tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18817176665514596292024-02-19T07:14:12.175+00:00sparkleducksparkleduckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593918705030914641noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881717666551459629.post-39952366845431570522013-03-07T16:11:00.000+00:002013-03-07T16:11:49.789+00:00Unravel 2013<i>Whoooosh!</i><br />
That was January and February zooming by...<br />
January was rather grey, February was a bit brighter, and then there was <a href="https://farnhammaltings.com/festivals/unravel/" target="_blank">Unravel</a> at Farnham Maltings!<br />
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As ever, the Maltings was wonderfully <strike>decorated</strike> yarnbombed (and this year, the sheep on the front lawn didn't make a bid for freedom). The theme for the riverside cafe was 'Under the sea'. I think my favourite was the shoal of fish suspended from the ceiling. <a href="http://visalisa.blogspot.se/2013/02/unravel.html" target="_blank">Visa Lisa</a> has a nice slideshow on her blog of her experiences of the weekend.<br />
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Our stand was in the courtyard Kiln - a lovely light room at the end of a corridor. We shared the room with <a href="http://www.ukalpaca.com/" target="_blank">UK Alpaca</a> and <a href="http://www.hooplayarn.co.uk/" target="_blank">Hoopla Yarn</a>. After setting up our stalls on Friday, we all decided that the sign out in the corridor looked a little cold and lonely, so on Saturday morning, we decorated it and found it some friends (to the delight of Amy from the Maltings).<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/8536127739/" title="unravel2013_sign by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><img alt="unravel2013_sign" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8252/8536127739_0b6b5481cf.jpg" height="500" width="347" /></a>
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I spent Friday evening crocheting scarves for the pair of tiny ducks. <br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/8536128293/" title="unravel2013_littleduck by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><img alt="unravel2013_littleduck" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8527/8536128293_958d8a5414_n.jpg" height="268" width="320" /></a>
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(yes, I can crochet if I have to, and I didn't have any dpns with me for my initial i-cord plan)<br />
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The bigger ducks were presiding over the stand
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/8537234050/" title="unravel2013_stand by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><img alt="unravel2013_stand" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8228/8537234050_0259515040.jpg" height="239" width="500" /></a>
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We were so busy that I didn't get chance to escape to take many photographs or to go shopping for very long (shock, horror!), although I did manage to get a felting kit from <a href="http://www.coriandr.com/shop/jennymade" target="_blank">Jenny Barnett</a>, one of the Unravel festival bags, some Hoopla Yarn, and a hooky project pouch from the <a href="http://undercoverowl.wordpress.com/2013/02/23/unravel-day-one-2/" target="_blank">Undercover Owl</a>. And, I had a nice catch-up with <a href="http://www.onehandknits.co.uk/" target="_blank">OneHandKnits</a> (who didn't tell me that she had a lovely new pattern out!), and I met Ruth from <a href="http://www.rockandpurl.com/2013/02/27/48h-of-madness-an-unravel-round-up/" target="_blank">Rock + Purl</a> and the list of things-I-really-want-to-knit expanded even further... <br />
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Thank you so much to everyone who came to say hello, bought yarn, chatted, brought sweeties and made it such a wonderful two days. I'm looking forward to next time!<br />
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<br />sparkleduckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593918705030914641noreply@blogger.com0Farnham, Surrey, UK51.211682456456955 -0.797989368438720751.210438956456954 -0.80051086843872066 51.212925956456957 -0.79546786843872075tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881717666551459629.post-56602496899781948482012-12-31T23:43:00.000+00:002012-12-31T23:43:12.287+00:00Hello, I'm back!<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So,</span> I haven't really been properly <i>away</i> much this year until December, when I ended up abroad twice in three weeks.<br />
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The first trip was to Denmark, as my friend Lisbeth was getting married. The second trip was to Austria, for Christmas without the stress of who's cooking / washing up and being cooped up whilst the UK weather and TV conspire against you. The rest of the time (in between wool shows), I've just been tired and not really up to writing anything coherent.<br />
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I've now had my last day in the office, and whilst I'll miss some of the lovely people that I've been working with, it is a huge relief to have reached the end of three years of trying to do my best at a job with an unpredictable workload whilst learning to cope with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (which really needs me to establish a routine and pace myself carefully). Now that I've got control of my schedule, I can rest when I need to and hopefully get more done overall - particularly Sparkleduck dyeing and web updates, but also knitting, spinning, patchwork, quilting, drawing, painting, photography and generally making a colourful mess :o) <br />
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Today has been a 'friends' day - meeting up in Cambridge, and hearing from someone who had vanished from the radar for a while. M has taken the chocolate brownies that we baked earlier to share at a New Year's Eve party. I'll have to catch on that tomorrow, as I need to rest if I want to stand a chance of coping with tomorrow in a smiley manner.<br />
