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Episode 13 show notes

Episode 13

Sunday 18th March

So I’ve made it this far!!! Still got bump in tow!!

Lots of little bits to tell you all about this week, some sections are a bit light on content this week, because we’ve had disturbed nap times due to toddler illness ( joyfully he threw up in the car the other week so that was a heap of pulling apart the car and car seat to wash!!)

Plus more getting ready for the new baby, growing season by sorting out the seeds etc..

Well it’s another snowy day here in Wales and it’s freezing!!!

I’m wearing James’ fleece as it covers the bump!! And I’m wearing a cowl my Mum knitted for me!! It’s a Song of the Sea cowl by Louise Zass-Bangham and the Pattern is on Rav.

Knitting

I’ve managed to finally block my samples I had knit up and have subsequently tweaked patterns etc!! Now just need to get some more projects off the needles so I can cast on the full projects for those!!

I have two FO’s

Two little baby hats!!! The pattern is my Jelliebean Baby Hat pattern and it’s on Rav, I’ve knitted one in Rainbow heirloom solo light and one in some left over hedgehog fibres, plus a small amount of my own hand dyed yarn to stripe in so I was definitely not playing yarn chicken!! These are in my bag that the lovely Zoe of Pins and Needles made me.

I am halfway down the foot of the second sock for my Dad’s birthday

These are a Plain top down vanilla sock knit out of Weavers Loft sock yarn which is 75% super wash wool and 25% nylon, so good and hard wearing for much use for my Dad! These are in my fantastic Thimble and Thread Makes Harry Potter bag.

I have managed a heap more rows on my Hazels shawl and the leaves are really starting to come through now!! Ive knit this in River Knits 4ply fingering in the colourway Indian Giant Squirrel and it’s a pattern I am working on for release after the baby is born

I have decided to start using my progress keeper on my weasley sweater, because I can’t for the life of me remember whether I have even knitted on it since I last podcast!! The progress keeper I am using is a lovely tardis one from Jennie of Owl about Yarn.

Sewing…

Yep none…. No FOs….

But I have managed to cut out some fabric for a commission project and have some more to cut out this week so I can get sewing on that!!

However I have managed some mending/darning etc!!

I’ve mended The rainbow jumper which is the DayDreamer pattern by Jennifer Steingass, James’ socks and two pairs of Williams socks!!! Some knitting required…..

Weaving…

Zero…. Too much getting the desk cleared and the loom hoiked about at this stage of bumpness…

Crochet….

Also zero!! But to be fair I have been awaiting the plying of the Icelandic to carry on with that….

So that leads me into Spinning….

I have Navajo or chain plied the Icelandic!! Just need to skein it, wash it thwack it and it’s good to go into a crochet project…

And I have thread plied the Sara’s Texture crafts exmoor BFL!!! I’m really pleased with how it’s turned out and can see more thread plying in my future especially with the beautiful variegated skeins of yarn. Mainly because I believe my yardage for this skein of yarn is going to be HUGE!!! in comparison to the Icelandic which will be minimal as it is three ply and super chunky!!

Acquisitions!

So I have received the fabric I ordered for the commission project

Cotton

Terry

Rip stop

And I have ordered more rip stop and received it to make the boys waterproof dungas using the Made By Jacks Mum Free Range Fun Over Trousers.

And also this last fortnight I had a really happy post day!!!

The Lovely Anita from the Gaga Knits podcast has sent me some beautiful gifts!!!

A beautiful little cardie for the newbie when he decides to put in an appearance.

A book for Will which he has had read several times already!!

And a beautiful roving of Fondant Fibre in merino and mulberry silk!!! Part of their Illume collection called awakened spirit.

Thank you soooo much Anita you are so very kind!!

Shop update

I’ve been inspired this week to get my backside back to the dye pots!!! So hopefully (baby arrival allowing) later this week I shall have a little shop update with these two colour ways!!! Daffs and Crocus, they are currently drying out, having been my first attempt at yarn dyeing on the wood fired stove!! Man I needed to haul lots of wood!!! Or it seemed that way because I can only bring in small amounts at a time, not the big basket!! However I digress there are two bases, a sport weight merino base, which are the slightly softer colours, and the Stardust sock weight base which are the more vibrant colours!! So keep an eye on Tyddyn Bryn on Etsy later this week for them to pop into store!! One time limited dye lots, using up the last of the undyed I had in stash…. The next time I dye I shall have to do another big restash of the undyed before I dye!! And who knows when I might get time to do that!!! It has been two years since I last dyed yarn I believe!!!

Woodwork….

I’ve been out varnishing the sign for the front of the house again, and giving the bird boxes a quick coat too to protect them…

Farm update…

So James hired a mini digger a fortnight before I was due to pop….

