Corso di Filatura 23 & 24 Marzo Lombardia

Sono contentissima essere invitato da Elisabetta Bernuzzi dare un Corso di filatura manuale  a Pavia Lombardia, il 23 & 24 Marzo 2013

 

ci sono anche 3 o 4 posti disponibili - se vuoi partecipare, contatti Elisabetta subito! Ti aspettiamo

 

I dettagli sono:

Il corso si terra' a Pavia. Lombardia. per dettagli del sede contatti Elisabetta (indirizzo in fondo).
 .
... Sabato mattina: (3 ore) Le fibre, la preparazione della lana sucida
Caratteristiche della lana e delle altre fibre.
Il sucido, come dividerlo secondo la qualità, istruzioni per quando e come lavarlo (o non),
Preparazione e la struttura del filato – woollen, worsted, - i motivi per metodi diversi di preparazione.
La cardatura e la pettinatura a mano.
Come preparare altre fibre, esempio la seta.

Sabato pomeriggio(3 ore): La filatura col fuso
- base importante anche per chi ha voglia filare col filatoio.
Filati 'singoli'
Come e perche' doppiare i filati.
Come fare le matasse e 'finire' il filato.
L’uso delle fibre preparate industrialmente.

Domenica (6 ore + pausa pranzo): Il filatoio.
Modelli dei filatoi, come scegliere, come mantenere il filatoio.
La filatura col filatoio - filati singoli,
la doppiatura - creazione di un filato a due capi.

Per chi preferisce continuare col fuso, – opportunita’ per praticare di piu' col fuso, imparare a mescolare fibre per creare filati fantasia).
Tempo per argomenti secondo la voglia dei partecipanti,
Materiale e attrezzatura da usare durante il corso sono forniti. Chi avesse un filatoio personale lo faccia sapere in anticipo. Materiale non fornito e da portare: un grembiule, una scatola (esempio scatola per scarpe), quaderno per appunti.
Opportunita’ di comprare attrezzatura ai prezzi scontati, senza spese di spedizione dettagli e prezzi deborah.gray7@btinternet.com Per richieste speciali, fare l’ordine diretto a Deborah Gray entro e non oltre il 22 Febbraio
Per iscrizioni, pagamenti e per dettagli scrivere o chiamare direttamente Elisabetta Bernuzzi: dixie1977@hotmail.it
331/4765891
COSTO DEL CORSO PER ENTRAMBI I GIORNI, MATERIALE INCLUSO (pranzi esclusi): 150€ ( caparra non rimborsabile di 50€ da versare a Bernuzzi Elisabetta).
Per dettagli sul corso, attrezzatura o materiale: deborah.gray7@btinternet.comSee more

Chilli choc muffins

What better treat on a snowy day!

I used 50g intensely chilli chocolate (from Coco Chocolate, Edinburgh) and 50g 85% cocoa dark chocolate, and they still have quite a kick.

Heres the recipe, which I made up this evening:

100g plain flour
60g sugar
60g ground almonds
2tsp baking powder

Mix these in a bowl and make a wel in the middle. Add
2 eggs
50g melted butter
mix well, adding a little milk to make a soft dropping consistency

now add 100g chilli chocolate, melted
mix well and put into a muffin pan, bake at 200 degrees C for 15 - 20 minutes

I'm still having problems uploading photos so you'll have to use your imagination - or find me on facebook, I'll put one there

Madreperla / mother-of-pearl

First handspun yarn of 2013

Wensleydale fleece, grown 5 miles from my home, and dye grown in my own garden - can't get much more local than that!

Very subtle blue and pink shades on lustrous long-stapled wool, achieved by using an almost completely exhausted Japanese Indigo vat. Spun from teased locks, semi-worsted style, relatively low spinning twist. 2-ply, approximately 11 wraps per inch (equivalent to double knitting). This yarn will probably look best knitted to a loose tension.
3 skeins, total length 298m (190g).

The blue-er skein is from fleece dipped in the indigo vat when I thought all the blue had already been exhausted. There are pinkish and greyish bits among the blue. the other two skeis are spun from another batch of fleece dipped afterwards, this turned out a lovely pale shell pink with some silvery bits once the yarn was spun and washed.

http://www.ravelry.com/people/deborahgray/stash/madreperla

More christmassy-ness

Merry (belated) Christmas everyone! Tanti auguri a tutti  per il natale (sono in ritardo)!

I hope you noticed Rudolf's red nose?  Hai visto il naso rosso di Rudolf?

After making about 20 I fancied a change from red and white - Dopo ho lavorato circa 20 palle bianco e rosso, ho voluto qualcosa un po' diverse...

(Designed by Arne and Carlos (55 Christmas balls to knit), yarn from Jamieson and Smith, www.shetlandwoolbrokers.co.uk )

Finally, now that the christmas knitting is over I'm back to spinning, what better way to spend a wet and sleety December afternoon?

