Wednesday 26 December 2012

Happy Yuletide...

...and a very Happy new Year to you all


Wednesday 21 November 2012

winter warming...

...soup
who can fail to love soup at this time of the year
especially if you can make your own delicious concoction
Celeriac Soup
how about trying this wonderful recipe from Rhoda at country homes and interiors 
a celeriac soup with a little single cream in at the end of cooking for extra comfort
if you don't have a slow cooker or rayburn, just cook in a big pan the normal way you would make soup making sure that this wonderful vegetable is cooked till just soft

its delicious

xxx

Thursday 15 November 2012

woollen rooster...

...doorstops to prop open your yuletide door
perhaps?
all made with welsh wool cloth
woven at a local woollen mill
keeping alive an industry that was once huge in wales
and produced some of the finest woven fabrics

this woollen mill does indeed produce beautiful wool cloth

check out this great woollen mill at the national wool museum of wales


tea cosies too

keep cosie
xxx


Sunday 23 September 2012

autumn days...

... are well and truly upon us
I Love Autumn
although i haven't got out to enjoy it so much lately
not even to berry pick
i am busy making, spinning and weaving gorgeous woolly wonders
which is just 6 days away
(no hint of panic in my voice...not much!)

I will be spinning wool and also showing the uses of a peg loom
and weaving too
there will be heaps to see and do
rare breed sheep sale, drovers
crafts and food stalls
and more 
see you there
come say hello
xxx

Thursday 30 August 2012

monmouth show...

... a great day
the sun shone
and the fabulous gun dogs of
showed us how amazingly well trained and clever they are

i do love black labs

... i was demonstrating wool spinning and peg loom weaving

i was in the country matters area
and as luck would have it
so were the usk valley gun dogs
gorgeous

along with these fine lovelies
a whole wonder of great sheep, cattle and horses
crafts, bodging, bee keeping and good food
could be found at the show

a really great day out
did i mention that the sun was shining all day?
made a great show even better
xxx

Friday 24 August 2012

spinning and weaving demos at ...


i have been happy to take part in a special event
at the lovely erwood station crafts centre near builth wells, powys

they have been celebrating the 50th year since the last steam train
ran along the railway line
and sadly no longer

erwood is a restored railway station
...as the name suggests
with a steam loco on tracks
and a great crafts shop and tea rooms

i demonstrated how to use a peg loom
and how to spin wool on my trusty wheel...freya
...
last fri i also met up with a great green woodworker
who turned wonderful bowls all day

 great fun to watch them taking shape

thanks to michael cunningham and his team for a great couple of days

xxx

Wednesday 1 August 2012

new stockist...

stocking cockerel/chicken doorstops handmade using welsh vintage blankets and tweed

also welsh jacob wool rugs
handmade on a tradtional peg loom
made from locally sourced sheep fleeces
most of which are from sheep that graze the fields surrounding my workshop

and hand spun yarn made into crochet flower corsages
this pink one is also dyed by hand using natural plant dye

hand spun jacob yarn corsage

get there if you can
beautiful village and area to go for wonderful walks
fabulous shop and tea rooms too

xxx

Friday 13 July 2012

Anna cafetiere cosie...

 ...here is my first free crochet pattern for you to enjoy
the yarn used is my very own 'tegan wool' hand spun jacob yarn
in a bulky/chunky weight

This is the first crochet pattern i have written
and even though i can happily follow crochet patterns
it is a little trickier to write them
or thats what i found

so here is an easy one for starters

and if you would like' tegan wool' yarn for this or any other project
please contact me or buy from my shop

have fun

xxx

Thursday 5 July 2012

summer events...


...you can find a range of nellie and eve products at the following events

including 'tegan wool' hand spun yarn and a collection of vintage fabrics

come say hello...

*

11th July 2012

attended by Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh

find us in the 'Vintage Village' Marquee

Hand spinning Welsh Jacob fleece into our own lovely hand spun 'tegan wool' yarn
peg rugs, hand crocheted accessories and vintage fabrics also on sale

*
near Builth Wells, Powys
17th August 2012

as part of Erwoods 'Summer of Great events'

and together with 'woolcrafts'

we will be demonstrating hand spinning and how to use a peg loom
'tegan wool' hand spun yarn will be on sale, as well as hand crocheted accessories, rugs, peg looms, kits and Jacob fleeces

*
30th August 2012

as part of the Big Skill marquee
you will find us in the woodland area
demonstrating hand spinning and rug making on a peg loom
'tegan wool' hand spun yarn and accessories will be on sale
along with peg loom kits and jacob fleeces

*
29th-30th September 2012

a local event for nellie and eve

'tegan wool' hand spun yarn, peg loom rugs, hand crocheted accessories and more...

*
more dates for your diary coming soon...

Tuesday 15 May 2012

meet the team...

...of jacob ewes
the girls that give me all
my lovely fleeces to spin with
this is tuppence and she is 10 years old
she is the team leader
this is polly
quite a beauty
and molly
also a knock out
this is ellie
who looks like she needs a haircut
shearing time coming soon

and the lovely clara
cool as a cucumber


so this is just some of the beautiful jacob ewes that i get my fleeces from
all hand washed, hand carded and hand spun

they are all lovingly cared for by hand
a small flock of funny friendly sheep
xxx

Saturday 12 May 2012

sunshine means...

...a yarn drying day
hurray for the sun
a great chance to wash hand spun yarn
and get all that sunshine loveliness into it
local jacob and beulah speckled face fleeces
make lovely yarn
and this lovely lot when dry
is ready to crochet into
 winter neck warmers and cosy cushions
and the chickens went on their merry way
happy to be out in the sun too

happy sunshine weekend folks
xxx

Sunday 6 May 2012

spinning wheel...

...love
meet freya
she is my new spinning wheel
purchased from the lovely joan
whilst i was at the wonderwool show in april
already named and painted when i got her she is a little ashford kiwi
and i think she is so gorgeous
she also spins like a dream
as you can see...i have already spun my first skein on her

spinning wheel happiness
xxx

Monday 30 April 2012

the wonderful...

a really fabulous place to go if you are
even remotely interested in all things woolly
handmade, unique items, great crafts people
beautifully made felt animals and figures

a great place to buy a new spinning wheel at
...more of this later

pretty vintage and screen printed fabric bags
notebooks and purses by mud rabbit
and some real rabbits too
beautiful clothing made from organic welsh wool
a new venture for the lovely ladies
organically hand dye yarns
make the most gorgeous knitwear
and are soil assocaition approved
as is this lovely natural wool by

and yes...the burial cloud
or cosy coffins, as they have been dubbed
 beautifully handmade, thick wool ...a sort of sleeping bag
the ultimate exit if you want a very eco send off
...and if like me
you love all things woolly

happy days
xxx
in builth wells, powys
and is usually the last weekend of april

see you next year 

Monday 16 April 2012

hand spun ...

...jacob yarn

i have been busy 
hand processing wool
ready to deliver to solva woollen mill in pembrokeshire
this is all jacob wool
from a local flock based in our village
i wash all the fleeces by hand
the fleece is then carded to give all the wool fibres
a uniform long smooth feel
which are then ready to
spin by hand
ply ed
then
hey presto
you have gorgeous natural wool
ready to knit, crochet or weave with

more hand spun yarn will be available to buy
from our own shop very soon

keep a check on our website