the sun was setting. What a tremendous view over the Beauly Firth! My usual drive at that time of day is in the other direction coming home from the studio so this was something of a treat. <br />
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I have booked for three more craft fairs between now and Christmas. It will be a hectic run because they are on consecutive weekends, so no time off for 3 weeks on the trot. <br />
<ul>
<li>20th to 22nd November 2015 - Eden Court, Inverness.</li>
<li>28th to 29th November 2015 - Eden Court, Inverness.</li>
<li>4th to 6th December 2015 - Eden Court, Inverness. </li>
</ul>
If you live in the Highlands, why not make a point of coming to one of them - for details, see either the <a href="http://www.exclusivelyhighlands.co.uk/Exclusively_Highlands/Home.html" target="_blank">Exclusively Highlands website</a> or the <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/" target="_blank">Anna Macneil website</a>. And when you visit - give me your honest opinion about our stall and tell me what catches your eye, even if you are not going to buy it.<br />
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And of course, if you can't make it either to our workshop or to one of the craft fairs, our on-line shop is always available. This coming week my husband has promised to work on a new website for me - not holding my breath for a quick result, but I hope to make the website easier to use and more informative. <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/" target="_blank">Watch this space.........!</a>Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-65919748590012534432015-09-22T21:34:00.000+01:002015-09-22T21:34:52.796+01:00Weaving more Harris Tweed - and making a big mistake with the warpI am just back from another visit to the Isle of Lewis. I go there for a week or so most months to look after my elderly mother. A lot of my time is spent cooking and filling the freezer with home cooked meals for her to eat between my visits, but while she is resting (most of the time!) I go out to the loom shed and weave Harris Tweed.<br />
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<h3>
Cool Colours for Summer</h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZkotYYktsQ23qMrWRZTTqpGTR7D86t1kw0OZOTMl3bU8BIJYi5bZz4FWPObcJuqGasRUXVT3Y-8RuLOSIXT72U4cP6Wv8oAL_wQiYkaw4j6Hcj5wdYx19cv-_Gcl4wJinBtWTnDLZgM/s1600/pale+blue+tweed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZkotYYktsQ23qMrWRZTTqpGTR7D86t1kw0OZOTMl3bU8BIJYi5bZz4FWPObcJuqGasRUXVT3Y-8RuLOSIXT72U4cP6Wv8oAL_wQiYkaw4j6Hcj5wdYx19cv-_Gcl4wJinBtWTnDLZgM/s320/pale+blue+tweed.jpg" width="320" /></a>I finished off the tweed that was on the loom - it had about 20 metres still to be woven when I left after my last visit in August. This particular warp was all pale colours, mostly cream, grey and oatmeal, but with single strands of pale pink, pale blue and pale green repeating every 24 ends. Perhaps not the blue, but all the other colours were like icecream colours, perfect for weaving on hot summer days - mint, chocolate, strawberry, pistachio. I wove most of this with a cream weft, <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2UkqAX2DhOJCRa6gN1Tj1HDNvUGxKrbCmv9fz6_k69HRflsbRXVb6dWUnEKnuf9lSzTGvWhNm-qDblZM4HBjInJ15hoDzxyBWgrhNDTQlxjzFgQ6GFtsperzuAqRCCNEo3w2elJ-YX_Q/s1600/pink+tweed+on+loom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2UkqAX2DhOJCRa6gN1Tj1HDNvUGxKrbCmv9fz6_k69HRflsbRXVb6dWUnEKnuf9lSzTGvWhNm-qDblZM4HBjInJ15hoDzxyBWgrhNDTQlxjzFgQ6GFtsperzuAqRCCNEo3w2elJ-YX_Q/s320/pink+tweed+on+loom.jpg" width="317" /></a>but I also wove some with pale blue, some with pale pink and some with pale green. It was all very restful on the eye and a pleasure to work with.<br />
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It may look a rather random pattern but it is actually a semi-regular herringbone - an 8/8 coupled with 4/4. It is easier to see the pattern when there is a strong contrast in colour, but I was not aiming for the pattern to be obvious, more one that draws one in to look more closely. Of course there may be the odd threading mistake - but it is not really the pattern that counts here - it is helping to break up the stripes of the warp to create an interesting texture.<br />
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I took the tweed to Carloway Mill on Monday morning where it will be washed, finished and stamped with the <a href="http://www.harristweed.org/" target="_blank">Orb certification mark</a>. I will probably get it delivered to our studio in about 3 weeks time and then it will get made up into our cosy <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-wraps1.html" target="_blank">wraps</a>, <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-scarves.html" target="_blank">scarves</a> and <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-wraps3.html" target="_blank">hooded capes</a>.<br />
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<h3>
Hot Hues for Winter</h3>
I also made up a new warp ready for my next visit. The loom shed is a very cold place in winter - a metal garage door that doesn't keep out the wind, no heating or insulation and a hard concrete floor - so I decided that I could at least have warm colours to look at while I weave. I chose several shades of reds and wines and added in the odd cone of pink and orange. It is going to be stunning when it is woven, even though I will probably tone it down a bit and most of it will be woven with a very dark plum colour of weft.<br />
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The only problem was...... I made a huge mistake while winding the warp as on one round (out of 29) I must have missed one peg, so those 24 ends were 8 metres short. I only discovered this as I was chaining off the warp prior to transferring it to the loom. I had to lengthen each of those ends but inevitably, when tying in the extra lengths, some of the yarn has got crossed over and tangled. You can see in this photograph what the problem is - I had to put the warp bundle back onto a higher post and twist it round to keep in place while I tied in the extra lengths.<br />
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This stupid error meant that I knew there were going to be tangles as I beamed the warp so I declined the offer of help with beaming (better not to have an audience when one is getting cross!!). It means the beaming process is very slow. I worked out a way of keeping a good tension on the warp as I wind, it is effective but slow. I have managed to get past the problem area - I have probably wound about <br />
20 metres onto the beam, another 40 to go but I had a ferry to catch so just had to leave it at that stage. What I have been doing is attaching one of the cloth weights using a bit of thin rope and a larkshead knot, winding about 80cm then sliding the knot down the warp before repeating the process... and repeating ....... and repeating! I have left it with the weight in place as I don't want the tension slacked off before I go back to finish the job next month.<br />
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This warp is 60 metres, so it will probably be December before I finish the weaving, it may even stretch into January depending on how much time I can spare to visit the island. Watch this space! Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-89512821009919659202015-06-13T08:16:00.000+01:002015-06-24T08:59:16.243+01:00The final felt banner - with Muir of Ord Art GroupThis post is about the making of the fifth of five felt banners being made through <a href="http://www.groamhouse.org.uk/" target="_blank">Groam House Museum</a>. All five are taking inspiration from the work of George Bain widely considered to be the father of modern Celtic Art. The museum houses a large collection of Bain's work along with a collection of Pictish stones.<br />
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You can read about the first four wallhangings by clicking on these links.<br />
<a href="http://embroiderybyruth.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/feltmaking-inspired-by-work-of-george.html" target="_blank">1 ~ Groam House Museum Volnteers Group, made in Fortrose</a><br />
<a href="http://embroiderybyruth.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/resolis-friendship-group-making-celtic.html" target="_blank">2 ~ Resolis Friendship Group, made in Resolis Memorial Hall</a><br />
<a href="http://embroiderybyruth.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/culbokie-church-centre-celtic-inspired.html" target="_blank">3 ~ Culbokie Friendship Group, made in the Culbokie Church Centre</a><br />
<a href="http://embroiderybyruth.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/the-fourth-felt-banner-avoch-friendship.html" target="_blank">4 ~ Avoch Friendship Club, made in the Parish Church Hall</a><br />
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This banner is being made by volunteers from the Muir of Ord Art Group in their premises in the old school building in the village square. Other people from the village came to help as well, some staying all day, others just dropping in for a short time. The library is in the same building so people saw us at work when they came to change their books. <br />
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<h3>
Wednesday 10th June 2015</h3>
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Today was the warmest day of the year so far but we didn't see much of it as we were hard at work making felt for the coloured sections of our banner. I took far more photographs than there is space for here, but you can see more of them on a <a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/113278059705131050933/albums/6158856264423681841?banner=pwa" target="_blank">web album - click here</a>.<br />
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The design was to follow the same format as the previous wallhangings
- Celtic knotwork panels around the edges with some text in the middle
section along with others things of particular significance to the place
of making. In this case we drew on some of the history of the village
which was originally called Tarradale. Muir of Ord was an important
place for trading of the traditional black cattle favoured by Highland
crofters and drovers. (Highland cattle were black before the Victorians
bred them to obtain the lighter browns that we recognise today). There
is a large distillery on the edge of the village and in earlier times
the area had a lot of illicit whisky stills so we decided to include
these in the design. The village had a large army base during the war
and the war memorial stands just outside the building where we are
working so we decided we would include some red poppies.<br />
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To create these various components we had to make several pieces of coloured half-felt, i.e. a fabric which has been felted just enough to hold the fibres together, but not so much that it couldn't be felted into the background.<br />
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First task was to choose our colours. <br />
Each person chose two contrasting colours - some opted for tone on tone, others for complimentary colours. The darker colour was laid down first and then the second colour added at right angles.<br />
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Some fancy fibres - angelina, silk, mohair - were added to give a bit of interest to each piece and then it was time to wet down with warm soapy water. After a bit of rubbing through sheets of bubblewrap the fibres had felted together enough that we could squeeze the water out and cut it up into the shapes we needed for our design.<br />
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The designs were traced onto a thin non-woven fabric that is normally used as a backing for machine embroidery, but is good for this purpose because it can be drawn on with marker pens and doesn't disintegrate if it gets wet. Once traced, the patterns were pressed down onto our damp felt pieces and we cut the pieces out with scissors.<br />
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By the end of the day we had all the various components ready - except for our Highland cows. We had the felt, but not the design. However, one person volunteered to do a drawing that night ready for us to cut out the felt the next morning.<br />
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<h3>
Thursday, 11th June</h3>
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The task this morning was to create the background for our panel. I had spread a large sheet of bubblewrap on the table and on top of this a piece of ice wool. This is a loose, open mesh knitted fabric that is a combination of an acrylic yarn and a lot of fluffy wool fibres. It is manufactured as an insulator for posh jackets, but it works very well as a base on which to felt ensuring that there will be no holes or thin patches in our wallhanging.<br />
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Then we set to work covering the area with two layers of white merino wool fibres, checking that there were no gaps or thin areas. Once satisfied with this we added some touches of colour, sparkle and textural interest in the form of silk, synthetic and metallic fibres along with strands of mohair yarn and some coarser varieties of wool.<br />
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I brought through two buckets of warm soapy water which was duly poured onto our bed of fibres. Another sheet of bubblewrap on top and we were ready to rub. We did this just for a few mintues to ensure all the fibres were wet through and flattened.<br />
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Time to start the fun bit - getting our design in place. I laid the paper plan out on the floor and all our cut-outs from the day before were arranged on that - including the Highland cattle, poppies and clarsach which had been cut out earlier. We did a bit of put and take until we were all happy with the design and then transferred them piece by piece onto our background felt. The two sections of vinescroll designs had to be intertwined with the zoomorphic creatures that "inhabit" them. The poppies and the whisky stills had to be arranged, with some partially hidden under the knotwork panels. When were were satisfied all was in place we damped down the additions, covered it all with the bubblewrap and started rubbing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4j4bE91_lshTLjPNdU0P0T_GbId2oYh_a8Q5IivH-JzyHXAsjQJh7SIP2H2C7LSVx3dAHGWV18Fj2SfFE5liYmZ79I9HrdMuOEE94Yug-_UWXNC3Rgdp5gvCB2UYgurchqMZBT4NS33g/s1600/happy+with+design.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4j4bE91_lshTLjPNdU0P0T_GbId2oYh_a8Q5IivH-JzyHXAsjQJh7SIP2H2C7LSVx3dAHGWV18Fj2SfFE5liYmZ79I9HrdMuOEE94Yug-_UWXNC3Rgdp5gvCB2UYgurchqMZBT4NS33g/s320/happy+with+design.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A few minutes later we peeled off the bubblewrap and spent some time snipping through the top layer in each knotwork panel to create the effect of "overs & unders" which is typical of Celtic knotwork, then replaced the bubblewrap and started the serious rubbing........ and rubbing....... and rubbing.<br />
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We were blessed with the help of four gentlemen with large hands - what a difference this makes to the rubbing process - they had a much better coverage than mine!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMIDMrfdy8WShD07Gx88tAyDncU5wkcRw9rN-mY98wwo57eCdTkSTyybPI6hS2hEBjJei4D5WimU1xkbEZsQQ7lpsqQ5PUU9ewWYu719Y3JrhPqtyVcL4ujBFVayulQY8r6kuj5IKsnAc/s1600/turning+over-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMIDMrfdy8WShD07Gx88tAyDncU5wkcRw9rN-mY98wwo57eCdTkSTyybPI6hS2hEBjJei4D5WimU1xkbEZsQQ7lpsqQ5PUU9ewWYu719Y3JrhPqtyVcL4ujBFVayulQY8r6kuj5IKsnAc/s320/turning+over-2.jpg" width="320" /></a>After an hour or so of rubbing we were able to turn the felt over and repeat the process on the back. Within a short while we could see an impression of our design coming through to the reverse - a sure sign the felting was going well. By 3 o'clock we were happy that everything was well and truly felted and we rolled it up and squeezed out the water. A lot landed on the floor, but we had a bucket and mop handy along with lots of towels.<br />
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All that remained was to tack a tracing of the space we had left for the text so I can cut stencils for all the words. This will be needlefelted next day.<br />
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Monday 15th June</h3>
Today the table was set up at its lowest height so it was good for sitting at. The task for this day was needlefelting - in particular, adding the text to the central part of our wallhanging. We had a good turnout and it was quite tight fitting everyone in around the table.<br />
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I had cut stencils for all the words using my laser cutting machine and we moved these around until we were happy with the positions. We pinned narrow ribbons across the felt to give a base line for the text - measuring the space between each line to make sure everything was evenly spread and that the text would be straight. Then we pinned through the stencils to keep them in position while we needlefelted.<br />
We had a bit of debate about which colour of wool to use for our words which ended in a vote in favour of dark green. All those at the top end of the table started work on the words.<br />
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Those at the bottom end added black centres to the poppies and then started work on the knotwork borders. When school was out, one of the volunteers from the morning session dropped by with her daughters and they had a little go at needlefelting.<br />
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Over the course of the day it all took shape and by 3.30 we had all our wording complete and had made a good start on the other details.<br />
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Wednesday 17th June</h3>
Today was to be another full day of needlefelting. <br />
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This time we moved the table into the art room (it had been out in the wide corridor) because it had been a bit tight to have everyone moving past each other. Again we had a good turnout - this time with visitors dropping in to see how it was progressing.<br />
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Once again, Tracy brought her daughters in after school and this time they added some tiny poppies in amongst the knotwork. The part that was causing some anxiety was the black cattle - partly because working on that blocked others from working on the border knotwork panels but mainly because people were reluctant to tackle it. However, Helen (who had drawn the pattern for the cows a few days earlier) volunteered to stay on after everyone else had gone home for the day and she got a lot of fine detail added in.<br />
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Thursday 18th June</h3>
The final push-------------- the last details were needlefelted in the morning and then we turned the felt over to needle from the back making it more secure.<br />
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By lunchtime we were all done and we could move the table back out into the corridor once again raising the legs to standing height.<br />
We poured warm soapy water all over the felt and covered with bubblewrap, then rubbed, and rubbed, and rubbed some more. Unlike our previous wet felting sessions where we just needed to lightly felt, this time we wanted to get the whole piece fully felted, securing all the needlefetled detail and firming up the felt. We started off with rubbing on the back, with the last few minutes done without the bubblewrap. Then the felt/bubblewrap sandwich was turned over and the process repeated from the front. <br />
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The rubbing probably lasted about an hour until I was satisfied that we had a good, strong piece of felt. Then we rolled it up and squeezed out as much water as we could.<br />
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The next stage was the milling. This involved spreading the felt out on top of bamboo blinds and rolling it up like a swiss roll before taking turns to roll the felt back and forth.<br />
Our numbers had reduced down to just six people (someone must have let on that there was to be hard work in the afternoon!) but we worked in teams and got the rolling done first from one end then the other, then one long side and the other. This process shrunk the felt further firming it up in the process.<br />
All that remained was to hang it up so we could admire our handiwork and get our final group photograph.<br />
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Finishing off.................... the felt had to be rinsed to remove all the soap and give a final shrink. Because of the size this had to be done in a bath so I took it home and gave it several rinses in hot water - about 4 bathfuls - treading up and down to get rid of the soap.<br />
Damp weather meant it took a couple of days to drip dry. It is now just waiting for me to give it a good press and to stitch a velcro strip onto the back for mounting.<br />
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This is the last of the five wallhangings that have made up this project. It has been a thoroughly enjhoyable experience working with all these groups and I would like to thank everyone who helped to make the project such a success. The 5 wallhangings will be displayed in various venues around the Highlands over the next few months and then we hope to have them on display at Celtic Connections in Glasgow in January 2016.<br />
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Thankyou to all who have helped, thanks also to Groam House Museum for giving me the opportunity to work on this and to their projects officer, Wendy Sanders for all her hard work organising venues, groups and individuals - without her, it couldn't have happened.<br />
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Well done everyone.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bGHg-VkmRws/VYpismXkW_I/AAAAAAAAFZY/AypVFqsIFOY/s1600/all%2Bfive%2B-%2Bin%2Border-reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="246" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bGHg-VkmRws/VYpismXkW_I/AAAAAAAAFZY/AypVFqsIFOY/s640/all%2Bfive%2B-%2Bin%2Border-reduced.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All five banners - left to right, Groam House Volunteers, Resolis Friendship Group, Culbokie Friendship Group, Avoch Friendship Club, Muir of Ord Art Group.</td></tr>
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<br />Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-92093313946765119002015-05-31T22:26:00.002+01:002015-05-31T22:27:35.585+01:00The Fourth Felt Banner - Avoch Friendship ClubThis is the story of how members of the Avoch Friendship Club made a felt banner in the parish church hall. The banner is fourth in a series of five banners being made to celebrate the work of George Bain under the auspices of <a href="http://www.groamhouse.org.uk/" target="_blank">Groam House Museum</a>. To read about the first three banners click on the titles for the links.<br />
<a href="http://embroiderybyruth.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/feltmaking-inspired-by-work-of-george.html" target="_blank">Banner 1 - made by Groam House Museum Volunteers Group</a><br />
<a href="http://embroiderybyruth.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/resolis-friendship-group-making-celtic.html" target="_blank">Banner 2 - made by Resolis Friendship Club</a><br />
<a href="http://embroiderybyruth.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/culbokie-church-centre-celtic-inspired.html" target="_blank">Banner 3 - made by Culbokie Friendship Group</a><br />
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Day 1 - 11th May 2015</h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkHVPRv-MwuWpnp8khAx-Qw1DZRRV8zGXFkiJIpn63mv9EjXeudPZ-cQSF4XgPrIhR-shEDgeyGtADzlp2PRVMVtJrcnvw9Gk_0cgaFBQr2USFG7EgvpAFfC_SkKufZ5FGsTjEIGsJzU/s1600/choosing+colours-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkHVPRv-MwuWpnp8khAx-Qw1DZRRV8zGXFkiJIpn63mv9EjXeudPZ-cQSF4XgPrIhR-shEDgeyGtADzlp2PRVMVtJrcnvw9Gk_0cgaFBQr2USFG7EgvpAFfC_SkKufZ5FGsTjEIGsJzU/s320/choosing+colours-2.jpg" width="320" /></a>A few minutes was spent explaining to the group about the design. Unfortunately I had forgotten to take the full-size paper design out of my car before my husband went off to Stirling for the weekend, but we did have the benefit of the Culbokie panel to guide us.<br />
The first step was to choose the colours to use for the knotwork sections around the edges.<br />
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Each person chose two colours that provied a good contrast and started by laying down the darker of the two in small tufts.<br />
Next they laid the brighter/lighter shade on top with the fibres running at right angles to the bottom layer.<br />
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Then it was pour water on top, lay on a sheet of bubblewrap and start rubbing.<br />
The purpose here was to make pieces of half-felt - enough rubbing to hold the fibres together to make pieces that could be cut out, but still soft and pliable enough to allow them to felt onto the background at our next session.<br />
As we worked we discussed the design theme for the centre of the panel. Avoch was at one time an important fishing village and there are still many people involved with fishing boats who live in the village. We decided that there should be a traditional sailed boat known as a Zulu boat, and that the text should be part of the poem "The Silver Darlings". <br />
The designs were traced onto special thin fabric that could be put against the wet felt so we could cut out the intricate shapes. By the end of the day we had the necessary numbers of pieces, all cut out and ready to go.<br />
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As well as pieces of felt for the knotwork panels, we also made a large piece for the boat and another couple of pieces from which fish shapes would be cut.<br />
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<h3>
Day 2 - 13th May 2015</h3>
We started by laying out the plan on the floor and putting our knotwork panels around the edge so we could all think about the design while we prepared the background.<br />
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As with the other banners in the series, we were working on a table 4 foot by 8 foot. This was covered first with a sheet of bubblewrap, then a layer of icewool fabric.<br />
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We started laying down the white merino wool fibres - working from the middle towards the edges. Then another layer was laid on top, but this time with the fibres running perpendicular to those of the bottom layer.<br />
While most of us worked on this, Jackie sat and threaded tiny gold sequins onto some very fine merino yarn - more will be revealed later!<br />
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Once all the white wool was in place we chose some decorative fibres and added them to the surface to provide texture. We were quite disciplined with this - the top half had additions in shades of pale blue and pale grey (sky colours) which the bottom half got some greens and deeper blues (sea colours).<br />
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We laid a sheet of organza on top to keep things in place while we poured on a lot of warm soapy water, then a sheet of bubblewrap so we could spread the water through all the fibres and get everything really wet - towels on the floor to catch the drips! After a few minutes of rubbing we removed the organza and took a well-earned rest.<br />
After lunch we studied our plan and re-arranged all the knotwork panels until we were happy with the design before transferring each piece to the main felt.<br />
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Then our Zulu boat and lots of fish were added to the lower part of the panel, with some fish swimming in and out of the knotwork. Jackies threads of sequins were added in, some looking like drift nets trailing down from the boat, others streaked through the knotwork so that the sequins looked like lots of shiny bubbles.<br />
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We added a bit more soapy water and then started the serious rubbing ...... and rubbing ...... and <br />
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rubbing! Then turned the whole piece over and rubbed some more ........... and more............<br />
<h3>
Days 3 & 4 - 18th & 20th May 2015</h3>
These two days were spent needlefelting. This is a process sometimes referred to as dry felting and involves stabbing through the felt with barbed needles.<br />
The table was set up at sitting height and covered with slabs of expanded polystyrene.<br />
We started by working out where all the lettering would go and pinning guideline ribbons for the baseline of each line of text.<br />
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For our text we had chosen to use the first two and last two lines of a poem called "The Silver Darlings", a name given to the shoals of herring which provided the livelihoods for so many fishing villages in the 19th century, but which also led to many deaths at sea.<br />
<i>Oh herrings are harvests that fishermen glean</i><br />
<i>where flashes the silver through deep oceans green......</i><br />
<i>.......The wives and the sweethearts are people who know</i><br />
<i>the price of the silver darlings.</i><br />
Once all the text stencils were in place it was a question of needling our navy blue wool fibres through the stencils to build up the letters. <br />
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Others worked at the lower end of the felt adding detail to the fish, the boat and the knotwork.<br />
When the lettering was complete we were able to work on adding the detail to create the over & under effect that is typical of Celtic knotwork. <br />
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<h3>
Day 5 - 26th May 2015</h3>
We spent the morning of our last day finishing off the detail with more needlefelting. Some of the lettering was a bit thinner than other parts so we thickened parts up to make it look a bit more even.<br />
Throughout the day we had people dropping in to watch the work in progress - word had spread through the village and people were keen to see what was going on. Some found themselves sitting down for a few minutes with a felting needle in hand!<br />
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Those who came in the afternoon had to done a plastic apron and join in the rubbing! As on day two, we had the felt flooded with warm soapy water and sandwiched between two layers of bubblewrap while we rubbed .......... and rubbed.......<br />