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Happy New Year!sparkleduckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593918705030914641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881717666551459629.post-91286874667566152012-04-01T23:58:00.000+01:002012-04-01T23:58:19.164+01:00FriendsThe last week has been a bit rough. I started to make a list of people who, whether they realised it or not, have helped me with hope, smiles, confidence and acceptance.<br />
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So, thank you, Ben, Dot, Eddy, Eva, Gerri, Jane, Joe, Kirsten, Liz, Marcus, Marie-Louise, Mark, Michael, Miri, Rosie, Steph and Susan for guiding me through. I've discovered that I'm not as isolated as I thought.sparkleduckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593918705030914641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881717666551459629.post-29690190150863971562012-03-06T23:09:00.000+00:002012-03-06T23:09:02.253+00:00Unravel<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6959961963/" title="unravel_sign by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><img alt="unravel_sign" height="204" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7205/6959961963_4207809e42.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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Hello!<br />
I can hardly believe that it's just over a week since Unravel (and two months since I last posted. Ooooops!)<br />
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If you've never been, <a href="http://www.farnhammaltings.com/news/festivals/749/447/318/unravel.aspx" target="_blank">Unravel</a> is held at <a href="http://www.farnhammaltings.com/" target="_blank">Farnham Maltings</a>, and is very friendly and fun. The Maltings gets <strike>decorated</strike> yarnbombed (I loved the knitted moles in their molehills on the front lawn, keeping the live sheep company), and the festival of wool has been growing each year. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6813849600/" title="unravel_moles by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><img alt="unravel_moles" height="166" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7059/6813849600_da4e4ea3ff.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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Last year, I admired Seren Stacey's <a href="http://www.serenstacey.com/abumbleofbees.html" target="_blank">"A Bumble of Bees"</a> exhibit. This year, the sparkleduck stall was in that very spot!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6959959313/" title="unravel_sparkleduck by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><img alt="unravel_sparkleduck" height="266" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7043/6959959313_b3acd359d8.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6813840142/" title="window_duck by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><img alt="window_duck" height="240" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7040/6813840142_0d0cfe49a5_m.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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We shared the Tannery with 6 other exhibitors - Eliza Conway, <a href="http://www.designsbyit.co.uk/" target="_blank">IT</a>, <a href="http://www.jeanettesloandesign.com/" target="_blank">Jeanette Sloan</a>, <a href="http://www.marykilvert.com/" target="_blank">Mary Kilvert</a> (who designed the fabulous Unravel bags), <a href="http://www.namolio.com/" target="_blank">Namolio</a>, and the <a href="http://www.onehandknits.com/blog/" target="_blank">OneHandKnits</a> and <a href="http://www.folksy.com/shops/theundercoverowl" target="_blank">The Undercover Owl</a> duo.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6813833786/" title="eliza_rainbow by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><img alt="eliza_rainbow" height="240" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7182/6813833786_fb25cf33b6_m.jpg" width="89" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6959944473/" title="jeanette by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><img alt="jeanette" height="240" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7185/6959944473_d77550dd2f_m.jpg" width="210" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6959948445/" title="undercover_bunting by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><img alt="undercover_bunting" height="121" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7044/6959948445_3d443e659e_m.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6960160649/" title="DSC_4482 by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4482" height="267" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7067/6960160649_98589de6d1.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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It was lovely to meet lots of new people and old friends over the weekend.<br />
A little ducky parcel hatched into these two cuties:<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6959941363/" title="ducky_package by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><img alt="ducky_package" height="155" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7202/6959941363_9ef1c7ac68_m.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6959941825/" title="unravel_quackers by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><img alt="unravel_quackers" height="145" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7050/6959941825_be16e2c565_m.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
The keyring-torch quacks, and I spent the remainder of the weekend wandering around lighting up and quacking... Thank you, EveE! <br />
