Tynedale Guild Gathering at Stocksfield

Another early start and a busy day at the Tynedale Guild gathering. Here's my stall set up.

I've got lots of new dye colour ways ready to go on the website this week. 

Wharfs Wool Fair

Today is the second Wharfe Wool Fair last year was a really enjoyable day. I've just got set up.

Everyone's stalls look really good.

Leeds industrial museum Armley Mills

At the beginning of October I was invited to attend the Armley Mills wool festival. We had a really interesting day. I really really like industrial heritage and it was fantastic to see the spinning mule working and look around the new tailoring gallery. The displays about the tailoring industry in Leeds are very good with sample books you can look through, examples of suits, and the story of how the industry grew and declined. I think every other suit in Britain was at one time made in Leeds! There is a cinema and the history of the optics industry in Leeds. I listened to an interesting talk on modern knitting techniques and wondered round outside looking at the trains, tractors, industrial tools and fulling mill. I didn't see anybody else when I was wondering round the outside exhibits and parts of the outside of the mill do include huge pieces of rusting machinery awaiting renovation. It is well worth a visit if you like industrial heritage or wool. I'm looking forward to going back next year.

Wharfe Wool Fair

Saturday was the first Wharfe Wool Fair I was really lookng forward to it. Otley is only an hour and a half away from home and Otley is a lovely market town. On Friday I decided a mock up of the stall would be a good idea as I only had one table! 

Here it is on the kitchen table.

We had a nice drive over and found the Old Court fairly easily, it didn't take long to set up.

The stall almost the same as the mock up.

There wasn't room for two of us on the stall so my Mother had a walk round Otley and came back a lunchtime so I could eat my lunch. I was hoping to leave Mother stall minding to walk into town in the afternoon but it was so busy I never made it! It was great to see new and old customers, from whom I had a telling off about not getting enough of my dyed fibres on my website! They're right and I will. It was a really well organised event and I apprieciate the support my business has from my customers. Thankyou.

Phillippa

Wonder Wool Wales

I think it was our fifth year at Wonder Wool Wales, time passes so fast, which was the last weekend in April. The show was much bigger this year with another hall of stalls so there was an even better range of woolly items on offer.
We had an awlful journey down with heavy traffic and heavy rain the landy leaked and we both got wet feet around Birmingham! It was too late when we arrived to set up so we just unloaded and set up on Saturday morning. I wasn't convinced there was enough time but did it in an hour and a half plenty of time for the cooked breakfast at 8.30!

It was a really good show for me, fantastic to meet old and new customers and put faces to names from internet orders. Thankyou for visiting my stall and supporting my business its really good to hear your comments on my work.
Phillippa

Weather and new stock

This morning we had the first and hopefully last snow of the year, the photo shows the part of the garden which had the most snow!

The weather changed quiet quickly today from snow and ice to wet and windy, the sheep were waiting to go in at teatime, but thankfully its much better here than in other parts of the country. 

Yesterday I updated the website with new stock, I have just dyed a new range of silk caps and trilobal nylon.

First Market of 2014 and Candlemas Day

Yesterday was the first Hovingham Market of 2014 it was a busy market but a cold wind was blowing. We went for a spring theme with featuring green as the main colour, next month I think could be blossom inspired!

Today is Candlemas day (2nd February) and in country weather lore the weather today determines how long winter will last.
If Candlemas Day is clear and bright,
winter will have another bite. 
If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain, 
winter is gone and will not come again.

Unfortunately after some rather wet days its clear, bright and warm today, will winter last another six weeks and will we have a cold snap in March. 

Candlemas dayafter the church is half way between the winter solstice and spring equniox. The 2nd of February used to be the day candles were brought into church and blessed ready for use during services for the rest of the year.Traditionally the evergreens used to dress houses were removed on Candlemas Eve and some say any Christmas decorations left up after twelth night should be removed on Candlemas Day. If you paid your rent quarterly it was due today and servants were sometimes hired on Candlemas Day.

Snowdrops are often called Candlemas Bells they have been flowering for the last fortnight by the river but it is unlucky to bring them into the house before Candlemas Day. I might pick a couple for experimenting with printing, the rest I will admire without picking.