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It was important to get everything fully felted as we hope these felt banners will be around for many years to come, so we all worked hard to work up a lather. This ensures that the wool fibres all tangle up on each other - the essential process in feltmaking.<br />
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The final process is milling. We first rolled up the felt squeezing out as much of the soapy water as we could - a lot landing on the floor in the process! We then spread towels over the table and laid out some large bamboo mats. The felt was laid on top of this and the whole thing rolled up like a swiss roll. We worked in teams, rolling first from one end, then the other. Then we re-arranged the mats and rolled from side to side.<br />
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The final stage was to to pin a fabric tube onto the back of the top edge of the felt so we could hang it up and stand back to admire our handiwork and have a group photo.<br />
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All that remained was for me to take the banner <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlGG6qbxV6pt_8VbeA4cFkpZwY3CeUsGi0ZwQQNb28qT9-xRuH3KwuUGhKse0s-5L8lZSoylzrt8QeBTmhybvr-5MW6K9_bD8tbKU1WKHi51ClHYVcYIElVdhqmitgFnTEt83VIYt28Kk/s1600/drip+dry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlGG6qbxV6pt_8VbeA4cFkpZwY3CeUsGi0ZwQQNb28qT9-xRuH3KwuUGhKse0s-5L8lZSoylzrt8QeBTmhybvr-5MW6K9_bD8tbKU1WKHi51ClHYVcYIElVdhqmitgFnTEt83VIYt28Kk/s320/drip+dry.jpg" width="320" /></a>home and rinse out the soap - a process which needs a bath rather than a sink due to the size of the felt, and treading it with my feet to work out the soap. Four rinses later the water was running clear so I squeezed out what water I could and hung it out to drip dry in the garden.<br />
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There are far more photographs than there is space for on this blog but you can <a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/113278059705131050933/albums/6150271759195477633?banner=pwa" target="_blank">click here to watch the slide show or download individual photographs</a>.<br />
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<br />Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-51470182234377571242015-04-18T21:23:00.002+01:002015-05-10T21:20:33.243+01:00Culbokie Church Centre - a Celtic inspired felt wallhangingThis is the third of a series of five projects taking place on the Black Isle in the North of Scotland. To read about the <a href="http://embroiderybyruth.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/feltmaking-inspired-by-work-of-george.html" target="_blank">first project, click here</a> (Groam House Museum Volunteers Group) - and for the <a href="http://embroiderybyruth.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/resolis-friendship-group-making-celtic.html" target="_blank">second project, click here</a> (Resolis Friendship Group). These wallhangings are being created as part of <a href="http://www.groamhouse.org.uk/" target="_blank">Groam House Museum</a>'s outreach programme.<br />
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<h2>
Day 1 - 9th April, 2015</h2>
The group had had a brief introduction to the project at their monthly meeting a few days earlier, so we got straight to work. The first task was to choose some coloured fibres - dyed merino wool.<br />
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Everyone was asked to select a dark/strong colour to use as the base layer for their piece of felt.<br />
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These colours were laid down on top of a sheet of bubblewrap with all the fibres running in one direction - it didn't matter which.<br />
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Then everyone had to take a second colour. Some chose strongly contrasting shades of their first colour - others went for completely different hues.<br />
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This second colour was laid down on top of the first - but with the fibres running at right angles to the first layer. This is to assist in the felting process and make sure that there are no holes.<br />
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Once the two colours were in place, we added some glittery bits - mostly angelina, silk and mohair fibres. These don't felt in their own right, but get trapped by the merino wool and so are held in place. The important thing was for people to understand that for this stage - less is more!<br />
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Once everything was in place, we filled jugs with hot soapy water which we then poured on top of the wool fibres.<br />
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Then each piece was covered with bubblewrap and rubbed for a few minutes.<br />
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The way this works is that the soapy water is pushed in all different directions because of the bubbles in the bubblewrap and as it moves, it carries wool fibres with it, tangling them all up to make a piece of felt. It's a one-way process - it can't be undone.<br />
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For this part we didn't want to fully felt - just rubbing enough to get the fibres matted together to make a piece of half felt. After a few minutes rubbing we were able to squeeze the water out and lay the pieces of felt flat ready for the next stage. Here you see Eileen testing to see how felted it was.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBKgWae4UiXk9qXXdRPoeJoKbRDqkHwDny41USbX8kdALzgFcDRfuIvf4biiAp805OU7q5DzKwY1I4Cwd3dwWfaCDv9kqwhdHMhjQxr-eyHyewPFqfudTo7H3ouM1Ftjq1oLdtsTHK_8/s1600/tracing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBKgWae4UiXk9qXXdRPoeJoKbRDqkHwDny41USbX8kdALzgFcDRfuIvf4biiAp805OU7q5DzKwY1I4Cwd3dwWfaCDv9kqwhdHMhjQxr-eyHyewPFqfudTo7H3ouM1Ftjq1oLdtsTHK_8/s1600/tracing.jpg" width="320" /></a>When we had the required number of pieces of coloured felt we took a lunchbreak - a beautiful sunny day so we sat outside - we lowered the felting table to sitting height and started the next task. This involved tracing our Celtic knotwork designs onto a special fabric which was then pressed onto the wet felt so we could cut it out.<br />
The important thing at this stage was to not include the lines that give the "over & under" effect that is typical of Celtic knotwork. The tracing was done with spirit-based marker pens, so the ink would not run when the fabric got wet.<br />
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To assist with the cutting, we marked the sections that were to be cut away.<br />
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We needed 8 rectangular panels and 4 square panels to create the border for our wallhanging. When they were all cut out we spread the paper plan out on the table and started playing "put & take" with our pieces till we had an arrangement we were happy with.<br />
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Some pieces were more fragile than others, so we kept them on pieces of bubblewrap while we slid them around.<br />
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When we had our final arrangement we discussed what we would put in the central space. This involved a quick phonecall to my husband, Len, to check on a biblical reference. As this wallhanging is being made for a church, it was agreed we should go with something from the New Testament. The selected text comes from the Gospel of St John, chapter 8 verse 12.<br />
Jesus said "I am the light of the world. He who follows me will never walk in darkness".<br />
We decided we would have the first sentence at the top of the space and in the middle we would have a panel inspired by one of the Evangelists pages from the Book of Kells, with the final sentence below. We had made good time, so a few of us gathered around the worktop in the kitchen and made another piece of felt for the central panel.<br />
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All done - I had my homework to do for the next session, cutting out certal design but I was able to do this back at the <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/" target="_blank">studio with my laser cutting machine</a>.<br />
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<h2>
Day 2 - 13th April 2015</h2>
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A lot of work today - we had to make the main piece of felt. The table was set up at standing height and covered first with a sheet of bubblewrap and then a layer of ice wool on which we put the first layer of white merino wool fibres.<br />
Word had spread about this project and we had a larger turn-out today - inlcuding young Joshua who brought his mother and baby brother along to help.<br />
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Once the first layer of fibres was in place we laid down a second layer at right angles. We followed this with a fingertip check all over for any thin patches and filled in when necessary.<br />
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Then it was time for some fun bits - choosing some other fibres to add a little texture and subtle colouring to the surface.<br />
These included some silk, bamboo, mohair, other types of wool fibre and some gentle colours of merino wool fibre. We kept moving around the table to get an even distribution of our randomly placed bits<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkhwYoDXy_tZL8ovaGk7hLnDWPtViF0BNBZBI8L3FDkbSsb-wTQI-mW9BmqpDmm9p59oR19aW3AfGBsXjqmpkxKcvQeEOYgsaxZyFyfa7ESH82Bru4G4F3rgNI4qRqoApWcNJ7-H3Yxkw/s1600/fancy+bits+in+place.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkhwYoDXy_tZL8ovaGk7hLnDWPtViF0BNBZBI8L3FDkbSsb-wTQI-mW9BmqpDmm9p59oR19aW3AfGBsXjqmpkxKcvQeEOYgsaxZyFyfa7ESH82Bru4G4F3rgNI4qRqoApWcNJ7-H3Yxkw/s320/fancy+bits+in+place.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
We finished this stage off with adding some very fine webs of white merino on top of the fancy bits to ensure they were trapped onto the felt.<br />
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cut-outs we had made at the previous session, referring to the
photograph we had taken.</div>
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Once the cut-outs were all in place we spent some time carefully snipping through the top layer to expose the darker colour below at the intersections. This would help to give the "over & under" effect of Celtic knotwork. Here Clair is showing Joshua where to snip.<br />
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Then it was a case of wetting down again, covering up with the bubblewrap and more rubbing - and rubbing - and rubbing.<br />
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Hooray! Joshua was very pleased when I said we had rubbed enough..............<br />
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But then I pointed out that we had to turn the felt over and rub again from the back!<br />
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<h3>
Day 3 & 4 - 16th & 24th April</h3>
We spent the next two sessions adding the detail to our felt. Wet felting gives a very strong fabric but the colours tend to drift in the process and accurate fine detail is difficult to achieve. In contrast, needlefelting allows for very fine detail.<br />
So the table was set up at sitting height, covered with slabs of expanded polystyrene and then the felt.<br />
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We pinned some thin ribbon to give guided lines for our text. We created the lettering by needling a dark plum coloured wool fleece through plastic stencils which I had cut back at my studio using my laser cutter. The felt was still a bit damp from the wet felting so we used pieces of polythene to keep our arms dry as we leaned on the felt.<br />
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For the central section we needed fine detail so we used a selection of gold coloured wool yarns. Some of our group were breaking needles rather frequently - you can see them piling up in the saucer. However, Babs found a good use for the broken parts to map out where the fine detail had to go.<br />
It was a lovely sunny day so after our morning of great concentration, we sat outside for our picnic lunches.<br />
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In the afternoon we were joined by several members of a local crafting group and we made good progress, the lettering was completed, the "overs & unders" were falling into place and generally we ended the day feeling very encouraged by our progress.<br />
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We had a week to wait for our next session - this gave us the advantage over the two previous felts in that the felt had dried out due to lovely warm weather.<br />
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Working arround the edges of the coloured panels really brought out the detail and made the knotwork obvious.<br />
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The detail in the central panel continued to grow thans to the hard work and concentration of Babs Norma and myself. We were encouraged that by the end of the day we could see how much our efforts were enhancing the felt.<br />
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Needlefelting in this way is a rather addictive activity - Babs kept seeing another bit she wanted to finish!<br />
This was a Friday. It was decided that we could leave the felt set up on the table so that when the Church was in use on the Sunday they could see how the project was progressing. When we came back in on the Monday morning for the final session we were told that the congregation were very impressed and looking forward to the time when they could hang it up on the church wall.<br />
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<h3>
Day 5 - 27th April 2015</h3>
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The final push - we had the morning to finish off adding the detail with needlefelting. This project was made possible due to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. They employ an independent organisation to do detailed assessments and evaluations of some of these projects chosen at random. Wendy came in this morning with evaluation forms because our group had been selected. It took a little time out of our day, but everyone seemed happy to fill in the forms with good, positive comments.<br />
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We added little twirly bits of ornament around the text. This was partly to fill in the spaces, but also to continue the theme of the Book of Kells where the scribes in centuries past had ornamented their text in such a way. By the end of the morning we were happy to stand back and admire our work - but found it best seen from above, so a few people were standing on chairs to look down on it.<br />
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With all the needlefelted detail complete it was time to do a final wet felting session. This ensures that the detail is completely secure and makes the whole piece much more robust than it would be just with needlefelting.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ISBJQ-_oMI5nWyEGKRVnWGvWUordjE4-1ZDjTe6bLHG1-g4L2-yW8WMnJyxFwOzLhy6pcDkS-BqjQveQRDPEryy7fVpiD7k-O0W3BAJrw-BmBheyImEwfiMamUTQ2aG9jmgGrUlS_cY/s1600/D5-high+table+and+towels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ISBJQ-_oMI5nWyEGKRVnWGvWUordjE4-1ZDjTe6bLHG1-g4L2-yW8WMnJyxFwOzLhy6pcDkS-BqjQveQRDPEryy7fVpiD7k-O0W3BAJrw-BmBheyImEwfiMamUTQ2aG9jmgGrUlS_cY/s320/D5-high+table+and+towels.jpg" width="320" /></a>So............ table changed to standing height and covered with bubblewrap. We also put towels on the floor to protect the carpet from the inevitable drips of soapy water.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje63ElsWJVpOYh6dftraQustdphD4OksEi_LY9u6B5Tiak2tl2b-2D91folImiPIvcg48_iLCc-3hy86hmm9CDt9PUwZJZL5DvLEioR5MjGqo7jPSTwIy_y8QNwGjWMY6v_dS5vUOiSeA/s1600/D5-soapy+water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje63ElsWJVpOYh6dftraQustdphD4OksEi_LY9u6B5Tiak2tl2b-2D91folImiPIvcg48_iLCc-3hy86hmm9CDt9PUwZJZL5DvLEioR5MjGqo7jPSTwIy_y8QNwGjWMY6v_dS5vUOiSeA/s320/D5-soapy+water.jpg" width="320" /></a>It took several jugfulls of water each with a generous dollop of bubblebath and then we covered it with another sheet of bubblewrap and started rubbing.<br />
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The child in each of us came to the fore at this stage and we had fun rolling the massage tools across the table! These are supposed to be used for massaging your back in the bath, but I have found them to be really useful tools for feltmaking. We had some discussion about what was the correct collective noun for felters - "a fun of felters"? Just a few seconds of video to give you a feel for the mood!<br />
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After rubbing the back for a while we turned over the felt and repeated the proceedure on the front finishing with rub without the bubblewrap so we could be certain everything was fully attached.<br />
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Then it was time for the rolling..........<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxS_XzXVqPWI-mbEYRr_eTP-Ydp4IbQGs-wewlMSLJ6N-rDMp7vLtWyjQrtE4V5Iq7KeYWOQnuPxivDTfpFYC4DQH9KdT-4W90fNyH2qGn7TZk8uHgJfah8AdhcGOPCvh-iu88aZK7E0/s1600/D5-rolling+team+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxS_XzXVqPWI-mbEYRr_eTP-Ydp4IbQGs-wewlMSLJ6N-rDMp7vLtWyjQrtE4V5Iq7KeYWOQnuPxivDTfpFYC4DQH9KdT-4W90fNyH2qGn7TZk8uHgJfah8AdhcGOPCvh-iu88aZK7E0/s320/D5-rolling+team+4.jpg" width="320" /></a>We rolled the felt up in bamboo mats and teams took turns to roll the bundle back and forth. This process shrinks the felt and firms it up, squeezing out much of the water and tightening the tangled wool fibres against each other.<br />
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All done............. and it was time to stand back and admire our handiwork, followed by the group photo.<br />
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Then I had to go home and finish off....... all that soap had to be rinsed out. The size of the piece meant that the normal kitchen sink is just not big enough. It took 4 rinses of hot water in my bath, treading up and down with my feet.<br />
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first rinse - lots of soapy bubbles.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpPFBDPMuXznczubzlO9wdO0O4vMstyPXXm3YCglZr2QjRuNctoZq1MzbvPc_aeMTREtxOKWwdIafehgLeLWvEj4d7yRc97Bs01nq0QPtBjjttrAnEWr_u9qkCnYaJD-4GOthXAU1w-I/s1600/D5-clear+water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpPFBDPMuXznczubzlO9wdO0O4vMstyPXXm3YCglZr2QjRuNctoZq1MzbvPc_aeMTREtxOKWwdIafehgLeLWvEj4d7yRc97Bs01nq0QPtBjjttrAnEWr_u9qkCnYaJD-4GOthXAU1w-I/s320/D5-clear+water.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
three bathfuls later - clear water.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTyLUMQf6PaCPcS_1k57OyX5pT1wtnUyX_A49sGwEYI-cfq4JznQeteZEdV98h-t1Du-WM5GujmNLmSESHkAts-h5s4Tpdf83E-8ti_APeWfnIx0JW12xYERsBbtbVqUBC7M8wJlh1dA/s1600/D5-drip+dry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTyLUMQf6PaCPcS_1k57OyX5pT1wtnUyX_A49sGwEYI-cfq4JznQeteZEdV98h-t1Du-WM5GujmNLmSESHkAts-h5s4Tpdf83E-8ti_APeWfnIx0JW12xYERsBbtbVqUBC7M8wJlh1dA/s320/D5-drip+dry.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
As it was lovely dry weather (though still quite cold), I could leave it outside to drip dry.<br />
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Two days later it was dry. Now all that remains is for the mounting strip to be sewn onto the back so it can be hung up for display.<br />
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Finishing touches</h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3B53aqvnusf_E_2GcBl8mvj2r_PldfAVCewmBeyaaM2o9W7fqqj-seacUT7a2aDsCNToen08BqPHjTLuxSBTgUCvvWycSGBwGop5bU7z-WKQ36NTaUyhnFxdMU4qSZ1iriNB8zEdhqII/s1600/Kells+Evangelists+panel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3B53aqvnusf_E_2GcBl8mvj2r_PldfAVCewmBeyaaM2o9W7fqqj-seacUT7a2aDsCNToen08BqPHjTLuxSBTgUCvvWycSGBwGop5bU7z-WKQ36NTaUyhnFxdMU4qSZ1iriNB8zEdhqII/s320/Kells+Evangelists+panel.jpg" width="232" /></a>The strip to mount the felt has now been added and I also added a tiny bit of detail to the central panel - black beads and sequins to emphasise the eyes of the four Evangelist symbols in the central panels and tiny gold beads for their halos.<br />
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If you have enjoyed reading about this project you may want to read about the previous two projects - the felt made by <a href="http://embroiderybyruth.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/feltmaking-inspired-by-work-of-george.html" target="_blank">Groam House Museum Volunteers</a> and the other one made by <a href="http://embroiderybyruth.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/resolis-friendship-group-making-celtic.html" target="_blank">Resolis Freindship Group</a> - click on the names for the link.<br />
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While the felt was made I took many more photographs than there was room for on this blog, but you can see more pictures by <a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/113278059705131050933/albums/6138381833186614465?banner=pwa" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-66638094904569292512015-02-22T10:43:00.000+00:002015-03-02T13:12:07.208+00:00Resolis Friendship Group - Making a Celtic Felt Wallhanging<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This post is about the making of the second of 5 wallhangings being made on the Black Isle as part of a project for <a href="http://www.groamhouse.org.uk/" target="_blank">Groam House Museum</a>'s Outreach Programme. Each large felt wallhanging is being made by a different group of people but all to the same theme. They are inspired by the work of George Bain which is housed in the museum and also by the Pictish stones of the area - from which Bain took much of his inspiration.<br />
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Day 1- 12th February 2015</h2>
The day dawned bright and fair and I got the car all packed up with my fibres and equipment and headed over to Resolis - the name means "sunny slope".<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqeU6J3Sj-loqXK601T38wY5cYSr-oWDJqq-PikqB1IqBVB3rNlyfjePnq2dC6sSZT7-Z3l1AV1OU6hHhtpfVTx1-ZUgARY1Axny9WcoCcS5CJJFNo1CeDTrhTFhxm85VvET5wbJakGks/s1600/choosing+colours-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqeU6J3Sj-loqXK601T38wY5cYSr-oWDJqq-PikqB1IqBVB3rNlyfjePnq2dC6sSZT7-Z3l1AV1OU6hHhtpfVTx1-ZUgARY1Axny9WcoCcS5CJJFNo1CeDTrhTFhxm85VvET5wbJakGks/s1600/choosing+colours-2.jpg" height="320" width="259" /></a>Once everything was unloaded, the new recruits from the friendship groups started to appear and we set to work. The first thing was to explain what we hoped to achieve - it was easier this time round because I had the benefit of the finished wallhanging from the previous group. <a href="http://embroiderybyruth.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/feltmaking-inspired-by-work-of-george.html" target="_blank">You can click here to read about how the first one was made.</a><br />
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Then it was down to choosing colours. Each person chose two - one dark and one bright/light to contrast with it. As there are lots of colours to choose from, this took a fair amount of time.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoquFN4HM1MfkmBx_0TohPswP3oUKae6GbpEj0-SkaURftBxuWW9GyNK-qn3p9XWouOGKLdj8TxcI8wDaAErUJ1pwH2SNvLcthLbI6RcTBKbSydzHq3rIlMr9iD3S765bs0qxN1_GfWk/s1600/first+colour-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoquFN4HM1MfkmBx_0TohPswP3oUKae6GbpEj0-SkaURftBxuWW9GyNK-qn3p9XWouOGKLdj8TxcI8wDaAErUJ1pwH2SNvLcthLbI6RcTBKbSydzHq3rIlMr9iD3S765bs0qxN1_GfWk/s1600/first+colour-2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>Then, we laid out bubblewrap and started laying down the darker fibres. Then the second layer went on top with the fibres running at right angles to those of the first layer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTt7jdT_9akGCFiO48K5b8qjW_WqQsQTWbaQAXRxWDgmjkNYgQ8EFTjnW7pBNKuB-id_T_vMPNrHApGqGX5QWmtc7UX1AE0HHPQcqkWAnRj7mHXwLWj6l95JvMVYXmnnfvgc3RHNaAXp4/s1600/wetting-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTt7jdT_9akGCFiO48K5b8qjW_WqQsQTWbaQAXRxWDgmjkNYgQ8EFTjnW7pBNKuB-id_T_vMPNrHApGqGX5QWmtc7UX1AE0HHPQcqkWAnRj7mHXwLWj6l95JvMVYXmnnfvgc3RHNaAXp4/s1600/wetting-1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Then, unused fibres removed from the table, we poured soapy water over the fibres and laid another sheet of bubblewrap on top.<br />
First we pressed to spread the water through the fibres, and then we started rubbing.<br />
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We didn't have quite enough space around the table - so Wendy was relegated to the kitchen! She helped with the previous wallhanging so she knew what she was doing and was quite happing pottering away by herself.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzr8UsZaXTXW7wV8zJdgzDiCuGuCmOQ_h8P1mj0euQpW2ICF-06jlanheD5OPlNUh87eLaIiQmXepRSbpH9c0LbnKL9tRdXOP0ZylNQoQv7KW_bMo0yDiT1DjS8igYiYD95mX8HaRCUU/s1600/relegated+to+kitchen-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzr8UsZaXTXW7wV8zJdgzDiCuGuCmOQ_h8P1mj0euQpW2ICF-06jlanheD5OPlNUh87eLaIiQmXepRSbpH9c0LbnKL9tRdXOP0ZylNQoQv7KW_bMo0yDiT1DjS8igYiYD95mX8HaRCUU/s1600/relegated+to+kitchen-1.jpg" height="320" width="224" /></a> Throughout the day I was taking loads of photographs - far too many to show here, so <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/113278059705131050933/ResolisFriendshipGroupFeltWallhanging" target="_blank">I have put them all onto a web album which can be accessed by clicking here</a>.<br />
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After a few minutes of rubbing, we all turned over our bubblewrap & felt sandwiches and started rubbing from the other side.<br />
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At this stage, we were just making "half-felt" - this involves felting just enough to hold the fibres together to allow us to cut out shapes, but for the fibres still to be loose enough to be felted onto a background piece which we would make on the next day. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3rPuleT1Ef-HyAsH8GxN3XxeNsrLkQXfg6ukiuW4ANqFhI54l4BSinuP_kavlFrI4io_l_EdtmrVydi3WiHJQaY_5Jmt11I0Up2r6R8Ust5iIStNMsZhoUjOXdFqGARIjcIvL51QfvWI/s1600/tracing+designs-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3rPuleT1Ef-HyAsH8GxN3XxeNsrLkQXfg6ukiuW4ANqFhI54l4BSinuP_kavlFrI4io_l_EdtmrVydi3WiHJQaY_5Jmt11I0Up2r6R8Ust5iIStNMsZhoUjOXdFqGARIjcIvL51QfvWI/s1600/tracing+designs-1.jpg" height="176" width="320" /></a>We needed 4 more pieces of felt to have enough for our design, so some went through to the kitchen to work on these while the rest of us lowered the felting table to sitting height, dried it off and started tracing through our designs.<br />
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I had prepared these knotwork designs earlier but they were all just drawn in pencil so first we went over all the lines with a black pen. Then we traced these through onto a special fabric with a waterproof marker pen.<br />
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Once all the designs were ready, we laid them all out in position on the table and allocated different colours for each design.<br />
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Then we flattened out each piece of felt and pressed our tracings in position to use as a guide for cutting out these intricate shapes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMjpg-NAunGPt-EBzLZA0fEqPdqY9RZe3PsqKO4k-ZNXCCaQeGQciC_s8zFgF5oUO4sEp9Z3V7hWcYABT8QSAz5Zrnjdnx7Xbd4Izky8g0xBJIay5z8rUPoQI4jrIFSkbIjss0GCKDgBM/s1600/cutting+out-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMjpg-NAunGPt-EBzLZA0fEqPdqY9RZe3PsqKO4k-ZNXCCaQeGQciC_s8zFgF5oUO4sEp9Z3V7hWcYABT8QSAz5Zrnjdnx7Xbd4Izky8g0xBJIay5z8rUPoQI4jrIFSkbIjss0GCKDgBM/s1600/cutting+out-2.jpg" height="243" width="320" /></a></div>
Cutting out took most of the afternoon as we were trying to be as careful as possible.<br />
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By the end of the day it was all ready and we were able to lay out all the cut pieces on the master plan. Of course we changed our minds about what would go where, but eventually we had it all arranged to our satisfaction.<br />
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<h2>
Day 2 - 17th February 2015</h2>
A wild day this time - very windy, but some sunshine in amongst the squalls.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNgxgMLrFic3KiE7Oq2I4TkyW8jAdU5m-kodgG-U9Riyj8kQuOpquWR-tQCAj9YnzVNB81pyGsbpEPQwTYnCd6wdGTTqocgAMkXu4r-y82C-E7nxdlJ65Z7Z8hx1GUJjRrDiObHoqqu6o/s1600/D2-first+layer-detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNgxgMLrFic3KiE7Oq2I4TkyW8jAdU5m-kodgG-U9Riyj8kQuOpquWR-tQCAj9YnzVNB81pyGsbpEPQwTYnCd6wdGTTqocgAMkXu4r-y82C-E7nxdlJ65Z7Z8hx1GUJjRrDiObHoqqu6o/s1600/D2-first+layer-detail.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>The table was quickly set up at standing height, covered with a layer of bubblewrap and on top of this a layer of icewool. This helps to give strength to the wallhanging and means that there can be no danger of thin parts.<br />
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Then we started laying down white merino wool fibres starting in the middle and working outwards.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8WWTmiZf8rQso_u3GGrWzcMHV9Z26zpkUOCk4mStj61ow13O8gcxSCqk8EUxBpU0C7RomvERJO-z-c4EfKDl0Yv2t49kWrFdNiZDK6IeBkMUoXuC31H-hFMWlnVzZGi640XjD0ZGeHo/s1600/D2-second+layer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8WWTmiZf8rQso_u3GGrWzcMHV9Z26zpkUOCk4mStj61ow13O8gcxSCqk8EUxBpU0C7RomvERJO-z-c4EfKDl0Yv2t49kWrFdNiZDK6IeBkMUoXuC31H-hFMWlnVzZGi640XjD0ZGeHo/s1600/D2-second+layer.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>Once the first layer was complete, we started on a second layer, with the fibres running perpendicular to the first layer. This is trickier when you are putting white on white - not so easy to see where you have been, so once we thought it was all okay, we went over it with our fingertips searching for thin spots.<br />
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Next part was more fun - adding some decorative bits and pieces to add some interesting texture to the surface rather than just a bland white sheet.<br />
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I had brought a selection with me - mohair yarns, silk fibres, bamboo fibres, goat hair, shimmering nylon, wensleydale curls plus a few other pale shades of merino fibres.<br />
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Each person chose a different thing and we rotated around the table adding our bits and pieces.<br />
