Sunshine again! Nostalgic visit to Machynellth always means a visit to Ian Snow
(which has grown and grown over the years !) and I never emerge without an empty purse!
E had to visit a friend in hospital in Aberystwyth so after lunch at the University (where we both bemoaned the fact that we weren't young any more!), E went off to the hospital and I had the chance to see the BP Portrait Award exhibition - some very strange and macabre, some were sad and haunting and some were beautiful - interestingly there was a lot of controversy last year when the judges chose a painted portrait of a dying woman
as their winning choice, whereas the public vote went to a wistful photographic image - both powerful images in their own way -???
03/21/2011
Thursday 17th March
Car all packed, dogs in the back and we are off!
It's a long journey but we have lots to talk about and the countryside everywhere is showing signs of spring awakening!
Quick stop on Clee Hill to give the dogs a run and a coffee in Ludlow before the final bit of the journey.
I have been coming here for years but never fail to feel excited as we cross the bridge at Machynellth, past the little white cottages ,
then follow the windy road alongside the river estuary until you come round the final bend and there is Aberdovey in front of you -it never changes -in a good way!
02/18/2011
Thursday17th Feb
Today's challenge.....trying to knit a swatch to look like tartan!
Easier said than done!
Tartan fabric uses the warp and weft threads to alter the colour changes
so it is quite difficult to replicate that in knitted form .
It took 3 attempts before I was happy with the outcome
and needed mega concentration for all the yarn changes on every row!
But finally got there and the swatch is now drying on the blocking board!
Now there is just the challenge of transferring the chart to excel!
(But hopefully I can call on the skills of the 'A'Team to help me with that!)
02/16/2011
Wednesday 16th Feb
Having found all kinds of problems with setting up my blog on my website , I am trying again here!!
The latest issue of The Knitter was on the doorstep when I arrived home today after Knitting group, and there on Page 67 in all it's glory was the Ariel Top and Gauntlets
Seeing it beautifully photographed and styled on the model was amazing -especially as when making the sample and writing up the pattern caused me so many problems that it nearly went out of the window a couple of times!
For those of you interested in Fair Isle Knitting,
I have just arranged to teach a Fair Isle Workshop at Black Hill Wools in Henley on Thames on Saturday April 2nd- further details can be found on my website.
Mr Darcey
Knitwear designer , yarn shop and knitting teacher
