Wovember

This Month people are talking about Movember (a month for mustaches) but not many people know that it is also Wovember. A month to show appreciation and celebrate wool and all its awesome qualities. Don't believe me? check http://wovember.com/about/
I have no intention what-soever of growing a mustache but for someone who has been consistently falling in love with wool this year, it just seems wrong to not mark this month with something woolly. So I have given myself a little project. I bought 2 jumpers. 1 from a high street shop and the other from a vintage stall at Spitalfields Market. Both 100% wool of course.

 My project, the vintage jumper has been used before obviously, and came with some holes. It is a beautiful aran style chunky knit (made in Scotland) and had sleeves much too large for me, probably being a Mens jumper.

So I first narrowed the sleeves, with woolen thread, all the while being very skeptical of the knitted edges coming loose once trimmed. I had ordered my first felting needle and it arrived just in time for me to embrace the most amazing quality of wool! I felted the loose ends into the new seam with the needle which worked beautifully.

The holes were mended with Rowan Tweed yarn which I am absolutely in love with at the moment. Bonus points for being 100% wool and having some lovely colours!

I also have ordered various wool fleece to finally try my hand at proper (or experimental) felting. What better time to do so then Wovember! In the meanwhile I spotted a tiny hole in my hat.  Can you spot it?

It was promptly and elaborately dealt with. With Rowan Tweed yarn again. I already have 8 colours and I don't even knit! I find other uses for it.

And finally, to end Wovember, I am looking forward to exhibiting again at Made in Clerkenwell Open Studios this weekend. 2 buildings, 100 designers, 22-25th November 2012! Pop by to see some amazing handmade products and meeting some very talented Designers-makers. And not to mention a brilliant place for Christmas shopping! 

I will be in unit 211, 2nd Floor in the Clerkenwell Green building, EC1R 0DX. 

in all this time...

Lets face it. I'm not a blogger really. If in need for writing down my thoughts, I find myself unconsciously reaching for a pencil or pen rather than a keyboard. Its too much engraved in my mind.
So I thought of using more pictures and a fewer words to show what I've been upto these past few months.

Way back in August I had my showcase at Craft Central for a whole week...

...during which time I conducted my first botanical dyeing workshop!

Then there was summit to Scafell Pike in Lake district

(including a classic story of being lost in the middle of nowhere, after sunset, with no torch, network or a map...)

More mountain hiking (climbing and clinging on, at times for dear life!) in Austria,

before some family time in India.

But amongst all the traveling, I have managed to make something new.

Handcrafted wrist-warmers made of felted wool and botanical dye.

Perfect for braving out the autumn chill.

New wool scarves

Perhaps a good time to mention that Entanglewood will be at the following events this winter :

20 Oct, 12 - Designer/makers, Spitalfields Market, London E1 6EW

10 Nov, 12 - Selvedge Winter Fair, Chelsea Old Town Hall, London SW3 5EE

22-25 Nov, 12 - Made in Clerkenwell, Craft Central, London EC1M 4DS

8-9 Dec, 12 - Rotary Walk Artisan Market, Clapton, London E5 8QJ

...thats a lot of opportunity to come and see some beautiful, naturally dyed textiles.

a travel expeiment

Recently, I finally had the opportunity to trial something that I had been wanting to do. My supply for material and also wonderment is nature. So the ideal place, my leaf heaven, is a forest. And I had been itching to go to a forest and do what I do, collect leaves and dye some. So when an opportunity came along to visit the New Forest (Hampshire, England) I was pretty thrilled. 

I put together a travel kit so to speak. A pot, a few fabric pieces, string, zip-lock bag and my tree guide! And on we went for some green therapy. 

Had to cross a quiet stream in a glade...

 came across a mighty oak...

And some rocks half buried in the ground. They looked ancient. Perhaps an old (or really old) building structure of a sort... there is a glimmer of some archeology fantasy stirring at times lie these... 

walked through the woods... 

my trial travel kit!

collected leaves ...

bundled and ready to dye!