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Much more interesting than just white!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhbx7pthFRAMJqLJRcMTQiySBYUY7_3-TAvqiQ75J7zK4UmXMsOAyuXTHbmgxRa23RSacc8DW6IbFdiOhcfCGweyk58GLu2-J6zf-qGhcD7_5oUV-Hquv8TQqCulEC5M976RzX3M3dZU/s1600/D2-wetting+down.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhbx7pthFRAMJqLJRcMTQiySBYUY7_3-TAvqiQ75J7zK4UmXMsOAyuXTHbmgxRa23RSacc8DW6IbFdiOhcfCGweyk58GLu2-J6zf-qGhcD7_5oUV-Hquv8TQqCulEC5M976RzX3M3dZU/s1600/D2-wetting+down.jpg" height="251" width="320" /></a>Then, we wet the whole thing down with warm soapy water - lots of soapy water! It took about 10 litres of water to wet down our 4ft by 8ft area of fibres.<br />
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Then it was covered with another sheet of bubblewrap and the hard work began.<br />
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We spread out the water until everything was wet and then started rubbing....... and rubbing.........and rubbing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVmTskxqhyphenhyphenQodWzGGlBWE3eCIew6-g2MZHYkVb3TnepyO_PhI3hMoNaasWIllBKXIy_hsMXLkUs_qNNQ9vjgHN8GX6HdNWNh4OjQ_ZHapLJ_5LtKDxKbAdww0CMryVIokIkEvdg9HR4sg/s1600/D2-big+hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVmTskxqhyphenhyphenQodWzGGlBWE3eCIew6-g2MZHYkVb3TnepyO_PhI3hMoNaasWIllBKXIy_hsMXLkUs_qNNQ9vjgHN8GX6HdNWNh4OjQ_ZHapLJ_5LtKDxKbAdww0CMryVIokIkEvdg9HR4sg/s1600/D2-big+hands.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
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This part is where it really pays to have a group of people working together - especially with someone like Clive on the team. He has a long reach and big hands - and covered twice as much area as everyone else!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJkCymWRVm8_2IWwMLE_3OIM5YedU18SYxd6lQk8rS50Rn5F0W1VFxMdfC4NOg4QoF1ZDAABGHM7NbyZ2Mv9R-jDYtOuDZv0hHqbmu5Uh8v1eAuES78NhuzjndboPgorQ2JuoV4popRs/s1600/D2-snipping+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJkCymWRVm8_2IWwMLE_3OIM5YedU18SYxd6lQk8rS50Rn5F0W1VFxMdfC4NOg4QoF1ZDAABGHM7NbyZ2Mv9R-jDYtOuDZv0hHqbmu5Uh8v1eAuES78NhuzjndboPgorQ2JuoV4popRs/s1600/D2-snipping+detail.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRtItnBFSX96KEJHddSf0w2SR9wcfteGBZ8NXIfO0mUoHn_h4MR4jvCGoLzJhIoMF7Wj-ip0ggXD_Ce-9qtLIDap_Kabgk4F32EtARnPXaBmAwPoAlSoSo-ljeKBjpbmc7eyFY8yp0LM/s1600/D2-snipping+check.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRtItnBFSX96KEJHddSf0w2SR9wcfteGBZ8NXIfO0mUoHn_h4MR4jvCGoLzJhIoMF7Wj-ip0ggXD_Ce-9qtLIDap_Kabgk4F32EtARnPXaBmAwPoAlSoSo-ljeKBjpbmc7eyFY8yp0LM/s1600/D2-snipping+check.jpg" height="192" width="320" /></a>Not only was he great for rubbing, but he had baked a delicious fruit cake and we all enjoyed our break!<br />
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Suitably refreshed, we positioned our cut-outs from the previous session and then started snipping through the top layers to expose the darker colour at each intersection in the knotwork. This helps to give the impression of the "overs & unders" which are typical of Celtic knotwork.<br />
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Then, bubblewrap back on and more rubbing - this time it had to be really serious rubbing as we had to get the cut-out pieces to felt onto the background felt.<br />
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For this stage, it is good to get everyone to move around the table. Everyone rubs differently and covers a bigger or smaller area with their movements, so every few minutes, we all moved one position to the right until we had all done a circuit of the table.<br />
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Then we turned it over - another task where teamwork comes into its own! <br />
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If you look carefully, you can see some of the coloured fibres shining through the white - a sure sign that the felting process is working with all the fibres tangling up on each other to make a strong piece of fabric.<br />
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After about an hour of rubbing on the front and then the back, we took the bubblewrap off and did a bit more rubbing without the bubblewrap - first on the back since that was the way up that the felt was, and then we turned it over and did the same on the front. This was a good way of ensuring that all the cut-out pieces were fully felted onto the background.<br />
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Then the final task of the day was to roll up the felt and squeeze out as much of the soapy water as we could.<br />
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Towels and basins to the ready!<br />
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And then it was time to pack up and go home.<br />
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<h2>
Day 3 - 19th February 2015</h2>
Another blustery day. This time the table was set up at its lowest position to make it better to sit at. The task for the day was needlefelting.<br />
On the previous day we had agreed on wording for the centre panel and I had come with stencils cut out ready for us to use.<br />
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These stencils are sheets of translucent vinyl. We pinned lengths of ribbon onto the felt to make a baseline for the text and then started needlefelting dark green fibres though the spaces.<br />
The selected text is :<br />
"Like the sun, let your warmth embrace everyone.<br />
Like the moon, let your anger appear slowly"<br />
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We needed two more pieces of half felt. We had decided that the space above the should be a motif based on the Pictish sun disc symbol and the space below would be filled with the crescent and V-rod symbol - which many believe represents the moon, though in truth nobody knows for certain what these symbols means.<br />
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The two pieces of half-felt were made in the kitchen while the rest of us got on with the needle felting.<br />
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We went through quite a lot of needles while people got used to the method.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFK3FuweVgY4MCUMu00p61-Mu3h9bErHtNTE2KKc1-lcJcSKLrhm-OFCRGg9vJk2op07Eh_lPe65157aQoMeJZ6pcjo40vkkqiGVGrki3UfwA6R6cyqyQPiTNPu8k5ADMGzazzN0IvsCY/s1600/D3-broken+needles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFK3FuweVgY4MCUMu00p61-Mu3h9bErHtNTE2KKc1-lcJcSKLrhm-OFCRGg9vJk2op07Eh_lPe65157aQoMeJZ6pcjo40vkkqiGVGrki3UfwA6R6cyqyQPiTNPu8k5ADMGzazzN0IvsCY/s1600/D3-broken+needles.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>Because of the area we were using expanded polystyrene as our base for needle felting. To get this area of polystyrene involves using builders quality - good in terms of it doesn't disintegrate too quickly while you are working, but it des have the odd hard lump that makes it difficult for the needle to penetrate and causes breakages.<br />
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However - I had brought a good supply with me and we were not in danger of running short.<br />
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Clive had baked another cake so we had a teabreak!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimujd2QLn3wUOW8RgqJLk6aejtdHAAk_C7X-rIgBreDBJE5N-kImZ6yVGjv4yVTqmrTetnY2Iej3PfvVF2Ehyw3OHBfbwvn-QzCcgd_ddXCUvrgMGa3taooYqdmnQhEgdfX00pXNrHVjo/s1600/D3-tea+and+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimujd2QLn3wUOW8RgqJLk6aejtdHAAk_C7X-rIgBreDBJE5N-kImZ6yVGjv4yVTqmrTetnY2Iej3PfvVF2Ehyw3OHBfbwvn-QzCcgd_ddXCUvrgMGa3taooYqdmnQhEgdfX00pXNrHVjo/s1600/D3-tea+and+cake.jpg" height="242" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgWlqv8FaQBVl317PDpDzfjA8V7MAX_NtqSpT01iKjIwl-X9aMemDCfDew5vpnIHWzqw3_eSPnxpeTWhhCSuu-UlOtinZHOQjAOuFifFZbEUsoM1C49s23HQfINP60XMScusJnwTuAbU/s1600/D3-dismantling-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgWlqv8FaQBVl317PDpDzfjA8V7MAX_NtqSpT01iKjIwl-X9aMemDCfDew5vpnIHWzqw3_eSPnxpeTWhhCSuu-UlOtinZHOQjAOuFifFZbEUsoM1C49s23HQfINP60XMScusJnwTuAbU/s1600/D3-dismantling-1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>It is not really good practice to have our food and drink on top of the felt - but it was all on top of the sheets of polythene we were using to stop our clothes getting damp as we leaned on the damp felt.<br />
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This was the day that is the normal meeting day for the whole of the Friendship Group so at lunchtime we had to dismantle the table and move it through to the main hall, leaving the smaller room free for the club meeting.<br />
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After some lovely lentil soup provided by Lynne and David we got it all set up again and invited the other members of the club to come and watch us at work - and indeed to join in.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRbbeUEU1fMmfahz2Bj23noXMVBXreLNZyow8kjUAlwmlkb53-v_gGMTMzVfWninpkbG0zvxNSw6sNd1UOeJ3F3BhuUyw6qhpt4JL9NzBAg6VIemcGIbPFSX1RmCUygySqnBZ2WVYFntk/s1600/D3-spectators-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRbbeUEU1fMmfahz2Bj23noXMVBXreLNZyow8kjUAlwmlkb53-v_gGMTMzVfWninpkbG0zvxNSw6sNd1UOeJ3F3BhuUyw6qhpt4JL9NzBAg6VIemcGIbPFSX1RmCUygySqnBZ2WVYFntk/s1600/D3-spectators-1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
They seemed very interested to see what we were doing.<br />
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The rest of the afternoon was spent doing more of the needlefelting detail. We were working a bit slower because it was colder in the main hall!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZp1O7x9dQ3t2s2tj-t6Q6p1DqyJ_7RHqxY4AwW1x9o3L5-r1MsKYmO6Nj3_HHslGejGobiOShyVISt7OUi0TApJN6MFCtyhrXHi7JyAE1K3SYf6azy1uazQbnGiHnP5YHDiEfAw3lTic/s1600/D3-detail+O&U.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZp1O7x9dQ3t2s2tj-t6Q6p1DqyJ_7RHqxY4AwW1x9o3L5-r1MsKYmO6Nj3_HHslGejGobiOShyVISt7OUi0TApJN6MFCtyhrXHi7JyAE1K3SYf6azy1uazQbnGiHnP5YHDiEfAw3lTic/s1600/D3-detail+O&U.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>You can see from this photograph of one of the knotwork panels which had been part done just how worthwhile it is spending time needlefelting the detail.<br />
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By the end of the session we were happy with progress and stood back to have a good look.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS1ZJ4ipc2ufVi9Jt0O8OABw9VOVvEoKBDteKGt8su0A4cLU3HnTQL4o6j-DKRVLoSTwNYvAZvZ5AvksRz76ZlxIN4XGQVesxOU53QhQY3nibtKzD16c-NNlDvmLuQT50cRA_XhEYckcg/s1600/D3-finished+for+the+day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS1ZJ4ipc2ufVi9Jt0O8OABw9VOVvEoKBDteKGt8su0A4cLU3HnTQL4o6j-DKRVLoSTwNYvAZvZ5AvksRz76ZlxIN4XGQVesxOU53QhQY3nibtKzD16c-NNlDvmLuQT50cRA_XhEYckcg/s1600/D3-finished+for+the+day.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
To see all the other photographs have a look at the web album - <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/113278059705131050933/ResolisFriendshipGroupFeltWallhanging" target="_blank">click here</a>.<br />
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To read about the first wallhanging made by the volunteers from Groam House Museum, <a href="http://www.groamhouse.org.uk/" target="_blank">click here</a>.<br />
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Day 4 - 24th February 2015</h2>
Today was another squally day - nasty sleety rain, but interspersed with the occasional sunny spell. We got the table set up and the felt in place ready for the day's work which was more needlefelting ......... all day stabbing at the felt to add detail to our wallhanging.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOQBlS4wR8CNd4bmKTFI04xIoWYjkzPBNUCy8m6YPV7Q9i1sXV1IG00AYzsPih9FmqoDdUkKMiueg1JC0KgdAbFG_9xu6dYXVep2o_BrSxiB3CXT-S0_-ZdrtXHc6rrUElJJA8h_4x1Q/s1600/Rachel-snipping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOQBlS4wR8CNd4bmKTFI04xIoWYjkzPBNUCy8m6YPV7Q9i1sXV1IG00AYzsPih9FmqoDdUkKMiueg1JC0KgdAbFG_9xu6dYXVep2o_BrSxiB3CXT-S0_-ZdrtXHc6rrUElJJA8h_4x1Q/s1600/Rachel-snipping.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>A task over the weekend was to cut out the designs for the two Pictish symbols that had to be added to the felt above and below the text. This was done on my laser cutting machine, but the felt for the Crescent & V-rod symbol was too thick and the cuts didn't go right through to the back. To complicate things, the laser cutter chose that time to break down! Fortunately it was a relatively simple fix - just re-soldering a broken wire. However, it meant the rest of the cutting had to be done by hand. We were joined today by my granddaughter, Rachel, who is in her final year at school and on Tuesdays comes to my studio for work experience. She spent the first half hour or so carefully cutting out the rest of the intricate Crescent and V-rod symbol. The particular design we chose is that on the large cross slab stone housed in Groam House Museum.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv6y-e6wXlXNH9Q0ikVrPmVJma4-9Rq8fFuA9-2YkTocCYULLyWKcZ4yV_tct30z_fP5gUGg0JmaYo81tkHAJh7TZgnw4EB86zEc0CwoF_TkwYJSl-fp1dC32TLQ9dRhiCDXZbhUCIJ0Q/s1600/Rosemarkie+Crescent+&+V-rod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv6y-e6wXlXNH9Q0ikVrPmVJma4-9Rq8fFuA9-2YkTocCYULLyWKcZ4yV_tct30z_fP5gUGg0JmaYo81tkHAJh7TZgnw4EB86zEc0CwoF_TkwYJSl-fp1dC32TLQ9dRhiCDXZbhUCIJ0Q/s1600/Rosemarkie+Crescent+&+V-rod.jpg" height="188" width="320" /></a></div>
The next step was to needlefelt both this piece and the piece for our sun disc symbol into place. For our sun disc, we took inspiration from two sources - the Ardjackie stone that sits outside Tain Museum circled by a knotwork design from George Bain's book.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD6RnBFa5nvEbZWu-X89YRH6XwR6FVZ4-FjPLAYAl91tLgYIkVBnjXaUHvWx45-Q0J6hY5kauJliJ1IZ1m1cOGamIWxw1hHIkQB99pavA6OKLN44geBgDzbZvV9_zmPOEsIXGGj29ZqFI/s1600/Ardjackie+stone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD6RnBFa5nvEbZWu-X89YRH6XwR6FVZ4-FjPLAYAl91tLgYIkVBnjXaUHvWx45-Q0J6hY5kauJliJ1IZ1m1cOGamIWxw1hHIkQB99pavA6OKLN44geBgDzbZvV9_zmPOEsIXGGj29ZqFI/s1600/Ardjackie+stone.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
It is hard to see the sun disc in this picture - some call it a spoked wheel. It is towards the top of the stone and slightly to the left hand side.<br />
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Needle felting by hand is a slow process and the whole day was spent doing this. The pictish symbols had to be needled all over while the knotwork panels only needed to have the borders of the lines picked out in contrasting colours. Although time consuming, it was worth the investment of both time and energy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBVEOlkutH9k0A6CrzWGa9cU7tT4Ro0UXu80GRGIXWRBF36k88VSBi2mzvx6FS9cUprIRHFjpMkFJ-IHSvqlRM8k8pIpP_JqFN_ObXywcTXFRhI0up8oDkbIctyOiXrxCfCihip_H8jM/s1600/needlefelting+top+end.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBVEOlkutH9k0A6CrzWGa9cU7tT4Ro0UXu80GRGIXWRBF36k88VSBi2mzvx6FS9cUprIRHFjpMkFJ-IHSvqlRM8k8pIpP_JqFN_ObXywcTXFRhI0up8oDkbIctyOiXrxCfCihip_H8jM/s1600/needlefelting+top+end.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
The other feature that had to be added was a border around our central section. In amongst the text there were some blank spaces so we decided to fill them in with some spiral motifs using the same wool pencil rovings as the border line.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfOhxov26U0wnGmOp8ZQCqmAhiRsyVY7cXHP0rghJcGpGX06aMzBQ4J1XCNgn1qfKIuvsF2h-4_OA3JLXGUEPBEWSvot1PGtA8QFy_-kR9a7XCEjwAAIxqTZUDCyvDjhWT9C3ft9ag9E/s1600/text-finished.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfOhxov26U0wnGmOp8ZQCqmAhiRsyVY7cXHP0rghJcGpGX06aMzBQ4J1XCNgn1qfKIuvsF2h-4_OA3JLXGUEPBEWSvot1PGtA8QFy_-kR9a7XCEjwAAIxqTZUDCyvDjhWT9C3ft9ag9E/s1600/text-finished.jpg" height="190" width="320" /></a></div>
Our energy levels were kept high through the day with the aid of a lovely Yorkshire Parkin baked by Clive - thanks!<br />
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By the end of the day we had almost finished. We still have a little bit of detail to add to two of the knotwork panels, but it will only take another 30 minutes or so of stabbing at the start of our next session.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp2elQN5L45dJ0TGarzS8eicCPkx57fcYs_UEWviYU5U-mfkR5Ih9bsZH8mx82gStGSJuXFkb_qyxlMEuPG2cUTOwkPgprZ3yVf8qDJKIZUXYr4wop_z9Cq43gsGXNYGpNVkh8SJpokZw/s1600/reverse+side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp2elQN5L45dJ0TGarzS8eicCPkx57fcYs_UEWviYU5U-mfkR5Ih9bsZH8mx82gStGSJuXFkb_qyxlMEuPG2cUTOwkPgprZ3yVf8qDJKIZUXYr4wop_z9Cq43gsGXNYGpNVkh8SJpokZw/s1600/reverse+side.jpg" height="320" width="300" /></a></div>
We had a quick check on the back to check that the fibres had fully penetrated, then we cleared the felt of loose fibres, broken needles, polythene sheets etc. before taking a photograph. I have put a lot more pictures on the web album including a close-up shot of each knotwork section - <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/113278059705131050933/ResolisFriendshipGroupFeltWallhanging" target="_blank">click here to see them</a>.<br />
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Day 5 - 26th February 2015 - The Final Day</h2>
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The day dawned fair and bright - clear blue skies and just a gentle breeze - a promise that spring might be just around the corner. It didn't last! However, we did get all the gear transferred from the car into the hall in good weather.</div>
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We set up the table for sitting height as the morning's workload was to finish the needlefelting. There was just a little bit of detail to be completed in one corner </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDaXBJ9WkxtnzfHo3KKKLTu9CRdyLtt5yC19L5ppEHG62AJ3n_RpGQ-xU7h3wleD5_SQW6PTh0X0jj5zgUIel7siCCXOlNASyACdyGtFFauGkD9CZh8OSXBgdM7avjVZRd9T-WXATAveQ/s1600/top+corner+finished.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDaXBJ9WkxtnzfHo3KKKLTu9CRdyLtt5yC19L5ppEHG62AJ3n_RpGQ-xU7h3wleD5_SQW6PTh0X0jj5zgUIel7siCCXOlNASyACdyGtFFauGkD9CZh8OSXBgdM7avjVZRd9T-WXATAveQ/s1600/top+corner+finished.jpg" height="198" width="320" /></a></div>
and then after that it was just general stabbing with the felting needles. We wanted to go over all the needlefelted areas to ensure that there would be no little bits that might come loose over time. Clive had baked us another lovely cake - orange and almond this time - and that kept us going while we stabbed away.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsEP_09anbCWiu9y0vIgVa0pInSkYhzVEmhwEKCxxu6r2fYQ-WesYnE8wLjzvxQzDFsfOjyqsHiJqqVNWjb_oJe0BCmFs7WcZpO0S7lNaJ1dq78AXjZFSaNZHLSHUnqxFcXLsXVup8KCA/s1600/needlefelting-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsEP_09anbCWiu9y0vIgVa0pInSkYhzVEmhwEKCxxu6r2fYQ-WesYnE8wLjzvxQzDFsfOjyqsHiJqqVNWjb_oJe0BCmFs7WcZpO0S7lNaJ1dq78AXjZFSaNZHLSHUnqxFcXLsXVup8KCA/s1600/needlefelting-1.jpg" height="262" width="320" /></a>I have finally figured out how to transfer movie clips from my camera to the computer so I took a few short bursts of video. It gives you a flavour of how our group worked - not much concentration needed on this occasion so conversation was free-flowing. - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMauDSStpO8&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">click here to see the video.</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCAXlqFoXrYJrz8djsarDpoZN-eEn7RKu8ZUipvzyng6l5UH5UYQhu0fWNfa4jLWf_Pvszoy3hd-f_WEHX1V33tpOFLMkJ6VbI9tidWSJ3nXejvhr4ZlhXjTDMjm2bJ1xK2rPi9x0auRM/s1600/checking+the+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCAXlqFoXrYJrz8djsarDpoZN-eEn7RKu8ZUipvzyng6l5UH5UYQhu0fWNfa4jLWf_Pvszoy3hd-f_WEHX1V33tpOFLMkJ6VbI9tidWSJ3nXejvhr4ZlhXjTDMjm2bJ1xK2rPi9x0auRM/s1600/checking+the+back.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>After about 45 minutes of stabbing on the front - and occasionally checking how much was coming through to the back, we turned the felt over and gave it the same treatment from the back. This ensures that everything would be fully held in place for the final stage.</div>
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Lunch consisted of another lovely soup provided by Lynne and David - broccoli and stilton - plus whatever people had brought in the way of sandwiches etc. </div>
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Then we re-built the table at standing height, covered it with bubblewrap, then our felt. We poured on about 10 litres of hot soapy water then put the second layer of bubblewrap in place and rubbed.... and rubbed... and rubbed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBxCMHs0FH1EK0LnnmslUbZukVBdxAceaZJ4VpUBLOE6nFlETsZGbdSjFwLanHfTpoJxEhTR7HnH58KvTlcsMCpmm1FGZXw92OQuqNntbIRfpA1J_J3N2CZx2fIXYsNu9hAwIftHI21L4/s1600/rubbing+the+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBxCMHs0FH1EK0LnnmslUbZukVBdxAceaZJ4VpUBLOE6nFlETsZGbdSjFwLanHfTpoJxEhTR7HnH58KvTlcsMCpmm1FGZXw92OQuqNntbIRfpA1J_J3N2CZx2fIXYsNu9hAwIftHI21L4/s1600/rubbing+the+back.jpg" height="204" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJnru5p5B5qh7kg4CiLQoSaIvAhWxVfz3oIQTGTQOaz41Nsp6_81nyHaUXLcS7Hrb8sS9fJV226Q0JPBplQMRZGc2atoyTl3QKxngutrx8RdSx2C57b7aHXkKmyY-Ohraqv5w033R6JY/s1600/turning+it+over.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJnru5p5B5qh7kg4CiLQoSaIvAhWxVfz3oIQTGTQOaz41Nsp6_81nyHaUXLcS7Hrb8sS9fJV226Q0JPBplQMRZGc2atoyTl3QKxngutrx8RdSx2C57b7aHXkKmyY-Ohraqv5w033R6JY/s1600/turning+it+over.jpg" height="211" width="320" /></a>We took off the bubblewrap and rubbed gently with our hands direct onto the felt - just a final massage that allows us to feel how firm the felt is becoming. Then we replaced the bubblewrap and turned the whole sandwich over</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigkwAVy8Sy8to1F9f9yLSzeXgHaEaSsDXmUQ1FCtwKGfgbV-R8a5aLqSSMvu1x4fNCN6UtHGhOic-XhUgugEtKPmTWcvKdqgp-ia0O5uBw5eFlm7fALjRZuEWhaAaiIEwVVWEyIcQyZjs/s1600/rubbing+the+front-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigkwAVy8Sy8to1F9f9yLSzeXgHaEaSsDXmUQ1FCtwKGfgbV-R8a5aLqSSMvu1x4fNCN6UtHGhOic-XhUgugEtKPmTWcvKdqgp-ia0O5uBw5eFlm7fALjRZuEWhaAaiIEwVVWEyIcQyZjs/s1600/rubbing+the+front-1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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and repeated the procedure on the front. We probably spent about an hour doing this final rubbing session and then it was time for the serious physical effort - the felt has to be rolled.<br />
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Felt will always shrink in the direction of rolling, so it needs to be done in different directions. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrcT4IP4ZUfogeNtjUK9fHkznS_mK86zU8e7BPeO-iSewFnZhhZhzUdu8dIXG9SILdpUAf3avz2TiufZ-Q8zqGUs8_HuUtdYf8n9UNShYpODHfHaaMeuhsV6rn_TI03ykxPR4eZfOPq3I/s1600/rolling+from+end-team+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrcT4IP4ZUfogeNtjUK9fHkznS_mK86zU8e7BPeO-iSewFnZhhZhzUdu8dIXG9SILdpUAf3avz2TiufZ-Q8zqGUs8_HuUtdYf8n9UNShYpODHfHaaMeuhsV6rn_TI03ykxPR4eZfOPq3I/s1600/rolling+from+end-team+1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>We started working from one end using two four foot wide blinds end to end, and worked in pairs, good strong rolls to a count of 50 before opening out and rolling from the other end - repeated four times.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdt6IJKBRed9uuoHreh-md2daiFJhpqXszoQBzLzWeq2ju5-j6dAkCPE98pTPeOVupV5gZqVhg8bpaPxuZodDYw5cJZ6NC2gxP5TR5jO5C7CbpnkJW1zzi0keVbYD6fuwVZsIBgwaBmtU/s1600/rolling+from+side-team+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdt6IJKBRed9uuoHreh-md2daiFJhpqXszoQBzLzWeq2ju5-j6dAkCPE98pTPeOVupV5gZqVhg8bpaPxuZodDYw5cJZ6NC2gxP5TR5jO5C7CbpnkJW1zzi0keVbYD6fuwVZsIBgwaBmtU/s1600/rolling+from+side-team+2.jpg" height="206" width="320" /></a>The widest bamboo blind I have ever been able to find is 6 feet wide, so when rolling across the width of our four feet by eight feet piece we needed to use two blinds side by side, and to stop the roll bending and falling apart, this was supplemented by two four feet wide blinds on top of the felt - a rather fat, unwieldy roll but our teams of 4 handled it admirably. again rolled first from one side and then the other.</div>
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By the time we had done all this rolling, we had brought the width down by about 4 inches and the length was reduced by 6 inches. </div>
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Then it was time to stand back and admire our handiwork. We pinned a fabric tube onto the back of the top edge into which we slid the top bar of a clothes rail. It is not quite tall enough but it stills gives a better impression than when it is lying flat on the table.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1ZHuH7_GptlOdZ0IO-sDnimyu3CBOTsL_MYkBY2TT1_tskdzXBRzXFj3FR4ewLhTrtGc6F8EtpP8ZwuACfxzvmCKKV9k8Ymw_n7DQ4OPpadznojskE8SCo8i-JAV07vIRtMJGyY_B6k/s1600/group+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1ZHuH7_GptlOdZ0IO-sDnimyu3CBOTsL_MYkBY2TT1_tskdzXBRzXFj3FR4ewLhTrtGc6F8EtpP8ZwuACfxzvmCKKV9k8Ymw_n7DQ4OPpadznojskE8SCo8i-JAV07vIRtMJGyY_B6k/s1600/group+photo.jpg" height="354" width="640" /></a></div>
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Didn't we do well!</div>
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Later that night - the final finishing</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-sEj2KoqMJelBVQtJmV9FuyU1xMVhC3eR25VHjvCve0w07Kqinl_r3Vo7zJIxyBuoDG2kmtRucU6EopFr6OQn-6BIta_Q_T1AAQj50V0bXHL52CMImNHhl0wwdRDyKb6_oRorgpJ3uvg/s1600/first+paddle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-sEj2KoqMJelBVQtJmV9FuyU1xMVhC3eR25VHjvCve0w07Kqinl_r3Vo7zJIxyBuoDG2kmtRucU6EopFr6OQn-6BIta_Q_T1AAQj50V0bXHL52CMImNHhl0wwdRDyKb6_oRorgpJ3uvg/s1600/first+paddle.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>This had to be done at home as it needs a bath to rinse out all the soapy water. A piece of felt this size is quite hard to work, and very heavy when it is soaking wet, so the easiest thing is to paddle it in the bath with my feet. It took 4 bathfuls of hot water before it was running clear. As each rinse was squeezed out I could feel the felt firming up - a sure sign that everything had gone according to plan. It dripped into the bath overnight and then the next day - once again bright and this time a good breeze - we spread it out over the table in the garden and let it dry off some more, then a final hanging up over the banister until it was fully dry a couple of days later.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTcMs8j-jv0w3xS6IZB_34ST66PlTfKjH-iL28MNguClBManc-xtOjEX3Ld-ym__T8GYLRoVIWXzxYLrmFH9TIDD0Vdgyf2Sv6iq99udIF8GHBaRE2CpBjDENiQaHTy4aIhZWfTiGdOJg/s1600/squeezed+out-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTcMs8j-jv0w3xS6IZB_34ST66PlTfKjH-iL28MNguClBManc-xtOjEX3Ld-ym__T8GYLRoVIWXzxYLrmFH9TIDD0Vdgyf2Sv6iq99udIF8GHBaRE2CpBjDENiQaHTy4aIhZWfTiGdOJg/s1600/squeezed+out-1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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This will eventually go on display along with the panel made in January by the volunteers from Groam House Museum and with the three that have still to be made. Watch this space........!</div>
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<a href="http://embroiderybyruth.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/feltmaking-inspired-by-work-of-george.html" target="_blank">To read about the first panel in the series - made by the volunteers of Groam House Museum, click here.</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.groamhouse.org.uk/" target="_blank">To find out more about Groam House Museum and the work of George Bain, click here. </a></div>
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/113278059705131050933/albums/6118611090079543089?banner=pwa" target="_blank">To view more photographs from this project, click here.</a></div>
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Did you enjoy reading about this? - or if you are one of the participants, did you enjoy making the felt? - please give your comments by clicking in the comments space below.</div>
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<br />Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-47119073994787647472015-02-07T23:46:00.000+00:002015-02-09T22:31:39.354+00:00Felt Wallhanging - the final day<h4>
Monday 2nd February was our last day working on the large felt wallhanging inspired by the work of George Bain. <a href="http://embroiderybyruth.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/feltmaking-inspired-by-work-of-george.html" target="_blank">If you have not read the two previous posts about this project click here.</a></h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlemOYRGiWL6v5ATjZvzTETbWgh5uTbXO-ZXS0M6jVQhltQ2fQUCCgWGgNGM1XYsqAJiU8KqbMaQCG9y8tMQCvDNkbB6d8uW8Nt8AxA4bSYzScl8dSmSak9j2KNBhIkLo3Pk8-zU6lEyM/s1600/final+needle+felting-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlemOYRGiWL6v5ATjZvzTETbWgh5uTbXO-ZXS0M6jVQhltQ2fQUCCgWGgNGM1XYsqAJiU8KqbMaQCG9y8tMQCvDNkbB6d8uW8Nt8AxA4bSYzScl8dSmSak9j2KNBhIkLo3Pk8-zU6lEyM/s1600/final+needle+felting-1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
We spent our last morning finalising all the detail with more needle felting. This part was a sitting down job, so our felting table was set up with the legs at the lowest height.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdszSh-l_n4VxcWf0W6_hd_QHLlWvKtGIkWhDGElKh_nAj837Z7LM89UcvLRHacf2Mu5Gj-Y3X05g_JkwG31DF9_qVtTarS_3FUf8QU6L0cmxOsFzsuoo6-urwztDacfJ-mEHjNF5mp8/s1600/final+needle+felting-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdszSh-l_n4VxcWf0W6_hd_QHLlWvKtGIkWhDGElKh_nAj837Z7LM89UcvLRHacf2Mu5Gj-Y3X05g_JkwG31DF9_qVtTarS_3FUf8QU6L0cmxOsFzsuoo6-urwztDacfJ-mEHjNF5mp8/s1600/final+needle+felting-2.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a></div>
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There were some knotwork sections that needed the tramlines emphasised and the two zoomorphic sections needed a bit more detail. In addition, it was decided that the center section should have a defining border. It was an entertaining morning with lots of good conversation - and coffee breaks with some more good cake.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__LLhrlGml74DFdOh_0YmYbDhjjtqK4EyiJIFa5VOTbSWdBRSMCI63Gub04R5KQc-slHGKSRLyF6V0_Z99n2cTu_ZaH8qnNlelsBwCmZ80Nv5Dkxuh5KFXKyFenMMEHWJYtR2yiMfu2c/s1600/needlefelted+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__LLhrlGml74DFdOh_0YmYbDhjjtqK4EyiJIFa5VOTbSWdBRSMCI63Gub04R5KQc-slHGKSRLyF6V0_Z99n2cTu_ZaH8qnNlelsBwCmZ80Nv5Dkxuh5KFXKyFenMMEHWJYtR2yiMfu2c/s1600/needlefelted+detail.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
The eagle-eyed will notice there are a couple of errors in the teal coloured knotwork section - but we decided that it was worth leaving in place - something for people to look out for when it's on display!<br />
