Another giant leap for a textile artist!

Hello all,
I'm still here, just busy.
Did domestic crises last week.... leaking roof, broken washing machine, broken car etc
most are resolved...ish
My boy started full time school today, aaaahhhhh. He had a good day and got two stickers, one for a good picture and one for smiling.
So I now have to do domestic goddess and do school uniforms and pack lunches. humpf.
We got so wet on the way to school today I had to come home and change.
On the textile front, I've booked my tickets for the Knitting and stitching show at the NEC. hoorah, and I'm takin Emi with me....
I visited Bev at Knitting4fun last week and spent a fab time buying yarns I didnt need

These are Bev's fab pure wool for felting








This was some louisa harding and debbie bliss










And I couldnt leave this delicious Noro yarn









I knitted my little girl a bag, cos I couldnt get my green one off her, and Bev gave her some lovely flower buttons to go on it.









And on the Good Kharma Bunny total domination front, I have booked a room to run some courses in Oct and Nov to teach Kumihimo and I'm teaching a Quilting group how to braid in Sept. Got to write the courses now!!!
I've also drafted out the layout for the website.
so much fun and no time .....
al x

a little less conversation a little more felting!

Hmmm these musical quote things have got to stop.
I've been busy again!
I dont think I showed you the bag I made at the knitting and weaving workshop,



I went from.... couldn't figure out circular needles to .....knitting a bottom up seamless bag with two circular needles. The bag was made of pure knitting wool with sari silk threaded through. Then it was washed in the machine, it came out like an egg cup so had to be stretched alot.
I was so proud of myself.

I also went to the Leicestershire Weavers spinners and dyers felting day on saturday and made these. I'm afraid you might have to turn your head a bit, I haven't got the patience with blog tonight to try to turn them around. I was very please with the red and yellow bag, although it came out a bit hairy.




The blue and pink were going to be flowers but ended up as purses, it was fun, just messing about.


more soon
off to do some more braiding
al x

just a little more banana! and alot of other stuff

I thought you might like to see my latest bracelet. I'm really excited by it!
It's made of banana yarn and ply split braided.
I've worn it everywhere this week.
I've even bought some more banana yarn to do another one.
I've had a really busy week this week, as I've helped man the embroiderers guild exhibition in Lutterworth, good fun, but exhausting. They put on a wonderful show and they sold alot to!
I've also done a workshop on monday,
been to work and stormed out of my job in pure rage on wednesday!
almost resigned on thursday
and am now having to think where I want to go next to earn some money,
got any jobs?
I also got my first course booked. I'm going to teach a course!!! in Kumihimo!
only slightly scarey.
SO you might see alot of kumihimo samples over the next few weeks.
oh and mum sold another bag today, thats two in a week, she's really doing well, she's exhibiting in two galleries at the mo, very clever bunny.

I need a lie down!!
al x

great fields of hemp!

I've been meaning to show this for a week or so.
It was taken at the silk paper workshop, the field is owned by a lady who owns the farm where we were, madam chairperson of the Lutterworth emboiderers guild.
She farms Hemp, industrial hemp, I think it's for cattle fodder. Because of it being industrial, it has no intoxicating properties, but when I took this it was after a heavy rain storm and it was steaming away to itself, I could't help thinking you aught to take a deep breath in case it was.
Hemp is such an under used resource you can get so much from it, the yarn especially is fab.
It looked so beautiful, a bit like the tops of a forest.

I've also included a picture of the card I made for mum and dad's card for their jade wedding anniversary.
I took an image and cut it up, stuck it down on another sheet and added to the picture with coloured pencil.
It's supposed to be a good technique if you want to look at colours instead of the image. I was pleased with it and mum loved it. hoorah.
al x

felted pots! more vessels

Here is another thing I started and finished last weekend.
It started with a lovely ball of NORO kureyon wool,

Bought for me by my mum for mothers day.