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This little chap formed a cunning plan to keep me quiet on Sunday by kicking the skein of yarn that his mother was winding into a nice tangle on the floor. <br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6813827468/" title="unravel_charmer by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><img alt="unravel_charmer" height="186" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7178/6813827468_c644fba1d5_m.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
As some of you may know, I quite like untangling things, so I spent the morning cheerfully chatting to visitors through a skein of yarn... then these appeared to say 'thank you!' (the fourth, a lemon tart, escaped with <a href="http://wrigglefingers.com/" target="_blank">Wrigglefingers</a> who helped me when I started flagging at lunchtime)<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6814045750/" title="DSC_4480 by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4480" height="161" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7201/6814045750_e1c75de653_m.jpg" width="240" /></a>sparkleduckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593918705030914641noreply@blogger.com0Farnham, Surrey, UK51.21163266574667 -0.79828701586916451.187824665746668 -0.839501515869164 51.235440665746673 -0.75707251586916391tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881717666551459629.post-53467514148904079932012-01-06T23:22:00.001+00:002012-01-06T23:49:02.851+00:00On the twelfth day of Christmas...<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">... the few decorations that we'd put up came back down ... including this little chap, who's one of the best Christmas cards I've ever had, I think!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6649611083/" title="festive_duck by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7142/6649611083_e673a5b278_m.jpg" width="224" height="240" alt="festive_duck"></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope that you've had a merry christmas, and that 2012 will be a happy one for you.</span>sparkleduckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593918705030914641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881717666551459629.post-32096233884857112822011-08-29T23:11:00.000+01:002011-08-29T23:11:06.635+01:00It's Making Monday time again<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hello again... it's been another week of very little making. I've added about an inch of ribbing to one sock, started the toe of another because I was impatient to try the yarn, and perhaps most importantly, I've been trying to <span style="color: #741b47;">make an effort</span> to rest enough, as I'm on a fairly rapid medication change, and I stand most chance of maintaining an outward appearance of a normal human being if I can channel the amount of energy I normally seem to need to cope with fatigue into maintaining composure instead. Spending about 3 hours during the day on proper rest is actually rather hard - I'm something of a fidget-brain, wanting to explore or do things as much as possible. Sleep, music, audiobooks and feeding the ducks seem to count, but knitting, sewing, reading, the computer, TV, walking, chatting to friends, cooking and spinning are not rest. (grrrrrrrrr!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, whilst not resting, I've made something tangible: cheese scones, from a Delia recipie, with smoked paprika in place of cayenne pepper, and whatever cheese was in the fridge. Yum!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw3YiaGKY2MdgKRhyphenhyphen2nNBMGJkA802k1hhPKyE575gd7oOhyujQe_Yp-0hUYGwDz8VhLkP-QbIsWsMYT3JIsfXUFQLO-0gTMdV5IBVPw-KQhgpL0_SZCyxWDYjiu99Zl0CkojhreUjI6W-H/s1600/Image0725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw3YiaGKY2MdgKRhyphenhyphen2nNBMGJkA802k1hhPKyE575gd7oOhyujQe_Yp-0hUYGwDz8VhLkP-QbIsWsMYT3JIsfXUFQLO-0gTMdV5IBVPw-KQhgpL0_SZCyxWDYjiu99Zl0CkojhreUjI6W-H/s320/Image0725.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M would like to point out that he has contributed to Making Monday by making crumbs from one of the scones ;o)</span>sparkleduckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593918705030914641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881717666551459629.post-69917193705991058942011-08-23T00:22:00.001+01:002011-08-23T18:14:06.456+01:00Making Monday - Look What Other People Made!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wanted to write this post last week, but I just wasn't in a fit state to string words together. The last few weeks have been particularly groggy and unproductive. I've only managed a couple of rows on the Westknits mystery shawl since last time (and the final clue came out today). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My grand achievement for today was 'making' dinner, and that involved feeding pizza, garlic bread and salad to the oven and/or the appropriate slicing device, and I'm not sure that that really counts. It doesn't feel like much to be proud of. Writing this might be a greater achievement.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since I can't celebrate what I've made today, I'll celebrate other people instead. Last weekend - 12th and 13th August, I went to the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My friend Kirsten</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6071331774/" title="kirsten_3874_web by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="kirsten_3874_web" height="240" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6201/6071331774_084958b43e_m.jpg" width="226" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">had a couple of quilts on show, including this 'grow-bag' baby sleeping bag</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6070787515/" title="snugasabug_3893_web by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><img alt="snugasabug_3893_web" height="240" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6204/6070787515_08cbd17053_m.jpg" width="207" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6071332378/" title="snugasabug_detail_3894_web by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><img alt="snugasabug_detail_3894_web" height="199" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6087/6071332378_0f617a5aed_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">complete with dummy. I have a strong suspicion that her daughter will be a happy little ladybird when that quilt gets home!