Christmas Stockings – well they have to be red don’t they! And when it comes to natural dyeing nothing does red like cochineal. Cochineal is expensive, it always has been. Highly prized for centuries as producing the best reds for textile dyeing. When it arrived in Europe following the Spanish conquest of Mexico it was…
Spinster is a problematic word. The first meaning to brings to mind today is old maid. Not a description any woman aspires to. So having knitted and crocheted for years perhaps it’s no wonder that it took so long to get involved in spinning. It is, after all, at the start of the process of producing yarn.…
Spinning and Weaving – it’s been a winter of learning new skills. These are such fundamental textiles crafts. It’s a wonder that it took so long to discover them round these parts. Part of this is learning a whole new vocabulary. And the words are so evocative. There are maidens and the mother-of-all, a footman and even…
Weaving looms! A pair of them. Well it was bound to happen. It just completes the trinity of weaving, dyeing and spinning (having tried and tested, if not yet mastered the first two). Such are the dangers of ebay browsing! The first is a small vintage loom that sits in it’s own wooden box with…
This will be the year of the spinning wheel. Here’s how it’s come about…. Just before Christmas there was a spinning wheel at the local auction. It appeared to be in good condition, if a little dusty. The fact that 2 bobbins were tied onto the frame with string (plus the one with a little…
A winter project – this year it’s a crochet blanket. This is a must to beat the winter blues and to stave off in advance any inclination towards S.A.D (seasonal affective disorder). Think about it now, before Christmas. Find your project, something ambitious and labour intensive for preference. Buy your materials now (or put them on your Christmas…
Bagels are delicious and not as hard to make as you might think. Bread making has been going on around here for a few years now, not a single loaf comes from the shops. Plain everyday loaves are baked regularly and but every now and then it’s good to ring the changes and a challenge…
Using a drop spindle to turn fibre into yarn is the most ancient form of spinning. What began as pulling, twisting and winding stuff around a stick evolved, adding a weight (in the form of a whorl) and a hook or notch greatly increased efficiency in yarn production up until the invention of the spinning…
Eccles cakes aren’t really cakes, they are small currant filled pastries naked after Eccles, the town in Greater Manchester. Like all regional dishes their origins are unknown but were sold commercially in the town as Eccles cakes from the end of the 18th century. They are sweet and comforting, perfect for fresher autumnal days and…
Natural dyeing is addictive. A year on from first forays into the process it’s as bad as ever. This post is by way of a summary of discoveries, thoughts and lessons learnt along the way. This is not a ‘how to’ post – but if natural dyeing appeals to you then you might glean some…