He has now dug raised beds in the slurry it, which he needs to blockwork out…. watercourses…. Potato beds….. Flattened an area for me to make into a digging zone for the kids….

I’ve sourced some tractor tyres for digging pits for the boys…..

We’ve scoped out a pond site, but it wasn’t safe to take the digger to it….

In looking at that though I have found loads of my basketry willows have grown and need cutting back allowing me to get more plants going…

And Friday next if no one comes forward we become accidental sheep owners…. Still no idea if it’s multiple deal…. As in whether she is I lamb or not…. But we have bought some feed to supplement her diet in case and come next week we shall book a vet out to see her and register her as ours.

The chicks are growing well and feathering up… They are much bigger much faster than the last two, and are certainly eating more, drinking more and stinking more!!!

We’ve baked more cakes…. Muffins of the White chocolate and Rasberry variety and the banana and chocolate chip variety!!

I shall add a little photo montage at the end of all the farm happenings…

Sooo….

I hope you have enjoyed this weeks podcast!! I’m not sure when I’ll get to podcast next…. Baby is due Friday next!!! So in the meantime Happy crafting everybody!! And you can find me as Tyddyn Bryn on Instagram, Twitter and Ravelry, there is a Tyddyn Bryn Facebook page…. The Tyddyn Bryn Etsy shop, which I am going to attempt to keep open…. But we shall see what occurs in the next couple of weeks…

If you enjoyed the episode please give us a thumbs up at the bottom and I hope to see you all soon!!!

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Episode 11 show notes!! 

Episode 11Monday 12th of February

Only a week later than planned due to illness, starting with toddle chops and ending in all of us!
Knitting

One FO toddler socks

New cast on…. Weasley sweater for me in Hayfield Aran bonus in purple

Swatching for some new designs…..

1 shawl…. In Owl About Yarn Tibetan Owl….

1 toy in Aran weight alpaca…

Another shawl which is being swatched in my smooshie base (azure) but will eventually be knit up in RiverKnits’ glorious Splendiferous base in Silberman Mond or silver moon….
Wound the yarn to cast on the next two pairs of vanilla socks…

Both are weavers loft, which I picked up at Wonderwool last year no colourway names, but they are 75% super wash wool 25% nylon

One for James and one for Dad….

Crochet

I’ve balled up the masham and mystery hand spuns and have decided to crochet a log cabin style blanket out of them…. Mainly for ease and the fact it grows sooooo quickly!! 
Aside… I love the way these Masham skeins have balled up!!
Acquisitions 

Ummmm so before we get into sewing…. I’ve a few…. Ahem…… Acquisitions to admit to……

1 tartan off cuts…. One bag thereof…

Flannelette cotton

Four colours of Sherpa fleece….

Green sweatshirt material….

Waterproof fabric

White terry towelling fabric
And I’m still waiting on some pretty pink cottons and some ribbing fabrics I ordered….

Eek!!! 
Sewing

So it’s been three weeks and I have just about three projects finished….

The first two are the Bucket hats by Oliver and S which I have made out this tractor fabric…. One is for William, the other for a little friend of his!!

The second is an AJ Aviator hat by Made by Jacks Mum….

This one is for James and I have started the one for William today!! 
I have been finding crawling about on the floor increasingly not fun for cutting out so I have now spent a chunk of time and cut out a few big sewing projects, smaller one I can manage at my table….
I have cut out a blue coco by Tilly and the buttons

A grain line studios Linden in the green foxy fabric

An Agnes by Tilly and the Buttons in black for the body green for the sleeves, 

A load of the AJ aviator hats….

Plus I still have a fleece jumper cut out to sew, though I don’t think it will now fit toddle chops, it will have to wait for his little brother to grow into it!! 
Spinning

I’ve managed a fair amount of spinning these past few weeks despite illnesses….

All working on this Pomegranate colourway from John Arbon, which I picked up from Wonderwool a few years back now!! 
I have Navajo or chain plied it and I am definitely finding that easier the more I practice!!! But Amy Beth of the Fat Squirrel speaks has alerted me to another ply variety called thread plying so I think I may try that on next on the gorgeous purples I have also from John Arbon…. And thread ply it with one of the beautiful cones of yarn I was gifted an age ago!!! That way I’d get a really great yardage from it…. Who know maybe even sweater yardage?!?! Or part of a sweater!!! 
Weaving

Unfortunately something had to give in these past weeks with illness…. And weaving was it…. Plus I keep forgetting to ask James to help me pull the weaving round the loom so I can start the next section!! But I reckon I’m well over halfway…
Shop update

Well last Friday saw the release of the Lovehearts hat!!!! It’s available so far in my Etsy shop and in my Ravelry Pattern store!!! So head on over and have a snoop if you’d like!!!
I’m planning to release the next one…. broadleaf around the time I next Podcast…. 
I am also putting a call out for test knitters for the coniferous hat…. All the details will be in the Ravelry group!! 
Baking

So these past two weeks we’ve been a bit more kitchen productive again after a small hiatus post Christmas!!! 
I tried to make a apple pie I saw a video for in Facebook, watched once and then couldn’t find again….. 

