Booga Bag

Originally uploaded by zoer.

I've at last taken a photo of my booga bag which I knitted and felted using my handspun kid mohair. It turned out rather more fluffy than I expected but it feels nice and soft.

Bardwell windmill

I've been spinning all weekend at Bardwell Tythe Barn as part of the art show in aid of Bardwell windmill.
I was spinning soy bean fibre and bamboo yesterday and silk noil and raw cotton today. I had lots of interest and the weather was wonderful. A very successful and enjoyable weekend.

Redgrave and Lopham Fen

Big needles
Originally uploaded by zoer.

I have been to Redgrave and Lopham Fen today spinning and showing people how to knit.
I took some huge needles (made from broomsticks) and some Jaeger King Pins as well as some ordinary needles and lots of wool. I cut up some old dresses to knit with on the broomstick needles and the knitting looked really good.
Three different men of various ages said that they had been taught to knit by their aunts or grandmothers and they had a go with the big needles, but only one of them knew how to cast on. It was strange how they were perfectly happy to have a go with the big needles but wouldn't have a go with the ordinary ones.
Some of the little boys wanted to have a go as well as some of the little girls, and one of the boys said he'd had a go at school during a project they were doing about the second world war. He had obviously enjoyed it and wanted to knit some more.
Everyone who had a go persevered and they were all pleased with themselves.

Baylham Rare Breeds Centre

Gunnister Man's Pouch
Originally uploaded by zoer.

Yesterday I was at the Baylham Rare Breeds Centre (near Ipswich, Suffolk) for a wool day. There were spinners from three local guilds and members of the Coloured Sheep Breeders Association. Lots of fleece for sale including the rare breeds sheep and shetland, ryeland and alpaca.
I spent most of the day demonstrating knitting. I had finished the Gunnister man's pouch and people were very interested in that. I was also using an old yarn caddy (the red thing in the photo below) that hangs from my arm and people were fascinated by that as well!
It was a beautiful sunny day and quite a few visitors came. The children could all have a go at felt making with carded fleece and tops of various colours. They all had a wonderful time and produced some very colourful table mats.
All in all it was a very enjoyable get together.

Gunnister Man's Pouch

Gunnister Man's Pouch
Originally uploaded by zoer.

I was determined to have a go at the Gunnister man's pouch in the latest Spin Off and had some fine light brown Shetland wool which I had spun that would be perfect for the bulk of the pouch. However, I hadn't got any dark brown wool which was fine enough to use with it and neither had I got any dark brown fleece.
I tried knitting the fairisle part using some finely spun yak fur but it was much too furry and didn't allow the detail of the pattern to show.
I wanted to do it sooner rather than later (as usual) and found a ball of bulky weight black Welsh mountain which I had obviously used for knitting something which hadn't worked out and had frogged at some time or another.
I unplied it on my wheel, and then took out a lot of the twist by spinning it backwards on the wheel. I then respun it, drafting it much more to make it fine enough to use with the fine shetland and it worked!
I will post another pic when the pouch is finished, but I don't think there will be any of the finely spun black Welsh mountain left over, so that's why I've taken a picture of the bulky weight wool together with the finely spun yarn before the pouch is done!

I have finished work more or less. This was my last day, but I have agreed to spend an hour or so next Wednesday posting the news review on the website. Then I will have finished for good.
I'm sure I shall have plenty to do after that - I have just bought a new inkle loom and will warp that up to make some handles for a few felted handbags I have knitted. And then there is the willow I have harvested but not used yet, and all that wool...

I have been to Weird and Wonderful Wood at Haughley Park today and it rained most of the time. However, I took an umbrella and didn't really get wet. Bunty and I saw some excellent craftwork and had a very tasty home made lunch - savoury filo pastry and strawberry tarts. I have put some photos of some of the sculpture on Flickr.

Suffolk front garden April 06

Suffolk front garden April 06
Originally uploaded by zoer.

It has been a beautiful day in Thwaite. The sun has been shining and the garden looks at its best. I have been sitting knitting in the front garden and listening to the birds.

Metal duck and bird

Metal duck and bird
Originally uploaded by zoer.

I have put some new metal birds in my garden. I bought them at the Mid-Suffolk showground on Monday from Shambakodzi Crafts. There is a small duck and I think the bird on a stick is a woodpecker (or maybe a kingfisher).

Monmouth cap

Monmouth Cap
Originally uploaded by zoer.

I followed the directions in "A History of Hand Knitting" by Richard Rutt, Bishop of Leicester, for knitting a Monmouth cap. The pattern is copied from a cap in the Monmouth museum, which was found in an old house in Monmouth and thought to be of sixteenth-century date.
It was knitted in the round and then felted, and then a button was added to the top.

My workplace

My workplace has been painted to look as though it was at the seaside!

Telephone box at Finningham

I pass a phone box in Finningham on my way to work and a few weeks ago I noticed it had been painted pink. After a few days I took a photo of it and posted it on flickr. Now the phone box has been painted red, and I'm not sure whether it was the undercoat or whether someone was playing tricks but I'm glad I photographed it or I would have thought I was going mad!!

This is a new blog. I have discontinued the old one.
My windows have all been mended and now I am just waiting for the house to be painted. I expect that will be done later in the year.

The Old Post Office Feb 2006
Originally uploaded by zoer.

This is a photo, showing the windows, which also appears on flickr