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gillian Cooper</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> had a gallery of her 'Unsung Muses' work (that's her, viewed through one of the pieces is the first picture)</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6071331956/" title="gillian_cooper_3878_web by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="gillian_cooper_3878_web" height="240" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6206/6071331956_26e6bb5b6c_m.jpg" width="161" /></span></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6070787387/" title="gillian_cooper_gallery_3879_web by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="gillian_cooper_gallery_3879_web" height="154" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6072/6070787387_49e00db96b_m.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><u>What about the raw materials?</u></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Everything around us is made. Some of it is made organically, as plants grow. Plant fibres can then be processed, in large factories, primarily by machines, or in smaller factories, with more manual input...</span><br />
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</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6070787879/" title="michael_oakshott_3888_web by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="michael_oakshott_3888_web" height="155" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6202/6070787879_d9b27a8622_m.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Micheal Oakshott of </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oakshott Fabrics</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> sources Oakshott's range of fabrics from a weaving cooperative in India, providing the </span><a href="http://www.oakshottfabrics.com/About-our-fabrics.aspx"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">weavers</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> there with a steady stream of work - and providing quilters with some fabulous fabrics to work with:</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6071332798/" title="oakshott_fabrics_3890_web by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="oakshott_fabrics_3890_web" height="102" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6195/6071332798_1c6384387f_m.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6070788187/" title="oakshott_fabrics_2_3891_web by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="oakshott_fabrics_2_3891_web" height="102" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6069/6070788187_0001a0ca11_m.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the right-hand side of the Oakshott stall is the blur of activity that is <a href="http://www.helenhowestextiles.co.uk/index.html">Helen Howes</a>, who designed and made a lot of the kits and samples that are on display.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally, one of my favourite quilts. It's small (about 30cm square, I think), quite simple, ad a cheery splash of colour:</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6071333066/" title="miniature_from_12_3884_web by sparkleduck, on Flickr"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="miniature_from_12_3884_web" height="420" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6188/6071333066_f386e549b4.jpg" width="388" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've got quite a lot more photos, but the lighting in the exhibition hall varied from orangey sodium to almost daylight, depending on the weather at the time, so some tweaking will be required to make them presentable!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gosh. I think I have another achievement - this post is more than I thought I could manage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See what other people have been up to this week at </span><a href="http://theyarnyard.co.uk/blog/category/making-monday/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://theyarnyard.co.uk/blog/category/making-monday/</span></a>sparkleduckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593918705030914641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881717666551459629.post-41550089662371748162011-08-08T23:52:00.005+01:002011-08-23T00:23:24.701+01:00Making a start<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BeR7N3CLyQFCxGh7CKvqzlRcBJPsgB8Q3W-RdQCOS690r02KKWcNsE06aKOOlufX9pxV53uHhw-W-A_JFwSxuZwdP_j-8PkOW0SsSxZ4A7ouU8R69SRWznXVyEN_DIAzp9oeJRtbpcoS/s1600/peeping_hello.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 198px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638621971928031698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BeR7N3CLyQFCxGh7CKvqzlRcBJPsgB8Q3W-RdQCOS690r02KKWcNsE06aKOOlufX9pxV53uHhw-W-A_JFwSxuZwdP_j-8PkOW0SsSxZ4A7ouU8R69SRWznXVyEN_DIAzp9oeJRtbpcoS/s320/peeping_hello.jpg" /></a>
<br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Hello! I don't seem to have been here much recently, and I'm feeling a bit shy, so just peeping in with <a href="http://www.herdy.co.uk/">Herdy</a> for bright, pink reassurance. </span>
<br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;">There's quite a lot that I'd like to say, but I don't know how to, at the moment, so I'm going to evade that little difficulty for now by joining in with The Yarn Yard's <a href="http://theyarnyard.co.uk/blog/category/making-monday/">Making Monday</a> blog project.</span>
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<br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;">Just little things for now...
