Merry Christmas to all

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL

Olive and her friends say Christmas greeting and hope 2014 is a good year to grow lots of yummy grass!

Weaving, Walking and Wind!

Its still busy with Tweeds, historically weaving has been slow during the winter but as it is really popular now for all things from jackets to shoes to even tweed covered radios the weaving is still keeping me out of mischief! I have done many beautiful coloured tweeds but even the more subtle tones are beautiful in their right.
Below is one of the more colourful tweeds!

I have been out in the hills just into Harris, and was fortunate enough to see Deer, 2 of which leapt across the path in front of me, I think I was more startled then them though!! It was only a small hill, but I had amazing views and was the only person for miles around

We had a huge storm here on Wednesday, a weather station on the North of the Island recorded over 100mph winds. It was really scary, the worst storm we have had since moving here but came out unscathed. Only 2 damaged hen shelters, but no hens hurt as they sleep in houses during the night which were sheltered from the storm.

Not only was there wind but hale and thunder and lightning too so it was an unpleasant night, but I was thinking of the poor sheep up on the croft. they were fine behind their shelters and they got and extra helping of food on Thursday to make up for the cold night!!

Visiting Usit's

Recently I had a little shopping trip with my mum, over to Inverness for some retail therapy. Mum had not been down to the southern islands of the Outer Hebrides, North Usit, Benbecula and South Uist (all joined by causeways) so I decided that we would have a little detour and spend a day on the Uists before getting the Ferry from Lochmaddy (north usit) to Uig (Isle of Skye). Pictures below are some taken around the Uists, which have very different scenery to Lewis and Harris.

After reaching Uig on Skye we drove to the east side, but didn't take the bridge across, we went down to Armadale, as there is a little shop we saw advertised, called Ragamuffin, and it sells really cute and unusual gifts and clothes. From here we got the Ferry over to Mallaig as  the last time I drove the Fort William to Mallaig road they were doing extensive road works and had a convoy in place so I wanted to see what had changed! Below is a picture taken from Armadale Ferry Terminal

After driving the Mallaig road, I stopped in Fort William, to visit Nevisport, a outdoor shop, where the staff were fantastic in getting me sorted with new walking boots!

Spent 2 nights in Inverness shopping, then off home via the Ullapool ferry. On the way back to Ullapool we had some spare time, so took the Road to Gairloch (A832). We only went a little way down the road but found, just off the main road a lovely parking spot with a great view, see below!!

Busy Busy Busy

It has been a very busy time since the last post, the animals on the croft have been well behaved and have grown in number, I have taken another 16 ducklings that were hatched this year so I am busy feeding them up so they are big and strong for the winter.

The weaving has been really busy, I have been working up in the shed until 11pm some nights to keep on top of the tweeds, but its all good!! I have not had as much time to get out in the hills as I would have liked during the last few months, being in the local mountain rescue team (Hebrides Search and Rescue) does get me out when we are training or on a 'shout' but it has been a quiet few months so I am hoping to get out a bit more in the next few months.

I am off to the mainland to get some new walking boots shortly, and taking a bit of a detour to have a look at the Uists, the south islands of the western isles as I have only been to them for specific things, so I am planning on having a really good look around, as they are quite different to Lewis and Harris.

Then its off to the Isle of Skye, using the Lochmaddy ferry and taking the scenic route up the side of loch Ness to Inverness.

I will let you know if I catch sight of the elusive Loch Ness Monster Nessie!!

We had family up to visit at the end of August, and whilst doing the tourist things around the Island (I only get to do them when showing family round) I found this book in the Calanais visitors centre, Knit your own Scotland! I am planning on making my own Nessie from it, and keep an eye out for my Tunnocks Tea Cake inspired Cushion I am planning. (If you have never had a Tunnocks Tea Cake you are missing out!!)

