Finished, half finished and just begun.

Finished, just in time for the second meeting of 'Visual Marks' next week. The more stitch I added, the more soft and crumpled it became, but I like that feeling of wear and tear.

Half finished, because I intend to make four. I've soldered out lots of little organza circles to start the third one, a bunch of grapes, inspired by a photo in Margaret Swain's 'Needlework of Mary Queen of Scots'. A balance to the Tudor rose, perhaps. 

And this is just begun. This what I decided to do with my little bit of hand spun. There isn't enough to cover the whole surface, but it makes an interesting contrast to the papier maché. 

Another two bite the dust.

This one... 

and this one, have fallen to the ground. Well, it is autumn. In both cases, it's the string, the only organic element, which has given way. 

Six others are still hanging around the garden - these five, and the mirror piece which I forgot to photograph.  They have been up now for 18 - 24 months.

So much for biodegradeable. 

The highlight of last week was learning beginning to learn to spin. I impulse bought a hand spinning kit on holiday last year, and then panicked about using it. Fortunately several other members of neuf were keen to learn to spin too - pictures over on the neuf page on Facebook.

And this is what I am thinking of doing with my few metres of dodgy handspun. (It's just pinned on at the moment.)

On other fronts, the second page of the Visual Marks book is done. Probably. 

And Christmas preparations have begun. Wensleydale has not only made the cake, he had an idea. 

Making blankets with left over Shetland wool resulted in an assortment of left over cones. He suggested that some plastic primer and spray paint would produce Christmas trees, which will shortly acquire some LED tea lights.

And I made a little present. Or twelve. Instructions here, except that I used ribbon instead of fabric.

The black and white Visual Marks cylinder has been on the back burner due to a world shortage of no.3 cotton perlė. As usual I exaggerate, but I had to mail order some, as none was available locally, not even for ready money. It has now come, so I shall be back to that tonight.

From this...

to these.

My responses to the mark making we did for 'Visual Marks'. Both unfinished, both experimental. And the cylinder will have to wait for a while as I've run out of black perlé

Not much, perhaps, for a week's work, but it was half term (Mottisfont, Manor Farm and the Lakeside Railway) and there has been cycling on the telly, although the BBC  did its best to hide it by putting most of it on the red button and not starting it at the time they advertised on their own web site. Grrrr!