Ramblings

I’ve lots of work on this week, but that’s not a complaint as I like to be busy.I have been crocheting a 6 metre fishing net for the Preston Youth Theatre group to use in our upcoming performance ‘Ghost Net’, which comments on disused nets cluttering our oceans. Evelyn Rose and I have been busy making costumes too, to turn the performers into fish. These will all be used at Making a Mark this Saturday in the Flag Market.I’m also working on a couple of commissions (one I can’t talk about yet) and one for Lancashire Science Festival to be held at Uclan at the end of June.Beyond that, I have started to clean up a local lonk fleece (not too greasy, but full of vm), with the idea of incorporating it into the Dye-versity project.I’m also a bit obssessed with jellyfish right now. I think there’s something brewing, but not sure about it right now. Watch this space.

I’m thrilled to be taking part in Predton Mela 2019!On behalf of Oxheys, I am leading a project called ‘Dye-versity’. We have sourced wool from Lancashire, grown on t’hills, and I am dyeing it with traditional natural dyes to represent the cultures and communities in Preston, particularly South Asian.Some of the dyes I have picked out are madder, turmeric and of course indigo, which is enjoying a bit of a comeback at the moment. I might expand this selection, but there are so many colours available from those 3 we may not need to!The yarn is from my friend Kate at Northern Yarn in Lancaster, and I was impressed at the texture. It’s beautiful, and I may have to buy more to knit with.We have already had an Outreach session where we invited residents of a home to weave squares to make a larger piece of art.