Which stitch markers? Stitch markers are quite a personal thing! Some prefer a loop and dangly bead or charm which slide along your needle, some prefer a clip and charm, more useful for crochet to … read more ›
Current projects and holiday plans! I suppose if nothing else the colours of my current projects are seaside-y! When I planned this post a couple of months ago, none of us could’ve predicted how our … read more ›
How are you coping with the lockdown? Are you feeling OK or are you struggling a bit like me? I find that when I’m feeling anxious, its even more important to maintain my daily rituals … read more ›
Slowing Down and Mindfulness is the first blog of a series written for Gorgeous Yarns by Lucy Partridge of Ramsical Creations. We are all too aware that our lives are increasingly busy and that we … read more ›
Part 1 The solar dye experiment jars I set up in January have had 6 months of “brewing” and have been emptied, rinsed and dried. You may remember I wanted to test whether the UV … read more ›
Changes are afoot! Things are changing…. Over the next few months after Stitch Fest South West (4-5th November at Newton Abbot racecourse) I’m planning a revamp of the yarns I dye, the colours I dye, … read more ›
Photo by Martin Schmidli Its British Wool month in October and I thought I’d give a personal view of why wool matters. Have a look at this You Tube video too…. In 2018 there were … read more ›
Alpacas, tell me more! Last month I paid a visit to Sandra on her small holding near Praze-and-Beeble, just up the road from me in Helston. Sandra runs https://www.alpacasofcornwall.co.uk/ and has a small herd of … read more ›
Hmmm. ChiaoGoo Shorties or DPNs? Until recently I was undecided. I have always used DPNs for socks, narrow sleeves and other small diameter ‘in the round’ projects and ChiaoGoo circulars with 5″ tips for larger … read more ›
Holiday yarn shopping We went on holiday to Italy recently and in Lucca I found this wonderful yarn shop! Of course I couldn’t resist going in to have a look….. Inside the shop it was … read more ›
Last week I finished the first part of a longer mordanting experiment. I wanted to test how different mordanting methods affect how light fast a skein of yarn is, or whether there isn’t much difference … read more ›
What is Cochineal? Cochineal is a fascinating natural dye stuff. It is believed to have been discovered for world wide use by Conquistador Hernan Cortes on his exploration of southern America in the early 1500s … read more ›
Why does wool matter? Last weekend I was at Fibre Quest, a show at Fern Hill Farm on the Mendips. The aim of the show is to reaffirm the connection between farm and fibre and” … read more ›
Solar dye jars are an easy way of dyeing your own yarn without any special equipment. They are also a great way of creating multi-coloured skeins. I have been using this technique for over 5 … read more ›
Yarn shows this autumn are back in full swing. Are you going to any? Yarn shows are like tempting sweetie shops for most knitters and it can be easy to get distracted. Do you ever … read more ›
Madder is my favourite dye stuff; to grow, use and for the colours it gives; here’s why…. About Madder Madder (Rubia Tinctorum) has been used for centuries to give a range of beautiful rich red, … read more ›
Have you grown any dye plants this year or foraged for anything that gives good colour? Many dye plants can give colour as a fresh leaf/flower/bark/seed, but you may not want to use them immediately … read more ›
Blue can be a difficult colour to find naturally to dye with so how do natural dyers create blue colours? Let me tell you more…. There are two main sources of blue for natural dyers; … read more ›
I’ve been working on my first natural dyeing book for 18 months now and its finally at the publishers. It has been a really fulfilling commitment of time but I have really enjoyed all the … read more ›
As the spring dye plant growing season comes closer, I can’t help but feel the urge to get out into the garden again. Today on the blog I thought it would be nice to talk … read more ›
Ever wanted to learn natural dyeing but thought it was going to be lots of hassle at home? Today I want to dispel that myth once and for all so that you can enjoy the … read more ›