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We took a break for lunch and then, after we were happy with everything, we turned the felt over so we could work from the back to re-inforce the needle felting. At this point we were joined by Donald Matheson - he had just started as a trainee at <a href="http://www.groamhouse.org.uk/" target="_blank">Groam House Museum</a> that morning and was being shown around by the chairman. He was a bit reluctant at first, worried that he might spoil our efforts but when we showed him how easy it is he quickly joined in. For this part, we did a bit of musical chairs, all shuffling round the table every few minutes so that all parts got the same amount of needling.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0e9CZ9nT2N8eAN0FUqu3-0gKiXE_XSjqE4VN-ossgnVwJa_yDACuwulGMYuKUOTytfKvjkpy7QQdTJuUTo6B0_Xo8sJvf-QAmoyTF4lEHiyOYDl8iWbOr735HhZPNznBu3llSHLzEXMQ/s1600/needling+second+side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0e9CZ9nT2N8eAN0FUqu3-0gKiXE_XSjqE4VN-ossgnVwJa_yDACuwulGMYuKUOTytfKvjkpy7QQdTJuUTo6B0_Xo8sJvf-QAmoyTF4lEHiyOYDl8iWbOr735HhZPNznBu3llSHLzEXMQ/s1600/needling+second+side.jpg" height="192" width="320" /></a></div>
We spent another half hour or so needlefelting on the back, then it was time to do the final stage. The next part would involve standing at the table so it was dismantled and the legs set to their highest point.<br />
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The first part was to wet down the felt with more soapy water. Over the last three sessions the felt had dried out considerably, but it was still damp and given that it was spending the time between sessions in a cold garage, we used very hot water to wet it down again.<br />
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It took 4 litres of water to get it sufficiently wet. Then it was bubblewrap back on and some serious rubbing. We started off working on the back and then about 20 minutes later turned the whole piece over and did the same for the front. Then off with the bubblewrap and we did some more gentle massaging over all the needlefelted sections to check that everything was fully adhered and well felted. We had one loose bit in the lettering and a quick bit of stabbing with a felting needle sorted it out.<br />
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Next part involved good team work. First we had to roll up the felt and squeeze out as much water as we could. The water that came out looked quite mucky - not dirt, just all the loose dye from the coloured fibres. Because we had used so many different colours, it came out looking brown and gungey.<br />
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Milling is the (almost) final stage and this is where the real physical effort comes in. We worked in pairs when rolling along the length of the felt.<br />
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Each pair did 100 rolls before unrolling, turning and rolling up again in a large bamboo blind.<br />
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It did seem to work best when the pair were of similar height. With one small and one tall person, the bundle tended to distort a bit more quickly.<br />
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After everyone had had a go, we took away the 4 foot wide bamboo blind and replaced it with two blinds that together made up the 8 foot length and rolled across the width. This required a larger team. We tended to come a bit unstuck at the join between the two blinds, so we repeated the process with the felt turned round the other way.<br />
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By the end of our rolling session the felt had shrunk from 120 x 240 cm to 110 x 220 cm - it always shrinks in the direction in which we are rolling - hence the need to roll both long way and width ways.<br />
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Then, we quickly pinned a tube of fabric onto the back so that we could hang the felt up to see what it looks like in its vertical position.<br />
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The clothers rail that I had brought along for the purpose was not quite tall enough, but a couple of people held it up while I took a photograph.<br />
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We were all sufficiently pleased with the results of our five day project that we felt it warranted a group photo - even though the bottom had to rest on the floor. Fortunately Eileen had had the foresight to bring along a small tripod so we were able to use the timer and get everyone in.<br />
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Didn't we do well? !! <br />
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All that remains is for me to take it home and rinse out all that soap..............<br />
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<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
<b><span style="font-weight: normal;">4th February</span></b></h4>
I spent the evening treading, kneading and swishing in the bath, rinsing out the suds and getting the final shrinking. <br />
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I repeated this process through three bathfuls of hot water until the water was running clear and the felt was tight enough that the water tended to bounce off rather than soak into it.<br />
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Then I squeezed out what water I could and draped the felt over a wooden clothes horse inside the bath to let it drip dry. By morning most of the water had drained off, just the bottom corners were rather wet and had to be squeezed out. By that stage, I was able to lift it and hang it over the bannister.<br />
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After hanging over the banister at the top of the stairs, it is now completely dry and all I have to do is stitch a strip of velcro onto the back of the top edge for hanging, and a tube of fabric to the bottom edge to take a metal bar to weight the bottom. Final size is 100 x 210cm.<br />
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<br />Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-85062028447028712382015-01-30T22:12:00.000+00:002015-02-08T16:22:08.515+00:00Groam House Museum Felt Project - next installment<h3>
<b>Day 3 - 26th January, 2015</b></h3>
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<a href="http://embroiderybyruth.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/feltmaking-inspired-by-work-of-george.html" target="_blank">(If you have not seen the post on Days 1 & 2, click here)</a><br />
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The first task this day was to work on our text. It had been decided that we would use a traditional Gaelic Blessing that was used by George Bain in his book "Celtic Art, the Method of Construction".<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHl6U4zI9XxLexnnwO4xXEIKjA0cQupMXf-on9s3V4NLaBMqRRHLaLda368BB0oUlIS7UnLKTzdd8Cju2hCtD6atkXYdvPuHPqcnXvhZSfCkJVkTnpnHvme0m3R8-Qcp6EmW2-Eq57BGs/s1600/positioning+stencils.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHl6U4zI9XxLexnnwO4xXEIKjA0cQupMXf-on9s3V4NLaBMqRRHLaLda368BB0oUlIS7UnLKTzdd8Cju2hCtD6atkXYdvPuHPqcnXvhZSfCkJVkTnpnHvme0m3R8-Qcp6EmW2-Eq57BGs/s1600/positioning+stencils.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><i>"May your steps return from all corners of the globe under the guidance of the start that points to home"</i><br />
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At our last session, Rita had worked out the size and position for all the lettering and I had <br />
taken the plan away and used it to cut some translucent vinyl sheets to use as stencils for needle-felting the letters onto the background.<br />
We used lengths of ribbon pinned through the felt to provide base lines for the text and each person worked on a different word.<br />
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The words built up quickly by needling a lovely dark purple merino wool through the stencil onto the background felt. Our only problem was that we didn't quite plan the sequence for doing all the words, so we ended up having people trying to work too close to each other. This stage took most of the morning but it went faster than I had expected.<br />
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The final wet felting of the wallhanging has still to be done, so the needle felting does not need to be very thorough - just enough to ensure that the lettering stays in place once we soap it again and give it its final rubbing and rolling.<br />
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Once we were happy with it, we turned the felt over and did some more needling from the back - this gives extra security for the fibres. It is very easy to see where we needed to work as we could see all the fibres sticking through the white.<br />
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Once all the lettering was done, we were able to plan the zoomorphic designs that we want to use to fill the spaces above and below the text. Some of the team looked through the book for inspiration while others set about making some more half-felt to use for these designs.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYxA_oiwUU-84f1iDfxF5FcA2ZK_zkf7gnkBtQsXJz-BkQ-XkF53Dk-U9jufcBAPORuqlrRometuufaWDdVLSPqIR6zIcd0wmgsF0l3y8Tdn4MtsrmWFei5jcZj1jdpjwOSe7K-f-ruU/s1600/extra+felt-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYxA_oiwUU-84f1iDfxF5FcA2ZK_zkf7gnkBtQsXJz-BkQ-XkF53Dk-U9jufcBAPORuqlrRometuufaWDdVLSPqIR6zIcd0wmgsF0l3y8Tdn4MtsrmWFei5jcZj1jdpjwOSe7K-f-ruU/s1600/extra+felt-1.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a>The rest of the team started work on the knotwork panels around the edges. The tramlines and overs & unders typical of Celtic knotwork was not as obvious as we would have liked, so they set about emphasising these by needlefelting fine lines to pick out the details.<br />
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Then, a final look before rolling up the felt and packing everything away till the next day.<br />
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And I had my homework to do! The designs for the zoomorphic had t obe transferred to the computer and from there to my laser cutting machine. This machine gives really accurate cutting allowing for more detail than can be achieved with a pair of scissors.<br />
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<b>Day 4 - 28th January </b></h3>
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This was more of the same - needle felting all day!<br />
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First off, we positioned the zoomorphic creatures - a bird above the text and a hound below. These were needlefelted all over, and then we concentrated on the overs and unders detail.<br />
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Once the creatures were fully needlefelted in place we took a break for cake!<br />
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Then it was back to work - more needle felting.................!<br />
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There was one corner that everyone was avoiding........... it has rather more detail in it than the other parts. The design is adapted from a badly weathered knotwork panel along one side of the magnificent Pictish cross slab in <a href="http://www.groamhouse.org.uk/" target="_blank">Groam House Museum</a>. Last week Rita scaled up this design and I cut it from half-felt on my laser cutter. Rita had other commitments this week but had asked that we ensure there was an area of needlefelting left for her to do on her return. However, I took pity on her and made a start so that she can see which way the lines work.<br />
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It was a good day's work and we are all happy with the result.<br />
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To see the start of this project, <a href="http://embroiderybyruth.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/feltmaking-inspired-by-work-of-george.html" target="_blank">click here.</a><br />
To read about how we finished it, <a href="http://embroiderybyruth.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/felt-wallhanging-final-day.html" target="_blank">click here</a>. <br />
<br />Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-50929757888043364202015-01-16T22:47:00.001+00:002015-01-30T22:14:58.515+00:00Feltmaking - Inspired by the work of George Bain<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On Wednesday, 14th January 2015 several of the volunteers of Groam House Museum gathered in Fortrose to make a start on a large felt wallhanging inspired by the work of George Bain.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Studying the plan before we start</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.groamhouse.org.uk/" target="_blank">Groam House Museum</a> in Rosemarkie houses a magnificent ancient Pictish cross slab, a collection of many smaller sculptured stones and a huge amount of work by George Bain. He was an art teacher in the middle of last century who was inspired by the art of the sculptured stones of the Picts and the magnificent Celtic manuscripts from the same era. He wrote the book - "Celtic Art - The Methods of Construction" and it remains an important book for anyone wanting to understand how Celtic art works. I was first introduced to his book some 25 years ago and was quickly hooked on Celtic design.<br />
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The museum's outreach programme have recently been awarded a major grant by the Heritage Lottery Fund to interpet some of Bain's work and the Pictish stones of the area in the form of 5 large wallhangings and I have been fortunate to be invited to be the textile artist leading the project.<br />
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The first wallhanging is being made by the museum volunteers and subsequent panels will be made by other groups on the Black Isle over the coming months. I will be posting a selection of photographs over the coming weeks as the project progresses.<br />
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These wallhangings should end up at approximately 3 feet wide by 6 feet
high - which means they have to start out at 4ft x 8ft. The felt
shrinks as the felting progresses. We will be using a combination of
different felting techniques to create the designs.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgy4vaDdYWysXzGPUAgALx_mkyU5IuiiytHOez0MnJGETUOb1gAJ_DrV8TjvWKvpjxw88DJkecxVo_h4Hz5KjsGo8g9NuN2prK8cu5LDvPER2JSwZ4vynfY6kc4FLRVJSCAvd0xv4eQU/s1600/choosing+colours.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgy4vaDdYWysXzGPUAgALx_mkyU5IuiiytHOez0MnJGETUOb1gAJ_DrV8TjvWKvpjxw88DJkecxVo_h4Hz5KjsGo8g9NuN2prK8cu5LDvPER2JSwZ4vynfY6kc4FLRVJSCAvd0xv4eQU/s1600/choosing+colours.jpg" height="183" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">choosing colours of merino fibres</td></tr>
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The first step was to choose colours for our design.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laying down coloured wool fibres is the first step</td></tr>
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The next step was to lay these coloured merino wool fibres down to make small sheets of half-felt.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheH6at7aY5rSrelIULvR2AMLZlg4YG09K2TMZtiM7xmikJ73d_S5FxOxrLqqAkeSEjbUsID5rbnqt7WdJ0og-QZlUxWotFLxfbxnG95HNzISGJDmursmyUaqmwxZSWgFclJXSExDLBB9I/s1600/bubble-wrap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheH6at7aY5rSrelIULvR2AMLZlg4YG09K2TMZtiM7xmikJ73d_S5FxOxrLqqAkeSEjbUsID5rbnqt7WdJ0og-QZlUxWotFLxfbxnG95HNzISGJDmursmyUaqmwxZSWgFclJXSExDLBB9I/s1600/bubble-wrap.jpg" height="320" width="257" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">starting the felting process</td></tr>
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Then, cover with bubblewrap and start rubbing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rita is working out some knotwork designs</td></tr>
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Rita has a wrist problem that meant she was not able to do the felting, so she set to work drawing out some knotwork designs at the required scale.<br />
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These designs were then traced onto a special paper that could then be laid onto the wet half felt that would allow us to cut out our knotwork panels.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a lot of the water ended up on the floor!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfyJGsUzIoBPxvska_u1WUdqoZP7Z9RxAxHikJ1P51p3IzkWXBkuDHuuUvxk54HMHsEiE-pHUdR77Yq-GrEkJ3QEFEQp3GBMev8fcIDzWQKxywF801R6fjx7WYgC1e4WGkCtQRm0qWI7U/s1600/cutting+out-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfyJGsUzIoBPxvska_u1WUdqoZP7Z9RxAxHikJ1P51p3IzkWXBkuDHuuUvxk54HMHsEiE-pHUdR77Yq-GrEkJ3QEFEQp3GBMev8fcIDzWQKxywF801R6fjx7WYgC1e4WGkCtQRm0qWI7U/s1600/cutting+out-2.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cutting out our half-felt in knotwork designs</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQi1FAl8gi35FMUIHNMILQEnXDRKSy7KQ21PKcFFtBr3RtdhR5T-hMWf5J-TQlWTDEltQtjuGtMHiSkW-ZqKxGsW2Vfodd48OaInup9RRqpOcABfj5Hd9Mdm8vV6hjSxHJkxhrGQMmZQ/s1600/cutting+out-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQi1FAl8gi35FMUIHNMILQEnXDRKSy7KQ21PKcFFtBr3RtdhR5T-hMWf5J-TQlWTDEltQtjuGtMHiSkW-ZqKxGsW2Vfodd48OaInup9RRqpOcABfj5Hd9Mdm8vV6hjSxHJkxhrGQMmZQ/s1600/cutting+out-1.jpg" height="320" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cutting out our half-felt in knotwork designs</td></tr>
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And after several hours of work, we have most of our half-felt knotwork cut-outs ready to use in inlay technique for the next stage. Watch this space............!<br />
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Day 2 - Thursday 22nd January 2015<br />
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This time we made a start on the big piece of felt that will become the wallhanging. I set up my new felting table which I had made for me by our local joinery firm - <a href="http://www.joinerinverness.co.uk/" target="_blank">Macdonald & Macintyre</a>. It measures 1200 x 2400 mm (8 x 4 ft for those still in imperial measurements!). The legs are height adjustable fold-away trestles and the table top is in three sections that slot together and lock in place on top of the trestles. This means the whole thing fits in the back of my car so I can take it to where ever it is needed. I made a cover with leatherette vinyl fabric and a cord round the edge so it can be held tightly around the table top. We set it up with legs at maximum height so that it was comfortable to stand at.<br />
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We started off with a layer of ice wool which saved us having to spend time laying down an extra layer of fleece and ensures that there will be no accidental holes in the felt.<br />
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This was covered with two layers of white merino wool fibres - the first layer the fibres ran parallel to the length and the second layer they were in line with the width.<br />
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Once both layers looked complete we poked and prodded to check for thin patches and holes - all of which got filled up with more wool. The prodding is best done with one's eyes closed - touch is a better sense to use, but tends to get over-ridden by our sight, which can be deceiving.<br />
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Next we added a lot of "bits and pieces" - little bits of silk fibres, bamboo fibres, coarse wools, mohair yarn and even some bits of highland cow hair. We were aiming at providing a bit of texture and surface interest rather than just having the plain white wool.<br />
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This was all covered with a large sheet of organza fabric and then we poured soapy water all over it. The organza stops the bits from moving around when you pour on the water - but it is see-through, so you can see if anything has moved or dislodged. The next step was to press and squeeze the water through the whole thing to make sure everything was properly wetted, then the organza was carefully <br />
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removed.<br />
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The organza was replaced with a sheet of bubblewrap and then the hard work began - rubbing - and more rubbing - then a pause while we planned where each of our knotwork cut-outs from last week was going to be positioned.<br />
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We did a bit of shuffling around on the paper plan until we were happy with the balance of the design and then all the pieces got transferred onto the large piece of white half-felt on the table. A couple of the pieces were quite fragile so the transfer had to be done very carefully.<br />
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Once in position, the next step was to carefully cut through the top layer of each of these knotwork panels so that we would get the impression of the "over-under" sequence. Some got the hang of it quicker than others and you may find the odd mistake in the finished piece!<br />
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The way this works is that the top colour is subject to more friction when we start to felt so the fibres shrink more, leaving the darker colour below exposed and giving the appearance of a fine border around each piece of knotwork.<br />
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We replaced the bubblewrap and the serious rubbing began. We started by working over the knotwork panels and gradually increased our speed and pressure to felt everything together. The rest of the afternoon was spent rubbing......and rubbing........and rubbing!<br />
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Once it was all beginning to fully felt, we sneaked a look at the back and could see the coloured fibres coming through the white - a good sign that it's all working as it should. At this stage we turned it over - not the easiest task, but team-work triumphed.<br />
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At first people were a bit dissappointed to lose sight of the colours, but as we worked at the rubbing, the patterns started showing on the back and everyone got quite excited about how well it was working.<br />
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Throughout all this, Rita (whose arthritic hands make it impossible to do the rubbing) had been taking photographs and working out what we will put in the centre section of our <br />
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wallhanging. She looks a bit glum here - but she really was enjoying herself and every so often she supervised and offered encouragement.<br />
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At the end of the afternoon we turned the felt back over so we could admire our handiwork, then we rolled it up, squeezed out as much water as we could and popped the felt into a big plastic box ready for the next session.<br />
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<a href="http://embroiderybyruth.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/groam-house-museum-felt-project-next.html" target="_blank">To see the next stage of this project, click here.</a><br />
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<br />Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-27847135344988511272015-01-02T19:12:00.000+00:002015-01-16T08:38:20.781+00:00A new way to keep warm................... but we got very cold taking the photographs to tell you all about it!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBBtOCxcYSTAtaODcn2vdQ3SXQxtjAiBFDYydrj5iVCtum2GJxf7J59sR3aK3TtS1WZcinI9CVLU7wqzIQ_g44zBEgzk9mQacp-ZxezkE_8IHwrXDepejj62XooIYsVt5wCb5K-PlMi0/s1600/Pink+Heather+hood-140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBBtOCxcYSTAtaODcn2vdQ3SXQxtjAiBFDYydrj5iVCtum2GJxf7J59sR3aK3TtS1WZcinI9CVLU7wqzIQ_g44zBEgzk9mQacp-ZxezkE_8IHwrXDepejj62XooIYsVt5wCb5K-PlMi0/s1600/Pink+Heather+hood-140.jpg" /></a>Here at <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/" target="_blank">Anna Macneil</a>, we have been busy making a new winter warmer. And having made it we went off for a fashion shoot to photograph it.<br />
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"<a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-scarves5.html" target="_blank">Heather</a>" is the latest style to be added to our range of Harris Tweed products. It is a hooded scarf, lined with cosy polar fleece and embroidered with our signature Celtic knotwork designs. I made a few and took them to a craft fair at the beginning of December - and sold out! As we had models and a photographer booked for the following weekend, that meant we had to make some more rather quickly!<br />
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We headed off to the hills armed the new hooded scarves and with lots of our cosy <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-wraps3.html" target="_blank">Hebridean Hoods</a>, <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-wraps4.html" target="_blank">buttoned wraps</a> and a large <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-hats.html" target="_blank">selection of hats</a>. The models are <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aimee.brown.77964?fref=nf&pnref=story" target="_blank">Aimee Brown</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/phoebev.lynch" target="_blank">Phoebe Lynch</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/vicky.james.7146" target="_blank">Vicky James</a>. Our photographer is <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ceri-images/sets/72157649757664506/" target="_blank">Gareth Ceri Bryant (Ceri Images</a>). The first place we stopped, the heavens opened and the rain came in icy horizontal sheets - but looking west we could see it looked brighter over in the direction of Loch Ness. It was dry and sunny when we got there, but the wind was howling up the Great Glen and it was barely possible to stand, never mind get people to stand still for photographs. We continued up the hill towards Loch Ashie and found a more sheltered spot.<br />
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The following photographs show how the day progressed. We are very gratefuly to Aimee, Phoebe, Vicky and Gareth for being such good sports braving the cold. The girls loved huddling up in our cosy Hebridean Hoods, and trying on various hats to team with the buttoned wraps. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIjwZT9YNOQH_L0vs5JJbIGfFRC8BkrsebaI9kfBzj7nGaUG89xTwrI4msf0IY3AugSb2UjVzxlvE-STV2BB00OUi8HhmElZvn6rXBDWiBY-YsPcEv77GRSAnkuhzxGVcZxee17fdptIM/s1600/3+buttoned+wraps+and+hats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIjwZT9YNOQH_L0vs5JJbIGfFRC8BkrsebaI9kfBzj7nGaUG89xTwrI4msf0IY3AugSb2UjVzxlvE-STV2BB00OUi8HhmElZvn6rXBDWiBY-YsPcEv77GRSAnkuhzxGVcZxee17fdptIM/s1600/3+buttoned+wraps+and+hats.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aimee, Vicky and Phoebe wearing buttoned wraps</td></tr>
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From left to right - Aimee wearing a Catriona hat, Vicky wearing an Anna hat and Phoebe wearing a Maggie hat - all of them wearing buttoned wraps.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix81pBEWNVlyaFQ5Y2XtJdr5myLJs6f5bPC4hJSrH7VIXuMk0qeqzDg2quGXDIghp50zwS-zpeV4TlfNoV098nHRM0M585iO6VU-h6WXtLUGWaZxQiuEbgRmWqiOPWP4v3KDz95LLZOys/s1600/3+girls+and+Gareth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix81pBEWNVlyaFQ5Y2XtJdr5myLJs6f5bPC4hJSrH7VIXuMk0qeqzDg2quGXDIghp50zwS-zpeV4TlfNoV098nHRM0M585iO6VU-h6WXtLUGWaZxQiuEbgRmWqiOPWP4v3KDz95LLZOys/s1600/3+girls+and+Gareth.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was just a "warm-up" with Gareth checking light levels - the weather was changeable that day!</td></tr>
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Each of the models chose the things they wanted to wear - really anything that would keep them warm!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRf-tEIKxUYPQZQxK7q696-Fmwju75glnjQ3Ht5spnnHHPsiGgSpz7DyRf8Kg-QiL9MwtJLNxCtPcWc7INUHFBv8l2TiVsSAv8ddUi6S6pq93XiwiZJf0wWLJRjNqgQoUoIE9FuN8yVaM/s1600/Gareth+and+Aimee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRf-tEIKxUYPQZQxK7q696-Fmwju75glnjQ3Ht5spnnHHPsiGgSpz7DyRf8Kg-QiL9MwtJLNxCtPcWc7INUHFBv8l2TiVsSAv8ddUi6S6pq93XiwiZJf0wWLJRjNqgQoUoIE9FuN8yVaM/s1600/Gareth+and+Aimee.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gareth seeing to all the details - the kind of things I always miss when I am the photographer!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3tfDL2Ao3D-dOv0OXOQjblHThOPGqkoYessxOFw5N0P5I1SfPWccDN1ot-5G_IXfK8KlJu3t9fLcicfIsJPZZ5OKGB8sYjMu8Q_t3RlUFhAsgAJWcGE6k5J_bdL2kW4hcPn-g4gg_yI/s1600/3+girls-hats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3tfDL2Ao3D-dOv0OXOQjblHThOPGqkoYessxOFw5N0P5I1SfPWccDN1ot-5G_IXfK8KlJu3t9fLcicfIsJPZZ5OKGB8sYjMu8Q_t3RlUFhAsgAJWcGE6k5J_bdL2kW4hcPn-g4gg_yI/s1600/3+girls-hats.jpg" height="207" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is one of Gareth's pictures - I have used it on the front cover of the new trade catalogue and as a header for our calendar</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The light was poor (what do we expect mid December?) so extra flash was needed - Mary holding up the light</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWlq1Q272Vs2EDuVj_sCb-cRpIYW-T7_0G4nooTwm4kqFULKAUmGk99Y6zeSca83dulenaAD8COk6vqdS-iU3bQwOk3GO4OxoovKmdJ8SR7pDAIpVGyMIekpnYYBWn6SuJT79dSqdMDRw/s1600/3+girls-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWlq1Q272Vs2EDuVj_sCb-cRpIYW-T7_0G4nooTwm4kqFULKAUmGk99Y6zeSca83dulenaAD8COk6vqdS-iU3bQwOk3GO4OxoovKmdJ8SR7pDAIpVGyMIekpnYYBWn6SuJT79dSqdMDRw/s1600/3+girls-1.jpg" height="183" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vicky, Phoebe and Aimee getting ready for some group shots</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUop64UXwdTM3wRw3rfbWeS2llpK1VcqxJ90UVXc7v13UEoezD5VFdPPgLFOilojdPmKyO8vvDSrObG-IR2khFaKgSAA9Mv-H6JGFtVusgwX5if54cgbahc-KZe_Tc1dLtzwc-HZfRGq0/s1600/Gareth-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUop64UXwdTM3wRw3rfbWeS2llpK1VcqxJ90UVXc7v13UEoezD5VFdPPgLFOilojdPmKyO8vvDSrObG-IR2khFaKgSAA9Mv-H6JGFtVusgwX5if54cgbahc-KZe_Tc1dLtzwc-HZfRGq0/s1600/Gareth-1.jpg" height="320" width="242" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gareth giving some instructions about where he wanted the models to stand</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKILKZfl9BKJItSEkIp4AXfG3p84GrKWD6xiEODbnOVuwcTgEQeeSMAd4ovDKJqXoV0LoJxwe_qZkLuoIeB1lXvYN4cFdQvRzemGXycGmUutBc6D2nXT3rkLGvOAn1MtFGYIFbhAJvqA/s1600/2+hoods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKILKZfl9BKJItSEkIp4AXfG3p84GrKWD6xiEODbnOVuwcTgEQeeSMAd4ovDKJqXoV0LoJxwe_qZkLuoIeB1lXvYN4cFdQvRzemGXycGmUutBc6D2nXT3rkLGvOAn1MtFGYIFbhAJvqA/s1600/2+hoods.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are real people behind these hoods! They had the hoods fully forward to keep out the wind</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOAA32D2CIkm_SIFTuBfwUeu9QnnFC4E2nIkgD6E3ebTgpEL3lH8S_MZXL0WoVidtN3WSRIDY366wlztAuO6SH7_cGtDReN_WmJvXm_8Upq8eJ1eXG6DMfy9eB89-29mjn6W0KvPmZFI/s1600/4+hoods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOAA32D2CIkm_SIFTuBfwUeu9QnnFC4E2nIkgD6E3ebTgpEL3lH8S_MZXL0WoVidtN3WSRIDY366wlztAuO6SH7_cGtDReN_WmJvXm_8Upq8eJ1eXG6DMfy9eB89-29mjn6W0KvPmZFI/s1600/4+hoods.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our new "Heather" hood - worn in four different ways - by this time we were all freezing, the sleat was coming horizontal and the light was failing, so we didn't really get any good shots.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgG_e8Qw6L9YJRO7WVtidnqgnr0Uo1lmFBsjcrg09i0vrGunGGV4j1h7YqR8OwzJ82GU5GA1OeDMuAKFKzzvgXXymNs-8tZ5UxOPl0Le4glFAwTQVXdiCuNZYRoGcilTybnWJ25Wr0L54/s1600/Vicky+&+smoke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgG_e8Qw6L9YJRO7WVtidnqgnr0Uo1lmFBsjcrg09i0vrGunGGV4j1h7YqR8OwzJ82GU5GA1OeDMuAKFKzzvgXXymNs-8tZ5UxOPl0Le4glFAwTQVXdiCuNZYRoGcilTybnWJ25Wr0L54/s1600/Vicky+&+smoke.jpg" height="242" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary lit up a smoke bomb to give a misty look to some of the photographs</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0k7XOWeXG20LOVbrpkk4LKxKkpc73IBSLz5O5tQ60iXVcUtVOyESfH3fMUnD4OYwY3g-VJsmeEVsHHOTnwhBv-NDEcTjnVXeIX-iFO8RYI2ZKRzFWXTzIWXyD0ebio_M9zzn1GXtVVbA/s1600/Vicky+smoke+background.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0k7XOWeXG20LOVbrpkk4LKxKkpc73IBSLz5O5tQ60iXVcUtVOyESfH3fMUnD4OYwY3g-VJsmeEVsHHOTnwhBv-NDEcTjnVXeIX-iFO8RYI2ZKRzFWXTzIWXyD0ebio_M9zzn1GXtVVbA/s1600/Vicky+smoke+background.jpg" height="320" width="213" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And this is one of Gareth's images that shows just how effective the smoke bomb was!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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After two hours in freezing conditions we had all had enough and headed back to my house in Inverness for some well deserved home-made soup and warm bread. Once the girls had fully<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjONdgesEKUJE-xA7JaI9_NkYg4NBGnZo-4imoAMkYHMwTC5UHis4t1UNcdZp5aO79rKnEYvMMBA1IESoMHM_5Jzo-Dg2vQz-SLLsYp5uEtXkI91MifpmDy3srOD0QraCFyLJZwe04GZQo/s1600/Mairi+hats+x+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjONdgesEKUJE-xA7JaI9_NkYg4NBGnZo-4imoAMkYHMwTC5UHis4t1UNcdZp5aO79rKnEYvMMBA1IESoMHM_5Jzo-Dg2vQz-SLLsYp5uEtXkI91MifpmDy3srOD0QraCFyLJZwe04GZQo/s1600/Mairi+hats+x+2.jpg" height="320" width="312" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mairi Hats being worn by Vicky and Phoebe</td></tr>