It actually turned out great!!!! I’ll make a few tweaks and make it again…. Then blog what I did!

And then I made banana loaf cakes!!!! As toddle chops went off bananas when he was ill, loads went really ripe and almost over…. So I went on the interwebs and BBC good food gave me a fab recipe for banana loaf cakes. 
On the same day as we had the oven all fired up through the day rather than just ticking over James made a vat of spag Bol, a pot of leek and potato soup (his go to Delia Recipe!) and a lasagne for tea!! Yum!!
Farm Update! 

Well there has been snow….

Colds….

Cold wet weather…

Hail…..

So we’ve done a fair bit indoors, finishing off bits of the house, glossing door returns…. Glossing the under stairs cupboarding….

James has built housing for his electric fencing gubbins….

And he has been collecting wood like no tomorrow!! Phew!!! 

 The chicken have gone onto adult food…. And Dai has even started to try and crow!!! I shall try and insert an audio clip…. If not I might be able to Facebook his proto crowing or get it onto the blog!!! Sounds rather pitiful though but he is improving daily!! (Our poor neighbours!!) 

We have had another growth scan on baby two… And I’ve started washing all the clothes to freshen them up….. Next is the car seat and the baby seats and we built the cot at the weekend!! 
Giveaway

Before coming on air I updated the spreadsheet I have been keeping on the giveaway entries and ran a random number generator……

Drum roll

The winners of the Alpaca are….. 

Anita from Gaga knits on YouTube!! 

Angeiship13 on Instagram!! 

Please PM/DM/ message me your postal addresses and I will get the yarn parcelled up and off to the post office the next opportunity I have!!!! 
That’s all folks!!

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Episode 10!

Episode 10 of the podcast
Sunday 21st January
Knitting: 

Finished James’ Vanilla socks

Half finished some toddler socks for William, from my toddler sock pattern available on Rav, LoveKnitting and in the Etsy shop.

Started knitting up a secret shawl pattern!!! Using RiverKnits Indian Giant Squirrel.

First designed this shawl for my granny for James and my wedding, now reknitting to check the pattern before writing it up for release!!! 
Spinning:

So I have finished up some bobbins and skeined them up…..

Mystery yarn

Sara’s Texture Crafts BFL no clue as to the colourway….

Wheeldale woolcrafts merino silk blend in the heathers colourway

All of these have been spun half and half onto two bobbins then plied using my lazy Kate and made into two ply yarn, all about 145m from 100 g which would make them maybe a chunky yarn….
These now need washing, thwacking etc to set them…
Adelaide Walker Masham wool in four colours spun up as singles

And I have had my first try at Navajo or chain plying, which makes a three ply yarn!!! Rather pleased, but I reckon it’s going to come off the bobbin very squirly….

So I’m leaving it to sit a rest a bit first…. Hardest part about the Navajo ply was keeping the tension on the yarn coming from the bobbin…. Plus elements of the initial spin were over spun and squiggly….
Going to keep trying though because I like the way there is no orphaned yarn on the bobbin….
Sewing:

I have three FO’s 

Puts me on track for one a week for 2018!! 

The Fitted Tee by Elemeno Patterns

The Coco dress by Tilly and The Buttons

The Bucket Hat by Oliver and S
Plan to cut out and make another bucket hat in the tractor fabric this week and watch my seam allowances…. I think I need to actually measure my seam allowances to make sure I get them as asked for!!! 
Weaving:

Over halfway on the loom…

Photo story…
Shop update:

Alpaca is in the shop!!!! 

Caramel, charcoal and grey
Patterns:

The Lovehearts hat and the Broadleaf hat are out for testing!!!! 

One of my lovely test knitters has finished her already and has put a mini podcast episode out about it, you can find her as Gaga knits on YouTube! 
I have the coniferous hat almost ready for test knitter or two if anyone fancies it, please head on over to the Ravelry group for more info!! 
Right giveaway time!! 

Two separate skeins of alpaca yarn…..

One grey one charcoal…..

In order to win one….. You can earn one entry by for any/each of the following….

