My website:  www.fibrefrenzi.weebly.com

Its been a glorious week with lots of warmth and sunshine....the weather is looking quite good for our trip to Eurodisney at the end of the week.  Some people think I' m a bit strange liking Disneyland - but I love the fun, magic and other worldliness of the Magic Kingdom....its so refreshing and great to see all the young ones enjoying themselves.  The food is always good too....and Im looking forward to our Buffalo Bill evening!!  Back to the present....well, I finished weaving the main body of the next coat and spent today jiggling things around, and then cutting it out.  I had about one centimetre to spare - I was so pleased to fit the main pieces on to my cloth.  I am limited to how much I can weave - my loom is 32" wide but there is considerable shrinkage after fulling.  As to the length - I am limited to the length of my bedroom ....because of my warping up method.  I suppose I could warp up in the garden !! Now I need to weave the sleeves (after another pre-ordered scarf).  In between my fibre pursuits I have had some lovely dog walks ...........Have a good week - Ill be back after Paris!

I'm so happy that Spring has arrived........it feels as though I am coming awake after the long, dark winter.  Today I took the photos of the beautiful flowers near to my home...don't they just make your spirits sing!!  Lots and lots of fresh green everywhere - so I had to include some fresh green fibre.  The green weaving is on the front of my e-book ;   Fibrefrenzi Artweave - available on Amazon books (which I am about to publish in paperback).....sales have been good - so I am super excited!  I have almost finished weaving the main body of another coat - which means I shall shortly be starting another scarf.  I have been weaving non-stop for two and half years now, and love it just as much as when I started.  I think I need to work on my art journal....I have been rather sluggish during the winter months.  I need the sunshine and warmth to inspire my creative juices....so....I must get going.  Although I am always looking for new inspiration, time and time again I come back to flowers.....however next week I'm off to Paris and in May I go to Venice - maybe some good inspiration in the pipeline! Have a good week!

Well....after a rather long break, I'm back.  I had some technical difficulties - but have finally got my act together, and worked them out. I go in to mild panic mode when anything remotely technological goes awol!  I seem to have spent a lot of time updating my Facebook page - but I am now back to blogging as well.  A lot has happened  recently - I have been selling scarves and coats (latest two pictured here) and I have just published an e-book on Amazon - its called  Fibrefrenzi Artweave.  I have so enjoyed writing it - I am now pursuing publishing a paperback edition.  I think I must be getting the writing bug because I am already thinking about my next book!  I continue to be obsessed with the whole process of producing art-to-wear garments from the sheeps fleece  I am so lucky to have such an absorbing interest ......I never seem to tire of it and of course the colour always inspires me and makes my heart sing!  Don't forget to take a look at my website:  www.fibrefrenzi.weebly.com and you can find me, Alison Crosthwaite on Facebook.  Have a good week!

I can't believe its so long since I last wrote my blog. I seem to spend much more time posting on Facebook....which I must say I find a very enriching experience. I have made contact with so many other textile enthusiasts, and have been fortunate enough to meet quite a lot of people in the flesh!!  I have continued to spin, dye and weave and generally enjoy myself.  Once again, I can clearly see how the seasons affect me.  I am not totally conscious of this, but I'm sure I wouldn't be weaving these colours in the spring!  Winter is indeed fast approaching and I have a squirrel-like stash of dyed fleece to keep me happy during the long, dark days.  Another project in my head is a book....in fact I have actually started to write it - but as yet haven't found out much about publishing, either a hard copy or e-book.  It may be too high a mountain to climb - but I do like a challenge.  I'll keep you posted......

An amazing thing happened this week.  Some of you may remember my love affair with my local swan family....very sadly the cob and three cygnets have recently died.  I was so upset...that I decided to plan and make a coat in memory of them.  So I have been thinking 'swans'.........the other day I did a quick sketch of a flying swan.  Literally 2 minutes later I received a photo on my i phone, sent from a friend, who saw the swan in the sky!!  I couldn't believe that it was exactly what I had just drawn.  It certainly felt like a sign of something and I felt really moved.  I shall continue to plan a woven creation.  In the meantime, I have finished two more scarves and am also busily planning two more workshops which take place later this week. I always look forward to meeting new 'textiley' people....we always get on so well!

Today I finished my first 'for sale'coat.  Although it isn't really my size, I thought I'd model it anyway!!  It has taken many hours but I really have enjoyed the whole process - and learned a lot!  I'm already planning the next one.....eventually I should be expert!  

The blues/greens are going into my new venture.....a coat which I am going to create with the theme of Swan Lake.  This is for various reasons....first of all I am thinking of entering an exhibition called 'Weave and Sound" (I have been playing the Swan Lake music more or less non-stop this weekend!!), secondly I love the 'lake' colours etc. and thirdly,  you may remember seeing various pictures of my lovely swans in a local lake.  Sadly the daddy swan is extremely ill with some sort of poisoning.  I am really upset about this and hope and pray he recovers.  He has been sent to a sanctuary and is on a drip.  So - a tribute to swans, lakes and music. The sketches pictured were painted with a feather...oh, and I forgot to mention that I couldn't resist putting in the photo of my brave cat!   Meanwhile I continue to sell scarves at a crazy rate (none left at the moment, but this one on the loom.)  Last but not least, I have started to sew up the latest jacket.  There is going to be a fitting this week....and hopefully I shall finish it next week.  Watch this space.  Have a good week everybody - feels as though Autumn is creeping in.....