interview

Weaving with a disability

Today’s guest is a very inspiring woman! Jacky is an artist and weaver from a beautiful part of the U.K, surrounded by captivating landscapes and historic buildings.

I have admired her work for some time on Instagram, where she shares wonderful photos of her artist life and her dog, Boo. In fact, when selecting photos for today’s interview, it was very difficult to narrow down to just a few, I wanted to show you so many more!

I particularly wanted to chat with Jacky on the blog so that she could share her story and experience with her physical disability and how that has impacted on her creative life.

I hope that her story will encourage you all to focus on what you CAN do, regardless of your circumstances.

How long have you been weaving? What got you interested in starting?

Just before Christmas three years ago I bought a little frame loom on a whim. I designed a little snowman wall hanging and was surprised by how well it turned out and how much I enjoyed doing it, and that’s what got me started on my weaving journey. I started looking more into weaving and that’s when I first read about rigid heddle looms – I didn’t know if I would be able to use one from my wheelchair, especially doing the warping, so did lots of research on YouTube, which is when I first saw your videos, which have been a real help for me. My Birthday was coming up, so I asked my family if I could have money instead of presents. I was so excited when I opened my first ever rigid heddle loom and couldn’t wait to get started weaving on it!

What loom/s do you own?

My first loom was an Ashford 16” RHL, but after a while I wanted something I could weave wider fabric on. I knew I wouldn’t physically manage to weave on a very wide loom so finally decided on an Ashford 24” RHL and I love weaving blankets on that. Last year I decided to add a 12” Ashford Samplet loom to my little ‘loom family’, so that I could practice more complicated weaving, and I love it! It’s such a joy to use and I can easily carry it anywhere with me.

What is your favourite fibre to work with? Do you have favourite items to weave?

Wool is definitely my favourite fibre to weave with. I always used to think wool was scratchy to wear, but now of course I have learned that there are so many types of wool, each with their own qualities. Last year I wove a scarf from a handspun blend of Blue Faced Leicester and Rose fibre and that was beautifully soft. At the moment I’m in the middle of weaving a silk scarf on the Samplet, I’ve never woven with such fine silk before and I’m really enjoying it so I think that will become another favourite.

You also spend time spinning and painting. You love to paint en plein air and I find your landscapes absolutely beautiful. Do you have a favourite location/s for this?

Thank you Kelly. I’m very blessed to live in the Cotswolds which is a really lovely part of the U.K., so I’m surrounded by picturesque villages and beautiful countryside to paint in. I also love painting the sea, and my favourite coastal area is South Wales. I hope to be visiting there again soon now that our present lockdown restrictions are beginning to lift.

Please tell us about your disability and the challenges it presents to you in your creative pursuits.

I’ve been disabled with a neuromuscular illness for about 25 years now. It affects all my muscles, which are very weak, and I use an electric wheelchair to get about the house. It has left me with double vision, but I have strong prism lenses in my glasses which help quite a lot.

My arm muscles are very weak too, which is very challenging when I want to be doing things, but I make sure I take plenty of breaks to rest them for a little while when I’m weaving or painting. As long as I pace myself I usually get things done, it just takes a little bit longer.

I have to take lots of breaks when I’m warping the loom, and I’m always glad when I’ve finished doing it. My husband Phil almost always helps me with winding on the warp – I have used the ‘crank and yank’ method a few times, but it is definitely easier when he helps!

You have a beautiful assistance dog, Boo. How did you he come into your life and how has he made a difference to you?

Boo is an adorable yellow Labrador, and the gentlest dog I have ever known. He became my partner eight years ago thanks to a U.K. charity called Dogs for Good, which trains assistance dogs for people with disabilities and children with autism.

I can’t take my coat off by myself, so Boo comes by my side, gently puts one sleeve cuff between his teeth and pulls at it until my arm is free, then he goes to my other side and pulls that sleeve off too.

He also picks up everything I drop, helps to empty the washing machine and picks up the mail. He loves to come to Church with me and lies quietly by my side through the service. He has a bed in the studio and always comes to lie by my side when I’m weaving, I think he finds it as soothing as I do.

Is any of your creative work available for sale?

Most of my work is available for sale in the U.K. through my Facebook page or in exhibitions. I sell some of my woven items too, mainly scarves just now, again through Facebook. I have a stash of woven fabric waiting to be made into bags and purses, but I never seem to get round to get the sewing machine out to make them – I’d far rather be weaving!

Thank you so much to Jacky for taking the time to share with us today! I know that many of you would love to follow along with her work and see what she comes up with next. You can follow Jacky here:

Facebook-
Jacky Radbone, artist
Jacky Radbone, weaving in the Little Cwtch Studio (‘Cwtch’ is a Welsh word which means ‘ a hug’)

Instagram-

Jacky Radbone

Blog-

A Disable Artist’s Journey

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Krokbragd Patterns Interview and Giveaway!

by Kelly 287 Comments

Have you all met Debby Greenlaw before? I hope you have, but if not, you may want to read over this post where I reviewed Debby’s first book, the wonderful “Krokbragd – How to Design and Weave”.

