Mam was right :)

When I was a child I was very much into reading and would be totally lost in my own little world to the exclusion of all around me at times. My Mam would try and push me to go out saying that I would enjoy myself which inevitably I did. I am sure that if you have met me you would say I was very out going which is true and is a part of me but when I am feeling poorly then I hibernate and am happy left alone. So I wasn't really up for this holiday. But Mam was right again and it was just what the doctor ordered . True we didn't get as much sunshine as we had hoped for and even had two days stuck in the van but even they were productive and also the company and the laughter more than made up for weather: how can you be down when you have a view like this outside your van.

We had walks, BBQ's and a even a curry night . There were eight of us in total and five dogs and we all got on famously.
See, the dogs were in holiday mood.

Funny looking sheep they have down here though.

Know were we are ?

That's right Tregwynt Mill which is in a lovely location and has lovely woven material but a tad too expensive for me and most folks I should imagine. Shame really maybe if I win the Lottery !!
On the other hand this place was more affordable and we got a lovely blanket and a rug too and I will defo go back for more rugs next time.


When the sun shone it was glorious and the heather, flowers and the sea were an amazing colour combination.


There were seals too of course but not as many pups, as I think we were a bit earlier this year. We had one magical evening when we went down to the shore when four seals came so close to shore . I don't know who is the most nosey us or them !! ; one even came to say goodbye on our very last day.

So thanks Mam, yet again :) We both enjoyed ourselves and have yet more happy memories of Sir Benfro.
Oh and I do have some FO to show too
Morning Surf using handyed , handspun bamboo.

Another Forest Canopy using Colinette yarn which Kath gave me last Christmas .

Since I came home after the inevitable unpacking and washing I have been dyeing and have done 1,200gm which will be in the shop hopefully later today.

Holidays !!

We are off down to Pembroke for a holiday and it's raining yet again here this evening:( I am getting fed up of all the rain we have had this summer .To be fair it has been lovely all day and quite close but I just can't seem to get in a holiday mood somehow. I always hate the build up to holidays. DH packs his clothes sorts the van out with diesel and water and says are we ready !!?. I am here washing ,ironing,cooking, cleaning the house ......now who else cleans the house before they go on holiday ? I always do it , make sure the bed is stripped and clean for when we get home and all the washing & ironing up to date, clean the oven, polish the cat blah, blah , blah and then I wonder why I am knackered when we eventually drive off. Am I mad ? I think so !!
I feel in way that this holiday has been thrust on us as DH workplace is closing down over the Bank Holiday due to costs and we had to use up the holiday time we had planned to go to Scotland with in September :(
We NEVER go on holiday in AUGUST !! Also we have house guests staying whilst we are away and I for a change would rather stay at home and play ;) Still they will be able to explore far better on their own and they deserve a wee break, don't you think ?

So this week I have been trying to cram in all sorts and its been hard going and I could sleep for the entire holiday the way I feel now.The natural dyeing day went well though and here are a few samples of what I did. Again its hard to get the colours to show proberly and they are richer than this photos shows.

I was wanting to try more of the blues , greys, mauve's and purples this time as I have plenty of plant ideas for the greens , yellows and russety shades. There were a few very surprising plants used and the one that surprised me the most was pansy's which gave the most wonderful blue. Someone had also managed to grow indigo and we were able to get a result, albeit not as dark as it can be but none the less it worked and it was grown locally .

It was a perfect summers day with blue skies and we all had such fun and a gorgeous picnic plus the location was perfect too.

So armed with more natural dye colours I did a few more rovings which I love and don't know if I can even part with . They are supposed to be for the shop but I would love to spin them all!! As I am going away I haven't listed any thing this week as it seemed pointless . If I do sell them though they will have to be slightly more expensive due to the amount of time it takes to make them.
As yet no names for them all




Can you believe that they are natural ? aren't they just lush ?
Here is just one of the acid dyed ones that I particularly like .

So we are off tomorrow on a holiday and I am sure that once I get there and sleep for two days I will be fine and who cares if it rains all the time ; we are meeting up with friends who are coming up with their van , we will have fun we will have laughter and we will probably wish we could have stayed longer !!See you when we get home :)

Be afraid fleece , be very afraid ..........

Look what arrived in the post yesterday from Martin Hills



They are well worth waiting for as I have hired the SWD Guilds set for long enough so figure it would be cheaper in the long run to get my own set.
I have already had a play with them :) So watch out fleece here comes.........

I have also done some dyeing last week but mainly using natural dyes and I really love the rovings I have done but so far I haven't had the energy to photo them.
I am trying to slow down over the next few days as I haven't been too great and as we are away on hols next week I really want to be well.

If it ain't pinned down !!

Well !! both Kath and I thank you so very much for your kind words and good wishes. It's bit nerve racking to sell things you have made and then when they have sold you then worry if the person will like it !! I am sure we will learn a lot along the way too !!
So after a very good start I thought I had better dye some more stuff up and if it ain't pinned down its in the pot !!
I am now trying to do repeats and this first one is the one I am coveting the most. I love it and have dyed 200gms of it and may keep one back.
Its called Tân Gwyllt which means Wild Fire and it a lush baby alpaca in shades of reds, oranges, browns and plum.I so want this colour to spin lace weight for a shawl as I love its fieriness

A few folks have asked if we would do some sock yarns so here is Tân Gwyllt in a really soft super wash Shetland. I wish I had bought more of this dis-continued yarn from Scotland when I had a chance as it is just so soft and has a great sheen too.

Here is just one more that I have tried to repeat which I have called Siwgr Plwm as this is what my dad used to call me. The spelling is not grammatically correct for all you purists out there :)but the Welsh word 'Eirinen' meaning plum, doesn't sound right and besides it wasn't what he called me :)


All of this excitement has taken its toll on me this week coupled with other things and I felt really washed out and a bit blue this morning so it was a wonderful surprise when this arrived from our lovely friends.

Amber and Bob you really shouldn't have. I really love it and have never had any of Posh's cobweb lace weight before, so lovely, the colour is perfect too but really you are so naughty ;but many , many thanks.I will have to get the perfect pattern for it as it has great yardage and I can make a large shawl :)

Part of the reason I am wiped out is that I have been doing a weaving course and what we are being taught is called Rep Weaving which I had never heard of before and doubt I will ever want to do again either LOL. Its a type of weaving were the warp is the main factor and the warping has been a flippin nightmare for someone who is mathematically challenged like myself,plus back breaking too bending over the warping frame. How on earth I ever worked in a bank for a while goodness knows . Still its done now and and on Saturday I will get it finished and post a pic of it , not my style at all but I have learnt a lot apart from counting !!
So all in all not much on the knitting front but I have been doing some mindless spinning using some of my dyed rovings and here is a colour combo I like and will repeat I think .

Oh and I came home yesterday with yet more fleece , a HUGE Wensleydale and a lovely Moorit Shetland which are now soaking in a tub which is what I am going to do next ........but not with them ;)