It All Started with Some Birthday Fluff.
Do you ever underestimate just how long a project will take?
My dear friend Fiona gave me some gorgeous blue and purple fluff for my birthday in 2018. It nestled in my stash for a while until, during one of our usual crafty conversations, an audacious idea took hold: I’d spin the fibre into yarn, weave the yarn into fabric, and finally turn it into a garment. Spoiler alert: it took a very long time.
Early on, I realised I’d need more than Fiona’s original pack to pull off a full garment. Luckily, while browsing at Woolfest in 2019, I spotted the perfect matching fibre to co-ordinate with my existing stash.
The blue & purple fibre from Woolfest seemed to set a theme for all my purchased (the pink and yellow section is all Freya’s).
I’ve always had a real thing for blue and purple flowers and it was these rich tones that were reflected in the fibre I needed to spin. As soon as I got back from Woolfest, I wasted no time getting started.
The Never-Ending Spin
I suspect I got side-tracked by knitting, because although I got off to a flying start, it took a while to keep going. It wasn’t until lockdown hit in March 2020 that I picked it up again and made a concerted effort to get all the yarn spun.
By the time the bluebells had faded and the delphiniums were singing in the garden again, I only had one batt left to spin.
Yet somehow, life - and other crafts- got in the way, and it wasn’t until the summer of 2022 that I finally finished all of the spinning!
Back to the Drawing Board (and Loom)
Next up was warping the loom, though as any weaver knows, that’s never a swift process. They don’t call it slow fashion for nothing! I’d initially picked out some linen thread, hoping it would complement my handspun yarn. But when I finally got around to warping up in July 2023, the combination just didn't sing. Realising a plain, simple warp would let the handspun shine, I bought some gorgeous new yarn from Hedgehog Fibres and got ready to try again.
Making Room for the Loom
Fast forward to September 2025, and I finally made progress! During the break, I’d swapped looms with a crafty pal for a much larger model that created a wider fabric and had its own standalone frame
With the right warp and a far better loom, progress was much faster. I had also started sharing updates on Instagram, and the accountability worked wonders. It certainly helped that Christmas was fast approaching, as there was no way both the loom and a Christmas tree were fitting in the living room!
By the end of November I was almost panic weaving - determined to get finished and get the tree up!
Thankfully, I achieved my self-imposed deadline and was delighted to finally have the fabric off the loom (and to have the Christmas tree up!)
I finished weaving just in time to put up the tree!
Swithering, Sewing and a New Studio
The next step was to wash and finish the fabric ready for sewing. It was lovely to hang it out to dry and watch it sparkle in the winter sunshine.
Now comes the garment design: I’m aiming for a jacket that’s substantial enough to feel cozier than a cardigan, yet still light. A lining is a must, though I’m still swithering over whether to quilt it. Pockets are non-negotiable, and I’ve gathered a pile of lovely binding tape to finish all the seams and raw edges neatly.
With the pattern downloaded, you’d assume the sewing machine would be out already. Naturally, with this project, there's a twist! In just two days, builders are taking over the garage to convert it into my dream craft studio. A mammoth project like this deserves a bit of elbow room, and the new studio will be ideal. Just a few more weeks of patience, and I’ll be cutting into both my handspun fabric and that gorgeous four metres of Liberty Tana Lawn!