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thawed out, we set up the spare bedroom as a makeshift photographic studio and Gareth spent some time with Vicky and Phoebe doing some head shots of various hats. Aimee had had to go home, but she kindly gave us a little more of her time the next day and I took some more photographs in her back garden. Here you can see the new hooded scarf worn in various ways.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-g4YF0weG6_nL9G2pDbpfU_ld6RdDk_OsOCbErh1QrqBK2bCUwybHkFR8GvurWjHwzq-PoAjUjexgeqcSP4vp3siccE6nuPQh3bd_xOq5HXZNw8LdJISIiQRzsEGYmtgVRDhG6O_9FQ/s1600/Hoods-Aimee-composite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-g4YF0weG6_nL9G2pDbpfU_ld6RdDk_OsOCbErh1QrqBK2bCUwybHkFR8GvurWjHwzq-PoAjUjexgeqcSP4vp3siccE6nuPQh3bd_xOq5HXZNw8LdJISIiQRzsEGYmtgVRDhG6O_9FQ/s1600/Hoods-Aimee-composite.jpg" height="320" width="297" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qbO1QUpufmWZZApJi4f1kxz5-eVOMPi2EVp_BdYb2Si7LpLs_ajiYzWxXj5eynGqn6YWMziVtJ52gWUdY-lv3PHVx581qwmdoG6a3JwhOvKRvXkyS2sCsFZzZMkzU7vQAceKcekldnw/s1600/AM-Calendar+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qbO1QUpufmWZZApJi4f1kxz5-eVOMPi2EVp_BdYb2Si7LpLs_ajiYzWxXj5eynGqn6YWMziVtJ52gWUdY-lv3PHVx581qwmdoG6a3JwhOvKRvXkyS2sCsFZzZMkzU7vQAceKcekldnw/s1600/AM-Calendar+2015.jpg" height="320" width="74" /></a>The calendar is one that goes to our regular wholesale customers, but if you want a copy, you <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-offers1.html" target="_blank">can buy one for £4.00 including postage and packing</a>. It is a long banner year planner style - single sheet and comes in a postal tube.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8SaqP7pi4KtMCWLwvQUfpJvHBsizxkrh1GshcxFeGwEwtieoxfcdU3cvxZRgqCFe6YVJgahxqJ56I-sftXb8if9dXmZOntC2dyIJ9qMBLAy0yV-5tkuR0NsdmUWveEqWuqG-IeaVoSTE/s1600/Glen+Affric-hats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8SaqP7pi4KtMCWLwvQUfpJvHBsizxkrh1GshcxFeGwEwtieoxfcdU3cvxZRgqCFe6YVJgahxqJ56I-sftXb8if9dXmZOntC2dyIJ9qMBLAy0yV-5tkuR0NsdmUWveEqWuqG-IeaVoSTE/s1600/Glen+Affric-hats.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>Now that the Christmas rush is over, I have been taking time to update the website - wherever possible, using some of the lovely photographs that we got from that freezing cold, but very successful day. I have also been working on our new wholesale catalogue which went onto the website this afternoon. I just had one photograph I needed to complete it, so Len and I went out for a drive this afternoon up Glen Affric. It was every bit as cold today as it was 3 weeks ago with an icy wind added in. But I got what I wanted - a photograph of all ten styles of hat that we make hanging on a natural "hat stand" - i.e. some dead branches, with a good Highland landscape in the background. I have used this picture to illustrate the general information page about our hats.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJaDjToj40SX6UpHbHQoH_sbevxdIUtLDOtawlG483gYmIL5SxkDBx1zmcJ63rrYJAMHhJUiF_jZWH5SL3uCbpmhIqyWLtJDZIS_jHxO1RGysw4uB9AG05zHbemIBpLvh2ckE-p9V9ZRI/s1600/Ruth+photographing+hats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJaDjToj40SX6UpHbHQoH_sbevxdIUtLDOtawlG483gYmIL5SxkDBx1zmcJ63rrYJAMHhJUiF_jZWH5SL3uCbpmhIqyWLtJDZIS_jHxO1RGysw4uB9AG05zHbemIBpLvh2ckE-p9V9ZRI/s1600/Ruth+photographing+hats.jpg" height="191" width="320" /></a><span id="goog_1529704313"> </span><br />
<span id="goog_1529704313">Len was with me - good to have a driver, because it meant I could watch the scenery and look for likely branches! I was very glad of my own "<a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-hats9.html" target="_blank">Morag</a>" hat and just wished I had thought to bring a wrap as well.</span><br />
<span id="goog_1529704313">When we got home, I put the hats photo in place and Len put the <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/cat-wholesale.html" target="_blank">wholesale catalogue</a> live on the website. (please note this is a password protected catalogue and only available to bona fide trade customers). The retail version will have to wait a little while, but as there are no price increases, the 2014 catalogues will serve the purpose for now.</span><br />
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<br />Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-65845895764672585162014-11-10T23:00:00.000+00:002014-11-10T23:08:34.472+00:00Weaving Harris Tweed - or how to keep warm!I am just returned from a week long visit to my mother's home on the Isle of Lewis. I visit her as often as I can - usually about once a month - but as it is an hour's drive followed by a three hour ferry journey from Inverness, I can't just nip across for a quick visit.<br />
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My mother's health is failing and she now needs quite a lot of help with various things around the house, but cooking and sorting out her wardrobe can only take up a small amount of each day. I like to be busy, so a few years ago I bought an old Hattersley loom and taught myself how to weave Harris Tweed. Whenever Mother decides to have a rest on her bed, I pop out to the weaving shed (one time garage) and pedal away.<br />
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I was really looking forward to this visit. Last time I was there I had made, threaded and tied in a new warp to a new weaving pattern but I had not had time to actually do any weaving. The colours are gorgeous - deep pinks, dark plums, purple - and the weave structure is a herringbone, but rather than the normal 8-8 or 12-12, this one is 8-8-4-4.<br />
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But we are now in November and the autumnal gales are making themselves felt. The garage is a cold place with no heating - quite daunting to go out there with a howling gale and lashing rain! It wasn't bad weather every day. This photograph<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOkjclCRL_nSy1KdPwmdDThGqIprSkEqma4NjL0yVWHhqL_-THiKR5Fa8juLSsl9QB0CKFornWrNxdLJE3wwGKIMk10M0c6Gw3XWUh5cMkvjl8xDHpoiVAKbcqNrOL78JeiUDeKQv7iwQ/s1600/Lewis+landscape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOkjclCRL_nSy1KdPwmdDThGqIprSkEqma4NjL0yVWHhqL_-THiKR5Fa8juLSsl9QB0CKFornWrNxdLJE3wwGKIMk10M0c6Gw3XWUh5cMkvjl8xDHpoiVAKbcqNrOL78JeiUDeKQv7iwQ/s1600/Lewis+landscape.jpg" height="280" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the Pentland Road, looking south west to the Uig area of Lewis</td></tr>
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was taken last Wednesday morning when I drove across to Carloway to buy some tweed - I don't have enough time to weave all the tweed that we need for our <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/default.htm" target="_blank">Anna Macneil products</a>.<br />
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I had a few adjustments to make to the heddle boards - adjusting the heights to create the correct shed at each press of the peddles. At the start of each tweed it's a good idea to weave with a contrasting weft yarn so that any mistakes in the threading become apparant. I found a couple of threading errors I was able to collect, and another one I decided I could live with!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXK0_KcPBpfg6iXz8ejQiSAPkyH3jB6nRmcV-n1wgBo9GibHt3gtyvqEqrpsA6aR9UuKARKoaPMaxv6_4pbSyM56OqThnECgbP2gWYeXt-pv-pz0wsHT_gV2qWP4ishhWRHIhACbxNlhQ/s1600/8-8-4-4+herringbone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXK0_KcPBpfg6iXz8ejQiSAPkyH3jB6nRmcV-n1wgBo9GibHt3gtyvqEqrpsA6aR9UuKARKoaPMaxv6_4pbSyM56OqThnECgbP2gWYeXt-pv-pz0wsHT_gV2qWP4ishhWRHIhACbxNlhQ/s1600/8-8-4-4+herringbone.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the pale grey weft makes it easier to see the pattern</td></tr>
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All adjustments made, it was time to wind the bobbins. My bobbin winders give me space to wind 6 at a time - but one keeps losing the drive belt so I am down to 5. However, I can only just keep all 5 winding in sequence, so I have not spent time trying to sort it. I find it easiest to wind 5 different colours at a time. I chose bright pink, deep magenta, raspberry, dark plum and navy to give me a good variety of colours.<br />
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Then I was ready to start weaving. Once I got going, I very quickly peeled off my fleece jacket. A few metres on and the jumper was off! The Hattersley loom is operated by foot pedals. It is a sort of pumping motion rather than cycling. With each press, the shuttle flies from one side to the other, the beater comes forward to push the weft against the already woven cloth, the cloth beam winds a little bit forward and the shafts swap position ready for the next pick. All this happens at roughly a beat per second and keeping a steady rythm makes for a more trouble free weave. I am not really OCD in nature, but I do have a tendency to count (paces to the bus stop, pegs on the washing line, pins in and out when I am sewing) and so I very quickly fell into the habit of counting the beats of the loom. This does have an advantage. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the tweed has been wound forward leaving an unwoven section</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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The amount of yarn on the weft bobbins is pretty much the same from one bobbin to the next, so if I get 88 picks from one bobbin, the chances are I will get between 85 and 90 for all subsequent bobbins of that colour. As I am quite small (5ft 2in) I find it difficult to see into the shuttle without popping off my seat - and that involves stopping pedalling. So knowing when to slow down and stop is useful. If one over-runs and weaves with no yarn, then one has to back-track - this slows down the weaving a lot, and is likely to introduce problems with the weave density if you have to re-wind a bit.<br />
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All Harris Tweed is woven at the home of the weaver on the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, but most of this weaving is done under contract for any one of the three mills. And this is nearly all woven as lengths of one colourway & pattern - i.e. the whole 80 metres is exactly the same for the whole length. For me, the important thing is to get lots of variety in each length, and also to weave in short lengths - 180 cm at a time. Then I wind the loom on for 20cm or so and start weaving again. This gives me the option to weave each short length with a different colour of weft. I use these lengths to make our very popular <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-wraps.html" target="_blank">wraps and hooded capes</a> - watch this space, new wrap design coming soon! What I tend to do is weave a few lengths in each colourway, but make a different garment or accessory with each, so no two things ever exactly the same. And as each warp is unrepeatable, created with a rather random selection of yarns to give my trademark stripey tweeds, each garment will always be unique. There are only a few weavers willing to weave these shawl lengths so they are in short supply.<br />
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In between making Christmas puddings, soup to stock the freezer and a new dress for my mother, I managed to weave some 25 shawl lengths in 6 different colours. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeEWd0Mu-vLQVwc9w1GdqPLB2V5bW_LOMdNCu79MdmrQT3gsF6vjU4xrgGHK49RQVXotYcAeAUE882IyBHwcXha2CN5WhGJjqZybCh2oCep2e_q2Gatdo7FmMDDpue45JerW4RhoNzYkc/s1600/tied+ready+to+send.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeEWd0Mu-vLQVwc9w1GdqPLB2V5bW_LOMdNCu79MdmrQT3gsF6vjU4xrgGHK49RQVXotYcAeAUE882IyBHwcXha2CN5WhGJjqZybCh2oCep2e_q2Gatdo7FmMDDpue45JerW4RhoNzYkc/s1600/tied+ready+to+send.jpg" height="189" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">tweed bundled ready to deliver to the mill for washing</td></tr>
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I cut it all off the loom and this morning got it wrapped up and off to Carloway Mill for washing and stamping. Every piece of Harris Tweed is inspected and stamped by the <a href="http://www.harristweed.org/" target="_blank">Harris Tweed Authority</a> with the world famous Orb trade mark. To qualify for stamping, the tweed has to be handwoven at the island weaver's home using pure virgin wool that has been scoured, dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides and then washed (finished) also on the islands. This ensures the quality of this fantastic, hard-wearing woollen cloth. I recently had an order for a hat - this customer had bought <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-hats.html" target="_blank">her original hat</a> from my mother at a craft fair in Stornoway town hall back in the 1980s and she has worn it ever since! So, you may not be able to keep warm by weaving the tweed - but you can keep warm by wearing it!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">left - bright pink weft / right - navy weft - very different tweeds from the same warp</td></tr>
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Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-22462757511401191052014-05-10T18:02:00.000+01:002014-05-23T11:58:51.333+01:00New Website for my Ecclesiastical EmbroideryIt has been years in the planning, but it is now finally here. <a href="http://www.angelforce.co.uk/vestments/" target="_blank">Ecclesiastical Embroidery by Ruth Black</a><br />
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My husband Len is a priest, but in his spare time he <a href="http://www.angelforce.co.uk/" target="_blank">designs and manages websites</a>. On the basis of "there's no point in keeping a dog and barking yourself", website design is something I get my husband to do for me. However, his paying customers always seem to get priority.<br />
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Mind you.... I paid in kind! This was a cope I made for Len a year past Christmas - the deal being, I<br />
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would make him a cope in time for Christmas and he would do my website during the Christmas holidays. I got the cope made, but Len didn't quite get around to keeping his side of the bargain!<br />
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However, the new website has been worth the wait. It has lots more on it than before - more pictures, more information. It also provides the facility to order a stole online and to enquire about commissioning a vestment using an online form. I hope this will make it easier for people to use.<br />
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In addition to the website, I have built up a public <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/113278059705131050933/CelticAndTartanStoles" target="_blank">web album of stoles</a> I have made over the years. This will get added to as and when I have time - I'm a bit like my husband in that respect, sometimes I just don't quite get round to things that don't have a deadline.<br />
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I managed one deadline recently - this chasuble made it to Australia in time for Easter. It was made to match a stole I had made for the same client the year before and is inspired by the Evangelists page of the Book of Kells.<br />
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Just now I am working on another chasuble that has to be ready for an ordination at Canterbury in June, and earlier today I completed the design for a red cope that has to be made in the next two weeks so that it can get to Australia in time for Pentecost.<br />
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All this ecclesiastical work gets fitted in around the work of my main business - <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/" target="_blank">Anna Macneil</a> where, along with my daughter I make hats and scarves, wraps and capes, bags and purses, wallhangings and cushions plus various nick-nacks.<br />
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Added to that, I visit the Isle of Lewis for a few days every month, partly to look after my mother (founder of Anna Macneil) and partly to indulge in one of my other interests - weaving. I have an old Hattersley loom set up in my mother's garage and when I am on the island I weave Harris Tweed. I have just come back from a recent visit having woven about 30 metres of tweed. There is still another 20 metres of warp on the beam and that will get woven on my next visit. The warp is a mix of pale greys with cream and beige and I am using a variety of different coloured wefts so that I will end up with some 10 or 12 different tweeds on the roll. They will get made up into scarves and wraps once they come back from the mill, washed and stamped.<br />
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Last year I was given a fleece by my mother's next door neighbour. This visit, I finally got round to taking my spinning wheel across and I have started spinning the wool. <br />
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My intention is that I will spin enough to be able to weave a couple of metres with it - and then instead of sending that length to the mill for washing, I will do that myself the old fashioned way - waulking the tweed. I managed to spin enough this visit to weave about 20cm, so don't hold your breath!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEm7t-l7ceGpMba0AftlK6uJmnCADV3twcm9fqMSAp-xdpjHhRdRrQDUbP8kSIW6JanlBfRW4_Hc44RdMZQBaQBaziqZVRt4V3_FtO30z4q8xnehLJ5BwPUim-xXQmJNTrRQ5Q6lvOgE/s1600/orb+stamped+black+tweed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEm7t-l7ceGpMba0AftlK6uJmnCADV3twcm9fqMSAp-xdpjHhRdRrQDUbP8kSIW6JanlBfRW4_Hc44RdMZQBaQBaziqZVRt4V3_FtO30z4q8xnehLJ5BwPUim-xXQmJNTrRQ5Q6lvOgE/s1600/orb+stamped+black+tweed.jpg" height="193" width="200" /></a>For a cloth to be called Harris Tweed it has to meet certain criteria - it must be 100% pure new wool, hand woven at the weaver's home in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland and the entire process of manufacture from preparation of the wool through to finishing of the cloth must be carried <br />
out on the Outer Hebrides. Only then can it be <a href="http://www.harristweed.org/" target="_blank">stamped with the world reknowned "Orb"</a>.<br />
<br />
In two weeks time I will be teaching a workshop at the <a href="http://www.highlandwoolfestival.co.uk/celtic-knotwork-embroidery.html" target="_blank">Highland Wool Festival in Dingwall</a>. The theme of the workshop is Celtic knotwork embroidery and I will be helping people to create simple hand-embroidered knotwork designs. Places are limited, so book your space as soon as you can.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDikdigmVqjrqXuJbKyOJFxMK82yKutAqtOCFdzFHaSPoZkonuu6BKHTkwtrSkgVVhtGHEMrHCZSB7pMe2WmqAqYlIRKVcD0EiR8zsY1ehpGOlOGIhEHSvpMxi-V-g2IPXTEMCt5Hty44/s1600/Embroidery+detail-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDikdigmVqjrqXuJbKyOJFxMK82yKutAqtOCFdzFHaSPoZkonuu6BKHTkwtrSkgVVhtGHEMrHCZSB7pMe2WmqAqYlIRKVcD0EiR8zsY1ehpGOlOGIhEHSvpMxi-V-g2IPXTEMCt5Hty44/s1600/Embroidery+detail-1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>Back to today - at the studio I had the embroidery machine going all day stitching the embroidery for the green chasuble. It is Macdonald tartan that I have embroidered onto silk dupion. This will be used as orphreys and edged with bias strips of tartan. Now all I have to do is make it up.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7uy9iAgc_NF1k4fhs4Oepj9t9Oxt8s06f6vKHsTDXC05-mX8vhkr-1RE2MOo2JhBWz5VNfzQnnOMVJHE51mUIy-eI76YawT0uH8qsz1IkgOKHlkGpLheQuZb0tMGQHIqxMgrCqyjBUTc/s1600/orphreys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7uy9iAgc_NF1k4fhs4Oepj9t9Oxt8s06f6vKHsTDXC05-mX8vhkr-1RE2MOo2JhBWz5VNfzQnnOMVJHE51mUIy-eI76YawT0uH8qsz1IkgOKHlkGpLheQuZb0tMGQHIqxMgrCqyjBUTc/s1600/orphreys.jpg" height="220" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<h3>
<b>Post Script - Friday, 23rd May 2014</b></h3>
It' been a really busy week of highs and lows!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtHm0dqhJd3uQo1oxb1aHw1oB0YR_3HSEf5zXA69pKu0puTc851oSCagf2gFkZhJj2ZNuLOgeuBho82cOyMcp3MKd6WSQOR-Y-gY5Z8k9bcaJ5ChswbkQe_he1uk9eRbkQhKgFfP_WPZg/s1600/Green+Evangelists+chasuble.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtHm0dqhJd3uQo1oxb1aHw1oB0YR_3HSEf5zXA69pKu0puTc851oSCagf2gFkZhJj2ZNuLOgeuBho82cOyMcp3MKd6WSQOR-Y-gY5Z8k9bcaJ5ChswbkQe_he1uk9eRbkQhKgFfP_WPZg/s1600/Green+Evangelists+chasuble.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a><b>High point</b>: Saturday - finished the chasuble. Got is all finished and pressed in time to have my <br />
husband model it for me after church on Sunday.<br />
<b>Low point</b>: Tuesday morning 9.15am, sat down at the sewing machine to start sewing up a red cope (all the embroidery had been done the week before - it just needed putting together). I stitched a 3 inch seam and the sewing machine went BANG! and a lot of blue smoke with a strong smell of electrical burning issued from the back of the sewing machine. Fortunately when I phoned my sewing machine dealer (David Drummond in Edinburgh) he was able to find a replacement L-board. £170 pounds worth, but I had it the next morning at 8.45 and by 9am the machine was running sweetly.<br />
<b>High point</b>: Wednesday evening - finished the red cope - bit of a marathon, I was up till midnight hand-sewing the hem, but it was good to get it finished.<br />
High point: Thursday morning - Janis from <a href="http://www.morvengallery.com/" target="_blank">Morven Gallery </a>on the Isle of Lewis phoned - she had sold another big wallhanging - so could I please make her another one!<br />
<b>Low point</b>: Thursday afternoon - half way through stitching said big wallhanging, the machine stopped - check Y motor error message. The frame wouldn't budge. After phonecalls to my wonderful engineer and taking the covers off the machine I ascertained that the reason it wasn't working was that the strip on which the bearings run had come completely loose resulting in the tiny ballbearings being scattered all over the inside of the machine. With the aid of a magnet I managed to extract them and after about two hours had managed to fit all but four of the balls back into their housing. Dave assured me that the missing four would not be a problem, at least in the short term, so I got everything back together, put the covers on, managed to line up the frame to where it had stopped and the machine ran smoothly and quietly from then on.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwCEcD16ZgW6c241n2Ro8tdHRXA-Gjs81XpkKrpsw-RdOT0-wgczX7eN4O8BEj2hNN7govicoxQv_hCHDoNqDspSpKddMrOqM9ywap4CWwS5NnD7KIvMyTy9NtfCvwdQEHte-gMPT4M6c/s1600/Red+cope-Armstrong+front+&+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwCEcD16ZgW6c241n2Ro8tdHRXA-Gjs81XpkKrpsw-RdOT0-wgczX7eN4O8BEj2hNN7govicoxQv_hCHDoNqDspSpKddMrOqM9ywap4CWwS5NnD7KIvMyTy9NtfCvwdQEHte-gMPT4M6c/s1600/Red+cope-Armstrong+front+&+back.jpg" height="327" width="400" /></a><b>High point</b>: Got the red cope photographed - had to borrow a friend for this as my husband is too short for a standard length cope! This morning it is off to Australia and with a bit of luck should arrive in time for the celebration of Pentecost!<br />
<br />
I have a stall at the Highland Wool Festival tomorrow and then on Sunday I am off to Lewis for a few days to do some weaving. I am hopeful that it will be a less stressful week than the one I have just had!<br />
<br />Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-71416232512449470792014-04-05T13:23:00.000+01:002014-04-05T13:23:30.501+01:00The Isle of Lewis in early springI spent the last week of March on the Isle of Lewis. Regular readers will know that I travel there every few weeks to look after my mother and to weave Harris Tweed. This time I was joined for a few days by my friend Gail. We had difficulty working out when it was we were last together on the island - probably about ten years ago, when we were both undertaking commissions for St Moluag's Church, Eoropie - see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teampall_Mholuaidh">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teampall_Mholuaidh</a><br />
<br />
Then, Gail was designing and making a stained glass window and I was making an alter frontal. To see other examples of <a href="http://www.halfamoon.co.uk/index.htm" target="_blank">Gail's work, click here</a>. You can see more of my <a href="http://www.angelforce.co.uk/pp/vestments/index.htm" target="_blank">ecclesiastical work on this website</a>.<br />
<br />
This time, Gail was just having a holiday - I was combining my usual routine of cooking and weaving with making some deliveries and having some much appreciated time off.<br />
<br />
I made three deliveries - to Blue Pig Studio at Carloway, The visitor centre at Calanais Standing Stones and Morven Gallery at Barvas. <br />
<br />
We had lovely weather for most of the week. The night I arrived there was a really noisy hailstorm with hailstones the size of marbles being hammered onto my bedroom window by the strong north-easterly wind. The grass looked as though it was covered in snow when we got up on Sunday morning, but it was the hailstones. Because they had been so big, they took a while to melt. After that, the weather improved all week and by the end of the week it was easy to see why Lewis had been voted as the top island holiday destination in Europe (<a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/TravelersChoice-Islands-cTop-g1" target="_blank">Trip Advisor</a>)<br />
<br />
We took time out from the delivery round to visit Dalbeg Bay, a small cove on the west of the island <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvtTGQ3ODjpmrf1LZ-94T7zMh6VeRPK14fzgU33qeSX-JR2qTm5dojd-YtXUwz_TJaaBgRLTZy9lbndLsO5WMxU8TdD7cM-npi7TsE9dy3XMJ6htotbXsByroE6ydda5DjvZ6FGP8bzs/s1600/Dalbeg-full.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvtTGQ3ODjpmrf1LZ-94T7zMh6VeRPK14fzgU33qeSX-JR2qTm5dojd-YtXUwz_TJaaBgRLTZy9lbndLsO5WMxU8TdD7cM-npi7TsE9dy3XMJ6htotbXsByroE6ydda5DjvZ6FGP8bzs/s1600/Dalbeg-full.jpg" height="191" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dalbeg Bay</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
between Carloway and Shawbost. The high surf was rolling in and the wind was catching the top of each wave, blowing spray back off the crests - spectacular to watch, almost tempting enough to make one want to try surfing.......well, maybe not my style! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihto8hSp7qI-_qX0BsxCbpz7JqNJ_ZGq3xKx4kLAKMAWNEDQ4EeVX8o-vwCR4OX49UR6zgaJmfiDhXgcFHN6GsXTsMe13J6SeQ8HRG0bjz9tSEBY_svYHIeq8G6Hw95s48ofumfzT3X38/s1600/Dalbeg+surf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihto8hSp7qI-_qX0BsxCbpz7JqNJ_ZGq3xKx4kLAKMAWNEDQ4EeVX8o-vwCR4OX49UR6zgaJmfiDhXgcFHN6GsXTsMe13J6SeQ8HRG0bjz9tSEBY_svYHIeq8G6Hw95s48ofumfzT3X38/s1600/Dalbeg+surf.jpg" height="190" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The surf rolling in at Dalbeg</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqkPt8lyn30AVpIg5heXaoLiINxEMRYxx8-5nWFdqGj0qqAqLysQDEvnCHsX15lpYW96e0QhiBXHcUqx6qpRmAV-pz9efqTQF105zhqkz0p8zt8dXLeklY27rBp6VEM3A4sMHxcqXVrSE/s1600/Norse+Mill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqkPt8lyn30AVpIg5heXaoLiINxEMRYxx8-5nWFdqGj0qqAqLysQDEvnCHsX15lpYW96e0QhiBXHcUqx6qpRmAV-pz9efqTQF105zhqkz0p8zt8dXLeklY27rBp6VEM3A4sMHxcqXVrSE/s1600/Norse+Mill.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norse Mill & Kiln - left is mill, right is the kiln.</td></tr>