I was going to knit it and felt it into a bag using circular needles.
I tried the circular needles and failed as I wanted a small bag and my needles were too long so I decided to crochet it.
I ended up crocheting two small vessels

and felted one by hand

and the other in the washing machine.
I then blocked them with a pop bottle filled with water.

This is how they turned out.

I'm really pleased with them
al x

A 3D Ply split Vessel

So this is my very exciting finished project of the weekend.
I have finally finished my first ply split vessel, it was starting to become a thorn, but I needed to finish something for the exhibition. I couldn't decide which photo to put in cos it's different from every angle, so I put them all in.
It was made using hand dyed linen and uses both POT and SCOT ply split techniques.
I'm very pleased with it.
I blocked it, when finished, to make it stand up a bit more, and the only thing that fit was a can of WD40, My boy thinks it's a tree, but I think it make a great WD40 holder.
hope you like it ( maybe it's an octopus)
Oh by the way I'm on the Online Weavers spinners and dyers this month with some of my free form crochet ( link on right hand side of page) and we now have a blog page thanks to Leigh, in the links page.
al x

silk paper workshop

So much has happened in the last few days, more to follow, but this workshop and the fact that I have to exhibit in the Lutterworth feast/art week next week pushed me to get a move on and finish a few projects and start a few as well.
The workshop was run by Lutterworth Embroiderers guild, it was their day workshop/BBQ.
I didn't do much but I did produce one piece.
It was good fun, not very yarny, I'll definitely have another go.
I'm at two workshops this weekend. One called knit and weave and one called knitty and proddy. Run by living threads( dont think there is a website) but its being taught in part by Bev Beattie from Knitting4fun. And she is bring her yarns with her, oh dear!

al x

Were we ever that young?

Today is my eighth wedding anniversary!
hoorah!
We're gettting rid of the kids for a couple of hours and going for a picnic.
We've got no food and we don't know where we are going. Thats pretty good for us!
last year we did nothing, but we did have a six month old and three yr old to get in the way.
I thought I would celebrate the 8th by an arty picky. Various search engines say 8th is bronze or rubber or pottery or electrical appliance!
I'm going with bronze. all though rubber .... hmm....
I search flicker and google for a picky and then thought what about a wedding picky or two, for a giggle. ( no copyright either)
For all those included I apologise, and ask were we ever that young? ( it was only 8 yrs ago)
So much has happened. we now have a fab house and two fab children, we have had all sorts of family stuff, as you do, everyone seems happy and one of them is off travelling around the world for a year next week..... ( you know who you are).
I also apologise to both mums for not being in the pickys , but I'm sure you'll be glad.
Just two pickys
The first one should have a quote with it from Great Aunt June, " it's the only wedding I've been to where the husband has more touble with his hair than the bride"
The second was all my fab bridesmaids ( sisters in green and yellow and good friend in burgundy) and the best man and my dad. All looking so smart.
Too all, I promise next year I will do arty farty.
Stay tuned the good kharma bunny has been busy, textiles to follow and lots of them.
al x

Adam's new bike

This is adam's new bike!
He's so tall for his age that He's had to have a six to seven yr olds bike and he's only four and a half, and he had to have an adult helmet.
It's his first proper bike!
I've updated my profile! and thanks to leigh getting a flicker badge I now have one to... v exciting.
al x

kharmabunnybanner

kharmabunnybanner2
Originally uploaded by goodkharmabunny.

Dear all,
Does any one know how I make this my header I'm failing to find out how to do it!!! it's driving me nuts!!
al x

I've been tagged!!

V exciting, I've never been tagged before.
I was tagged by Leigh
5 things always in my purse ( handbag)
( I think it's an americanism for handbag, coz the next one is wallet)
I had to check cos I have lost touch with the bottom of my handbag
1 my purse!
2 my mobile
3 Apparently I have five lipsticks! ( if I put them anywhere else I will never see them again)
4 some loose Polo mints ( hmm not sure when that happened
5 a couple of cubes of dark chocolate, for medicinal purposes
( five isn't enough, please can I have more....)

