It's finally finished (the jacket) !

At last - after months of playing with designs, patterns, newspaper cutouts and such, I have finished the jacket / ruana / vest - whatever it is !  And I'm very pleased too!    Meskill's millspun dark grey corriedale woven on my 50cm Ashford Knitter's Loom (2 pieces), fulled to a firm felt fabric, sewn together (scary for a non-sewer!), hook & eye at closure, beautiful moon button trim (thanks Trace!), stream pressed and woo-hoo there it is.  Yay! 

SoewnEarth's Moon Buttons

Getting ready

Conara in the Darke

 Lots and lots to do....and ran out of black ink in the printer !

I decided to do new labels - sometimes I think I'm more concerned with the marketing than the work itself, but then I remind myself that it's got to look good and that includes good labels!  So I have been playing around with ideas and also working on that "range" concept.  You know, the one that makes you focus on exactly what you are trying to achieve.  I think the labels have helped !!   Rowena now has everyday and hundreds & thousands for commercial wool and synthetics and then conara and pure for the pure wools and the new spun for the handspun and woven!

Here is a lovely silver grey scarf woven from some of the Bendigo Mohair Farm persian lamb and mohair I have had in my stash for positively years!  Barb has had a great time spinning it and the result is gorgeous.  The warp is a (coned) french pure wool with an interesting finish.

And look as this stunning italian Filatura di Crosa Buffo which looks great in an open weave.  I laid it on a kid mohair warp and mixed in some good old Australian Cleakheaton Astra Khan.  The resulting wool and suynthetic mix makes it light and luxurious! This is a fashion statement scarf. 

Some of the 'pure' scarves

The finishing takes longer than it does to make them!  But there they are, all nicely steam pressed, labelled and hanging on the "competed" rack waiting for next Friday morning!    ...or at least about half of them......so I'd better get back to it. 

Launceston, University of Tasmania Academy Gallery, Niche allwrappedup Market for Tasmanian designers and makers.  10am - 4pm Friday 27 and Saturday 28 August 2010.  Supporting St Giles.

The daphne's out

Barbara's spinning

Niche at Launceston Junction 2010 Regional Arts Festival

Well the advertising has started on TV for the Junction 2010 event.  Launceston sure will be busy if the predictions come up to scratch!  I've done the Facebook thing with the Niche poster etc and have sent details out.

Hope the University Gallery is OK for us.  I'm a bit worried we'll be in a corner and not see the passing crowds.  Hopefully all will be well.

Is this last minute nerves ?   Anyway, this time next week the cases will be packed and we'll be ready for a 8.15 am set up, bump-in or drag all the stuff out of the car exercise!   Still excited  lol.

Not long now - Niche allwrappedup August 2010

It's coming quicker than ever. August 27 is next week and I just hope we'll be ready.  So much still to do..........

Barb has been spinning for me (as I just don't have time to do it all) so in addition to the brand new  pure  range woven from Tasmanian Superfine Merino Wool and the conara scarves woven with Wanstead Park's sublime english leicester wool, we will have the stunning spun range of accessories handwoven using handspun wool !    Of course there will still be plenty from the hundreds & thousands and everyday scarf and wrap range to tempt buyers.  Hope to see you all there !



A scarf or wrap is an accessory for all the year round - Rowena accessories cater for all weather and fashion occasions!

So Much Rain - Mum is knitting a new Wrap With Love !

It's raining again!   The river (South Esk) is rising at the bridge over the river just down the road and I guess outer Longford will be knee deep tomorrow afternoon after the massive 178 mm at Gray last night..  [Is that 7 inches in the old rain measure ??]  Phenominomininal and it's still raining!   

However, our rain is nothing like that in Pakistan, India and China at the moment......the flooding is truly shocking and one cannot imagine what it must be like trying to survive in such circumstances.

My Mum ("GeeGee" aged 94 and still knitting) has just started another  set of  "Wrap With Love" squares to help!

Historical Note : In the great 1929 Launceston Flood, 337mm fell in the 24 hours to 9am on the 5th April and by the 7th April it had all arrived in Launceston.  Coupled with rising tides and wind in the wrong direction, Invermay was innundated.  But there was no Trevallyn Dam and no flood levees.

1929 Floods Launceston Photo BOM

Well I never !! Nundle Woollen Mill

I'm on the search ...I'm sure there have to be more (small/boutique/specialist) Woollen Mills still working in Australia.......and I found one alive and well and flourishing it seems, in Nunde NSW - about an hour's drive south east of Tamworth.    Their on-line shop is great - NWM wool, mohair, alpaca, and commercials like Eki Riva, Lana Gatto, Debbie Bliss as well as some intersting pattern books etc......and they have fibre for spinners and weavers too. ...

Niche Market and Junction 2010

In just three weeks it will be all over again!  Rowena's loom is working feverishly to prepare for the next Niche allwrappedup Market which will be on Friday 27th and Saturday 28th August, 10-4 at two venues (connected by bus Yeah !) as one of the Arts Festival Mixed Bag events supporting Junction 2010: Connecting the future  to be held Thursday 26 August 2010 - Sunday 29 August 2010 in many venues throughout Launceston. 

" Junction 2010 is the seventh biennial Regional Arts Australia national conference and is presented in partnership with Tasmanian Regional Arts and the host community Launceston, is set to unleash an explosion of ideas and creativity ".

You will find  20 Niche product stalls featuring Tasmanian Designers and Makers at the Academy Gallery at the Invermay UTAS Campus in amongst the Faces of Launceston – the next generation exhibition by photographic artist Philip Kuruvita (on show at the Gallery 26 August – 15 October.  35 more designers andmakers will be at The Boatshed.    Check out  the Niche Design Blogspot for more info.

Meskills Woolworks - end of an era

Do I boast, crack open the bubbly or cry ?   I have the LAST TWO HANKS, yes the last ones EVER from the Meskills Spinning Mill in Kyneton, Victoria.  The demise of this wonderful establishment earlier this year has meant that a host of small wool producers wanting their product spun to finished yarn now have to go elsewhere.  Most I spoke to at Bendigo have sent their bales to New Zealand; a few to Echo Beach Alpacas in South Australia - but the general consensus is that we have lost forever the ability for small niche producers to have their fibres finished locally, in Australia.  How sad it is.

Dairing have rescued one of the Meskills spinning machines and have installed it at their premises in Melbourne as a relict of this bygone era, but the rest has gone for scrap.

The woollen goods business continues to trade out of the premsies in Piper Street Kyneton and last month I purchased the last two hanks available.  Some producers such as Jarob Farm and North East Yarns have enought spun yarn for a couple of years, but for many, the costs associated with, and the quantities required, to send to New Zealand, are just too prohibitive.

On a positive note, the guys from Wolf at the Door at Hepburn Springs, Vic have leased the wonderful 1860s  building, formerly the Kyneton Butter Factory Co-operative, laterly housing the spinning mill operation from Meskills and have just opened The Stockroom.  This gallery and retail space featuring Australian designers and makers is a welcome addition to the vibrant Piper Street precinct.