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As we were driving back to my mother's, Gail spotted a sign saying "Norse Mill & Kiln". I have visited it several times in the past, but Gail had not so we parked the car and headed off down the path. The path must have been restored since my last visit as it was a good sturdy gravel path with no puddles and bogs! The mill and kiln buildings are an interesting restoration project - <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg59ZIJBrq-C4S-frSEe3kZ23jYhtbeBYVZzev9hRRhBVVM6WTBvb3xNadYIEnv7CBeLM-e43sRDUArKmCO5JwD8raP6kWcAsiKTtwaCbO32LUITiK9K9YeZPAHFHOC3lTEWhtfkED86ok/s1600/Kiln+hut-inside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg59ZIJBrq-C4S-frSEe3kZ23jYhtbeBYVZzev9hRRhBVVM6WTBvb3xNadYIEnv7CBeLM-e43sRDUArKmCO5JwD8raP6kWcAsiKTtwaCbO32LUITiK9K9YeZPAHFHOC3lTEWhtfkED86ok/s1600/Kiln+hut-inside.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the restored Kiln where in Norse times the grain would have been dried</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFf9HkhTDEgG5BkZsk90R84K7cds90g2KB6L1NV_hcefdYISTuL48i3y7hvEQr_78IP0V4E97SlJJ64b-aU9yQc6v_mXgZDDH0m2xHinALMu6UvfRJcgZ3NmB_sqfg_LtZcaKcp4wvLUs/s1600/Norse+Mill-inside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFf9HkhTDEgG5BkZsk90R84K7cds90g2KB6L1NV_hcefdYISTuL48i3y7hvEQr_78IP0V4E97SlJJ64b-aU9yQc6v_mXgZDDH0m2xHinALMu6UvfRJcgZ3NmB_sqfg_LtZcaKcp4wvLUs/s1600/Norse+Mill-inside.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the Norse Mill where the grain would have been milled</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVep7pr9zNMZgasb8Hxk0lC-MQCXyr-LVPp64XnfhGqUqe2xnMN0zRtdKV20jhynN4tu1pu8uLOfqlIB1M5RErLkFmP5UUhy2ZtjvzpP0zRzGA9K51pzoOysJT42SZDOAcMDKPaIuPvdA/s1600/Norse+Mill-underneath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVep7pr9zNMZgasb8Hxk0lC-MQCXyr-LVPp64XnfhGqUqe2xnMN0zRtdKV20jhynN4tu1pu8uLOfqlIB1M5RErLkFmP5UUhy2ZtjvzpP0zRzGA9K51pzoOysJT42SZDOAcMDKPaIuPvdA/s1600/Norse+Mill-underneath.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Underneath the mill, where the flow of water would have driven the paddles, driving hte mill stones above</td></tr>
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well worth the short walk.<br />
<br />
My mother joined us for the outing to <a href="http://www.callanishvisitorcentre.co.uk/" target="_blank">Calanais where we had a lovely lunch in the visitor centre</a> - soup followed by coffee & cake. As I pushed my mother in her wheelchair across to a vacant table I saw someone I knew - well one often does in places like this! - but this was unexpected. <a href="http://www.joanbaxter.com/index2.htm" target="_blank">Joan Baxter</a> is a tapestry weaver who lives on the east coast of Sutherland and we had been invloved together on a big project several years ago. It turned out this was her first visit to the island and she was over because she was setting up her <a href="http://www.lanntair.com/" target="_blank">exhibition in An Lanntair</a> (a arts centre in Stornoway) called "Between the Web and the Loom. <br />
<br />
The Calanais Visitor Centre shop is now well stocked with our <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/" target="_blank">hats and scarves, bags, wraps and cosy Hebridean Hoods</a>. If you are going to visit the stones, it's worth calling in at the shop first to buy one of our hats as the wind around the stones can blow fierce and cold. Our hats are designed to cope with Lewis weather!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2fNqszp-NjANFWmDHKzyejNeRfHOj3QmcGYQKI41FtL2hIBZuUALx_pvpRHyztjLVJppHY0qy4xwd7ZlaTZlN-qEjm-S-3saHIGydDhTaRxHFCJNGmJULTwdzXY4m4Afj5U8TeYWZi1c/s1600/Gannets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2fNqszp-NjANFWmDHKzyejNeRfHOj3QmcGYQKI41FtL2hIBZuUALx_pvpRHyztjLVJppHY0qy4xwd7ZlaTZlN-qEjm-S-3saHIGydDhTaRxHFCJNGmJULTwdzXY4m4Afj5U8TeYWZi1c/s1600/Gannets.jpg" height="320" width="111" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gannets diving</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">hand made felt and embroidery on Harris Tweed</td></tr>
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We left a bundle of small wallhangings with <a href="http://www.janeharlington.co.uk/contact-artist.htm" target="_blank">Jane Harlington at the Blue Pig Studio</a>. These are a bit <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDuGKPnMrSdz_M8xgyQcFPtyB2UAnexeAqaKnHFyTNpZiS4YBJjFvyoCNhA8In0UK7FI7zKadf891nwcr4kpiRA8pNSgaJYkzleTIsXFaI3uWsxyquLMF9XCOmcJCPcAOzfqy2s8RS0U/s1600/Oystercatchers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDuGKPnMrSdz_M8xgyQcFPtyB2UAnexeAqaKnHFyTNpZiS4YBJjFvyoCNhA8In0UK7FI7zKadf891nwcr4kpiRA8pNSgaJYkzleTIsXFaI3uWsxyquLMF9XCOmcJCPcAOzfqy2s8RS0U/s1600/Oystercatchers.jpg" height="320" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oystercatchers - hand made felt and embroidery on Harris Tweed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
different from our normal range, done specially for Jane, so worth taking time to drop into her lovely studio and see all the interesting and quirky things she has for sale along with her own paintings and prints.<br />
<br />
Last stop was at <a href="http://www.morvengallery.com/" target="_blank">Morven Gallery</a>, owned and run by Janis Scott. This lovely contemporary gallery is only open from Easter till the end of September, but well worth a visit to see - and buy - some stunning art - paintings, sculpture, glass, jewellery and textiles, including some of my big wallhangings. I took three for her to choose from - she wanted them all! She also took some small Celtic cross wallhangings and some purses and phone pouches, so something for everyone. If you call in here you can also get superb coffee and cakes, so well worth a visit. Unfortunately, I forgot to take photographs of the big wallhangings - so if you want to see them, you have to visit the gallery!<br />
<br />
The other delivery I made was taking my latest batch of tweed to <a href="http://www.thecarlowaymill.com/" target="_blank">Carloway Mill</a> for washing and stamping. I am really looking forward to getting this one back. It is mostly black but with hints of charcoal, navy, bottle and very dark plum. It will make up into stunning wraps, so visit the <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/" target="_blank">Anna Macneil website </a>soon! If you email me, I can let you know as soon as they are ready - info@annamacneil.co.uk. I managed to fit in making up a new warp and got a few metres woven before we left the island. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQeJXUnxMd1nx_pMWLR5wc-2pGSUQ6HhsTSfimgBJQlqs5sj6l3gKL8aB5iNQ22IU9jWGNknTJv-ofELtcTPiFUZmiKrjPFmAOwWkoK7KCWeQch1IDhRuZKjjJYiDTxbVH-uN7EHAOjk/s1600/grey+warp-tying+in.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQeJXUnxMd1nx_pMWLR5wc-2pGSUQ6HhsTSfimgBJQlqs5sj6l3gKL8aB5iNQ22IU9jWGNknTJv-ofELtcTPiFUZmiKrjPFmAOwWkoK7KCWeQch1IDhRuZKjjJYiDTxbVH-uN7EHAOjk/s1600/grey+warp-tying+in.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">tying in new warp - with extra bar clamped onto back beam</td></tr>
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One aspect of weaving that I am not good at is tying in a new warp. Each one of the 696 ends has to <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWj0C6ce5pWkMgfCMxX-AdbPnxd3oTKpdbHS6hbKcuimyzdjV0UKpkDLyCip6EPkxzheKYB1KNLYerGfKuYc_CvqvfSz1Mc-NsR2esuBDztW0IwV5eYC7kCM19DM4MsEKj2wuB2_kjjuw/s1600/grey+weaving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWj0C6ce5pWkMgfCMxX-AdbPnxd3oTKpdbHS6hbKcuimyzdjV0UKpkDLyCip6EPkxzheKYB1KNLYerGfKuYc_CvqvfSz1Mc-NsR2esuBDztW0IwV5eYC7kCM19DM4MsEKj2wuB2_kjjuw/s1600/grey+weaving.jpg" height="320" width="306" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New weaving in progress</td></tr>
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be individually tied onto the corresponding ends of the old warp. An experienced weaver does it in about 30 minutes. I was taking 4 hours, and getting very sore back and leg muscles in the process. This time, I did a bit of improvisation and managed to speed up to 3 hours, but I avoided the muscle aches by temporarily securing an extra bar onto the back beam so that I didn't have to lean over to tie the knots - made a huge difference. The new warp is a mix of pale greys, cream and oatmeal and will mostly get made up into our cosy Hebridean Hoods - but I won't get the weaving finished until early May and it will be another few weeks after that before the tweed is ready to use. <br />
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After all that, it was back home on the afternoon ferry. We popped into An Lanntair gallery to see Joan's exhibition and to have our lunch while we waited for the ferry and then it was off home and back to normal life!Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-69864192897893222802014-03-05T19:47:00.000+00:002014-03-05T19:49:47.923+00:00A good day for ....... Dyeing SheepskinA lovely day today - lots of sunshine, but there was a stiff breeze, making it ideal weather for drying things outside. The embroidery machine has been kept going the last couple of days embroidering a new batch of our <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-wraps3.html" target="_blank">Hebridean Hoods</a>. These cosy Harris Tweed hooded capes have a generous hood <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8B8lY6aDb5pf8eu0ZOIxW-1gizDMBlgr_MM2TQAiqykP244VzC92hQXEpaoNiDAmPB5DUendqSKpTzBG1vxkIsBwq-CTmS6-1gcgvXG-VAKelWLI6c3eYsA6ZIhaLvNl3EldLd6SXcko/s1600/Lauren-green+hood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8B8lY6aDb5pf8eu0ZOIxW-1gizDMBlgr_MM2TQAiqykP244VzC92hQXEpaoNiDAmPB5DUendqSKpTzBG1vxkIsBwq-CTmS6-1gcgvXG-VAKelWLI6c3eYsA6ZIhaLvNl3EldLd6SXcko/s1600/Lauren-green+hood.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
lined with polar fleece and trimmed with real sheepskin. They fasten with a single hand-made button.<br />
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The range of colours of sheepskin available is rather limited, so from time to time, I dye strips in other colours so that I can have a bit more variety. Today was the day!<br />
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I have been experimenting with the process over the last 3 years and I think I have now finally got a fail-safe system where I get consistent and predictable results. Over the years I have tried various methods, some with disastrous results, others just about OK, but I am now sufficiently happy with my method that I am prepared to share it.<br />
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I am using two different makes of dyes - <a href="http://www.kemtex.co.uk/kemtexacid.html" target="_blank">Kemtex acid dyes </a>and <a href="http://www.threshingbarn.com/product-category/gaywool-dyes/" target="_blank">Gaywool dyes</a>. Sometimes I mix them together, sometimes one or the other.<br />
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The first step is to protect the skin side of the sheepskin and I have found the best way to do this is to generously brush white mineral oil all over it (the kind used for oiling the sewing machines) - being careful not to get any of the oil onto the wool. The oil soaks into the skin and this means it stays supple once it comes out of the dye bath to dry.<br />
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I have about 4 or 5 litres of water in my big stainless steel stock-pot, with a generous splash of clear vinegar and a tablespoon of urea. I use about 5g of dye per sheepskin strip (they measure 5cm x 86cm but I have no idea how much they weigh). The water is heated to about 85°C, the dye dissolved in a little boiling water and added to the pan, then put in the sheepskin strips and mash them about with a wooden spoon until they are completely wet and submerged. I keep the temperature between 80 and 90 - no more than 90 as maximum otherwise the skin starts to shrivel. I give it a stir every 5 to 10 minutes with the skins staying in the dye bath for about 40 minutes in total. Then I lift them out and rinse in cold water till the water runs clear. Outside, I whirl them around to shake off as much water as possible and then peg them up to dry. Even on a day like today, they will take a long time to dry so I had to bring them inside before I left the studio. If they are still damp tomorrow they will get hung outside again. Once dry, they get a good brushing with fine carders and then they will be ready to be sewn into the hoods.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJhjRniC_F30lHyn9fu4-_aty2q0m0xQVmX9bJxd5RoFxYjO6YNRY_GGndQCMjMsC_a8L5zVZaPHe5vHn_xg0qeTRNLgPaCWCCb4_v1t1sa8AIB7NBDNu5VIABiKldEMQmGUoIe7WMq0/s1600/green+sheepskin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJhjRniC_F30lHyn9fu4-_aty2q0m0xQVmX9bJxd5RoFxYjO6YNRY_GGndQCMjMsC_a8L5zVZaPHe5vHn_xg0qeTRNLgPaCWCCb4_v1t1sa8AIB7NBDNu5VIABiKldEMQmGUoIe7WMq0/s1600/green+sheepskin.jpg" height="320" width="135" /></a></div>
Depending on what colours I want, I may add a bit more dye to the pan and add in more sheepskin strips - these bright green strips were done first using a combination of Kemtex green, Gaywool lucerne and Gaywool rosemary, but once I took them out, I added some Gaywool logwood and put in another two strips to get a darker more olive green colour. These strips actually started off a pale pastel green, so they had some green there to start.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX98jTttZR0c9je_sTAMyDmVhWd_TbF3hkF-k4wefEBdCW6OGHpGFSTRnAgQv9obbXRADSMtmQB3UHI3s5DDx7ve7F5jSrH65byqPHRvoyujwH8Mpo1HcFcyP0CPUWJQFWjF5fu3pjqV0/s1600/navy+sheepskin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX98jTttZR0c9je_sTAMyDmVhWd_TbF3hkF-k4wefEBdCW6OGHpGFSTRnAgQv9obbXRADSMtmQB3UHI3s5DDx7ve7F5jSrH65byqPHRvoyujwH8Mpo1HcFcyP0CPUWJQFWjF5fu3pjqV0/s1600/navy+sheepskin.jpg" height="320" width="182" /></a></div>
These navy strips were all in the same dye bath, but two started off as a mid-blue colour and the third started as pale green. They dyes used were Kemtex navy and Kemtex black<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MixQwZxtZ214zv_DgacMIJb9OqB0oVvkpawPXrpYAhYWXFdMQGQoDR5QUg0MC8LT-ubPsAIBw6fI_dMnQrprtSbjnDlGaRH8o0FUkL9ZEmaGzHDSgdAJSFkKntDEBacaTSAEKzBomS4/s1600/magenta+sheepskin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MixQwZxtZ214zv_DgacMIJb9OqB0oVvkpawPXrpYAhYWXFdMQGQoDR5QUg0MC8LT-ubPsAIBw6fI_dMnQrprtSbjnDlGaRH8o0FUkL9ZEmaGzHDSgdAJSFkKntDEBacaTSAEKzBomS4/s1600/magenta+sheepskin.jpg" height="320" width="134" /></a></div>
The purple strips started as natural white and the dyes used were Gaywool orchid and Gaywool mulberry.<br />
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So......... over the next couple of weeks we will be making up more hoods. As well as the colours you see here, we will have some edged with skins we have not had to dye - aubergine, teal, dark brown, natural, grey, bright blue and red - and some I have dyed previously - wine, purple.<br />
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Plenty to choose from! And I reckon there may still be winter weather to come, so you won't need to wait till next winter to benefit from having one of these wonderful garments.Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-31527397120741248252014-02-16T13:43:00.000+00:002014-02-16T15:51:47.627+00:00This is not just black................<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">This is dark as ebony, as deep as jet, dark as coal, but enriched with darkest plum, midnight navy and bottle green and softened with touches of charcoal............</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">For the benefit of my overseas readers, this is a tongue-in-cheek take on an up-market food supplier's advertising campaign for luxury food, but it does properly describe my latest limited edition Harris Tweed.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>Weaving Black Harris Tweed</b> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Last Saturday I arrived on the Isle of Lewis in the early afternoon. After spending some time with my mother (the main reason for my visit) I chose yarns from my yarn store and prepared a new warp. I knew that we needed black tweed for making scarves and wraps, but it didn't need to be pure plain black. Indeed, if I want plain black, I would be better off just going to one of the Harris Tweed mills and buying it. I like to be more adventurous, so while most of the yarn I selected to make the warp is black, I also picked out some dark charcoal, very dark navy, very dark plum, peat brown and dark bottle green yarn. When preparing a warp I use 24 cops of yarn. For this warp I used 16 cops of black, 4 charcoal and one each of the other colours. From a distance it reads as black, </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvloxOzuCFzXI9btCQmWv6HTPj475fTGMcXXP1jxS0AeNGiUL6MyYRDlIgRF-7RCSzo1y3QUHdETDGQ5BIKgm7q-hg51GrtiKYeWaoGhMBrC36_toxow1W8YbYOsynieTJFeXpiYf9NbE/s1600/black+tweed.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvloxOzuCFzXI9btCQmWv6HTPj475fTGMcXXP1jxS0AeNGiUL6MyYRDlIgRF-7RCSzo1y3QUHdETDGQ5BIKgm7q-hg51GrtiKYeWaoGhMBrC36_toxow1W8YbYOsynieTJFeXpiYf9NbE/s1600/black+tweed.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">but it is not a "flat" black. The other shades give a liveliness that makes it really interesting. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The photograph here shows the colours much brighter than they really are, but it is just the effect of the flash.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">On Monday I got the warp beamed and half tied in. An experienced weaver can get this part done in under an hour. I am still taking 4 hours and I have not yet managed to figure out a way of doing it without putting a strain on my back muscles. I obviously need to improve my technique!</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Tuesday was taken up with other things, including attending an interesting presentation about fashion trends for spring and summer, 2015. Lots of things to consider there, but it did seem that subtlety was a common theme. So my new black tweed should fit in nicely.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">On Wednesday I did various things with my mother - took her to the hairdresser's salon and then out to lunch and then finished the tying in.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">About two years ago I bought some tweed with the intention of making myself a new winter coat, but somehow I always seemed to be busy making things for other people and had not set aside time to do anything for myself. However, before I left for my Lewis trip I cut out the coat pieces and did some embroidery on the front, back, cuffs, collar and pocket welt pieces. I took with me everything I needed, including some very posh hot-fused glass buttons made for me by my friend Gail of <a href="http://www.halfamoon.co.uk/index.htm" target="_blank">Half-A-Moon</a> and in the evenings, when it is too cold and dark to head out to the loom shed, I sat at the sewing machine and made my new coat. When there was handsewing to be done I could do this while sitting talking with my mother. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Thursday and Friday were free for weaving. The loom has been working smoothly and I have managed to weave over 30 metres in the two days. I am weaving in lengths of 1.8 metres then advancing the loom to leave approximately 20cm unwoven between lengths. These will be used to make scarves or wraps which have fringed ends - it saves having to unravel the tweed to make the fringes - a great time saver and allows for longer fringes.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgTkJb6zNtxZ1LO4n5x9uDTTgf5b9U15Svxs07l7NKuL4LFurPP56kzU5TdrY_N39XkXJUHisdM2anQKAuoO5MTQJbeX7trWczw3a2BTJYOOaNeZ8m7xeu6rPg0G-17lXjvWg0VpxXdg/s1600/red+and+white.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgTkJb6zNtxZ1LO4n5x9uDTTgf5b9U15Svxs07l7NKuL4LFurPP56kzU5TdrY_N39XkXJUHisdM2anQKAuoO5MTQJbeX7trWczw3a2BTJYOOaNeZ8m7xeu6rPg0G-17lXjvWg0VpxXdg/s1600/red+and+white.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Some lengths have been woven with a black weft (the yarn which goes from side to side), some with charcoal and I have also woven a couple of lengths with a red weft and one with a white weft. For these colours, the random herringbone weave pattern is very striking. This photograph was taken while weaving with the red, but the white was still visible on the cloth beam, where you are seeing the back of the tweed rather than the face.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">At the moment I am heading back to the mainland so the weaving will take a break until I next return to the island towards the end of March when I should be able to weave the remaining 25m and get it off to <a href="http://www.thecarlowaymill.com/" target="_blank">Carloway Mill</a> for washing and stamping (to certify it as <a href="http://www.harristweed.org/" target="_blank">genuine Harris Tweed</a>).</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">(The internet connection ran out at that point, so I couldn't do any more of this till I got home - to be met off the bus by my husband. He's not much for cooking, but he had visited the above mentioned store. We didn't just have beef, we had rich, succulent beef, wrapped in melt-in-the-mouth flaky pastry................. I'm sure you get the picture!).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFIkJgmd6UUsLHahNO6M01fuothilxoLUfmosA1IY2Qs3ci1ieitonLhaHb3NMb5l6pWQ0J4RFFXULVm3WSiJrRZJOzEGmZat39S4HB0StyxYzHe29Ah0WlKrNBgWm5et321gxK0Y53B0/s1600/loom-warp+beam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFIkJgmd6UUsLHahNO6M01fuothilxoLUfmosA1IY2Qs3ci1ieitonLhaHb3NMb5l6pWQ0J4RFFXULVm3WSiJrRZJOzEGmZat39S4HB0StyxYzHe29Ah0WlKrNBgWm5et321gxK0Y53B0/s1600/loom-warp+beam.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I left the loom all ready for the next visit. The little black mark on the warp beam flange is where the warp came to when it was first beamed, so you can see how much I have used and how much I still have to do. I just need to decide what colours of weft yarn to use, and then start pedalling...... and pedalling.......!!!! </span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">n April we will start making up the tweed into <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-scarves.html" target="_blank">scarves</a> and<a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-wraps.html" target="_blank"> wraps</a>, perhaps the odd <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-wraps3.html" target="_blank">Hebridean Hood</a> with any small pieces being used for little wallhangings. Watch this space........!</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">I wore my new coat to church this morning and when we got home, Len photographed me wearing it. If you want a posh coat, let me know. I won't make you one exactly the same as this, but I am happy to work out designs and let you choose tweed - <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-wraps5.html" target="_blank">visit the website for more details.</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uiQJNJ-O9MMYrVX2UpC5P1z9bZSKTn8UgKdtlT3Hkhcp5MI3pv10O26d7_9bUf_IwB-osFX6i7u45RRBi954SffshUoKZL9aFOGn1ALnObueqebgkCw1QrUEH11TmkH-o1gEJ2EjOYM/s1600/winter+coat-3+views.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uiQJNJ-O9MMYrVX2UpC5P1z9bZSKTn8UgKdtlT3Hkhcp5MI3pv10O26d7_9bUf_IwB-osFX6i7u45RRBi954SffshUoKZL9aFOGn1ALnObueqebgkCw1QrUEH11TmkH-o1gEJ2EjOYM/s1600/winter+coat-3+views.jpg" height="456" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>
Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-3409768399382743742014-02-05T23:52:00.000+00:002014-02-06T17:36:25.091+00:00February - hard work, but a lot of variety<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuV7dDwdQKZYYawhv2N1G6D7I83r2hV-iYSCseW3qCQxY1yDwHgGg7jOVbrVzgZJLtwSOX5CD5kxZhF2h5LL4JNmUOxr3dVzlmO6HCa7DayAmCzep7zT6gZgBNb_CQIqphyRb7a1xRicg/s1600/P1000383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuV7dDwdQKZYYawhv2N1G6D7I83r2hV-iYSCseW3qCQxY1yDwHgGg7jOVbrVzgZJLtwSOX5CD5kxZhF2h5LL4JNmUOxr3dVzlmO6HCa7DayAmCzep7zT6gZgBNb_CQIqphyRb7a1xRicg/s1600/P1000383.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rachel testing out a new buttoned wrap</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
January was something of a mad rush trying to get things ready for exhibiting at a trade show in Glasgow, followed by sending out the urgent orders taken at the show. Our new buttoned wraps were <a href="http://www.canongatecrafts.co.uk/" target="_blank">Canongate Jerseys & Crafts</a> on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh and <a href="http://www.tartanplus.co.uk/" target="_blank">Tartan Plus</a> on Buchanan Street in Glasgow. If you can't get to the studio or to either of these shops you can of course buy from our website - www.annamacneil.co.uk<br />
very well received and some have already gone off to two of the shops we supply - <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6CmHntNIBXgzTj5Evy7qEeULXkgmcw_Uz064ee57Zs1MnFmMQNl8FpkMOHB6eIEjNy5X_4pkJZl8g0lscz9vIX7pe5Gr2skGTUA39CMxyephAqLQ-FS2PPVK36HvVmGV1DcKtjH0KGoA/s1600/Slogan-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6CmHntNIBXgzTj5Evy7qEeULXkgmcw_Uz064ee57Zs1MnFmMQNl8FpkMOHB6eIEjNy5X_4pkJZl8g0lscz9vIX7pe5Gr2skGTUA39CMxyephAqLQ-FS2PPVK36HvVmGV1DcKtjH0KGoA/s1600/Slogan-cover.jpg" height="180" width="200" /></a>Anna Macneil has just been featured in an e-news publication called <a href="http://redskyatnight.createsend1.com/t/ViewEmail/i/C55FC0956E8C3102" target="_blank">SLOGAN</a> - an email campaign that goes out all over the world for those with an interest in Scotland and all things Scottish. Have a look here - and <a href="http://redskyatnight.createsend1.com/t/ViewEmail/i/C55FC0956E8C3102" target="_blank">Have a look to see the offer from Anna Macneil</a>.<br />
why not register to receive future editions by email. It is full of special offers from featured organisations. <br />
<br />
This week I finally got the new Anna Macneil catalogue finished and my husband has put it onto the website - <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/cat-retail.html" target="_blank">have a look here.</a> It is a big catalogue, so takes a wee while to load - please be patient! <br />
<br />
Yesterday Mary and I did a bit of playing - we needed some pieces of felt for wallhangings. So we had a nice hour or so guddling about with bubblewrap and soapy water as we massaged the wool fibres to make the felt. If you fancy having a go yourself, why not come and do a class with me - <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/felt-courses.html" target="_blank">see website for details</a>.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFGxfXSK73OfqxAwkKXc5sdmSv3RURwPQhsVE3n9Co4RFFuQb5AY4nG5EeP6M_7lF8wQEjFx2BQuUsA4mozim4_3Ts3T4XPeraKK_aIAA_LLYX2sHcKY9xKwqYUSM7uI_IBRC-S4l0PI/s1600/Lauren.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFGxfXSK73OfqxAwkKXc5sdmSv3RURwPQhsVE3n9Co4RFFuQb5AY4nG5EeP6M_7lF8wQEjFx2BQuUsA4mozim4_3Ts3T4XPeraKK_aIAA_LLYX2sHcKY9xKwqYUSM7uI_IBRC-S4l0PI/s1600/Lauren.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lauren wearing one of our Hebridean Hoods</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My granddaughter Lauren was 15 a couple of weeks ago. She is very keen to be a hairdresser, so I gave her some hairdressing scissors for her birthday. This looks as though it is going to be a very worthwhile investment as she cut my hair yesterday - and a really good job she made of it! She had instruction and supervision from Carly and Cat at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Gorgeoushairandbeautysalon" target="_blank">Gorgeous</a> - a hair and beauty salon in Inverness. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjkaw93IrRiCSA2DQ6urBVM2CeMXVHtUBueYclCkes2OTCroo7xVZ0PI-QzfauuP8upoAJH5XQ_RRlSQrysrM56j1PrwIeCP2Qkx9wwkeoQvIrjCXpkFDtBKpNzlRO5GEUZa34L5Ukusg/s1600/Me-Feb2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjkaw93IrRiCSA2DQ6urBVM2CeMXVHtUBueYclCkes2OTCroo7xVZ0PI-QzfauuP8upoAJH5XQ_RRlSQrysrM56j1PrwIeCP2Qkx9wwkeoQvIrjCXpkFDtBKpNzlRO5GEUZa34L5Ukusg/s1600/Me-Feb2014.jpg" height="200" width="178" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">new haircut!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The lovely girls at Gorgeous help us out with hair and make-up when we are doing photo sessions. The latest of these was the one we did last month at Clava. If we get some nice snowy weather we may do another session to get some nice winter pictures for hats and scarves, but otherwise it is likely to be the summer before we do another such session.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmy031aDLM5IxHGlWkPRTmTU30FCYXoGFzRueMow1Vtxh8FmitixCNSFT070IqawH5IWBdrwZH9f1x8_hnx3oTfDEUfxpgtym2BtxfNSCAPs5MDo_vV-L5aF2IKa_qC5L7u8QdFPd2Yw/s1600/Oystercatchers+wh1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmy031aDLM5IxHGlWkPRTmTU30FCYXoGFzRueMow1Vtxh8FmitixCNSFT070IqawH5IWBdrwZH9f1x8_hnx3oTfDEUfxpgtym2BtxfNSCAPs5MDo_vV-L5aF2IKa_qC5L7u8QdFPd2Yw/s1600/Oystercatchers+wh1.jpg" height="320" width="233" /></a>Back at the studio this morning I got yesterday's felt pieces onto the embroidery machine and made some oystercatcher wallhangings that will shortly be posted off to the <a href="http://www.janeharlington.co.uk/index.htm" target="_blank">Blue Pig Gallery</a> at Carloway on the Isle of Lewis. I have a few more small pieces to make to complete the order. <a href="http://www.beaulygallery.co.uk/" target="_blank">Beauly Gallery</a> just a few miles away.<br />
I also embroidered and made up some long narrow wallhangings for <br />
<br />
Mary spent much of today cutting out tweed for making our cosy Hebridean Hoods and gorgeous wraps. We are trying to get ahead and build up our stocks for the very busy summer season which will be on us before we know it.<br />
<br />
This evening I was in the neighbouring village of Kiltarlity giving a talk to the WRI about my exploits over the last two years weaving Harris Tweed. My presentation seemed to go down very well and I had lots of questions along with compliments for my tweeds which I had taken along to let them see. I am looking forward to getting back to weaving. Because of the trade show last month I din't manage to visit the Isle of Lewis in January, but I am planning to go there on Saturday for a week. I just hope that the threatened gales don't reach The Minch until after my ferry crossing.<br />
<br />
It seems almost every day the news bulletins are reporting on some weather related story - floods, gales or snow, but here in Inverness we seem to have escaped it all. We have had a bit of rain and wind but nothing to write home about, certainly nothing like the south of England has been getting. But the Isle of Lewis ferry has experienced a lot of cancellations due to bad weather. We are all looking forward to when the new ferry comes into service - due this summer - and hoping that it is a more stable ship. All being well, I will get to Lewis on Saturday and have a full week at the loom.<br />
<br />
So....... the hard work continues, but it looks like the variety will continue - we have orders for shops for <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/default.htm" target="_blank">hats, scarves, bags, wallhangings, cushions, wraps, purses, keyrings</a>. All we need now is to figure out how to fit 12 hours of work into an 8 hour day! <br />
<br />Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-62167520616110601622014-01-15T19:03:00.000+00:002014-01-15T19:06:02.172+00:00Scotland's Trade Fair - Our show previewFrom Sunday 19th to Tuesday 21st January, Mary and I will be at the
SECC in Glasgow exhibiting at Scotland's Trade Fair. This is an annual
event for buyers to source stock for their retail outlets. It is a
trade only event, but any buyers interested in seeing our products will
be very welcome on our stand - E40. <a href="http://www.scotlandstradefairs.co.uk/PageProducer.aspx" target="_blank">All visitors should register on the show's website - www.scotlandstradefairs.co.uk</a><br />
<br />
On
Sunday afternoon - as part of our preparation for the show we were out
braving the cold weather to get photographs of our new products.
