A quiet Monday in January.

Not too many of us at our Monday evening meeting yesterday, but we got a lot done.  Spinning, weaving, exhibition planning, sock knitting ... cake eating, tea drinking.  You can't say we're idle.  And, off-stage, Val and Alan have been busy again.

Val's handspun, dyed carefully in sections and woven by Alan on his  home-made mega pin-loom.

 Thanks once more to Val for the cake and tea.  See you all at Betws yn Rhos next month.

Christmas (only slightly early)

Another Spinning Sunday in Betws yn Rhos, and as it is almost Christmas - but not quite -  we had a suitably celebratory shared lunch.  Amazing soup from Val for starters, which would normally have been a lunch in itself for most of us.  However, we took several deep breaths and pushed on regardless to quiche, beans, salad, humus, sausages, bread etc. etc., and then ....... puddings (scones, fruit....).  I forgot to take a cake photograph as there wasn't any of your actual cake, but here is a post-pudding snap:

Further entertainment was provided with Jenni's Amazing Christmas Quiz with generous prizes.  The questions were decidedly tricky (guess the sheep breed, anyone?) and Bryn had a well deserved first place.
We even managed to get a bit of spinning done - all that treadling must have burned off a few calories, surely?

Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda i bawb!

Peg looms and cake

Some pictures of our peg loom day at Betws yn Rhos on Sunday:

Jenni F. measuring the warp.

Yvonne's "pot holder" loom.

and a woven square (pot holder?).

(and some cake)

Edith's crocheted blankets

 A riot of colour. Edith also shared her patterns amongst fellow crocheters.

Gorgeous Gorjys.

A report from Val, who obviously had a good time at the Gorjys Event at Caerhun Hall on Saturday.  Thanks to all the Guild members who took time to attend, and special thanks to Val and Alan for the use of their campervan.

"We had a very enjoyable weekend at Caerhun, and perfect weather for it.

Krithia, Betty and Shirley came along on Saturday. 

The house and grounds were beautiful with the most spectacular enormous Cedar I have ever seen, under which everyone sat for the Friday night entertainment.  All the mature trees were illuminated and there was a harvest moon to add to the atmosphere.  On Saturday, we listened to a good mix of young musicians on the nearby stage as we spun, chatted (and ate cake ).  There was a constant flow of happy relaxed families and festival go'ers, who took an interest in the Guild stall.  Several people said they would be interested in joining, so we shall see.  We were also able to inform people that they can join a Guild nearer to their home."

Another Sunday spinning.

It gets a bit difficult to think of new and scintillating things to write about our "ordinary" spinning meetings.  What do we do? We "just" meet and spin.  But of course it's not "just" that.  Everyone is doing something slightly different, and everyone learns from everyone else.
This time in Betws yn Rhos:
Shirley was spinning some gorgeous coloured mixed tops (with silk?) and fixed the clunk in her wheel with a little oil from Edith.  Edith also fixed Alison's spinning wheel with the gift of a tiny piece of electrical cable to connect the treadle to the conrod - if that's what it's called.  Bryn is soldiering on with her Wensleydale fleece for the Certificate of Achievement, and it looks quite fluffy for a lustre yarn.  It will certainly be warm when it's made into something... or other.
Betty produced a top secret item for the Clwyd Guild challenge (a clue:  it's knitted purl 2, knit 1 on every row and comes out as a really textured rib).  Yvonne demonstrated some fiendishly fast and stretchy knitting on a cast-off, but I still don't know how she did it.  Jenni and Kate enjoyed some peaceful spinning time out of their hectic schedules.
Apart from spinning, we did our usual chatting, but this time there were long spells of complete silence as everyone concentrated on their work.  Even the spinning wheels were fairly quiet most of the time, apart from an occasional clunk/whirr/squeak, and we luxuriated in the peace of a rural North Wales Sunday.  Young Edryd, who is going to be the strong silent type, joined in the quiet on the whole although he did occasionally feel moved to fill the space with some carefully chosen baby splutterings.  Mostly, however, he just kept an eye on us to make sure we behaved.

One side of the room..

...and the other side.

No cake pictures this time, as there wasn't any cake.  

AC