*This post contains affiliate links. For further information, please see my disclosure policy.

I am so excited to share the news that Debby has written and released a brand new follow up krokbragd book, titled “Krokbragd Patterns”.

I am doubly excited to announce that, thanks to Debby’s generosity, one of you lucky readers will have the chance to win a personally signed copy of Krokbragd Patterns! Entry details are available at the end of this post.

I thought it the perfect time to have a chat with Debby so that you can all get to know her a little better and find out more about the new book, so grab a cup of tea and get comfy!

Thank you for taking the time to be my blog guest today 😊 Can you start by telling us a little about your weaving journey so far?

“Weaving was my entry into the wonderful world of fiber arts. I am a relatively “late bloomer” in this area, not starting the journey until I retired in 2016 after a 40+ year career as a nurse/nurse practitioner. I purchased an Ashford Sampleit loom at a local fiber festival just to see if I would like this weaving thing . . . I loved it. That lead to a floor loom, a dye garden, a spinning wheel, and eventually knitting needles and crochet hooks!”

What looms do you have and which one gets the most use?

“I have a Leclerc Nilus 4-shaft floor loom, a Kromski Harp Forte rigid heddle, and a Louët Jane 8-shaft table loom. By far the Jane gets used the most!“

You are perhaps most well known for your krokbragd weaving. What is about krokbragd that you love?

“First, I’m drawn to the Scandinavian aesthetic. My heritage says I’m German through and through, but I think there must be some Norse hidden in there. I love the simplicity of design and the color combinations of Scandinavian weaving. Krokbragd embodies both of those characteristics.”

Your first book, “Krokbragd: How to Design and Weave” had been immensely popular. What lead you to write a book all about krokbragd?

“Simply, there wasn’t a book written on the subject. In fact, several years ago, there were very limited resources available on krokbragd. I saw a social media post that said, “someone should write a book,” and I thought I can do that!”

You are just about to release your second book, “Krokbragd Patterns”. Did you decide to write a follow up book based on the feedback received from your first book? What excites you the most about this book?

“You’re absolutely correct. I received emails, comments, and even a review asking for a krokbragd pattern book.

Hmmm . . . what excites me the most. It would have to be the test weavers. Eighteen delightful women answered my request to be test weavers for the book’s projects. Seeing my designs come alive in their talented hand was so exciting. Their feedback, enthusiasm, and encouragement were invaluable to me during the designing and writing process.”

You are blessed to live in a beautiful location. How do you most enjoy spending your days? What should visitors to your region look out for as a “must do”?

“God has graciously blessed my husband and me with a beautiful place to live, a small farm in rural South Carolina. We share our space with 21 dairy goats, a mini donkey, chickens, a barn kitty, and a playful pup! There are many routine farm chores to keep up with, along with the occasional urgency/emergency. I’ve found my nurse practitioner skills translate well to farm animals! In addition to fiber arts, I also like to garden.

South Carolina is diverse in natural beauty. It is one of the smaller U.S. states but stretches from the seashore to the mountains. It is also rich in history and historical sites and gardens.”

You can find more great weaving information on Debby’s blog, Flora & Fiber. Books can be purchased through the blog, on Amazon or in selected stores.

Purchase Krokbragd – How to Design and Weave

Purchase Krokbragd Patterns

Now, about that giveaway! To enter, leave a comment below that describes why you would love to win a signed copy of Krokbragd Patterns. If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry, I will approve it when I see it (I have to keep those spammers at bay!)

Open to anyone worldwide.

I will draw the lucky winner on the Saturday 17th of April, 2021.

THE GIVEAWAY HAS NOW CLOSED. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNER, CHERI SUTHERLAND!

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Sweet Georgia Podcast

by Kelly Leave a Comment

I have some very exciting news to share! This week, I was featured on the Sweet Georgia Podcast!

This is my very first podcast appearance, as I’m sure you can tell if you listen to the interview. I was really nervous about doing this as I don’t generally like to talk about myself very much, but it was a great exercise in stepping outside of my comfort zone.

Felicia was a very gracious hostess and made the whole process a lovely experience.

You can check out the podcast episode here.

Until next time…

Happy Weaving!

Interview with Tracy from Knit Spin Weave

by Kelly 6 Comments

Have you ever dreamed of owning a yarn shop? Tracy had that dream and made it happen!

I have known Tracy online for many years. When our children were much younger, we were involved in an online craft community, Crafty Mamas. It was a fantastic little corner of the internet where a group of women shared all manner of crafty projects and ideas. But it was more than that. It was a support and friendship group. Many of the friendships formed have continued to this day.

I know you will love getting to know a bit more about Tracy and how she followed her dreams…

I would say that you are a classic “hands won’t stop” kind of creator. You are proficient in many types of fibre arts, which was the one that started it all for you?

