Handspun Tablet Band Bridle

On Monday I spent a glorious morning at Walls with Frances and Joe, a 3 mtr length of my tablet band................and of course not forgetting the models, Indy Ping-pong, the Shetland stallion and Haakon, the Icelandic stallion. The results were stunning.



Indy Ping-Pong looking regal

 



The band almost hidden under Indy's impressive mane





Haakon looking very comfortable in his colourful bridle




The colors of the band looked as impressive on both ponies.

The tablets were set up with handspun yarns so that the band looked like knitted stitches not a woven band. The natural dyes are those used in the traditional Fair Isle of red, blue, green and golds. The red is madder, the blue is indigo, the green is from onion and there are 4 yellow colours from lichen, onion and nettle.

The wool band is much softer than leather and has to be comfortable as a bridle. And although the ponies could easily have objected to 3 metres of stuff being wrapped round their noses, they were not bothered in the least when Joe tied on this strange colourful piece of cloth.

 I have to thank Frances for the beautiful photos. My photography skills are zero next to hers. (But she does have a better camera than me)

There are more photos on Frances blog spot at http://www.shetlandponyeverything.posterous.com/ take a look.

Hats and Gloves

 Much of the winter has been has been spent working on orders - winter is always the season for that - but stock has to be worked on as well. I have worked on yarn for 3 of my designs this winter - Bonxie, Trowie and Njuggle.

BONXIE



Bonxie Toorie 1



Bonxie Toorie 2



The colours for the Bonxie pattern are taken from the wing of the Great Skua which we call the Bonxie. Underneath the wing it has this nice flash of light colour among the dark browns and blacks.

TROWIE



Trowie cushion



Trowie square hat


A Trow is a Shetland Troll. Unlike the most common image of a Troll being large and often stupid, the Shetland Trows are small, clever but very cantancerous. You have to be very carful around Trows. You must never upset them.

My Trowie pattern is almost the opposite. It may look a little difficult but is really quite simple. It is rather deceptive so in that respect it is quite like the Trows.

NJUGGLE

The Njuggle is another of our 'mythical' creatures, a mythical pony, - perhaps they are real perhaps they are not.

This design is full of the very old cross patterns, with the greek key and the small flower both of which are found round the edge of greek carvings. As these are all ancient patterns the Heart pattern had to be included, and the anchour is a must for a design relating to the sea. Mix in all the natural colours with a dash of white to show the white horses on top of the waves and you have my Njuggle design.

Njuggle Dags (gloves)

All three designs are knitted in the Toorie hats, Square hats, Cushions, Long Dags, Rib Dags and FI Dags. The Trowie and Njuggle designs are also made up into kits that you can knit youeselves.