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<br />I've turned this...</span></p>
<br /><a title="DSC_3864 by sparkleduck, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6023353605/"><img alt="DSC_3864" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6085/6023353605_a421c0361c.jpg" width="500" height="334" /></a>
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<br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;">...into this...</span></p>
<br /><a title="DSC_3866 by sparkleduck, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/6023356051/"><img alt="DSC_3866" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6088/6023356051_0d049be468.jpg" width="500" height="334" /></a>
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<br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;">...which is the first clue from the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/westknits-mystery-shawl-kal-2011-earth--sky">WestKnits KAL mystery shawl</a>
<br />The yarns share two colours each, so it's going to be low contrast, but no issues with the colours clashing.</span>
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<br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;">I've also persuaded my much neglected sourdough starter to show signs of life - look - bubbles!</span>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWbd7QYPzzz2U2XXVKsSugqGU3woctzCn4UDrOZEIQwdemjroz3BShAh6B7mNrR9Mvwhm547n3vV9urI_Otg0YDFc-eGeBIO5uT950iZbtqWnKrv1hEPLUBuPoZvecXmaplGhWu-1t0SKi/s1600/signsoflife.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 218px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638624088814883858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWbd7QYPzzz2U2XXVKsSugqGU3woctzCn4UDrOZEIQwdemjroz3BShAh6B7mNrR9Mvwhm547n3vV9urI_Otg0YDFc-eGeBIO5uT950iZbtqWnKrv1hEPLUBuPoZvecXmaplGhWu-1t0SKi/s320/signsoflife.jpg" /></a>
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<br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;">If there hadn't been any life left in it, it would have been evicted from the kitchen</p></span>
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<br />sparkleduckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593918705030914641noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881717666551459629.post-11740484790011219092010-06-27T17:36:00.004+01:002010-06-27T17:42:47.638+01:00Woolfest<span style="font-family:arial;">Yay! I made it to Woolfest for both days, met lots of lovely people, had a good natter with friends, and am now sitting on a sunny beach in Cumbria. (yes, you did read that correctly - sunny and Cumbria in the same sentence)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">See you in a few days!</span>sparkleduckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593918705030914641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881717666551459629.post-41598074236183979262009-11-01T23:37:00.003+00:002009-11-01T23:44:14.846+00:00Chocolate!<span style="font-family:arial;">Is it wrong to buy chocolate just because the wrapper is a pretty colour?<br /></span><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399283809404626034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8VohmwNb-tzS0n_OC6NA33fOwEhQseieHfvuPSZ1BnAaTvatISrQgf-WaMBEgb2sLw8UoeFEzYTuMigHQN5NGi2QSK-oUNWOu_sPJVvVZ6gmY4FDGqfrcTdXaehuK6MoQo21wiQdyagH1/s320/milk_chocolate.JPG" border="0" /> <span style="font-family:arial;">Or indeed, two bars, because they looked nice together? I wouldn't usually buy milk chocolate, but it <em>is</em> Green & Blacks, so my husband didn't mind...</span><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399283814257526930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6S09ZxMMIuzubOI35vIPpmUTgT28PUSu2Xhw7KAvinws3DfcdxrD7yRnX8Bx8ZU27OJ_g4K0mv8Wc7FBwPfWk-IQ9Rw1LAl3CuRtYH-NlzfF4lzVjTxQMLPmi-z09KGWq0SG3WnB6-ST2/s320/dark_chocolate.JPG" border="0" /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">OK, I bought some more - dark, this time. I liked the way that the wrappers complemented each other. And no, I haven't eaten it all yet!</span>sparkleduckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593918705030914641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881717666551459629.post-799533016633427172009-09-20T20:37:00.002+01:002009-09-20T21:30:38.809+01:00Yarn at I Knit Weekender<div style="PADDING-RIGHT: 3px; PADDING-LEFT: 3px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 3px; PADDING-TOP: 3px; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><a title="photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/3904494274/"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 2px solid" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2611/3904494274_2babd1311e.