1. Subscribing to the podcast

2. Following the blog

3. Following me on Instagram

4. Liking/following the Facebook group

5. Joining the Ravelry group

6. Commenting on/in any of the above groups or sources and adding the #Tyddynbrynalpaca into your comment!!!
So six ways to get an entry!! Multiple comments/ follows get multiple entries and I’ll draw before I next podcast in a fortnight!!! 
Woodwork:

Starting to make hazel panels to cover the gaping holes/drops into the slurry pit…

Thinking I might make them hazel and willow though as we seem to have more coppiceable willow about the place….
Farm update:

More wood collecting…..

Rain

Hail 

Snow

High winds

Looking at ordering our fruit bushes and plants for the fruit cage starting to plan planting and work on planning raised beds for the slurry pit which need to be built

Awaiting planning’s response for our application for the tin hut….

Sheepy friends are doing well out in the fields….

Things to entertain William have restarted in the form of forest school and nursery tots group…

Craftiness, Forest schools, Woodland, Woodwork, Working the land

A first try!!

So a different sort of weaving has been happening here…..

A hazel hurdle is in the making!!!

We have decided to have a go to make some prettier panels to make the gaps into what was the old slurry pit and will be our fruit and vegetable garden, safe!! Hopefully child safe!!!!

James and I selected an old beam which was big and heavy enough to form the jig…..

Then whittled the ends of some larger hazel rods to make the uprights….. lots of our hazel is very overgrown so we are working with some very bobbly bits of wood, but using what we have!!

This took ages to sort…. the beam was OLD and rather solid to drill the holes into!! And some of the uprights, in order to get the straighter bits were a tad large in diameter!!

I’ve even found a use for the ash mallet I made on my forest school leader course!!! Fantastic for bashing down the hazel whips!!!

We are at the stage of weaving in the thinner whippier bits of hazel now and over half way up the panel!!

And I’m surprised how pleased I am with it!!! We both predicted this first go would be a disaster but no….. totally a usable panel!!!

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So a couple of weeks in…

My challenges for this year seem to be going well!!! I have claimed nap time as my spin weave and sew time and although I have not necessarily managed all three each day I’m getting at least two in!!!

The weaving in half way I reckon!!

The spinning is going really well!!!

I’ve skeined a surprise bobbin of mystery fibre up…..

I’ve finally finished a BFL roving that languished on my wheel for two years!!!

I’ve spun a lovely skein of heathers merino silk blend!!!

I’ve also got some FOs in both my knitting and my sewing!!! Hoping for one more sewn FO at least by the end of the week!! But you’ll have to watch the podcast to see those!!! 😉

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Challenges and goals!!

Well the traditional goal posting for the new year is here!!! Last year I wanted to read 26 books!!!! Ha!!! Between the farm and moving and working till July and toddle chops I don’t think I even managed one!!!! And with a new baby arriving this year I need to be realistic about what I can manage….. soooooo with that in mind…..

Husbundle is good about giving me some toddle chops free time to concentrate on shop/work type stuff!! So I plan to……

Mum and I set up the Brinkley loom she bought me for my birthday/Christmas present this year!!! And I plan to try and weave a little each day!!! It’s very addictive though so I am going to have to be quite strict on my time as this will happen during naptime as I DO NOT need a small “helper” running his cars up and down the warp threads!!!! Which happened this morning….

The next kind of goes without saying….. and happens each evening in order to keep me awake long enough to watch the odd TV programme!!!

Sewing!!!!! I’m having a blitz on cutting out patterns and starting to cut out some fabric but I plan to try and get one garment done a week!!! Sewing I can do when toddle chops is around to “help” as he will play with his toys in the box in our room for a short while….. longer if he has Winnie the Pooh, Thomas, Go Jetters or the Octonauts playing!!! Hurrah!!! So I can get a decent amount of sewing in, but pattern cutting and fabric cutting is a toddle chops free pastime so therefore depends on James being free or nap time!!

And finally…..

My wheel has languished since before toddle chops was born, but I can manage just fifteen minutes a day surely!!! Plus my fluff stash has expended past its initial one (large) box!!!! Must contain it and use it!!! Both in spinning and now weaving!!! Hurrah!!! Hoping the weaving also uses up more of my odds and ends of yarn too!!!

I plan to keep sketch journalling once a month, gradually working through my stall stock and adding it to my Etsy shop…..

Woodwork will happen at times….

Plus I have a few plans for some new bits and bobs for the shop….. but I need more time with my year planner to sit down and work out all the details for this…..

So lots of craftiness and plans for the crafty business afoot!!! Stay tuned!!! I will post some more in depth what I plan to sew….. what I plan to knit…. etc etc as I get more organised!!!