Knitting Snowflakes

we have had two falls of snow in the past week, and all my December projects seem to have snowflakes:

Christmas baubles for the tree

Designs from Arne and Carlos' 55 knitted Christmas balls

hats for my girls

Design: Snawheid by Kate Davies available on Ravelry 

The blue seems to make the natural undyed white look whiter than when it is contrasted with the natural black - surprising!!
All knitted in Jamieson and Smith's Shetland Supreme (undyed white and black) and 2-ply Jumper weight (red and blues)

And finally some more balls, including a snowman (we havent had enough snow yet for a real one!).

Provisional UK workshop dates for 2013

Spinning, felting. dyeing and knitting - something for everyone!

So far next year's dates are provisional but this is what I have in mind- unless otherwise stated, all will be held in Perthshire, either Blackford, Auchterarder or Muthill.

To reserve a place please e-mail me at deborah.gray7@btinternet.com. A deposit of 30% will secure your place, refundable if I cancel or change the date to one that doesn't suit you, or transferable to another of my workshops, but not refundable if you cancel for any other reason.

I have still to confirm dates for my teaching programme in Italy for 2013 so some of the UK dates may have to be shifted to accommodate trips abroad (its a hard life!!!)

I am happy to deliver any of the workshops described below at other locations - if you can find 6 - 10 people, and a suitable venue, we could organise a weekend of workshops near you. E-mail me at the address above if you want to discuss this.

Fleece and Fibre Preparation £40 (morning, 3 hours) March 2nd, June 21st, plus in Shetland one morning during Shetland Wool Week and one morning during Strathearn Wool Week (both October)

Drop spindle spinning for beginners £40 (afternoon, 3 hours) March 2nd, June 21st, plus in Shetland one afternoon during Shetland Wool Week and one afternoon during Strathearn Wool Week (both October) - this workshop is also an exccellent foundation for those who wish to learn to use a spinning wheel

N.B. £10 discount if you book Fleece and Fibre Prep and Drop-spindle spinning on the same day

Spinning Wheel Basics for beginners or improvers £70 (5 hours tuition with a break for lunch) March 3rd, June 23rd plus in Shetland one day during Shetland Wool Week and one day during Strathearn Wool Week (both October)

N.B £10 discount if you bring your own spinning wheel

Solar dyeing - an eco-friendly and fibre-friendly method for dying natural fibres with natural dyes. Morning,3 hours £40 including sufficient materials to create two solar dye jars to take home and watch the colour develop. March 30th, June 9th, and one morning during Strathearn Wool week (october).

Gossamer felt scarf - create a wool scarf so fine and supple it is hard to believe it is really felt. Scarves can be decorated with wool, silk or other fibres during felting. Afternoon, 3 hours £25 including materials for one scarf. March 30th, June 9th, and one afternoon during Strathearn Wool week (October).

3-D seamless wet felt project create a hat, bag or bowl without seams and with the decoration felted on. 5 hours plus break for lunch £60 includes materials April 30th plus one day during Strathearn Wool Week (October)

Spinning in control and creating fancy plied yarns - this workshop is for those who have already mastered the basics of spinning using a spinning wheel. The moring will cover how to create precisely the yarn you need for any given project (including how do you know what you need, choice of fibre, preparation and spinning methods, getting the right thickness and amount of twist) In the afternoon we will look at how to create several styles of fancy plied yarns . 5 hours tuition plus break for lunch £70. April 20th, Sept 8th

N.B £10 discount if you bring your own spinning wheel

Playing with colour - for spinners or feltmakers; this workshop uses images from nature as inspiration and explores three different methods of mixing and blending fibres : creating new shades from primary colours; creating a gradient from one colour to its opposite; and mixing colour and texture to create art yarns. You will take away your blended fibres to spin or flet at home A very popular workshop. 6 hours tuition plus lunch break £80 April 21st, Sept 7th and one day during Strathearn Wool Week (October)

Advent calendar knit-along details to be confirmed November

Felt Advent calendar details to be confirmed November

Christmas decorations: knitted fair-isle or scandinavian style baubles - knit one, and take home instructions and materials for three more £25 afternoon 3 hours November 24th, 30th

Christmas decorations: felted stockings - make one large stocking or several small ones £35 afternoon 4 hours November 23rd, December 1st

Gorgeous russian-style spindles

 

 

My talented friend and spindle maker Murray has just made this lovely batch of russian style spindles. Each one comes with a little cup to spin it in when using  it as a supported spindle for spinning very fine or slippery fibres. To give you an idea of size, the ruler along side is 15cm long. They are  made in oak , beech or mahogany, with one in sapele (third from the left). Some have a small knob at the tip of the shaft, most dont.

Murray has decided to make them all the same price - £12 including the cup, plus £2.50 postage (UK). If you would like one, or for price in euros and overseas shipping please send me an e-mail to deborah.gray7@btinternet.com  Please tell me the kind of wood you prefer.