5 things always in my wallet (purse)
1 not alot of money
2 Leicestershire records office membership card
3 lots of receipts
4 oh wow I found my dentist appointment card!!!!!!
5 my picture driving license ( hmm)

5 things always in the fridge
1 philly cheese
2 tomato ketchup
3 chick pea salad
4 medicinal dark chocolate
5 Dijon mustard

5 things in always in my closet ( Wardrobe)
Dont do wardrobes very often, as a mother of 2 little ones everything is lycra and crinkled cotton so I'm doing top draw
1 Knickers!!!
2 green and black strippy socks ( just one pair, for those days when thats what is called for)
3 lots of lycra tops
4 swishy crinkly cotton skirts
5 a little booty of my daughters filled with lavender

5 things always in my car
1 bottles of water that should have been removed a long time ago
2 two car seats
3 sunglasses
4 mobile phone charger
5 my PPE, don't ask what it stands for, its my work protective stuff; my metal toe cap boots, fluorescent boots and hard hat. Yes I do look a sight! but its fun clomping around in them

5 things always on my desk ( at work ( not got one at home))
1 computer
2 lots of pencils
3 acid free archive boxes
4 lots of post its
5 dust and cake crumbs, what is an archive without dust and cake crumbs!!

5 people to tag
1 mamma grouch
2 yellow frog blog
3 the textile goddess
4 mac's niece ( you have been outed!!) you could only hide for so long)
5 Ethel

al x

holiday pickies!!

Just four I promise! I can't show most of them, as they involve me in a swim suit!

As ever I have to include the completely biased parent pictures of my fabulous children, doing what they did most of the holiday, Emi ate and Adam dug one of me doing the motherly bonding thing ( in the dappled shade), and just to prove to all of you who said I needed a rest, I did get five minutes ( and that was about it) to read the new Selvedge magazine ! The place was wonderful, these bottom two were taken at the place we stayed in, which looked over the sea and estuary. We had barn owls in the barn in front of the house which came out on three nights.I now desperately need to do some textiles!!!!!
oohh and happy 35th wedding anniversary mum and dad!! Thats Jade!( they're starting to get expensive now!!) They got a hand made card ( picky to follow, when I take one) and a bottle of Bombay Sapphire gin ( blue bottle) as close as I could get to jade.
al x

Did anyone notice a heat wave??

I'm back,
absolutely shattered, and a bit tanned around the edges.
did anyone else notice the uk have a heat wave, it just kept getting hotter!
got home, and the heavens opened.
Pictures tomorrow, promise.
not managed any textiles, but ready and rareing to go!!
al x

in the words of the great madonna!!

"Holiday"
I'm going on holiday for a week!
thank goodness!
I'm going to come back all relaxed and textiley!!
watch this space, but do it in a week!
al x

so there was this fireman at my door!!!!!!

Every now and again a house wife need a little excitement, not much, just a little something to recount to her husband when he returns from earning the money.
Mine happened this afternoon.
I had a firemen at my door.
what a result.....
I don't often go for men in uniform, but we have some lovely ( nay drop dead gorgeous) firemen in my town......
He wasn't fully togged out in his full inform ( shame) but a t-shirt that identified him as a member of the fire brigade.
Unfortunatley after the intial excitement, and me exclaiming " result... a firemen" it turned out he was a retired fireman, and a masquerading door to door sales man. ah well, I was so let down I couldn't buy anything, but told him if he came back as a fireman he might be able to sell me something ( picture the scene, me with one child on my hip and another at my feet) do you think he'll be back??
To top it all my fab boy told the man that we were saving all our money....
the man took it well and agreed it was a very good idea.
My husband is well aware of my liking of firemen ,so just smiled at me when I told him.

