Sue’s blog

We got to be featured seller for this week on Coriandr, the British equivalent of Etsy - front page and everything...!

We've added natural dye extracts to our Coriandr shop; these are the same extracts that we use for our Soil Association certified dyeing and they are certified to Global Organic Textile Standards. Although they seem expensive initially, you only need to use the

m at around 10% of dye to material, and there's no need to boil up the dye-stuff first to extract the colour - eliminating one of the processes. Use them on mordanted fibre as usual. Full instructions sent, any questions get in touch!

I've had so many times when I've been unable to load Vox (haven't seen Loraine's pics for about 3 months - v. frustrating to only get the titles!) that I think I'm just going to stick to Blogger. I'll paste the link here when I add to it - which isn't as often as I should. But never mind......

17th June
http://llynfiknit.blogspot.com/

New Brewery Arts at Cirencester is holding a wool weekend on 2oth - 21st June. Felt making, extreme knitting, sheep talks and Woolly Market on the Saturday, and 'Coat in a Day' on the Sunday: shearing 3 sheep at sunrise, on to a team of spinners and then weavers, and finally Brewery Arts textile designers for the cutting, sewing and finishing, aiming to beat the time of 13 hours and 20 mins. achieved in 1811. Accompanied by singing and an exhibition of Kate Lynch's lovely paintings.

www.newbreweryarts.org.uk

www.katelynch.co.uk

Have found www.coriandr.com which is a good looking British site for selling handmade items; I found 'folksy' a bit messy - 'coriandr' has a simple layout and is very like 'etsy' to set up. And everything is in £'s - marvellous! You can attach your shop to your blog or website.

Joys and Miseries of Exhibitions

Last weekend we had a stand at 'Green Horizons', a sustainable living type of event at the Welsh Smallholder and Garden Festival. It was dreadful weather but a lot of people came. Most were complimentary about our work, and that was lovely - but it's so easy to let the few unpleasant visitors spoil the whole experience. And they can be very unpleasant! I think it stems from a lack of understanding about what it is we are doing, and assuming that we just sell the products; those that understand that we design and make everything ourselves are the lovely ones!
Anyway - selling 4 skeins of yarn, one card and one lavender bag did not make for a successful weekend! Ho hum - onwards and upwards!
But at least our show stand is gradually coming together (this was at the end of the weekend with the damp getting to the photos, wellies at the ready and my lovely plants ready to take home)

Llanidloes in Mid Wales sometimes seems a million miles away from more 'happening' places, but the Minerva Arts Centre (http://www.quilt.org.uk/) hosts a range of events, including exhibitions of quilts and embroideries. And in October there will be The Real Colour Show. This is being co-ordinated by Jim and Di Gaffney of Textile Techniques in Bishops Castle and will be centred on textiles coloured with natural dyes. Participants are:

Textile Techniques

www.textiletechniques.co.uk

Helen Melvin

www.fieryfelts.co.uk

Jane Meredith

www.plantdyedwool.co.uk

Jan Parry

.......and us! Llynfi Textiles

www.llynfitextiles.co.uk

There will also be a programme of talks and workshops. A long way from most people on C & G, but if anyone finds themselves near Llanidloes, the exhibition will be running from 17th - 20th October.

Well - we all need distractions, and anyway, working in my garden gives me room to think.  The previous owners simply kept the spaces mown and strimmed. Which is ok, except that the corner of Japanese Knotweed wasn't obvious for a while!

In the garden as in knitting, I prefer quieter combinations of colours, and  interesting contrasts of texture. And I unashamedly love the 'old-fashioned' sorts of flowers, but not too much in the way of fiery colours. But all that's to come - while waiting for the builders to start I can begin on my blank canvas.
There is also the mill-pond which is below the formal part of the garden, but above the mill, and in need of renovation. Plenty to do......I'm hoping it will be a place of great inspirations!!

Some photos of 'our' snow taken mostly by my eldest daughter, who does have a knack for a good image (I think).