Crafty Ways With Wool; A Day Out in Hampshire

We took a little trip to the Smallholding at Tufton to check out an event they put on with the Hampshire Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers called Crafty Ways with Wool.
As a knitter, I haven't always given so much thought to where my yarn comes from. It's almost as abstract a concept as my dinner coming from the farm to my fork. It really opened my eyes to a whole new world of textiles and it was fascinating to see how a fleece can become yarn.

Spinning Demonstrations.
Geno and me, meeting the baby alpacas! (He's such a good sport!)
Wool, yarn and dye samples.From fleece to swatch.

Some of the sheep on the farm.

In case you needed to know your shetlands a bit better!

Making stufff: the 'and her bird can sing... 'throw pillow

It was Zoe's birthday yesterday and to celebrate I threw together this little beauty. It's my first attempt at proper quilting - I mean with a traditional pattern - the log cabin. The results turned out to be anything but traditional.
I'm completely obsessed with the idea now and have already set about cutting up all the fabric I can get my hands on into these little 2 1/2 inch strips.
Oh and the embroidery on the back! I just love this little bird, inspired by one I saw in Doodle Stitching by Aimee Ray- a book I've mentioned before here on the blog and another book I just can't help being inspired by. Go out and get it now, even if you've never embroidered before - it is positively overflowing with simple yet stunning designs that can be infinitely used over and over again in a hundred different contexts. Check out her latest work here.
(Tweet.)
And for dessert.....
There is nothing happier than birthday cupcakes, don't you think?

InspirationThis Sunday

Snow drops, daffodils, crocuses, even the first of the season's lambs are wobbling along on knobby knees. Spring? Are you almost here? The weather report disagrees and calls for snow tonight!! March winds, April showers, May flowers, and all that.

Sunday morning finds me reading this gorgeous book on the edible rainbow garden, planning my garden and ordering seeds from Renee on this wonderful website. Finding these funky chickens from bird in the hand tucked away in my website bookmarks and I'm matching fabric from the stash as we speak. I finally pieced Pippa together while convalescing yesterday after having tucked her away for the past 3 months, hopefully she'll be finished this week and I'll be able to show her off. Reading through the archives of this blogger (and this one, oh and this one too!) and falling just a little bit in love.