About this blog

A blog about the meanderings of a craft designer and hand maker living in a beautiful island at the end of the earth....I'm a weaver addicted to her little Ashford Knitters Loom, a crocheter, knitter, painter, gardener and grandma. Rowena lives in Tasmania - a world apart, not a world away!

Craft is a social activity, shaped by communal resources and motivations. Leonardo Bonanni and Amanda Parkes Virtual guilds : collective intelligence and the future of craft JMC vol 3, no 2 July 2010 pp. 179-190

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Ball, Balls, Balls

Been busy this week spinning and winding balls! There were 8 mill-spun hanks (Meskills, NorthEast Yarns and Jarob Farm) that had to be wound up and several bobbins of mine and Barbara's handspun.  I must admit, although I've been a spinner for more years than I care to remember (must be more than 31 as that's how old my eldest is......and I had black sheep before I had him lol) it's been an intermittently practiced pleasure. Alternating with spinning has been all sorts of other stuff including work, raising kids and gardening together with .....the list goes on. However, just lately, and inspired by Barb's product, I have had the urge to get the wheel out and I have really enjoyed it!  Part of that has been the absolute joy of working with the Tasmanian superfine merino wool tops - this fibre is truly magnificent to spin and I'm looking forward to blending the handspun singles and 2 ply with the mill-spun 2/16s on the loom. I have a couple of orders for superfine scarves and have decided on this approach.   So, the ball winder has been busy.......



Lots of balls

Clarence Point Alpaca (Rusty) 2 ply handspun

Meskills 8 ply mill-spun Corriedale and
Tassie Superfine Merino handspun single on right

Finn X dyed in the fleece 2 ply handspun

Finn X Dyed in the fleece selection of handspun sinlges with the 2 ply on left. 
These are all from the same fleece that I got from Lesley Rorke at Bendigo this year


Hand dyed silk fibre spun single (also from 2010 Bendigo)

Tas Superfine Merino handpsun singles in two textures

NEW NEW NEW

.....Hope you all have checked out the new  madeit sister site craftumiwhere best friends shop for craft supplies :: buy & sell craft supplies :: art :: craft :: hobby

It's really great to have a dedicated spot for craft supplies - makes it soo much easier to find just what it is that you need.

I have my superfine merino tops listed on madeit but shall be moving them to craftumi as soon as I get organised  (organised is VERY HARD at the moment, but VERY EASY to List  lol) 

Check out all the goodies that are available........
• Art • Bag Making • Beads • Books & Magazines • Candle & Soap Making • Ceramic, Pottery, Mosaic • Fabric • Fibre & Yarn • Glass Art • Jewellery • Kits • Leather Craft • Wood Craft • Metal Craft • Millinery • Needlework • Packaging • Pattern • Photography • Printmaking • Scrapbooking & Card Making • Sewing & Quilting • Storage • Toy & Doll Making

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Well I've been and gone and done it

.......I've resigned......from the day job........I've done it.......am I happy now ?....YOU BET.......

Monday, September 20, 2010

Wether the Weather

Was just watching the square box in the lounge room and saw that the northern hemisphere is off on their extreme weather patterns again!  And did you see New Zealand blanketed with snow - all of it?

Bermuda...my favourite place in the world other than Tassie of course (I was there is 2003) has been hurricaned again!  Poor Bermuda - a little fish hook in the middle of the Atlantic not much different in size to Bruny Island, battered and bruised by a monster swirling out there in the ocean.

St George's suburbs Bermuda May 2003
Don't you just love those beautiful colours on the houses?  How wonderful it must be to have a community happy enough to paint their homes such gorgeous hues - much better than four shades of red brick don't you think?

Friday, September 17, 2010

Gorgeous Tasmanian Superfine Merino Wool Tops


100g Pack Tas Superfine Merino

I'm very excited to be now able to offer for sale 100g packs of Tasmanian Superfine Merino wool tops.  From the Japanese Mill that processes this fibre which is sourced exclusively from Tasmanian growers, the tops have been scoured, carded and combed and are ready to spin, felt or use for other crafty pursuits.

Natrual, lustrous, creamy white, the 19.5 micron average superfine fibre just about jumps all by itself onto the bobbin!

Go to my madeit or etsy shops and you'll be able to purchase some for yourself!

Barb and I have just started spinning this wonderful stuff and the spun yarn will be woven on the Ashford Knitters Loom for the autumn 2011 range of handmadebyrowena scarves, wraps, jackets and other outerwear, plus our NEW RANGE of baby products coming soon.  We are just so excited to be able to share it with you !!

Thursday, September 16, 2010

A Quiet Week

I've been a bit quiet this week, but then I've been on domestic duties in the wet and wild high country of Victoria.  My 4 weekly visit for cooking cleaning and shopping etc etc is once again over and it's back to work ....and boy was it wet!  Floods everywhere and all the dry creeks and rivers are once again flowing.  It's truly spectacular and a tribute to nature to try and fix it green again.

We went for a drive to check out the state of the local waterfalls.......

Loddon Falls near Glenlyon (Spa Country Victoria) at the weekend


Loddon Falls earlier this year

.......and at Trentham, not far from Daylesford, the Coliban River was making a statement and a half!

Trentham Falls at the weekend


The roar of the water was magic!


Then we went to lunch at Gav's Tav at Trentham - a lovely arty little village about an hour north of Melbourne and not far from our Victorian miner's cottage.  The Cool Country Tavern serves beaut meals and beverages - large plates and scrumptious food - in a warm and vibrant atmosphere.  We didn't stay for the live music on Sunday arvo as we needed a sleep after the huge meal Gav brought out to us.  thanks Gav & Tracey !

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Eastside Makers Market

It rained and rained and rained...but we went.  [Dedication to the market stall-holders' code - if we don't go, the customers won't come!] The Eastside Makers Market ladies were very welcoming and the little PCYC hall in Scott Street Bellerive on Hobart's Eastern Shore was bouncing with music, a juggler, great coffee, beautiful fresh spring flowers and warmth from the inclement weather outside!  Despite the day, there was a steady flow of customers and I met a cousin I had not met before!

All in all, a good day and VERY EXCITING !  handmadebyrowena took out the award for the best display and I was SO surprised and a bit embarrassed.  But thank you to Felicity, Jude and Robyn for making my trip south possible and to Linda from XTRAS DIRECT for  making it a wonderful one!  I look forward to a shopping trip with Jude to spend my voucher.

Xtras Direct  Shop 21 Shoreline Shopping Centre, Howrah  Tas  7018  for shoes, jewelry, clothing, accessories - everything we could want !

Some lovely wares were for sale with the talented and friendly designer makers attending were yet another surprise!



Linda Brown from Xtras Direct -  "Xquisite Xccessories" & Moi