Tuesday 7 July 2009

Surprise visitor

We had a surprise visitor yesterday morning - Teo, from Teoshandspuns of Broadford Old Pier, Isle of Sky www.teoshandspun.com was sailing his boat around the islands and dropped into Scalpay for a visit. Teo has a wonderful shop in Skye which is full to the rafters with all kinds of hand spuns in all sorts of fibres. If you are a knitter with exotic tastes, or want something different for that special project, then pay him a visit and you're sure to find something to your taste. I have spun for Teo for some years - the chunky curly wurly Wensleydale which is such fun to do and gives such amazing results. Its just fabby to knit and weave with - I recommend it!

In the afternoon the drop spindle session went spinningly. We started with some pre-spun, progressed to carding and hand made rolags, which we spun on the spindles and then finally learned Andean plying which meant we could twist up what we had spun into a nice stable yarn that could be used. A final spell round the fibre box examining loads of different fibre types that I have collected over the years - qiviut to bamboo, soay to nylon as well as loads of sheep breeds, and everyone felt they had learned plenty and were full of enthusiasm to continue at home.
It was great fun and I'm looking forward to the next three sessions with different learners.
Today the weather is windy, wet and a bit chilly round the edges. Bit of a shock after all this heat we have been enduring over the past weeks!

Chicks are all thriving - the found with the Buff Orp have quite a few feathers; the two with the little bantam are still fluffy but are coming on; and the turkey is becoming more and more gorgeous as the days go past. He has very long legs and a slightly dozy expression.
Will get pictures when I can get near.

Thanks to those who have suggested names - there have been some good ones, but not yet any that have really fitted. Please keep going.

Something is eating my runner beans at the loom shed - think it might be slugs or snails but I can't find the little blighters. Grrrr..

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Go on then take over your cloth and I'll try and russle you up some purses....By the way 2 tables booked for the 21st by Bruce....

shortlegs the sheep said...

On the names front how about Stan or Dave? They sound like good turkey names or maybe Cranberry?

Drop spindling sounds great fun - will be over first week in September with Lizzie if you are still offering sessions then.

Weather has been pretty dire here - we were struck by lightening which went to earth down the well and blew the pump so no water for 3 days and a lovely site portaloo outside the front door. Fun! Leda