Went to the wildlife park... again but this time with a camera

Saw a true sign,

some wonderful creatures

And my favorite, the wolves

Can't wait to go again.

a note about polyster

Recently, I was given a set of running clothes by a dear loved one in sincere encouragement to go jogging. This simple sweet gesture has caused me some predicament. 


I have for the last few years become a very conscious shopper. I check the garment labels order to avoid buying, as much as I can, synthetic materials. Perhaps not surprising this means I can easily eliminate most of the shop items. And I must say its nice to have my options narrowed down and not get overwhelmed with choice which tends to happen easily considering the number of shops out there times the number of things in each of them!
I recall, from a long time ago reading something about polyester being plastic. Although the details never stuck around, the concept was deeply glued. Not only do I not like the idea of wearing plastic, given the research of hazardous effects of plastic bottles, do I really want something like that against my skin most of the time? No. So in a slow transition which started a few years ago I started minimising synthetics. 
So in order to ease a bit of my predicament with the running clothes, (most sports wear these days is made from polyester under the tags of "high performance") I researched a bit about polyester and sure enough my fears were confirmed with long difficult-to-pronounce-chemistry words. 


http://oecotextiles.wordpress.com/2011/10/13/polyester-and-our-health/
This article is easy to understand and the diagram makes it simple.


http://blog.fashionandearth.com/2010/05/16/polyester-clothing-and-your-health/
This article concerns a study of polyester affecting pregnancy.


There is also an interesting study comparing natural fabrics v/s synthetic fabrics for mountaineers. (warning it is 54 pages long)
http://www.macrodiet.com/Contributors/Kulungian-SyntheticClothing.pdf


Of course, there will be articles to say how useful and practical Polyester is. And it appear to be, but the fact remains that Polyester is made from ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid, both petroleum derivatives, both poisonous and carcinogenic and same ingredients as PolyEthyene Terephthalate (PET).  


All in all, I fail to understand how a petroleum based fabric like Polyester can be absorbent, breathable and help you be sweat-free while doing actives like running or jogging... even yoga. Such advertising by clothing companies fails to convince me. Would you consider running or doing other activities in a PET bottle wrapped around you? If not, then how can one consider doing the same wearing 93% Polyester? If plastic bottles start releasing harmful chemicals as the break down, what happens to polyester after a few washes as it starts to break down?


One mustn't forget that our skin is our largest organ and the most exposed. What we expose it to surely deserves some consideration. 

The Showcase!

Its just a little over a month to go. A crucial point in time when I start getting anxious and panicking and getting quite excited and overwhelmed by the sheer number of things I need to get done! But through all this chaos the point remains that there is going to be an exhibition + a pop-up studio (sort of) and most likely a workshop in the week co-inciding with the Olympics in London! The Showcase at Craft Central, London will be displaying Entanglewood's beautiful handcrafted textiles for one week from 6th August, 2012 to 12th August, 2012. There is at least one workshop in the planning for which I am throughly excited (and of course a little anxious). Here are all the details! Mark the dates in your diaries!

Unfortunately, marketing is not one of my gifts. You can help me spread the word by sharing this.  

stall and open studios

It has been a manic few weeks in a good way... but I am looking forward to getting back into my rhythm. Updating my profile seems a good way to start. Here's what's been happening for Entanglewood...

The stall at Spitalfields market. Thankfully the weather was better than the last time and there were a lot more people out and about. 

Then there was the Made In Clerkenwell Open studios at Craft Central. It was really nice to meet lovely strangers and fellow designer-makers, friends and family who came to visit and show their support. I think for a first time it was a great experience and exposure an am looking forward to the next one already. Here are some pictures of the displays. 

Now, back to work and planning more events...

the awesome quilt!

So the quilt I had been working on was finished a while ago and I for some reason had been preciously guarding it. Its my first ever proper quilt. Its roughly a bit more than 2m x 2m.

It had taken me about 6 weeks just to quilt it and a few extra days do dye the fabrics, colour co-ordinate threads etc. The surface fabric is pure wool, back is silk dyed in yellow and violetish-grey and the wadding (batting) is cotton, all hand-stitched together with cotton threads. Finally, I have taken it out of the closet for some photos and here they are...