More Penpont Pics

Penpont House, in common with most old country houses and estates, has a huge walled garden. Produce from this Soil Association certified garden is sold in the little shop at the back of the stables.

 Flowers are also grown and make a lovely splash of autumn colour

I love the combination of this echinacea with the agapanthus.............

Big Skill at Penpont House

Another lovely weekend festival at this amazingly beautiful estate near Sennybridge in Powys. A lot more visitors than last year so we're hoping it will go from strength to strength - it's one of our favourite events. This photo was taken early in the morning from the little bridge over the River Usk; the main house is to the left in the background. Fly  fishing was one of the activities on offer and what a lovely setting to try.

We were lucky to have a big space in the old stables, a building that has been restored and converted into a multi use facility while retaining all it's character. Traditional building materials give it a real charm and softens and we loved 'playing shop' with our area! A long bench gave seating for knitting and chatting and our old travelling trunk made an impromptu 'coffee table'. Wouldn't it be marvellous if this was really our shop?

News for the Autumn

Yesterday we were at the Centre for Alternative Technology Summer Fair - many thanks to all of you who visited the stand we had in collaboration with Ystrad Organics.

 We were really encouraged by the response to our plans to start running workshops on knit design - we're hoping to hold these at the newly restored and working Talgarth Mill (some of you may have seen it on BBC's Village SOS programme). The Mill is such a wonderful example of a community regeneration project, using local produce for the stunning cafe, and local wheat for grinding into flour. Anyway - we anticipate that a Saturday workshop will be around £40 plus lunch (we have to work that out with the cafe girls), and if wanted, we could also have a group tour of the mill.

The workshop will be starting at the beginning from taking accurate measurements through to why you should learn to love tension swatches and drawing up a basic block and schematic to use for your very own knitting pattern. If you would like further info or would like to be kept in touch about workshops, email sue@llynfitextiles.co.uk

Also coming up: The Big Skill at Penpont House, Sennybridge, Powys. This a new Craft Festival with a difference. Taking the idea of a music festival - you can come and camp - with lots of exhibitors and craftspeople willing to share their skills, instead of sharing the music. It's all about getting visitors to have a go.

You can pick and choose what to try your hand at from pole lathe turning to pottery. Woolcrafts feature of course, and we'll be running an all-day 'knit clinic' to try and help you with your knitty problems and queries! We'll also be holding an informal chat about natural dyeing, so if you've ever wanted to have a go at this but not quite known where to start, come along and join in. Or, if you are already a dyer - come and share your knowledge with others.
more info here: http://thebigskill.com/

And then! At the end of September it'll be time for the Llandovery Sheep Festival...http://www.llandoverysheepfestival.co.uk/index.html See you there too!

Talgarth Mill

So, finally a day off... and with perfect timing the newly renovated Talgarth Mill opened it's cafe properly for the first time last weekend. The space is a perfect blend of old industrial and contemporary design; the rough stone walls and corrugated tin lend an honesty to the beautifully crafted and finished oak windows and globe lighting.
All the way down the length of the cafe the huge windows slide open, so while you are sat enjoying your James' Gourmet Coffee and home-made orange polenta cake, the stream burbles below you and the dippers, swallows and yellow wagtails carry on their merry way as if you were never there.
The small yet seasonal menu is made up from local ingredients and suppliers, including the Black Mountain Smokery, Georges of Talgarth and Primrose Farm just to mention a few.
So, if you are ever in the area, or need a further excuse to come and visit, here it is! I just cant wait until they get the wood fired pizza oven up and running!
To find out more about the Talgarth Mill project: http://www.talgarthmill.org.uk/

Next Event....

Next week sees the 2nd Glanusk International Horse Trials and Country Fair at the glorious Glanusk Estate, nr Crickhowell here in Powys. It starts on Wednesday and runs for four days, so we're hoping for a bit of summer weather (even though we're selling wool) 'cos there's nothing like a bit of sunshine to cheer everyone up. For more info. see the website:

http://www.glanuskeventing.com/

We're working hard to make sure we have examples of all our designs in each size, ready for trying on and ordering. It's a big stand so there'll be plenty of space for a 'fitting room'. Making pieces to order means we only make what's required - saving time and wasted materials, so there's no 'fast fashion' here! We should also have some samples for Autumn designs - colour grown cotton for shirts and more local Wensleydale yarn for knitwear (yes, we know Wensleydale is in Yorkshire so not local to Powys - but we mean the flock of  the Wensleydale breed of sheep kept by our friend in Carmarthenshire!)

Printing

This morning I managed to grab a rare opportunity to do some printing. It seems like forever since my last session, and so of course the first few prints did not make the grade ...but perseverance pays off!
There is something so satisfying, almost alchemical, about peeling back the fabric to reveal the newly transferred image; the moment when one thing changes into something completely different. Magical :)
Hopefully these prints will become part of our new hemp dress design -I will keep you posted!

Busy, Busy!

Well - here we are, a month on - no, more! - and rapidly speeding to our very first 'Open Studio' event this coming weekend. We've had a bit of a sort out, a good reason to find time to clear out all the bits and pieces that accumulate over time - the things that 'might be useful', or 'could be re-used' but deep down you know you never will use them.
Getting some examples of designs made up has been another challenge. We make to order, but, of course, need to have a range on show for those of you who may want to try on. An order from a new boutique in Helsinki came as a pleasant surprise, and the opportunity to send items down to the Old Truman Brewery in London as part of Nokia's E7 launch couldn't be missed, but all will be ready for the weekend.
On Monday we had two photographers come along, which caused some confusion as we were only expecting one! Fortunately, they didn't arrive at the same time.....However, here's the result of one :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelwoodward/5752135553/in/set-72157626790561562/

Some we like, some we not so sure about! The Bearded Dragon is called Elvis; he belongs to another family member but lives in the entrance hall to the building we're in. The photographer was very taken with him.....and he co-ordinates with Emily rather well!

The Open Studio Weekend is organised by Crickhowell Tourist Information and there's lots of info here:

http://www.crickhowellinfo.org.uk/tourism/attractions/galleries/