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px;font-size:0;" ><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/3904494274/">Autumn in the Woods</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/26447766@N08/">sparkleduck</a>.</span></div><p>This is probably my favourite out of the yarns that I sent to the I Knit Weekender. It's a merino lace / cobweb weight, in a colourway called 'Autumn in the Woods'. It's autumnal, without scaring those who aren't exceptionally fond of orange.</p><br /><br /><br /><div style="PADDING-RIGHT: 3px; PADDING-LEFT: 3px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 3px; PADDING-TOP: 3px; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><a title="photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/3904521180"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 2px solid" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3095/3904521180_e9bf2f6763.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px;font-size:0;" ><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/3904521180">Copper Beech</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/26447766@N08/">sparkleduck</a>.</span></div><p>This is another of my favourites - a merino / silk lace weight in 'Copper Beech'. The true colour is slightly browner than I can see on my screen right now.<em> </em>I dyed some baby alpaca / cashmere / silk laceweight in this colourway this week - just one skein, to see if I liked it, and it's not going to escape - it's going to become a <a href="http://ysolda.com/store/accessories/damson/">Damson</a> shawl for me. I think I'll be dyeing more of this one...</p><br /><br /><div style="PADDING-RIGHT: 3px; PADDING-LEFT: 3px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 3px; PADDING-TOP: 3px; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><a title="photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/3904482420/"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 2px solid" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3452/3904482420_3598a70a39.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px;font-size:0;" ><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26447766@N08/3904482420/">The Birds Ate the Berries</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/26447766@N08/">sparkleduck</a>.</span></div><br /><p>This one is 'The Birds Ate the Berries', on a 100% merino sock yarn. It's a high twist yarn, and quite bouncy. It was inspired by the evidence left behind (usually on your nice, clean car or windows) when the birds have discovered the brambles.</p><p>If you missed it at I Knit, there should be sparkleduck yarn available from the <a href="http://www.woollyworkshop.co.uk/">Woolly Workshop</a> shortly.</p>sparkleduckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593918705030914641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881717666551459629.post-69950586879299697192009-09-11T02:39:00.004+01:002009-09-11T02:57:16.094+01:00I Knit WeekenderIt's the I Knit Weekender, starting tomorrow - or should that be today, now?<br /><br />Some of my hand dyed yarn will be there with the Woolly Workshop.<br />There will be:<br /><ul><li>Merino / silk laceweight - 725m / 100g - 70% merino, 30% silk</li><li>Organically farmed merino laceweight - 673m / 50g - 100% merino</li><li>Wool / silk laceweight - 1200m / 150g - 50% wool, 50% silk</li><li>Merino / Tencel laceweight - 800m / 100g - 50% merino, 50% tencel</li><li>High twist superwash merino sock - 330m/125g - 100% superwash merino</li></ul><br />As with all hand dyed yarns, they are best treated gently and handwashed. Sock yarn, obviously, should handle a bit more of a beating...<br /><br />I'm hoping to get an etsy shop up and running very shortly, and make the sparkleduck website somewhat more exciting when I get some more time. It's a tough choice - dye more yarn, knit something, go to I Knit, spend time at the computer making things pretty, or watch ducklings. Yes, ducklings, in September. I'd show you a picture, but I've lost the lead to download the photo from my phone.sparkleduckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593918705030914641noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1881717666551459629.post-34572592836751496782009-07-14T00:14:00.000+01:002009-07-14T00:17:37.618+01:00Hello, world<span style="font-family:arial;">I've temporarily escaped from the Aeolian shawl of forever to grab some blog space ... but I hear the knitting calling again... </span>sparkleduckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593918705030914641noreply@blogger.com2