That was the week that was...

Back home after a super week in 'Mr Bond' near Chertsey Weir. The weather, except for Tuesday when we had a thunder storm was great.......

Picture this scenario - on returning to our caravan with the thunder still rumbling around I carefully hold the door open for Mr S and he goes up the ramp to open the door, noticing as he went several gallons of rain water on the roof of the awning - remember I am at the doorway to the awning at the foot of the ramp - he very carefully raised the roof and..........................................

Unfortunately I wasn't in the mood for pictures!

Wednesday - Wimbledon, Court One and the qualifier Tomic against Djokovic, the Nadal match after was predictable, but then we went out to Court 18 to watch the British pair in the mixed doubles (Watson and Hutchins)- a perfect day.....

Friday at Wimbledon I was caught on camera by the BBC talking to Peter Norfolk......see also at http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b012fxtn/?t=1h37m21s

Saturday was the start of the Tour de France and therefore the start of the Tour De Fleece Challenge - so here's me on my MiniSpinner with a very helpful assistant...

Its not just men that......

I've had manflu................ or at least triple pneumonia if that's possible!! I have been suffering, yes really suffering, from a summer cold, which then became bronchitis and is now tonsillitis - this resulted in a trip to the GP for anti-biotics and all this in the run up to Wimbledon - life can be really rotton at times.

Despite being spaced out for much of the last two weeks I have managed to spend a couple of days spinning with friends, very wisely they kept their distance and we were out-doors for one event - The North Somerset Fleece Fair at Kington Seymour - fleeces to die for and live shearing all very jolly and even the sheep seemed to pleased to be relieved of their woolly jackets.
















Sunday saw The Spindyeweavers demostrating at the Easton Arts Trail, in the Easton Community Centre and it was a really great day - lots of interest in the art of spinning - especially on drop spindles!!! We even had our pic taken for the Bristol Evening Post, but as none of us take the paper we are yet to learn whether we were featured...........















Yesterday afternoon I finally learnt the art of 'Art Yarn' - absolutely fabluous. Kate from Ashford (NZ) was at the Spinning Weal demonstrating the new bigger and obviously better Ashford Drum Carder - which naturally costs more than the smaller version. But I did find out that I wasn't useing my packer brush correctly, and had great fun producing some weird and wonderfully coloured batts - from which, drum roll, I managed to produce my very first skein of 'Art Yarn', well the first that I meant to make rather then it made itself........and here it is.......

This has certainly inspired me and now I just need to find that extra day (well extra 12 hours in a week would be good for now) in which to create more..........

Look out Wimbledon here I come...

Success - I have tickets for two days at Wimbledon - so this will mean a shawl of course. I have a lovely grass green cashmere laceweight in my stash that will be perfect - but what pattern! There are so many to choose from you are really spoilt for choice - aught to be a simple pattern don't want to miss the tennis

The Tour de Fleece is coming soon as well, but that is going to be easy stash busting my fleece stash - to make room for the ones I have and shall be buying - and spinning the result on La Petite Mouche

Had a spot of luck yesterday - picked up this lovely summery fabric - so more bags....

Can a girl have too many spindles?

I thought that I deserved a little reward (not sure why but I am postive that I am in need of a little something) and because I have been spindle spinning quite a lot lately and because I had the misfortune to break the shaft on my beautiful oak burr spindle I have treated myself to two, yes two new ones.

One is in pippy yew and the other a bog oak turkish spindle both are from the wood emporium - I just love wood - and a girl can't have too many. I would like a fancy resin spindle but I have yet to see one that I really love to bits.

It is also a bit of a buck me up - I feel that I have lost my mojo lately - finding it really hard to get down to writing anything - so I have set a deadline July 29th and if things don't improve I shall have to make a big decision....

All things crafty

I have had the most fantastic weekend! Friday saw the started of the Somerset Arts Week and along with other regular spinners at the Spinning Weal I have been helping out at their exhibition. What an opportunity to sit and spin and talk to people about spinning - OK I am a bit obsessive, but I love what I do.














The venue is pretty special also. It's in the Oak Room at the Curzon Cinema in Clevedon which is one of the oldest (if not the oldest still working cinema in the country) and is amazing.

So are the exhibits - which are done by the students, teachers and staff of the Spinning Weal.....

I have been particularly interested in the quilts because I have signed up for the 'Improver's Quilting Class' which begins in September -can't wait...

I decided that although I have mastered the basics it would be a sensible idea to get some expert to teach some of the more intricate techniques, especially as the fabric isn't cheap - won't tell Mr S how much I have spent on the fabric for my big project..................





















This is one of my favourites possibly because the more you look the more you see! And here is my Christchurch Shawl in a prominent position......

La Petit Mouche has arrived.....

Finally after sitting in the Parcel Force office all over Easter......

Dissertation Hand-in Day

We are there, after weeks and weeks of proof reading and agonising over sentences, and questioning nearly every full stop, comma and semi colon (or should that be a colon?) to day is the day that Mr S hands in his dissertation and final assignment. It has taken him seven years - well six really because last year doesn't count - and now apart from his final exam which is at the end of May (the last week of the exam period) it is all done.

He has registered his intention to graduate and bought the tickets for the ceremony (new outfit for me perhaps!). It actually feels quite surreal, the end of an era. This will change our lives completely - no more fitting in around a timetable and deadlines, and it means that all those little or not so little jobs that have been put off will get done!

Oh and I finished my Christchurch Shawl on Tuesday