Whilst we have been spending the week trying to get ready to sneak away for the weekend to Durdle Door - no, really it is a place, I've linked it so that you can have a nose and everything...... :0) I managed to sneak away for a couple of hours to Bristol for a lecture on Guatemalan Textiles at the City Museum. It was a very informative evening with anthropologist Ed Carter as speaker. Whilst I would have preferred more technical stuff on the spinning and weaving, and less anthropology (sorry Ed!) it was really informative and very interesting. What made it even more so was the wonderful surroundings of the museum itself. I haven't been up for ages, and it just brought home to me what a fabulous resource it is. Will definitely attempt to get back there before Christmas.

Although the boys and myself have been trying to work out what to take for a weekend away (clothes, food , dogs, that sort of thing), my mind has been on more important matters, like wondering which current knitting project to take with me. I think I've settled on 2, the Kauni celtic sweater (on the right) and the Versatility Shawl (that's the purple one in hand dyed Alpaca/silk mix below). I'm on to the lime greens with the Kauni and nearly finished a second repeat of the pattern. I think I shall probably need at least one more repeat before I knit in the arm steeks - I must be mad! Oh well, I'm sure shall feel better once I have taken scissors to my first one and it has worked...... I've been told a glass of wine and a lie down afterwards helps. Unfortunately I don't drink, oh well.

The Versatility Shawl on the other hand is growing really quickly and if I work on it over the weekend I should have nearly finished it by the end of next week. Next week I've agreed to help with some teaching and demonstrating at a Wooly-Weekend at

Fernhill Farm (details at the bottom of the post!) I've promised to bring yarns, spindles and a wheel.... So next week is going to be busy assembling kits for people to buy after sampling my wonderful fibres and yarn - very exciting stuff..... I think Tuesday will be dye day as things are panning out, to give the fibres a chance to dry, the weather is particularly damp at the moment, I really don't want to have to resort to sticking them on the drying tray in the tumble dryer, but if it doesn't stop raining, it will come to that I fear.

Although, Tuesday is also when we are going to have to clear a space in the loft and empty my store room so that the nice plumber and electrician can turn up and install the inside bits of the Solar panel! Really exciting stuff, by the end of Wednesday next week we should not have to pay for hot water again. Well that is the idea anyway. Right then, off to Sainsburys to stock up on instant food for a weekend so no-one has to cook. And then the important bit, winding sufficient balls of yarn so that I don't run out....

Woolly Weekend on the 25th & 26th October 2008

Prices start at £40 / day including lunch, refreshments & materials

For more information and to book please contact Jen on

07903 584695 or email jen@fernhill-farm.co.uk