“Knitting. My mum is a knitter and my Nan was a fabulous knitter. I was very close to my Nan as a little girl and I have very strong memories of her and her knitting. I was knitting at 5 years of age. Mum says I very quickly outstripped her skills and was knitting lace by the time I was seven. I learned to crochet when I was 7. We had immigrated to Australia and like many who came from the UK my parents had a hard time settling in their new country. They had decided to go back to the UK but didn’t want to go without seeing some of Australia first, Which is how I ended up in Gladstone, Queensland living in a caravan park. Another little girl was crocheting clothes for her Barbies and she taught me. My parents eventually came to love Australia and we did end up staying.

What attracted you to weaving? How did you learn?

Like many children I had done weaving with paper and had played with cardboard looms. Weaving as a serious interest came after I had learned to spin, I couldn’t knit fast enough to use all the yarn I was producing so I took up weaving. I went on a road trip to visit Bella Head who had a shop and studio in Adelaide and bought a wheel then loom. Bella gave me a little lesson on the wheel but mostly I learned through Interweave and YouTube videos.

How long has your shop Knit Spin Weave been open? Was it always your dream to have a shop?

Knit Spin Weave is in it’s third year. As a teenager I wanted to make my living from knitting but making money from hand knitting wasn’t a very secure income. I ended up going to College and getting a Bachelor of Education. I spent years teaching in the Northern Territory before coming back to South Australia to live. I was a stay at home mum and I took up knitting again, looking for a way to finish something. Raising a family is never something you can finish. Cleaning a house with seven children is never something you can finish. Knitting you can finish and get that satisfaction of completion.As my youngest was growing up and Centrelink were encouraging me to look at my future employment options. I knew I didn’t want to return to teaching. I didn’t have the passion, time and energy to devote to the children I would teach, so I started to think about my options. I took up a part time job which wasn’t an ideal fit and ended up with an emotional breakdown. My confidence of returning back to the workforce was severely shaken. My self worth plummeted and I had a mental crisis. About the same time, Peter my husband came out of work, Peter got shingles and a family member was diagnosed with breast cancer and we had a fire that destroyed our shed. Life just didn’t seem to be worth it anymore. I was pretty much rock bottom. The good part about being rock bottom is there is only one thing left to do and that is change.
The idea of the shop came from the ashes of my life. I was sitting in the studio and Peter came in and told me the insurance were paying us out in cash. He said, you can have half, what do you want to do with it? From nowhere the idea came, I’m going to open a shop. Even though the tough times I have never regretted that decision.
I know I am in the right place for me. I knew it as soon as I had taught my first customer/ friend to crochet and she told me about how tough life was for her at present. As she left I knew I had done something good that would make a difference in another persons life. Being creative is so important to us as human beings. I really think we need to do it for our mental well-being.

You have what many people today would consider a large family. Do you find it hard to balance business and family? Do you have any coping mechanisms to share?

Yes, it is hard to balance. I often feel selfish in having followed my dream. I especially feel guilty about my two youngest as I haven’t spent the time with them that I did with my older children. Peter is now the stay at home parent. He does the main part of the parenting. He’s the one the kids turn to for a hug and tell their troubles too. At times I feel resentful but I try to remember I had the privilege of that with the older children and it’s now Peters turn.The biggest thing I have learned is to let others help. My older children all care for the younger ones. My 16 year old son takes days off school to care for his 11 year old autistic brother. The older children all pitch in. I’m very proud of all of them. I feel incredibly blessed by the wonderful people my children are.

What are your favourite fibres to use and why?

Wool is my favourite. I love the feel of it even the strong wools. I love spinning it from raw fibre or from prepared fibre. It’s so forgiving to weave and knit with.

What single item do you seem to make the most of?

Shawls. I love knitting lace shawls. I don’t wear them. I have a rather large stash of them which made me ban myself from knitting any more. Knitting lace is mindfulness for me. When I knit lace I have to focus, I can’t let the monkey mind play or at the end of the row I am punished by the pattern being out.

There are a variety of classes running at Knit Spin Weave. Do you run the classes yourself? Do you find that your students inspire you?

I run the classes myself. I don’t have enough income to pay anyone else, plus I love teaching. I love guiding others to learn and being part of their journey. It’s a huge privilege to be someones first knitting teacher. We can all remember the person who taught us to knit.

What are your hopes and plans for the future of your business?

My goal right now is just to pay myself. After that I do dream of opening a second shop in Adelaide as the kids get a bit older and start moving to the city for higher education. The online shop is something I got dragged to kicking and screaming but it does pay the bills. I try to limit my time online as it cuts into my creative time.

Being based in South Australia, what is one of your favourite places to visit?

Bundaleer Forest. I love the peace of it. When I need to get away from it all I head out there and walk under the Maples. I take my small frame looms out there and sit and weave. Weaving on small looms is like adult colouring books for me. No one really gets to see them, they don’t really have a purpose or use. They are just pure mindfulness, meditation and connection to a higher being for me.”

Thank you for sharing with us Tracy, I’m sure this interview will be an inspiration to many!

You can find the Knit Spin Weave shop at:

Shop 5/266 Main North Road, Clare 5453

There is also an online shop here

And a Facebook page here.

So, how about you? Have you ever dreamed of owning a yarn shop? Or perhaps another creative business? Let me know about it by leaving a comment, I would love to hear what your dream is!