Wool

Weaving — Needle Felt

Below are examples of my work with wool. My first encounter with wool was learning how to spin in 1975, which quickly progressed to weaving with hand-spun wool the following winter. I also have a passion for using the ancient art of 'Ikat', which is the oldest known way of getting patterns on cloth in Asia. This is created by tie-dyeing your warp or weft threads to stop the dye from going into the wool, and these threads can be manipulated to create different designs. For these, I usually use natural dyes also. I am hoping to find the time (Ikat is very time-consuming) to do some more Ikat dyed and woven scarves using natural dyes.

I now mainly work with commercial wool and other fibres and have been weaving with Collinette dyed wools produced in Mid Wales to weave scarves to sell.

Needle felting is a relatively new skill I have acquired and makes charming 3D pieces, including birds, animals, Christmas decorations and more.

I have also recently developed a simple rustic 'weaving kit' for people to have a go at weaving, using lots of lovely coloured and natural threads and fleece. Currently there are 5 different styles available, each with a different theme — Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, and a pretty Lilac Lavender colour way too.

Scarves

Below are examples of beautiful scarves that are woven by hand on a floor loom.

Handwoven scarf using Collinette hullabaloo yarn
Handwoven on a floor loom, using Collinette 'hullabaloo' yarn. This yarn is aran punctuated with a twist of pure black Welsh wool.
Ikat-dyed scarf detail
The design on this beautiful lightweight scarf was created using the Ikat technique, tie-dyeing the warp prior to warping the loom, using the natural dye of onion skins.
Ikat scarf dyed with fustic, indigo and cochineal
The design on this lightweight scarf was created using the Ikat technique, using natural dyes of fustic, fustic overdyed with indigo, cochineal and indigo.
Ikat scarf dyed with cochineal, fustic and indigo
The design on this lightweight scarf was created using the Ikat technique, using natural dyes of cochineal, fustic and indigo.

Rugs

Beautiful hand-woven rugs, made from local Welsh sheep fleece in natural colours. These rugs are about 1" thick, woven on a linen or cotton warp, and ideal for lazing on in front of the fire.

Rune of Protection rug
'Rune of Protection' rug made from white and black fleece sheep, woven 'Navaho style' (an enclosed continuous warp with no fringing), 6' x 4'6", about 1" thick. Sold and went to Russia.
Fleece rug on a Dryad floor loom
Fleece rug, woven on a Dryad two-shaft rug floor loom, approx. 1" thick, approx. 5' x 3', made from natural dark and light grey, white and dark brown sheep fleece.
Ying Yang design rug
The 'Ying Yang' design sheep fleece rug, woven Navaho style, approx. 5' x 3', 1" thick. Natural white, black and a small amount of natural-dyed yellow sheep fleece.
Zig Zag rug
The 'Zig Zag' rug is made from carded sheep fleece pulled out as it was woven, so thinner than the others. Natural-dyed indigo, cochineal, natural dark brown and white fleece, woven on a floor loom, 6' x 32".

Needle Felt

Handcrafted needle-felted animals from Welsh wool.

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