The end of Phase One of Knitting the Map - we have now finished knitting all the coloured sections of the five laines. Brighton's own Green MP came to see the knitted map for herself. She stayed long enough for me to bend her ear about the need to reinstroduce flax production in Sussex again. We appear to be the only contry in Europe to have stopped growing this most useful plant.
Carol and Pete demonstrated carding and spinning again. Late in the afternoon, Pete said he'd just met Caroline Lucas in the main hall and told her about the map. I didn't believe him until...
As you can see, the calico backing isn't really robust enough to keep the knitted map from drooping. If it were backed with linen there would be no problem as there's no elasticity.
The yurt filled up with people interested in knitting, felting, yurting, spoon carving and cordage...
Our display is now so large, we were given the whole of one end of the space. .
The following day, the map was on display again downstairs in the Foyer Bar of the Dome as part of Seedy Sunday (again).
With apologies for the quality of the photographs from my mobile, my camera's battery charger has yet to resurface since I moved house earlier this month.
Jennie and Fiona showed visitors how to spin fleece using a drop spindle, with the completed map on display for the very first time in the background.
This gives you some idea of the size of the completed map which fits a treat onto the portable display unit we borrowed from our local history group.
Fortunately I had some help displaying the map in the Style and Fashion room of Brighton Museum & Art Gallery at the end of January, as part of the Family Archaeology Day.
It wasn't an easy task getting the knitting to lie flat on the calico backing, but the printed Town Centre helped us to position the West Laine correctly. e Fortunately, Dianne agreed to help me attach the West Laine to the calico backing. My house wasn't big enough to lay it all out as it's over 12 feet long now.
By mid December, all the completed furlongs had been handed in and it was time to sew it all up at the Green Centre.
Just waiting for the last furlong before joining up.
This is the West Laine, roughly from Russell Street to Waterloo Street, that we attempted to knit during National Knitting Week at C&H Fabrics. Although two or three furlongs were completed, most of the others were knitted up during November.
ESGWSD EXHIBITION AT LEWES TOWN HALL Today is your last chance to see the excellent displays on show from the East Sussex Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers.
Beautiful work all around, I don't ever remember seeing such a range of naturally dyed colours before.
Fiona and I assembled a display of flax and linen. Already described as 'maximalist', it's unmissable.
It all comes down again at 4.00.
APPLE DAY
We had such a good time in the late September sunshine at Stanmer Apple Day.
We dyed blue from the freshly picked woad we grew in our dye garden this year.
I'll try to update more before the winter is out.
We did erect the yurt there... back from another stonking success at Bentley Woodfair...
... where there were more activities than ever before!
FLAX FOR FIBRE
Having grown 10 sq m last year, the plan this year was to grow 65 sq m divided into strips so that others could experience the sheer joy of growing and processing such an ancient crop.The rain at the end of August was devastating.
The idea of cultivating strips was not only to involve as many others as possible, but to take the essence of the map into the future.
We planted our seeds (kindly donated by the excellent Simon Cooper of Flaxland) on 4 May.
And now it's time to process the flax that hasn't over-retted.
ARCHIVES
For the full story behind the KTM project, check out the old site here.
e Fortunately, Dianne agreed to help me attach the West Laine to the calico backing. My house wasn't big enough to lay it all out as it's over 12 feet long now.