Fortunately it stayed dry and the fog which had been forecast didn't
materialise. I had 4 models - my daughter Mary, her daughters Rachel
and Lauren and Mary's friend Amanda and they all really entred into the
spirit of the thing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHO8mdJ7RnCcdbXoVRRE4sjHrgAOzgyyIbCr-pcH8f3nW89bpbFm1EeBZ8aKknFhYf0QdbYVNpsJ3RnCw7ePnYy_gx8pUE8fppEGBrJzSCrXm4TTe-DUV2cEQ97Wq4Ej6sObJCuhQgCYw/s1600/getting+ready-3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHO8mdJ7RnCcdbXoVRRE4sjHrgAOzgyyIbCr-pcH8f3nW89bpbFm1EeBZ8aKknFhYf0QdbYVNpsJ3RnCw7ePnYy_gx8pUE8fppEGBrJzSCrXm4TTe-DUV2cEQ97Wq4Ej6sObJCuhQgCYw/s1600/getting+ready-3.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
<br />
They started off at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Gorgeoushairandbeautysalon" target="_blank">Gorgeous - Hair and Beauty Salon</a>
where their friends Lynne and Carly did a lovely job with hair and
make-up - thanks girls! Looking suitably lovely, we headed out to <a href="http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/propertyresults/propertydetail.htm?PropID=PL_067" target="_blank">Clava, an ancient site (about 5000 years old) with chambered cairns</a>
and standing stones just beyond Culloden Battlefield, a few miles from
Inverness. It is a place we often go to photograph our products because
there is a good atmosphere and different back-drops of trees or
stones. Today the weather was cold and dull enough that we had the
place to ourselves.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4nC0rwVvApEr5IljQv-Eov2He2PH9aoBgnJcY5dy1KpOgxDJXg-ojtAZYQB0A_Qj96RXx1IhMIATUwzhq2vAcGWHnkw5-AJt2vj_NWNmET8ZLziJbQh_th8LgfIIELD7y9eSlizdx06c/s1600/Blue+buttoned+wrap.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4nC0rwVvApEr5IljQv-Eov2He2PH9aoBgnJcY5dy1KpOgxDJXg-ojtAZYQB0A_Qj96RXx1IhMIATUwzhq2vAcGWHnkw5-AJt2vj_NWNmET8ZLziJbQh_th8LgfIIELD7y9eSlizdx06c/s1600/Blue+buttoned+wrap.jpg" width="240" /></a>Then
it was down to work. We had a few new products to photograph. First
off was our buttoned wrap. This one fastens with a large hand-made
button through a decorative buttonhole and has Celtic knotwork
embroidery on the overlapping section at the front.<br />
Lauren chose the blue one to model while Rachel (<i>scroll to bottom</i>) opted for a cream & pale grey version.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmTcqsUuxjPXh9XKRfUgPgebIUSrXXqvP7rH-xy5_UWXJEmptm1nQT7lYSwbGA1Ez4QUMkaqEqfTjKD_MOWKJriiBcXm4Fai5HY2RQHZzeh4uQaZoLwD08fQ0o1JAfSO0H6VrRkfVHyk/s1600/Brown+hood+spats+cuffs.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmTcqsUuxjPXh9XKRfUgPgebIUSrXXqvP7rH-xy5_UWXJEmptm1nQT7lYSwbGA1Ez4QUMkaqEqfTjKD_MOWKJriiBcXm4Fai5HY2RQHZzeh4uQaZoLwD08fQ0o1JAfSO0H6VrRkfVHyk/s1600/Brown+hood+spats+cuffs.jpg" width="240" /></a>Our
Hebridean Hoods have proved very popular over the last couple of years,
but this time we have teamed them with some more new products - spats
and cuffs. Here you see Amanda sporting a rusty brown ensemble - all
made with tweed that I wove at the tail end of last year.<br />
<br />
Undaunted
by the cold, Amanda then changed into her little black & white
dress and teamed it with a black wrap embroidered with black & white
and then donned black & white checked spats and cuffs. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVOZP9EOOz_MLrs8tIK4TFI9MkWqbKdWKDnNwqvu1yKdYcJB2KEV2VwX5b0r5Davma507f2h3uHwo-0wzQP7V1nS8U5zFHNIH-waAreZKFc3zGJuHrPh2RrSDRh5IhgCnSxqMxVbCoqjI/s1600/Black+&+white+wrap+spats+cuffs.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVOZP9EOOz_MLrs8tIK4TFI9MkWqbKdWKDnNwqvu1yKdYcJB2KEV2VwX5b0r5Davma507f2h3uHwo-0wzQP7V1nS8U5zFHNIH-waAreZKFc3zGJuHrPh2RrSDRh5IhgCnSxqMxVbCoqjI/s1600/Black+&+white+wrap+spats+cuffs.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Combining
different patterns of black & white is very much on trend this
season and when you see it on Amanda with her lovely black hair, you
have to agree it makes for a striking outfit.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFVfmBmsPJ6ftVrTs5MUNlZ6yvvfzk5bjMu7zcptO-oA05VbXtda3mcvuS7OaHh3tLY1fftr4dsd-5kuE9GNqzmCZuk-V8keyte78AufJMpMBqBqigyz9xPPtLqJef3TstB3TXQjtOlg/s1600/short+cuffs.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFVfmBmsPJ6ftVrTs5MUNlZ6yvvfzk5bjMu7zcptO-oA05VbXtda3mcvuS7OaHh3tLY1fftr4dsd-5kuE9GNqzmCZuk-V8keyte78AufJMpMBqBqigyz9xPPtLqJef3TstB3TXQjtOlg/s1600/short+cuffs.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
In
addition to the long wrist-warmer style of cuffs (which we will be
selling as pairs) we are also introducing a short cuff designed to be
worn as a bracelet. Mary has both blue and red streaks in her hair, so
she made herself a blue one and a red one which she plans to wear at the
trade fair next week, but no doubt she will wear them on other
occasions as well.<br />
<br />
All these things are now on the <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/" target="_blank">website</a>. There is also an <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/about-customers.html" target="_blank">additional page with some of the lovely feedback we have had from our customers over the last year</a>. Do let us know what you think of our things - we are always happy to hear your views.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibXcT9luOsMbtN3PjBWFJm6g3JXGMAB3S6RPuN8_qmHR39LArkmm13Qo3RlVrUsqJLQwV4yQ8WeKY-BEloDpndIPH4jXw-H5sfPNfFh4l0ac2KAXz-ZhdIKnP7ULjlwigk6Lp2a6hI-_Q/s1600/Silver+buttoned+wrap.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibXcT9luOsMbtN3PjBWFJm6g3JXGMAB3S6RPuN8_qmHR39LArkmm13Qo3RlVrUsqJLQwV4yQ8WeKY-BEloDpndIPH4jXw-H5sfPNfFh4l0ac2KAXz-ZhdIKnP7ULjlwigk6Lp2a6hI-_Q/s1600/Silver+buttoned+wrap.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<br />Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-67082864117360019462013-12-26T18:55:00.000+00:002013-12-26T18:55:47.094+00:00Christmas decorationsA Merry Christmas to all my readers!<br />
<br />
It is Boxing Day today - a day when I traditionally do nothing other than deal with the turkey carcass.<br />
We had storms before Christmas and more are due tonight and tomorrow but today dawned bright and sunny and I managed to easily persuade my husband to accompany me for a walk. We went up to the Caledonian Canal and had a gentle stroll along the tow-path past the Clachnaharry Locks and out to the sea lock then back along the other side to the Muirtown Basin. At this time of year the sun is so low in the sky that there is little warmth in it and although the breeze was quite gentle, there was a wintry bight to it suggesting that the forecast snow is not far away.<br />
<br />
Once home, I set to work carving the remaining meat off the turkey and making a rich stock from the carcass. We should have plenty of nourishing soup to see us through the rest of winter.<br />
<br />
Then I sat with my feet up for the afternoon and finished reading my book - The Physician by Noah Gordon. I had read it before - a big fat paperback, but this time I was reading it on my Kindle. There is something very comforting about re-reading a good book. When you know what happens, you perhaps take more time to absorb the fine detail rather than rushing. I enjoyed it every bit as much in electronic format and was interested to read that it has been made into a film. A bit of research on the internet seems to suggest it is due for imminent release, but I am not a great cinema fan, so perhaps I will wait till it is available on DVD.<br />
<br />
I recently got a new camera and thought I would try it out on my Christmas decorations. This year, with Christmas Day being mid-week, putting up the decorations was quite a leisurely affair. I started on Saturday by going out and collecting bits of greenery and branches. <br />
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The first thing I decorated was the front door. I made a simple wreath by twisting some lengths of rowan twigs together and securing pieces of fir, holly and ivy and then adding a few highlights such as some small apples that were still on our little apple tree. There were too small to eat but look pretty in the wreath.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn2LwG4wo8KNuFWjrgWx_M3gKRCBhB-kQHujMJCBGAqUgTiZaJQM1o_Ez4b2pgLTDEIMF1hljET54_QdsJ2X7AeW_rRRMLH4GloP4-hHuQZDF-YIlhH8GjzMLBDpeDx-lIRkENLAqOqGE/s1600/front+garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn2LwG4wo8KNuFWjrgWx_M3gKRCBhB-kQHujMJCBGAqUgTiZaJQM1o_Ez4b2pgLTDEIMF1hljET54_QdsJ2X7AeW_rRRMLH4GloP4-hHuQZDF-YIlhH8GjzMLBDpeDx-lIRkENLAqOqGE/s320/front+garden.jpg" width="320" /></a>My husband set about putting up lights in the garden. At the front of the house these are quite understated - just a strand of little blue fairy lights spread through an evergreen bush that grows below the living room window. But at the back of the house............. it's something of a winter wonderland! Lights have sprung up around the sheds and the garden pond and I think it might be bright enough to be seen from space!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJMKvAdzugM0vli69t_NXtUZbsXLu7qgwXf6ucgnPvwUb760ToS9HUbJO0WJgtBJYOtKRML3hirwe4_UnX6VNNmnNqxw-3LjYx-1RCDyRwNIwJpWlq7tqRSlW5Qolvu4F3tCmb-4sP49U/s1600/garden+lights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJMKvAdzugM0vli69t_NXtUZbsXLu7qgwXf6ucgnPvwUb760ToS9HUbJO0WJgtBJYOtKRML3hirwe4_UnX6VNNmnNqxw-3LjYx-1RCDyRwNIwJpWlq7tqRSlW5Qolvu4F3tCmb-4sP49U/s640/garden+lights.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOqRmPHGekOvTaGAxLYXI6e9gTdVUtOx_Whp5xmTCmMZUNJ2YbtZ4BMyhmf_KxpXRox7bI2FVhgSi6sUO8w44VvS4XAPJVCy4hEvB0RD3-uefx9XWWEcS3327TaP-7e6zj2DMxZxqbmA/s1600/Christmas+tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOqRmPHGekOvTaGAxLYXI6e9gTdVUtOx_Whp5xmTCmMZUNJ2YbtZ4BMyhmf_KxpXRox7bI2FVhgSi6sUO8w44VvS4XAPJVCy4hEvB0RD3-uefx9XWWEcS3327TaP-7e6zj2DMxZxqbmA/s320/Christmas+tree.jpg" width="240" /></a>Inside is my domain. I started with the Christmas tree. We don't have much space so it is just a small fir tree on top of a small chest of drawers in our hallway. I decorated it with a combination of my <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-christmas.html" target="_blank">Shetland Angels and Tartan and Celtic Hearts</a>, and nestled at the base of the tree is our Christmas crib. This is a hand-carved olivewood set that Len brought back from a visit to the Holy Land many years ago.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjARQTRGy5K_-dVABOu7UhqP4wHrZPFyExGGRNEZh8O6pivP6L8N2ezhnzVRfYRx0XILdduGnzRZrLKAQ6xxqiknBX-nGPL3UbYDAAgpumVaL0ojCbZDl-3HwZnC6nTE5TbhQV_IKFDZF4/s1600/corner+branch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjARQTRGy5K_-dVABOu7UhqP4wHrZPFyExGGRNEZh8O6pivP6L8N2ezhnzVRfYRx0XILdduGnzRZrLKAQ6xxqiknBX-nGPL3UbYDAAgpumVaL0ojCbZDl-3HwZnC6nTE5TbhQV_IKFDZF4/s320/corner+branch.jpg" width="184" /></a>In the living room I took down a couple of paintings from the wall and in their place I fixed a few rowan twigs tied onto the picture hooks to hold them in place. These twigs are decorated very simply with a couple of strings of lights - one set is made of lovely rattan globes and the other is tiny LEDs set in a string of little gold leaves. I also twisted trailing ivy through the twigs and the only ornaments are various gold <br />
coloured glass baubles of varying sizes that I have collected over the years. The remaining gold baubles were tied into 5 bundles and each group hung from one arm of a little chandalier, with my big gold ball in the middle. It's a simple thing to do, but very effective.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUnus00rWtDbQKhuVl-ppOPAq5ngJct2PisPYFMoKUb2IaatXGuDA2Z2g7zGe8NB-JSI9OH0cba9y3-HfZz2DG4eetBlWqysSgSwrtREHyMSgh-kgCF4XYbuViGoeYH5EMV5ychi7w8s/s1600/red+baubles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUnus00rWtDbQKhuVl-ppOPAq5ngJct2PisPYFMoKUb2IaatXGuDA2Z2g7zGe8NB-JSI9OH0cba9y3-HfZz2DG4eetBlWqysSgSwrtREHyMSgh-kgCF4XYbuViGoeYH5EMV5ychi7w8s/s320/red+baubles.jpg" width="320" /></a>I made up a couple of arrangements of greenery - one for the mantlepiece and one for the top of a bookcase, which I surrounded with a collection of red glass baubles. <br />
The only other Christmas thing in this room is a basket in the hearth (one I made myself several months ago at a class) that I filled with various gold coloured hand painted eggs. These are real eggshells that I have blown and then decorated over the years and range in size from quails eggs to ostritch eggs.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZV5IQmr5tT5JHbCgKJsR5Wc16C_f8Cn7bSq635PMwQOcLTvQLb9gc_AABRTljplpQj3VUWFeFKlBpje8LN5NnZsOqjZRGH0VLc4im9tKeVsfhCOfxBE_epSWE_x-zYwWgJ9o7PKhsCGA/s1600/golden+eggs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZV5IQmr5tT5JHbCgKJsR5Wc16C_f8Cn7bSq635PMwQOcLTvQLb9gc_AABRTljplpQj3VUWFeFKlBpje8LN5NnZsOqjZRGH0VLc4im9tKeVsfhCOfxBE_epSWE_x-zYwWgJ9o7PKhsCGA/s320/golden+eggs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Our dining room is tiny - just big enough for a table with a maximum of 8 people round it. There is a limit to what one can do in so small a room, but as this is where the feasting happens, it has to get "the treatment". We stretched clear nylon fishing line across one wall between two door frames, held in place with small panel pins, these lines support all the many Christmas cards that our friends and relatives have kindly sent. It makes for a very colourful display.<br />
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On top of the wall cupboards that hold our everyday crockery there is a space of just a few inches. It does nothing more than gather dust for 50 weeks of the year, but it is just big enough to squeeze in a couple of trays with blocks of oasis. So I have filled the space with greenery - and another set of lights!<br />
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Above the table we have a light fitting that has 6 arms. I made another wreath for this with branches of greenery and tied this in place with ties that also held bunches of decorated eggs - this time in different shades of red. It all looks very festive - we just have to watch our heads if we reach across the table!<br />
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After Church yesterday we had a lovely family celebration yesterday with our daughter, son-in-law and two teenage granddaughters - great company, good food, in a lovely setting and a relaxed atmosphere. Today was a beautiful day - very relaxed, and all is set for the remaining ten days of Christmas to be equally enjoyable. I hope all those reading this post are also enjoying a merry Christmas.Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-77755949629131025222013-11-19T08:48:00.001+00:002013-11-19T08:49:33.062+00:00Winter has arrivedSt Margaret's Day (16th of November) has significance in my life as it is when Len (my husband) and I had our first date (40 years ago!). But it also has significance for others as it is traditionally reputed that we get the first fall of snow within the octave of St Margaret.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAj3NmHrac199GDC91kSJlvtIfNXWzcAnizqD8whqCtTs6zWfveMwXmeEr_R7NFDQYxsnIXxlE8HA8pTZOU13tupbTjdEAB8a3rYWqtb5ek08a6l4JJ-th_yiNUWhiBYlr3xbeBkL9OJU/s1600/black+hood-autumn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAj3NmHrac199GDC91kSJlvtIfNXWzcAnizqD8whqCtTs6zWfveMwXmeEr_R7NFDQYxsnIXxlE8HA8pTZOU13tupbTjdEAB8a3rYWqtb5ek08a6l4JJ-th_yiNUWhiBYlr3xbeBkL9OJU/s320/black+hood-autumn.jpg" width="186" /></a><br />
Yesterday, Mary and I took some of our warm cosy Harris Tweed products and had a photography session. Each year I produce a calendar to give to my trade customers and so I like to get new images for this and for the catalogue which I need to produce for January. We should try to do more of this in the summer months when it is warm, but there never seems to be time.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNcS5HAsMgFcjiBKfD-ZyXuXUL-hYIU5dw6Kk-L3_DTw7amcowFZRRmHsYPX0OVfl0Kffx5CTff5HxBr-Zhk4dtWxFVbQMzL9Boh207Y95sYM6P2NFU3JUBz-BvdANn1XNeJVpRjHlw4/s1600/green+wrap-blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNcS5HAsMgFcjiBKfD-ZyXuXUL-hYIU5dw6Kk-L3_DTw7amcowFZRRmHsYPX0OVfl0Kffx5CTff5HxBr-Zhk4dtWxFVbQMzL9Boh207Y95sYM6P2NFU3JUBz-BvdANn1XNeJVpRjHlw4/s320/green+wrap-blog.jpg" width="227" /></a>We went to South Kessock for our "photo shoot". The sun was shining and with the autumn leaves on the trees across the firth, it all looked ideal. We started off quite well - photographs of our <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-wraps3.html" target="_blank">Hebridean Hoods (<i>left</i>)</a>, followed by some with our lovely <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-wraps1.html" target="_blank">Harris Tweed wraps (<i>right</i></a> - in this photograph you might almost believe it was summer except for the long shadow and the autumn shades of the far shore), but once we started on the hats and scarves it got difficult. The wind picked up and we were very aware of the winter bite in it. It became impossible to get the scarves to stay still long enough to photograph. Just as well our hats are designed to stay on in a wind, so we did get some of them pictured - and at least our ears were kept warm while we were doing it. But within minutes of the wind picking <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYqppVOUgsZywY4eN91v8bjKs9zIoedcsfD9WJ-awLda-01vIyV1eehFdZaFka5MtZ3blPLkZOXepgSrY55Mg8As4raWCAmr8zJpbjiGKQi1ggWY7n4zezIasGzp0QUc6kNwRtOgE13c/s1600/red+hat+scarf+bag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYqppVOUgsZywY4eN91v8bjKs9zIoedcsfD9WJ-awLda-01vIyV1eehFdZaFka5MtZ3blPLkZOXepgSrY55Mg8As4raWCAmr8zJpbjiGKQi1ggWY7n4zezIasGzp0QUc6kNwRtOgE13c/s320/red+hat+scarf+bag.jpg" width="219" /></a></div>
up we had to acknowledge that it was too cold and headed home for some warming soup.<br />
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<i>Pictured left is Mary sporting a <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-hats9.html" target="_blank">Morag hat</a> teamed with a matching <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-scarves3.html" target="_blank">polar fleece lined scarf</a> and a <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-bags7.html" target="_blank">deep shoulderbag</a> - all Harris Tweed.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyiMt6SMmEcTCx0u4VUvDMYkF0kyurxLD3vYzATKjakbhhgYvNxwV5jHo5m4tiMpm6tJ67z4QUWA8FpSVRv5XLL4EI9FDWnysUjIJaS4nteE8Xt6hUIGwQAz1LoDrEDv0gPXMJyUZgqnE/s1600/pond-lily+leaves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyiMt6SMmEcTCx0u4VUvDMYkF0kyurxLD3vYzATKjakbhhgYvNxwV5jHo5m4tiMpm6tJ67z4QUWA8FpSVRv5XLL4EI9FDWnysUjIJaS4nteE8Xt6hUIGwQAz1LoDrEDv0gPXMJyUZgqnE/s320/pond-lily+leaves.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Watching the weather forecast after the news last night, we were told that there would be snow on the hills. Well, our part of the world is barely 10 metres above sea level so I don't think it counts as hills! This morning I woke up to a thin covering of snow on everything, ice on the garden pond, and as I write this, the snow is falling faster and thicker.<br />
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So......... Winter has definitely arrived, and the first snow did fall within the octave of St Margaret!<br />
Time to look out those warm clothes - and if you don't already have one ...... or two or three......... time to get a warm and cosy Anna Macneil hat and scarf!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FPIQ6oNUbnQjpaAeLDP5PXyeT_GHDaZwHmKSnzY8dN8Bj5jq0VbTR2SmdxuX1vUOdAneZIKdf-Lgg8d9FDwhL8fxUiJViOJ2hgx9fp4C-YO5pfnDjdHj9TTN-SuFO0fDqpNHweov474/s1600/Callum+hat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FPIQ6oNUbnQjpaAeLDP5PXyeT_GHDaZwHmKSnzY8dN8Bj5jq0VbTR2SmdxuX1vUOdAneZIKdf-Lgg8d9FDwhL8fxUiJViOJ2hgx9fp4C-YO5pfnDjdHj9TTN-SuFO0fDqpNHweov474/s320/Callum+hat.jpg" width="315" /></a></div>
<i><a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-hats3.html" target="_blank">Callum hat</a> - this warm and cosy hat is suitable for both men and women - made from Harris Tweed and polar fleece - completely reversible.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIvuUCXjJoG1NRk2BCFk9EmD8RalgibX4m7uRwKz7AVtS7QABRQrd6O89XYj9S37H3Vc4vUFyB6uEe7NK4wyVFHnUBvO0uo5RFLp60JnkoCJ5vkbV9FwETh3BKY9bXPSGvw6zNONlxZg/s1600/Mairi+hat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIvuUCXjJoG1NRk2BCFk9EmD8RalgibX4m7uRwKz7AVtS7QABRQrd6O89XYj9S37H3Vc4vUFyB6uEe7NK4wyVFHnUBvO0uo5RFLp60JnkoCJ5vkbV9FwETh3BKY9bXPSGvw6zNONlxZg/s320/Mairi+hat.jpg" width="303" /></a></div>
<i><a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-hats8.html" target="_blank">Mairi hat</a> - inspired by the traditional bonnet, this Harris Tweed hat is elasticated at the back and comes down over the ears - a great style to keep your ears warm in a strong, cold wind.</i>Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-65510836500562095302013-10-29T08:05:00.000+00:002013-10-29T08:05:32.401+00:00Decorations and Dog CoatsTen days ago at the weekend I was working from home - part of our new regime to avoid seriously hefty electricity bills at the studio. It is strange how things come in clusters. I have not been asked to make a dog coat for a long time, but on Saturday I had 5 to make! They all featured embroidery in some form or another, so that had all been done at the studio on Friday and I was simply putting them together at home.<br />
One of the coats was for a company called <a href="http://www.highlanddog.com/" target="_blank">Highland Dog</a>. They have recently had a new logo designed and wanted the logo embroidered onto a dog coat so it could feature in photographs on their website. I think it looks pretty good! The coat is made with Harris Tweed and lined with Dress Stewart cotton tartan.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQTXOAEkMnrvPV0HNgXAe4jK9OhUPh49hTfVO4Iba9Wgh_eS6v2JwVUrOrbJX4uQhFpy6p0bPPUOuWle1SrD7tVeA4k07mF9FLlW4dPKTcoVOiNNIJbboUjSumG3UVYxTJOjqAuqIe8I/s1600/Herringbone-HD+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQTXOAEkMnrvPV0HNgXAe4jK9OhUPh49hTfVO4Iba9Wgh_eS6v2JwVUrOrbJX4uQhFpy6p0bPPUOuWle1SrD7tVeA4k07mF9FLlW4dPKTcoVOiNNIJbboUjSumG3UVYxTJOjqAuqIe8I/s320/Herringbone-HD+logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Another two coats were being made for them as well, but for one of their customers, and as I understand they are to be a Chirstmas present, I don't want to give the game away by posting the photographs here.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYGQEwdnxi2_qCL3QSlA862IF4Nb8QqXJV9msN3V-FINodxKsE5tegaMFn10PXxJKNbRZQWcFmNa_MdkKhLUsUzTHnwDcNg9-_TP5fHUBtmdbdvmuZUGfTkMyQuNGEvb7Xn15SiWGAwDM/s1600/Bobby-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYGQEwdnxi2_qCL3QSlA862IF4Nb8QqXJV9msN3V-FINodxKsE5tegaMFn10PXxJKNbRZQWcFmNa_MdkKhLUsUzTHnwDcNg9-_TP5fHUBtmdbdvmuZUGfTkMyQuNGEvb7Xn15SiWGAwDM/s320/Bobby-2.jpg" width="320" /></a>Next up was one for one of our own customers. She had come to our studio with her mother a couple of months ago when her mother was discussing having Mary make her an outfit in some silk tartan and had spotted our little model dog coat. A few weeks ago she was back to choose tweed and place an order. This coat features Celtic knotwork embroidery around highly reflective silvered fabric - ideal for walking the dog on these dark nights. It is lined with polar fleece - so really cosy. I got the coat finished on the Saturday afternoon and when I called her to say it was ready, she came round to collect it. Bobby came with her and was delighted with his new outfit though at first he was a bit reluctant to smile for the camera!<br />
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The final dog coat remains a secret for the next few days as it is featuring in a fashion show that my daughter is organising - 2nd November at Bogbain, just on the southern edge of Inverness.<br />
All our dog coats are made to measure so if you are interested, <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/contact.html" target="_blank">contact us through our website. </a><br />
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Once the dog coats were finished, I had a complete change of direction and spent the rest of the weekend making <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-christmas.html" target="_blank">Christmas decorations</a>. There has been demand all year for both our Shetland Angels and our Celtic and Tartan Hearts, but we always need more in the run-up to Christmas. This weekend just past we had a stall at a craft fair in Strathpeffer. I arrived with an almost full basket of angels, but by the end of the first day it was obvious there were not going to be enough to see out the weekend. So Saturday evening was spent making more and they continued to fly out of the basket all day on the Sunday.<br />
<br />Our next craft fair is at <a href="http://www.exclusivelyhighlands.co.uk/Exclusively_Highlands/Eden_1_%26_2.html" target="_blank">Eden Court in Inverness - 15th to 17th November</a> - so we will be making more in time for that. But if you don't live anywhere nearby, just go to our website. These delicate little decorations are so light that they can easily fly anywhere in the world.<br />
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I left Mary to do the packing up at the fair and headed across to Ullapool to catch the ferry to Lewis. I spent a few hours weaving and am looking forward to finishing off this particular length so I can take it to <a href="http://www.thecarlowaymill.com/" target="_blank">Carloway Mill</a> to be washed and stamped with the world famous <a href="http://www.harristweed.org/" target="_blank">Harris Tweed Orb </a>certification mark.<br />
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When I went to start writing this post I had a quick look at the blog statistics - data that tells you how many people have visited the site and where they come from. I was pleased to see that it has just topped 10,000 page views! But spread the word, share it with your friends, and do come back and visit regularly. I also welcome comments if anyone feels so inclined.Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-15486910021485616272013-10-06T19:27:00.000+01:002013-10-20T23:29:27.059+01:00Shades of Autumn - another weaving adventureWhile writing this, I am sitting in the marshalling yard at Tarbert, Isle of Harris waiting for the ferry to Uig on Skye. This is an extra sailing put on because the Stornoway to Ullapool ferry was cancelled. In theory the ferry was supposed to sail at 8pm but it is now 8.40 and the ferry has only just arrived. It will have to unload, so I can’t see it leaving before 9.15 at earliest - suggesting 2am before I get home to Inverness!<br />
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So, the upside is that I have time to write something for this blog - first chance I have had in months.<br />
I have had a really busy summer one way or another. On many occasions I took photographs with the intention of including them here, but have had no time to edit them.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU52-cHCQDjppw0IdR15H8TTluq1KuR6LVh_H5gza7mDPHXLrzcn6FVDlNCdUk2hte5hKzATrkbcY1xT3b_YU7WELLF0NPajWcTDFWkXhjDkITGSKNYSQaAQEvyG3zJ1wLeJsrwwWTnxA/s1600/Autumn+moor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU52-cHCQDjppw0IdR15H8TTluq1KuR6LVh_H5gza7mDPHXLrzcn6FVDlNCdUk2hte5hKzATrkbcY1xT3b_YU7WELLF0NPajWcTDFWkXhjDkITGSKNYSQaAQEvyG3zJ1wLeJsrwwWTnxA/s320/Autumn+moor.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
This is me on my way home from another weaving trip - thankfully a very successful one. I arrived on the island on Tuesday and spent the afternoon making a new warp. Inspired by the lovely autumn shades that glowed in the sunlight as I drove from Inverness to Ullapool to catch the ferry, I selected yarns in various shades of oranges, rusts and browns. I have set the warp up so that it changes from one side of the loom to the other - mostly brown on one side, mostly orange on the other.<br />
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On Wednesday I spent the morning in the kitchen making things to fill up Mother’s freezer. Spending this amount of time in a kitchen is not something I get to do very often and I really enjoy it when I get the chance. I made soup, apple pies and gingerbread. As the week progressed I did a few more things and now the freezer is packed full and should last until I get back at the end of the month.<br />
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In the afternoon a neighbour came down and helped me beam the warp - the process of getting the prepared warp wound onto the back beam of the loom. It is a job made much easier by having an extra pair of hands so I was very grateful to Donald for his assistance. Once it was on, it was back into the kitchen to prepare our evening meal and then I started the tying-in process. Just before I came to Lewis I had visited another weaver - <a href="http://www.weareonecreative.com/home.html" target="_blank">Sam Goates</a> - who has a selection of looms at her studio in Buckie, including a Hattersley loom similar to mine. I had commented about how I found the tying-in very tiring and resulting in sore muscles both in my small of my back and my calves. She showed me how she does it - sitting on a very low desk chair. I thought it would be worth giving it a try but found that if the seat was low enough to get my legs below the beam, I couldn’t get my arms in the right position to pick up the ends for tying. However, I played around with various positions and finally settled on kneeling on a stool padded with a 3 inch thick piece of foam. I will need to speed up my technique though - it still took a total of 3 hours to tie in all 696 ends.<br />
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On Thursday morning I headed off to the west coast to deliver an order to the <a href="http://www.callanishvisitorcentre.co.uk/" target="_blank">Calanais Visitor Centre</a>. Angus was pleased to see me as he had hardly any of our products in stock. There were some American visitors in the shop when I arrived and they were choosing things to buy straight out of the bags before he had a chance to put them on the shelves! <br />
From there, I headed north to <a href="http://www.thecarlowaymill.com/" target="_blank">the Carloway Mill</a> and bought some more tweed - another lovely selection which will be used to make hats and bags.<br />
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In the afternoon I finished off the loom preparation and started weaving. My care with the warp had paid off as the weaving was trouble free. Over the next 48 hours I got several lengths woven enough to make about 20 scarves. However, it will have to stay on the loom until my next visit when I will weave the remaining 20 metres of tweed before cutting it off and taking to the mill for finishing.<br />
