A Hebridean tapestry weaving

Twenty years ago I did a short evening course in tapestry weaving, at the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal, taught by Jilly Edwards. I haven't done much since then, but I thoroughly enjoyed doing this one and learnt a lot. I just need more time and a bigger frame - inspired by Hoxa gallery on Orkney. The wools that I used were from a mixture of suppliers and some I spun and dyed myself. Most wools were spun and some dyed by Chris Crofts - from the Wool Clip in Caldbeck; others were from Jamieson's of Shetland and then the speckled yarn was from Mothy and Squid yarn.

When working I had a loose plan, but really it just developed as it went - I photographed it regularly and then on a printed version roughed in the next couple of blocks - these invariably didn't match the plan exactly, so the photograph and plan process was repeated.

Red squirrel - Keswick

Whilst out walking I was looking at something and then heard a kind of turkey-like gobbling noise ....the dog became alert and I realised we were being scolded by a lovely red squirrel that leapt off through the canopy ...the dog did well and stayed 'down' as instructed, as I kept an eye on the squirrel. It leapt around, finally coming to rest on a branch where it snoozed in the sun...it gave me time to take photos and to just stand and enjoy ....so lucky!

Fungi in the woods ...

A lovely walk in the woods near Keswick - the number of species is rising!

Fungi including earth balls, chanterelles and hedgehogs....

...and cordyceps, the elastic saddle, boletes and horn of plenty....

......ink cap sp and possible curtain crusts. 

Late summer moth trap

We've hardly been able to trap at all this year as the weather has been so unreliable, or life has got in the way but the night of the 24th / 25th proved to be a good one! The highlight was a new species for us - the 'anomalous'. We had 37 species and the largest number went to the common rustic, followed by the yellow underwing, the common rustic and antler moths.

LH column: dark arches, antler moth, sallow, canary shouldered thorn; middle column: centre barred sallow, angle shades, silver y, early thorn, satellite and RH column: chinese character, common rustic, rosy rustic, gold spot and anomalous.

Canary shouldered thorn and angles shades.

Canary shouldered thorn.

Canary shouldered thorn.

Thamnolia vermicularis lichen

Commonly known as the 'white worm' lichen it has a very limited distribution in the Lake District. So while on our walk over Robinson, Hindscarth and Dale head we photographed, recorded 10 figure grid references and altitude for the colonies we found. While there were many individual 'worms' we only recorded more significant growths. So some pictures of the different colonies - found on the summits of Robinson nad Hindscarth - all at an altitude of around 700m.

You can see it in the foreground - it gives you an idea of the habitat. 

Floating Bur Reed

While taking a photograph of Dale Head looking across to Dale Head yesterday, the light fell perfectly on the floating bur reed and we also had a visitation by a common hawker.

Across to Dale Head.

Floating bur reed in the sun.

Floating bur reed.

Common hawker ovipositing...and below. 

Robinson, Hindscarth and Dale Head walk

A hot bank holiday Saturday, so up early and parked up on Newlands Hause to gain some altitude and a very slight breeze. This was a lovely way to approach Dale Head - one of the dog's Wainwrights that he hasn't done. Steep up beside by Moss Force, but once on Robinson a good ridge walk that affords some of the best views I've seen in the Lake District. The slight detour up High Snockrigg is well worth it for the views.

Moss Force 

The view from High Snockrigg.

Looking across Buttermere Moss - which was damp underfoot and across a small tarn to Dale Head.

Lovely Herdie.

The three summits: Robinson, Hindscarth and Dale Head.

General views.

Oysters and mackerel ...in fused glass!

Another fused glass session with RD Glass and more experimentation. I'd like to make an oyster platter with depressions for the oysters, once opened, to sit in. As a first attempt I have layered kiln paper in the shape of an oyster; then a top layer of glass will slump over it, before the whole thing is turned upside down to form the bowl ....well we'll see how that goes! Plan B is to create a clay forma to take a cast from that glass can slump into...exciting!

The second piece was experimenting with powders and wire to make a mackerel ...why....when I've failed many times to produce a decent mackerel in many media would I try glass! It's going to be a bowl and hopefully the powders will blend nicely and show up sufficiently to colour the fish. We'll see!

The powders will change in colour! I hope! 

My final piece was an abstract landscape based on the cliff tops on Anglesey...

Gait Barrows NNR - Autumn!

A quick nip into Gait Barrows, being as we were literally driving past the entrance. No butterflies of any note flying around and an alarming number of fruits, nuts and berries!

Sloes; hawthorn; herb Paris; yew; lily of the valley; bramble; acorns; rowan and hazel nuts...signs of autumn. 

Limestone pavement.

Grykes. 

Hart's tongue fern. 

Common darter .

Migrant hawker.

Rust dyed cushion

I've been wondering for a while what to do with my pieces of rust dyed fabric. So finally I got round to putting some together and then hand embroidered them to make a cushion. I did risk using my sewing machine just to sew the main part of the cushion together, but otherwise didn't risk the blunting of needles, or the potential flaking off of tiny bits of rust into the mechanism of the machine. There was no plan - just doodling as I went. Two blogs on my experiments with rust dying are at : here and here.

Fabric samples.

The design.

My 'helper'.

The cushion...

Finished .

Silverdale - Autumn ladies tresses

After visiting Humphrey Head we travelled, via lunch at Latterbarrow, to a small site near Silverdale - what a splendid display of autumn ladies tresses!

The Cove, Silverdale 

Looking back towards Arneside.

The path through the woods.

The field ...

The autumn ladies tresses....

...and more!