New Patterns For Olive and Friends Yarn

I have been busy designing some patterns and making up Kits to go with Olive and Friends Yarn, I have currently designed 3, Baby Booties, A Mug Hug and a Cushion. Available in Hebridean Cottage Crafts in Stornoway and soon to be available in my Folksy shop. Olive and Friends Yarn is already available in my Folksy shop, in both Aran and double Knitting weights, If you would like to order a Kit before they get listed please email me through the shop.

We have had some really super weather too in the last few weeks, and the shearing has been done for this year now, by me and my sister.

I leave you with a picture of some sheep with very short back and sides!

Yarns Arrived!!

My fleece that was sent down to The Natural Fibre Company returned as yarn on Thursday. It was really exciting waiting for the postman to come on Thursday and he delivered 2 big bags of un twisted hanks, 13Kilos in total (130 hanks).

I have dropped some off at Hebridean Hobby Crafts in Stornoway and I am in the process of twisting the rest. Just waiting for my labels to come that I have ordered and they will officially be on sale, both in Stornoway and on my Folksy.com shop.

 The yarn as it was delivered to me

 Opened for the first look!!

 10 un twisted hanks, and 10 I have twisted myself




I have had a split of weights made, half Double Knitting and half Aran so have a choice of patterns to design now, and for a sneaky peak I have put a picture below of my first, and soon to be made into a kit, Aran pattern, lovely little baby booties! pattern to write up now and just waiting for needles that I have ordered to add and the kits will be on sale too.

Just off for a run now, the sun has been shining all afternoon and I like to run from my house as I can see the sea! I love living here on the Island.

Change of Name, Knitted Sheep and Yarn nearly done!!

I have been waiting a few weeks now for my fleece that was sent off to be washed, carded and spun in to knitting yarn, and I had a phone call on Thursday to say it was all ready now and will be sent back to me shortly.

Really excited now and I have been designing my yarn bands and POS for the yarn so when it goes into the shop it will look great and everyone will be able to see the process behind the yarn.

I have renamed my business, as you will have seen from the blog, as I think it is a better name. Olive and Friends is now a business of Knitting/Crochet yarn, patterns, Kits and items knitted using recycled/left over yarn from weaving Harris Tweed.

A little about the name I have chosen, Olive is one of my Sheep, a very friendly and naughty Blackface sheep, and has now become the figurehead for my business. Her friends (as friendly and naughty) consist of other Blackface, Cheviot, Swaledale and Hebridean sheep, and there are a few pictures below.

When I get my fleece back I will update, and also list some of the yarn for sale online so watch this space.

I am busy weaving, and whilst I weave I also knit these lovely cute sheepies (also Heeland Coo's too) out of the leftover yarn from the tweeds, available at Hebridean Hobby Crafts and soon to be online too (see my folksy shop listed at the top/bottom of this blog)

 

I will hopefully have an update and pictures of the yarn for you next Sunday but leave you with a picture of Olive and her friends!

Well its been quite a while since I have blogged, I have almost forgotten about it as I have been so busy, but going to try to get back into the swing of it.

I have been busy with weaving the beautiful Harris Tweed in my (breezy) but lovely loom shed. The weather here has been great over the last 6 or so weeks, only the last week we have had a fair bit of rain, needed though to make the grass grow, its a costly business feeding sheepies.

I have sent off my collection of fleece from last years shearing, 24kilos in total, to the Natural Fibre Company, in Cornwall to be spun into yarn. 2 big bags went down last week and it is in the process of being washed, carded and spun into beautiful yarn, which will then be available for sale in Hebridean Cottage Crafts, Point Street, Stornoway.

I am also hoping to make some patterns to go with the yarn so I can sell some kits so watch this space for pictures of my new patterns.

I am also knitting wee sheep and Heeland Coo's out of harris yarn, I make them whilst im weaving, to sell in Hebridean Cottage Crafts too, pictures of them to follow.

I leave you with a picture of the bags of fleece that got sent off.