For the last few months I don’t seem to have found much time for felting or dyeing or even contemplating it.

Shame

I haven’t even found time for blog writing !

But why ?

Spring in the garden and a plan to grow a lot of vegetables is one reason. Family time and holidays another.

Time to reflect and really contemplate on where I am going and what to do next. What better place to do this than in All Saints church , Helmsley

I am here all day anyway as I am looking after the Brigantia exhibition which is here until the 24th June.

Sitting here, quietly thinking, and contemplating maybe things aren’t so bleak.

I did go to the IFA AGM and here I attended a wonderful workshop with Yvonne Habbe using book resists. Since I got home I have been experimenting with the technique and now I have three pieces made using this new to me technique .

Not only that I have some ideas what to do next.

I was given a Hebredian fleece in May from the sheep who live in the field behind my house.

Its now washed and dried and I have made a small felt sample to test the fibre.

It felts very like Shetland , so not very readily, but the felt does have a lovely bouncy feel, quite scratchy really. It is just so brown !!!

What can I make with it that I can give to the sheep owners as a Thankyou. ! Problems problems. I am not even sure unless I add something else to these fibres that it will make a beautiful felted item. It needs a lighter curl or maybe some stitching.

I have had a complete ecoprint failure with the new scarfs I bought. It was because  I was rushing and it was a little early in the year and not all the leaves that print well where available. I am contemplating abandoning the whole idea of ecoprinting.  Hard to do this when I am going on a course with India Flint in the Autumn.

Failure to meet my own targets is also concerning me. Doesn’t that sound serious! Just like work .  The only 2018 target I had was to make 1 felted bag each month. So I should have 6 new ones my now and I only have 3 . In my defence I have been experimenting with new designs , which have worked but need a little tweak here and there.

So where to go from here ? Does it even matter . No not really, but I am contemplating a plan, I have always felt better with a bit of of a plan.

I think I have to put the ecoprinting on the back burner just for now and focus on my felting.

It was my first love .

So refreshed and focused after my quiet contemplating I will go to Woolfest  at Cockermouth on Friday with a light heart and renew my felting inspirations.