Reading Time: 2 minutesInspiration is a fine thing, but sometimes it can fail you…..for a while. Some time ago I embarked on making a pair of Kaffe Fassett curtains; that is, curtains made to a design by Kaffe Fassett (called ‘Pavement’), using fabric remnants. This might be something to try if you want a frugal way of making […]
Craft Skills
Five Good Reasons to Keep a Craft Book Collection
Reading Time: 2 minutesAt our last local crafter’s get together some good reasons not to feel guilty about my craft book collection came to me. One of our members was casting around for crafty ideas to update the home, so I offered to bring along some books…as I have no shortage of them – brand new, my own […]
Preparing a Warp-Weighted Loom
Reading Time: 3 minutesIn preparation for an event, Archaeology of the Dark Ages at Bishops Wood Environmental Centre (near Stourport, Worcestershire), mentioned in the last post, I’ve been helping to set up a Saxon style warp-weighted loom. Nina, Deborah and I battled with metres (or yards, in old money) of flax yarn for several hours as this is a job that takes […]
Norwegian Warp-weighted Loom Weavers
Reading Time: 2 minutesI’m re-visiting the ancient (as in thousands of years old) craft of warp-weighted loom weaving in order to share some links to film made in the 1940s and 1950s in Norway. I’m sure many who are interested in weaving will be glad the films are still in existence. Last November I described the process in […]
Advantages of Spinning on a Drop Spindle
Reading Time: 5 minutesBeing a free-range spinner is one of the main advantages of spinning on a drop spindle. It’s like scribbling notes in a notebook, rather than being at your desk. You and your work are portable – you can be anywhere. With dexterity, you can also multi-task. I could be a nomadic spinner with a drop […]
Year Of Traditional Textile Skills
Reading Time: 3 minutesLooking back over the year, it’s been a year for hopping about. I’ve delved into some knitting design (Elizabeth Zimmermann inspired), lots of scouring, or washing of my large stock of Ryeland fleece prior to spinning it, attempts at using up small quantities of hand-dyed and handspun yarn using crochet, an experiment in growing and […]