Help I think I need to get out more, or try to get some textiles done
any one fancy going dancing on wednesday?
al x

ooohhh bananas!!!!!

It's finally arrived! ( from nepal that is)
Bev from Knitting4fun finally got her banana yarn from Nepal, and I have had to order it quickly cos she's off to Wool fest this weekend, along with lots of very textiley people ( not bitter, much). Bev was taking all of her yummy stuff with her, and as she's the only person I know that had banana yarn in the uk, I think it will go really quickly. Thats my excuse.
So this is what i got


Some spaced dyed recycled banana yarn, oh so yummy







some recycled banana yarn, odd colour but nothing I cant cope with.









and some top quality recyled sari silk.









In term of texture the banana yarn is alot like silk, it is shinier than the recycled silk and not as coarse. We will have to see how forgiving it is when I cord it.
I've got to get it into a ball first.
off to have fun.
oh, in term of family, hubby had almost finished marking, and we break up for holiday in two weeks!!!! off to wales for a week then, cant wait we all need it.
al x

great balls of dyed yarn

great balls of dyed yarn
Originally uploaded by goodkharmabunny.

so after much winding and cursing, the hand dyed yarn is balled!
I was going to leave it as skeins but I can't use them then.
the only problem is now I have to decide what to do with them.
you've heard of writers block, this is textile block!
And then my yarns arrived!!
patience!!
alx

It's oh so quiet!

In moments of stress and when the kids are just getting to me a little bit with their continuous noise I find myself quoting Bjork!! ( I know, I don't think there is a cure)

"it's oh so quiet: it's oh so still,
your all alone: and so peacefull until......."
(I'm sure you know the next bit, if not believe me it gets very loud very quickly)

The irony of it tends to help a bit with the situation.

Until last week when my four year old son was watching Emi trash the joint and sang "It's oh so quiet, it's oh so still"
ohhh double irony, a four year old singing Bjork, who has never heard of Bjork let alone the song he was singing!!
So today in a moment of desperation we had a google moment and found this It's oh so quiet

How cool! now adam understands why mummy sings it, and it turns out Emi may be a closet Bjork fan! hmm

I'll tell you about the MC Hammer one another time! You have to be of a certain age! ( think baggy trousers).

life goes on in the bunny household, if not slightly more insane than usual


ooooh on a textiley thing I order some very exciting yarn last night, you'll have to wait to see......

al x

trying so hard to be professional

It doesn't come easily to me, I'm definitely a bucket chemistry girl, but I thought I'd share with you some of what I'm trying to do.
I'm desperately trying to document the results of the dyeing day, when really I want to dive straight in and use it.
I've finally written up my notes in my book that I've lost twice in the last two weeks! it's now under lock and key! I'm really pleased with it, as it just doesn't come easily to me.
And I've just taken some more cool garden pickies.
Who would have thought lettuces could look so fab, and an odd combination of pineapple mint and an alpine strawberry.
have fun
al x

Back from beyond the pox!

Dear all,
Thank you for you concern, I am here and we are over the pox. I think we may have got away lightly on the scarring front. Emi still looks a little scarey, but is no longer contagious!
why do they always gain in height and intelligence after they have been poorly
Life is still a little chaotic... but it just adds to the excitement.
I had a lovely day today, exhausting but lovely, I had lots of people come to visit, and emi went to her grandparents for the day.
I've got lots to show an tell, but I'm going to pace myself.
As you may have read from the comments I've sold something!!
Hand dyed linen yarns to Nichole ( blog to be announced shortly, I believe), a commission of various colours for a handle on a bag that I'm sure we will soon see paraded about in public, and yarn for christmas presents ( I know, she is just so organised).
Mum and I spent most of last saturday dyeing linen, chenille, cotton and viscose yarns.
We did some one colour and some were space dyed.
Subtle as ever

Emi likes the Chenille.
More later, sleep allowing

al x