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The Times newspaper online – News in Pictures

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Last summer I took part in a photoshoot at my studio, at the request of professional photographer Russell Sach who was working on a project to capture artisan craft workers in their environment.

One of his images is featured in today’s Times Newspaper – News in Pictures for Monday 8th March 2021

This is the image and here is the link to the full feature https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/news-in-pictures-monday-march-8-2021-7zgwnh6tz

My studio is situated in the countryside a few miles from Cirencester, so lots of outside shots were taken too; this image is showing the Yoga Meditation rugs I have been weaving during the past year. During lockdown I had no income from teaching so these were created to generate an income. They were (and still are) available to purchase or to commission a bespoke pattern/colourway.

©RUSSELL SACH – 0771 882 6138

Coldcroft Farm Ryeland sheep’s wool blankets, scarves and fabric

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Ryeland sheep’s wool blankets in two colourways. Windowpane check herringbone.

In the late summer of 2019, I was contacted by the owners of Coldcroft Farm (located just outside Gloucester), who had around 80kg of yarn which had been spun by The Natural Fibre Company from the fleece of their rare-breed Ryeland sheep. They wanted their wool woven into blankets using the two natural colours of the ‘white’ and ‘coloured’ Ryeland fleece but needed my assistance with the weave structure and patterning, and to work with a weaving mill to produce in quantity.

I wove samples by hand in potential structures (basketweave, twill, honeycomb and others) then designed the placement of the stripes and overall aesthetic of the textile including the appropriate thickness and weight. The range was expanded to include generous scarves, throws and yardage of fabric in two colour-ways.

Meditation Rugs in Shetland Wool

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Handwoven Meditation Rug in Dark Grey British Shetland Wool & Plant dyes.

Following the lockdown period at home, I returned to my studio and the tools of my trade, my floor looms. The framework for my year comes from the courses I teach, the craft festivals I attend and the exhibitions I develop new designs for; these were all gone. Using trial samples of a new wool yarn and left-over natural dyed yarn, I revisited one of my designs inspired by Fairisle knitting patterns. It was joyful to allow myself to experiment; the shapes and scale of the patterns and the combination of colours.

For my first rug, the design was inspired by the symbol for Earth from the i-Ching; seeking a motif with significance to Meditation, I sought my Yoga teacher’s guidance. For the 2nd rug I just wanted to use some fabulous pinks and a design I love, as the ‘noughts’ on the front become ‘crosses’ on the reverse.

Handwoven Meditation Rug in Dk.Grey British Shetland Wool & natural dyes

‘Into the Light’ – Exhibition in Chichester

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I have been selected to show work created during the Coronavirus ‘lockdown’ and since being able to return to my weave studio.

The meditation rugs I am showing were woven by hand on one of my smaller vintage floor looms, initially using materials I had in stock. The spirit of self-reliance extended to making dyes for my wool from plants which were different as the season changed; wild cow parsley to multi-coloured dahlia flowers. The colours from nature’s palette zing against the un-dyed shades of grey from the Shetland breed of sheep.

Studio Weaving Sessions for 2020

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Backstrap Loom with a rigid heddle

Dates and information for studio weaving sessions in 2020 can be found under the COURSES tab.

An opportunity to “do some more weaving” has been requested by several of the ‘students’ who have recently attended one of my Introduction to Weaving day workshops. I plan to open my weave studio one day a month to facilitate this; I will be on hand to provide equipment, yarns, know-how and hopefully inspiration to those who want to continue their learning and exploration of weaving.