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Something I have done that is making my weaving more efficient is that I developed a little database for my iPad. When I weave, I do enough length to make a scarf or wrap and then wind on an un-woven section which later becomes the fringed ends. It is important to get the right length, and as it is all wound on the cloth beam of the loom, you can’t easily tell how much you have done. People have various ways of working out how much they have woven, but I like to measure as I am going along. I measure each time I come to the end of a bobbin, which can be anything between 10 and 20 cm depending on the yarn I am using. Previously, I had to just jot down the measurements in a notebook and work out the totals. With this system on my iPad, I can just enter in the amount and it adds it up for me. I have also done it so that I can keep a photographic record of each length woven, and it shows me how many scarf lengths I have woven in each colourway. It is proving to be a simple and efficient way of keeping track.<br />
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In the evenings I spent my time making more <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-christmas1.html" target="_blank">Shetland Angels</a>. This is a job I really enjoy as they are made entirely by hand, sitting back in a comfortable chair, watching the telly as I work. These angels are heading to the <a href="http://www.liquoricetree.com/" target="_blank">Liquorice Tree at Edinburgh Airport</a> and <a href="http://www.highlandhouseoffraser.com/" target="_blank">Highland House of Fraser in Inverness</a>. Once I get home, I will be making more for stock to sell at the various craft fairs we will be attending in the coming weeks - <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/default.htm" target="_blank">see the website for more details.</a><br />
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I am now sitting on the ferry, having enjoyed a good chicken curry in the ship’s cafeteria and watching the monitor which shows the position - just off the north end of the Isle of Skye, about to enter the bay. Probably about 30 minutes at the most to get to Uig. After that, an hour’s drive through Skye and then an hour and a half back to Inverness. I just hope that next time I come there is no such trouble. Mary is organising a charity fashion show on 2nd November, and as Anna Macneil will have things on the catwalk, I can’t be late for it! <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/LochDress/243391529081318" target="_blank">See Mary’s facebook page for more details</a>.<br />
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P.S. Arrived home at 2am after one of the most horrible drives - winscreen wipers on full all the way, nasty gusts of wind threatening to blow me off the road and in a constant stream of traffic on twisty roads in pitch black.Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-12275732357152048832013-03-19T23:47:00.002+00:002013-05-28T23:32:28.559+01:00Isle of Lewis - another weaving visit<div><br></div>I am once again visiting the island - here to see my mother and to do some more weaving. <br>
Last time I was here I took the plunge and decided to re-thread my loom. I had managed to get the reed (beater) re-threaded by the time I left, but had still to thread the heddles. I have now got them all threaded and about two thirds of the warp tied in. It will only be when I start weaving that I know whether I have got the sequence right.<br>
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The weather here has been considerably better than in many other parts of Scotland. Yesterday we had lovely warm sunshine all day, with only a gentle breeze. <br>
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However, I didn't get the chance to enjoy it yesterday as I spent the day at my loom. Today was a different matter. I had several orders to deliver and tweed to collect from Carloway so I took the car and headed over to the west coast. First stop was Morven Gallery which opens for the season next weekend. Janis was delighted with the selection of wall hangings that I had taken. From there I headed to Shawbost where I purchased a good selection of plain tweeds. Next stop was the Blue Pig Studio where Jane selected several wall hangings and some bags. Jane is an artist who paints lovely pictures, many featuring her favourite birds - oystercatchers. She also makes interesting cards and prints.<br>
By this time it was lunchtime so I headed to Calanais to the visitor centre at the standing stones to make my final delivery - hats, scarves, bags and our ever popular Hebridean Hoods - and have lunch. <br>
As it was such a lovely day and I was not in a hurry, I took the time to visit the two smaller stone circles. I have seen the from the road too many times to count, but had never taken the time to get up close. The first circle has just five large stones still standing, but is still impressive. From there it was just a few minutes walk across some rather boggy moor to the second circle which is actually a double circle. The stones are a bit smaller, but there are more of them. <br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClWjLtVB9MLPKmGbf01LjpTnGbBrMwtD9LFZRmLWXpi_ZfG7Iu6uPbuMiQ5_4txEGe739fIIldQlOSbwl5jPaAcegWvf5C2xufKiXf3yPfQH1ddZyO1nOWtZLLIktXmiBw-QovSQ624k/s640/blogger-image-427311118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClWjLtVB9MLPKmGbf01LjpTnGbBrMwtD9LFZRmLWXpi_ZfG7Iu6uPbuMiQ5_4txEGe739fIIldQlOSbwl5jPaAcegWvf5C2xufKiXf3yPfQH1ddZyO1nOWtZLLIktXmiBw-QovSQ624k/s640/blogger-image-427311118.jpg"></a></div> <br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyzHh735NfBYxb7xUb8znOdcmfA4q93LdTIvwhYR4Tk00-H42n7UQiYWn1DbAJ-kYvivB-gw1fAcLqKssP0hJcKbPytRlAS1xdQN16_eusWt5Z-SGPXOoELRRt7FmPH3Gn-QmQU7fjNo4/s640/blogger-image--1414301529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyzHh735NfBYxb7xUb8znOdcmfA4q93LdTIvwhYR4Tk00-H42n7UQiYWn1DbAJ-kYvivB-gw1fAcLqKssP0hJcKbPytRlAS1xdQN16_eusWt5Z-SGPXOoELRRt7FmPH3Gn-QmQU7fjNo4/s640/blogger-image--1414301529.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">For some reason, I didn't finish this post. It is now May and since my last visit in have been to China and back. I am now back on the Isle of Lewis and have been really busy for the last few days. I have been weaving much of the time, but this morning I got up early and painted the yarn store. The sun only shines at the back of the house early in the morning or late in the evening. It took two hours but the shed is now fully painted.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3aAL7WRkTkPDbihSZ2OTi49zI-SyK2Tl75Sg7hba5R0BixiLZmrIIXayfkreu2c_SWhv_tVBeylDpJLILP-dv8ti1FgIGxhyphenhyphenEf5-NXLsPoJn6F3-j9VhyLEEG4uDRhkwPO3CRcd_-aw/s640/blogger-image-447310710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3aAL7WRkTkPDbihSZ2OTi49zI-SyK2Tl75Sg7hba5R0BixiLZmrIIXayfkreu2c_SWhv_tVBeylDpJLILP-dv8ti1FgIGxhyphenhyphenEf5-NXLsPoJn6F3-j9VhyLEEG4uDRhkwPO3CRcd_-aw/s640/blogger-image-447310710.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After that it was back to the loom and by late afternoon I had managed to finish the tweed...... Well, almost finished it. I had about 2 metres of a 44 metre warp left when I had something of a catastrophe! A sudden snap and one of the heddle boards stopped moving. Investigation showed that it had come unhooked at the bottom. I hooked it up again and did a few more passes of the shuttle and then there was a much louder bang. This time, the bar at the bottom of the board had snapped in two. I decided that it would be much easier to replace the bar once the tweed was off the loom, so sacrificed the last of the warp and cut off the tweed. I will take it to Carloway Mill tomorrow for finishing and stamping. Repairs to the loom are underway and it will be ready to put on the next warp before I head back to the mainland in a couple of days.</div></div>Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com0Northern Europe (null)58.263631 -6.326973tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-42844950126567519382013-03-09T23:06:00.002+00:002013-03-09T23:06:42.675+00:00Photo Session - supposed to be spring!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQuhX76cEKsPHBoCLbZBIfCv_1ZW132lbW9CbdZnewrqESts2i0_e7wQa82GZy1mSIeIyfeF0_DNmbsuNXXZPe6Lr0yLW74rZrzrwCdpTQ0pOkfXfSTm2WZqcDZEmvKta129jdgnBE5Os/s1600/Clava+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQuhX76cEKsPHBoCLbZBIfCv_1ZW132lbW9CbdZnewrqESts2i0_e7wQa82GZy1mSIeIyfeF0_DNmbsuNXXZPe6Lr0yLW74rZrzrwCdpTQ0pOkfXfSTm2WZqcDZEmvKta129jdgnBE5Os/s400/Clava+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I had several things that I wanted to photograph. Since it is now officially spring and my granddaughters were free this morning to do some modelling for me, we headed out to Clava Cairns a few miles from Inverness.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FWQ5dC8b3cg6FPRbUcYTORPBY_sJrcRNcbDOdpe1sNmPmuFl_EWXQBrI_xKkfQZjeI18N9UxcyjUy83vbB1cjKM29ejtZ6Ij0pAMAeAR-E-SRzFyfLPebp-LxoIWFCuQEh6oqmL8Hr8/s1600/primulas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FWQ5dC8b3cg6FPRbUcYTORPBY_sJrcRNcbDOdpe1sNmPmuFl_EWXQBrI_xKkfQZjeI18N9UxcyjUy83vbB1cjKM29ejtZ6Ij0pAMAeAR-E-SRzFyfLPebp-LxoIWFCuQEh6oqmL8Hr8/s320/primulas.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
It was a biting cold wind, reasonably bright, but no evidence that spring is anywhere near, other than that the primulas in the planter at the front door of the studio are in full bloom.<br />
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Clava Cairns are ancient stone burial chambers quite close to Culloden Battlefield. They were built around the same time as the Egyptian pyramids. There are three large cairns and they are ringed with standing stones. There are also lovely trees all around, so it makes a good venue for photographing our wares. For more information about the site, <a href="http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/propertyresults/propertydetail.htm?PropID=PL_067" target="_blank">click here</a>. It is an unmanned site, free to enter and managed by Historic Scotland - well worth a visit if you are in the area.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQ-U7ucGTFFFywgB1iVSMq2ADkevr8eKAqIlYdZf5J51FjM_Xf8uugWzOeG55sUw0ZMR9WlsO3oB25ezJ3VsLLJ0bJrCNeCZyVRVCimprs8mCwO0FOFMQ7BNcQ9kyGHykRTgpaRQr24c/s1600/Lauren-muff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQ-U7ucGTFFFywgB1iVSMq2ADkevr8eKAqIlYdZf5J51FjM_Xf8uugWzOeG55sUw0ZMR9WlsO3oB25ezJ3VsLLJ0bJrCNeCZyVRVCimprs8mCwO0FOFMQ7BNcQ9kyGHykRTgpaRQr24c/s320/Lauren-muff.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
We took with us several of our ever popular <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-wraps3.html" target="_blank">Hebridean Hoods</a> and our <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-wraps1.html" target="_blank">Wide Embroidered Wraps</a>, plus a selection of bags, purses, hats and scarves. The girls are now old enough and tall enough (ages 14 and almost 16) to be really good, co-operative models, but still young enough to enjoy running around and playing. Lauren decided to climb a tree with this <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-purses5.html" target="_blank">muff purse</a>! <br />
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After an hour or two of photography, we were quite chilled and it was time to take the girls back into town for their skating practice. They are off soon with their team for the Scottish championships. I then headed out to the studio to catch up on work. Since I came home, I have spent the evening going through the photographs, putting some of them on the website, updating some pages and changing pictures.<br />
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I hope this selection give you a flavour of what our morning was like.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfo2VdkesfFmF8L84jmD3QnE9qw6Pd_7x2OKsLa_p3fF5vi6awDOI9ffrPr25pAfGNAjdDp2UuUL_z8XZN6YubUYppQLMsothzu5bm6v75U7Z8rGYP3PUGgGOoQYWZK5obG4m3E13io7Q/s1600/Lauren-blue+Maggie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfo2VdkesfFmF8L84jmD3QnE9qw6Pd_7x2OKsLa_p3fF5vi6awDOI9ffrPr25pAfGNAjdDp2UuUL_z8XZN6YubUYppQLMsothzu5bm6v75U7Z8rGYP3PUGgGOoQYWZK5obG4m3E13io7Q/s200/Lauren-blue+Maggie.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPTP31xqO5T0LYFZDWF6glkqjsA3AHj1TaiXJ2j3kBScLEuPTBK3XcKaHEV40jdqpQJ5Bgwx5i2Ih7zftFNotgAniZuXYUZZgefm9-QFHJEzhg_j3Iq_cPaq0_lcBcbiQvNZoJgiE38Fo/s1600/Rachel-grey+Morag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPTP31xqO5T0LYFZDWF6glkqjsA3AHj1TaiXJ2j3kBScLEuPTBK3XcKaHEV40jdqpQJ5Bgwx5i2Ih7zftFNotgAniZuXYUZZgefm9-QFHJEzhg_j3Iq_cPaq0_lcBcbiQvNZoJgiE38Fo/s200/Rachel-grey+Morag.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Lauren wearing a <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-hats7.html" target="_blank">Maggie hat</a> - Harris Tweed bucket style hat with polycotton lining. <br />
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Rachel wearing our most popular style - <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-hats9.html" target="_blank">Morag</a>. We were not the only people to think it cold today - some ladies came into the studio this afternoon and two of them bought Morag hats - to put on right away!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXB1G7beTqK_4dRt7Y2QHNHJuKEls4f1d3AeNJ2cZVR3V3G8PXjGePHqlqIRzrwp0OtC4x9sh99m83JEqlbfJO7vQVzk9BB3Bk1wIm5vux6qn-_BRUIde4Z_XDBlDukOd67zo1cLw-dk/s1600/keeping+warm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXB1G7beTqK_4dRt7Y2QHNHJuKEls4f1d3AeNJ2cZVR3V3G8PXjGePHqlqIRzrwp0OtC4x9sh99m83JEqlbfJO7vQVzk9BB3Bk1wIm5vux6qn-_BRUIde4Z_XDBlDukOd67zo1cLw-dk/s320/keeping+warm.jpg" width="320" /></a>At the end of our session I asked the girls to choose their favourite thing and I photographed them together - they both chose a <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-wraps3.html" target="_blank">Hebridean Hood</a>. These short capes are made with Harris Tweed, have large hoods that are lined with polar fleece, trimmed with real sheepskin and fasten with a single large hand-made button.</div>
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The green one is tweed that I wove myself - a lovely herringbone pattern with a subtle striped look. I used the same warp to produce several different shades of green by varying the weft colours. You can see a different variation in an earlier post - <a href="http://embroiderybyruth.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/making-progress-with-my-hattersley-loom.html" target="_blank">click here</a>. Below, you see the girls inside the chamber of the largest cairn - sheltering from the cold wind.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWP13b1lxXei8VHxW8YzX5mbNXwg21DMmvZyYBtrLRcQByUiyzVDNeYZS1JT-M266nwp0S5YGAplcxqx2THvyNTX-Yi0xw5H-2l-mn6_Of7EHcgC-2uuLOuq3H5S8sQMfYXayCS5TlS8M/s1600/Green+and+Blue+hoods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWP13b1lxXei8VHxW8YzX5mbNXwg21DMmvZyYBtrLRcQByUiyzVDNeYZS1JT-M266nwp0S5YGAplcxqx2THvyNTX-Yi0xw5H-2l-mn6_Of7EHcgC-2uuLOuq3H5S8sQMfYXayCS5TlS8M/s320/Green+and+Blue+hoods.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKHyJo3Qa4MMEPyEzkCD9276ldkVofG2MejeGqJNE1Jmg6VLUpuR5nPsOxBelQn3Bs_5M5evbYqoc6VX4an1ZkLvvojYdZHP7gwmy1iNCAQkrdxpmqWlMJDIOOVSdWmUcAdeFqWHpdYI/s1600/Rachel-bronze+wrap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKHyJo3Qa4MMEPyEzkCD9276ldkVofG2MejeGqJNE1Jmg6VLUpuR5nPsOxBelQn3Bs_5M5evbYqoc6VX4an1ZkLvvojYdZHP7gwmy1iNCAQkrdxpmqWlMJDIOOVSdWmUcAdeFqWHpdYI/s320/Rachel-bronze+wrap.jpg" width="239" /></a>In this picture, Rachel is wrapped up in one of our <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-wraps1.html" target="_blank">wide embroidered wraps</a> - this one stitched with a metallic bronze coloured thread on a brown/olive herringbone tweed - a wonderfully warm extra layer that looks equally good whether teamed with denims or a silk ballgown.</div>
<br />Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-79323931401454033542013-02-17T15:44:00.001+00:002013-02-17T15:44:42.496+00:00Weaving - whatever the weather........<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNcfokvIirhGESg_eKNNZjlPVSbxb_RSSxtDpAYU9V5AVWVaZNhZvHcmQyadQ8X7m_0DkZy96KIrbYO3awzms_3n752o05__wMiH2Tdsptg75RqLfgjOFe4wZ2w2xmj_dS7xhNTwI_Ao/s1600/dreich+saltings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNcfokvIirhGESg_eKNNZjlPVSbxb_RSSxtDpAYU9V5AVWVaZNhZvHcmQyadQ8X7m_0DkZy96KIrbYO3awzms_3n752o05__wMiH2Tdsptg75RqLfgjOFe4wZ2w2xmj_dS7xhNTwI_Ao/s640/dreich+saltings.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljakfwDXKH7h2HadgT4whMwinAvj1DJs290w8Co7dhdZ8Li2gvZ37qa7eA3-eb8Jb2Oc2B7GIRDZtClDd55uCPFSQXda9rnjCibvkSqAmnjdS4kTYpAbnut58B0aRjBT4uR8DB7GrfLc/s1600/warp+bank.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljakfwDXKH7h2HadgT4whMwinAvj1DJs290w8Co7dhdZ8Li2gvZ37qa7eA3-eb8Jb2Oc2B7GIRDZtClDd55uCPFSQXda9rnjCibvkSqAmnjdS4kTYpAbnut58B0aRjBT4uR8DB7GrfLc/s320/warp+bank.jpg" width="320" /></a>It
is February, so it is hardly surprising that the weather was a bit
dismal during my recent trip to Lewis. This was the view on Saturday from my mother's house, looking across the saltings at Coll. Fortunately, no gales to stop the ferry sailing, so I got across the Minch for another spell of working at my Hattersley loom, and home again. In the week I was there we have had some breezy sunshine, some horizontal rain, but little that could be even remotely described as pleasant.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemrAQGZpdsWPBuMv65jPa8uUqN5XP5C1HEPcIG9AT-KSvQyUHZH6tjTMouGGRZbIjvg7mrlNN-B3IIcEOA_g7ET-EHEHH_JgcLz_Ii_wb_UmHgGU1k-NHFTyVDn89V8nsaN54g9mrmy8/s1600/warp+stakes.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemrAQGZpdsWPBuMv65jPa8uUqN5XP5C1HEPcIG9AT-KSvQyUHZH6tjTMouGGRZbIjvg7mrlNN-B3IIcEOA_g7ET-EHEHH_JgcLz_Ii_wb_UmHgGU1k-NHFTyVDn89V8nsaN54g9mrmy8/s320/warp+stakes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
During
my January visit I spent my time making warps - one for me to weave, 2
for other people to weave up for me. I brought with me a contraption
that my husband had very kindly made just before I left Inverness. I
had struggled with the arrangement I had for warping in my mother's
garage because the walls are too far apart - not quite far enough apart
for easily getting a car in and out, but too wide to use for warping
because if I made a mistake or some yarn broke, it was too far to reach
across and sort things. What we made is a trestle arrangement with
holes through which I can take the yarn from the bank so that between
there and the stakes it is just an easy arm's length. It has proved to
be a good arrangement. Not only is it easier to correct mistakes, but
it is easier to avoid them because I can see the individual ends of yarn
more clearly.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL9WLX1Jn28m5YubW5lZfi453TI9rotxVLtG6Gjc5OAWqax4p4h24fwwHujvfirsysShQmv7D8_VJhR2jdd6GQqBoNrRx1FHDez_00VFKTiS1XRq6xXYjRvIyXA2Noxu6YwVczPQ3_Ysk/s1600/starting+to+beam.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL9WLX1Jn28m5YubW5lZfi453TI9rotxVLtG6Gjc5OAWqax4p4h24fwwHujvfirsysShQmv7D8_VJhR2jdd6GQqBoNrRx1FHDez_00VFKTiS1XRq6xXYjRvIyXA2Noxu6YwVczPQ3_Ysk/s320/starting+to+beam.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
By
the end of that few days in January I had two warps chained up and deliuvered to Carloway mill and another
ready to beam - and then hit another problem. Previous warps I had made had been beamed on other people's looms. This was the first I was doing under my own steam. The handle for the loom
was too long to use when the beam is in the raised position for beaming.
I didn't have much time left on this visit, so I just left things ready
to go and took the loom handle away with me so that I could get a new,
shorter handle made before this visit.<br />
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So........ back on the island and ready to go. One of our neighbours came to lend a hand with beaming the warp. He wound the handle while I hung onto the warp to keep it taut. It took a while, there
were a few times when we had to stop and try and sort out little
tangles, but after about 40 minutes I had the warp fully wound onto the
beam. Then it was a question of tying on all 696 ends - and many of
them had to be rethreaded through the heddles as there had been a lot of
broken ends when I was finishing off the last tweed.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55FUo44XoWc&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">This is a link to a short video clip on YouTube of me tying in the warp</a> - taken by strapping the camera onto the spreader at the top of the loom. I am sure there is a more efficient way of doing it, but I got there eventually.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim4tsQHYxHFz0ljrlx59M7nEqmnJfVwxm0v67LOdZ2PlhaNVmWhRdYrkFN_NhoQ8MhGh2cjhi0LL2rsQsPzd3agW4zaVFA_7zmosmJ8OmOwf-ad8PfwLqRIu3vMDcMeB5s862gJpb1Lqs/s1600/tying-in+sequence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim4tsQHYxHFz0ljrlx59M7nEqmnJfVwxm0v67LOdZ2PlhaNVmWhRdYrkFN_NhoQ8MhGh2cjhi0LL2rsQsPzd3agW4zaVFA_7zmosmJ8OmOwf-ad8PfwLqRIu3vMDcMeB5s862gJpb1Lqs/s640/tying-in+sequence.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
By the end of Saturday I was almost done but not ready to start weaving. On the island, Sunday is very much a day of rest with nothing but essential work being done, so the rest had to wait till Monday morning.<br />
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Sunday dawned fair and bright, but with an icy bite in the stiffening breeze. In the afternoon, mother wanted to have a little outing, but by this time the wind had seriously picked up and the sun had disappeared behind the clouds. We drove up to Garry Sands at the end of the Tolsta road. It was a couple of years since I had been there. As I had to struggle to open the car door against the wind, mother decided to stay in the car while I went for a quick walk down to the beach. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQoRCGUSdaMMVwXToirVkae-IvYaWWr5uFWXpoCqgGylX_6T8dL5nJmd6TZfJPADTLbIp1DWGVKSpUbkFDrpVyp2NNIq0p4T9093NG3rFe72USlZdmzGXUzPcrBnh2goaxJXjDEMtHJ3A/s1600/Garry+bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQoRCGUSdaMMVwXToirVkae-IvYaWWr5uFWXpoCqgGylX_6T8dL5nJmd6TZfJPADTLbIp1DWGVKSpUbkFDrpVyp2NNIq0p4T9093NG3rFe72USlZdmzGXUzPcrBnh2goaxJXjDEMtHJ3A/s320/Garry+bridge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I am not sure when it was built, but there is now a bridge across the river and picnic benches on the far side, but even with my <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-hats9.html" target="_blank">Morag hat</a>, it was very cold, so I didn't linger. I could really have done with having a <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-scarves.html" target="_blank">scarf</a> round my neck and a <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-wraps1.html" target="_blank">wrap</a> around my shoulders, but I will need to weave some more tweed as our stocks of these are all very low!<br />
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On Monday morning I did the last little bit of tying in, wound the warp on so that the knots were all through to the front of the loom and started pedalling - and then discovered my mistakes!<br />
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I persevered and wove enough tweed for making one wrap, but then decided that there were sufficient problems to justify cutting through the warp and going back to the start. I also got a phonecall from the mill saying that the weaver had brought back the pieces that I had left last time and htey were ready for washing and stamping. So, I decided that getting tweed woven was more important than me doing the weaving. I spent the next couple of days making two more warps in between doing things for my mother. Then, I pulled out all the warp end back through both the heddles and the reed. A bit of arithmetic was needed. 696 ends to fit through 370 slots - so not quite 2 per slot. It was actually quicker re-threading than unthreading - at least through the reed. I had to leave the island on Thursday, so it is left with the reed threaded but I now have to work out my threading sequence. I have this feeling that it is pointless me trying to weave tweeds that I could walk into the mill and buy, so I want to experiment with weave patterns that will make my tweeds distinctive. - So, watch this space...............! <br />
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<br />Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631006420653305944.post-27016915006402684232013-01-26T19:22:00.000+00:002013-01-26T19:22:17.116+00:00New Website Launched<a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/default.htm" target="_blank">A new website</a> - it has taken a year of asking, allbeit just intermittently, but we now have a new Anna Macneil website. The crunch came a couple of weeks before Christmas when my husband asked me to make him a new gold cope - in time for Christmas! Len is a <a href="http://www.scotlandordinariate.com/" target="_blank">part time priest</a> and also a <a href="http://www.angelforce.info/" target="_blank">web designer/manager</a>. It is a case of the shoemaker's children going barefoot! However, I got his cope made in time for Christmas, so he sat down and got on with my website. I expect I will have a while longer to wait for my <a href="http://www.angelforce.co.uk/pp/vestments/index.htm" target="_blank">Ecclesiastical Embroidery website</a>, but I am making progress.<br />
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The new website has an online shop which is a bit easier to use, more information about what we do, and more links. We welcome any feedback you might give us.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYniIVqeHlAydoNZl90OTtc0LayUK15p49qwrhqcr4QO3SQO1dUppmq1bZo-KB_fMdz2fngXRDIU6n0EJkYIuos_X5izpLaEHs9C0-jLsYl6VJPRNvAul_JWvvzqewB74NsP3GKmPO0WE/s1600/pink+small+handbag-400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYniIVqeHlAydoNZl90OTtc0LayUK15p49qwrhqcr4QO3SQO1dUppmq1bZo-KB_fMdz2fngXRDIU6n0EJkYIuos_X5izpLaEHs9C0-jLsYl6VJPRNvAul_JWvvzqewB74NsP3GKmPO0WE/s320/pink+small+handbag-400.jpg" width="320" /></a>Also on the website are some new products - a hat and two styles of handbag. The Harris Tweed handbags are things that we have often been asked for, but as I don't use a handbag much myself, it is something I was putting off! We have made one large and one small bag.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-bags3.html" target="_blank">small one</a> is a dainty little thing - the base is about 8 x 16cm and it stands about 16cm high. There are two handles and the bag closes by means of a flap with a magnetic catch. It is padded, stiffened and fully lined and has a small velcro-closing interior pocket to keep little things safe.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6Jn9DCwpr1XDcr3bU8qc9_D4UubeZYhkbhddk3HPqdE9nPoMtFLS5TXahJzqaNZTbpzHJehRVngSiTX1kYg6ejOq1mLPf46BwXDa0jlf1tYoDxaVxTNckNazaINMcR-RpSEsX67C5gg/s1600/Large+handbag-cranesbill1-400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6Jn9DCwpr1XDcr3bU8qc9_D4UubeZYhkbhddk3HPqdE9nPoMtFLS5TXahJzqaNZTbpzHJehRVngSiTX1kYg6ejOq1mLPf46BwXDa0jlf1tYoDxaVxTNckNazaINMcR-RpSEsX67C5gg/s320/Large+handbag-cranesbill1-400.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-bags4.html" target="_blank">large bag</a> is for those who want to take everything bar the kitchen sink! It comes with two clip-on straps, one long and one short, so that you can change your mind from day to day about whether you want to use it as a handbag or a shoulderbag. Inside there are two large open pockets, one large zipped pocket and one small velcro-closing pocket. The bag closes with a magnetic catch on the top edge.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiytbWw-n8HS1W6cU-9jvtQTup1yb4kuH3Gz5eOlq9HQitOIV-D5D0H8d0jzocyVcQm-CvxVC6z5aFwarGdROlzO5dL_-wlQJk-g9VuFmQcN6QGxGwQJZNzhP2_vxF9596IU1JN4Zi8Wt8/s1600/large+blue+handbag-long+strap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiytbWw-n8HS1W6cU-9jvtQTup1yb4kuH3Gz5eOlq9HQitOIV-D5D0H8d0jzocyVcQm-CvxVC6z5aFwarGdROlzO5dL_-wlQJk-g9VuFmQcN6QGxGwQJZNzhP2_vxF9596IU1JN4Zi8Wt8/s320/large+blue+handbag-long+strap.jpg" width="197" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1SEDLLdijTupgP2kULqVFxhc0HshOXIRyh9LW72D5_iW56jgpkujdSQND6rChILnlwbyAc32QJiDIdJ-QYQcFkqeBb8koX6ydyA4g2JR5RI1SwriPJbMTrK7YoB6l_92PVqIPN6CENvQ/s1600/Hamish-blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1SEDLLdijTupgP2kULqVFxhc0HshOXIRyh9LW72D5_iW56jgpkujdSQND6rChILnlwbyAc32QJiDIdJ-QYQcFkqeBb8koX6ydyA4g2JR5RI1SwriPJbMTrK7YoB6l_92PVqIPN6CENvQ/s320/Hamish-blog.jpg" width="320" /></a>Both these bags can be made with either celtic knotwork embroidery or with floral designs - and can be made in any colour of Harris Tweed.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-hats6.html" target="_blank">hat - Hamish</a> - will be ideal for those who need to go out in all weathers. It is based on the traditional oilskin sou'wester but made of Harris Tweed and fully lined with polar fleece. There are earflaps and a toggled cord to keep the hat on in a gale. Available in whatever colour you want.<br />
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Next on my agenda is making more of our increasingly popular <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-wraps3.html" target="_blank">Hebridean Hoods</a>. I have just come back from exhibiting at a trade show and several of our trade customers have ordered these. Have a look at the <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/links-shops.html" target="_blank">links page</a> to see if there is a shop near you. If not, just order from the <a href="http://www.annamacneil.co.uk/shop-wraps3.html" target="_blank">website</a> and we will make one specially for you.<br />
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We have tried to ensure that the website works smoothly, but it is possible that there is the odd mistake - perhaps a broken link, a typo or a Paypal button that doesn't work as it should. If you come across anything like that, please do <a href="mailto:info@annamacneil.co.uk" target="_blank">email me</a> and let me know, so that we can put it right. <br />
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I hope you enjoy the new website - there are links so that you can follow this blog, follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook. There is also a link to our gallery and links to other textile artists. <br />
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<br />Ruth Blackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05548084150535121309noreply@blogger.com0