My Day

DH got up while it was still dark this morning and went for a day out at Duxford to look at aeroplanes. I wasn't even slightly tempted.  This was my day.

Put on glittery festive wellies and get set to go out into the cold, cruel day 

(although the sun was shining beautifully in the 1C frost)

Cut various branches, red dogwood, yellow twisted willow, 

lots of colours and textures

Put on a suitably festive CD

"Weave" (I use the word loosely in deference to Jean, Bryan and others) 

my harvest of branches through the stair rails

Add fairy lights

Add angels, gold ribbon and lametta

Lothlorien!

To Weave or Not to Weave

One of the many textile techniques we explored in Japan was weaving.  Although I look smiley here

I have to say I don't think I'll be taking this up.  Jean (a very experienced weaver and an indigo sister) helped me to create a piece of cloth of which I am proud:

I love that I have created fabric but the process was noisy and lonely - you can't sit and chat while working a loom.  I also couldn't help but think of the industrialised process in our "dark, satanic mills" and all those small children working beneath the looms.  I think Bryan intended that we should make small bags with our woven pieces but none of us wanted to cut into them after all the work.  I think most will become small table runners or display mats instead. 
Bryan showed us some wonderful pieces that he has woven

and Jean's own blog has some lovely examples of her work (including gorgeous pieces that she wove and made into needlecases as gifts for us and some freer pieces that she made into flower design brooches) but I think I'll still pass on this one.