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Put 21 spinners, dyers, weavers in one Youth Hostel and I think you'd be hard pressed not to have a good time.

This was a standard scene. The activities varied, but at any given time there would be a group of people trying new things, offering advice, creating beautiful stuff.

It was the sort of occasion where a flyer in the cereal mountain, and a ball winder in the fruit bowl was perfectly acceptable.

I learned to do new stuff. This is some 2cm long staple Angora fluff, which we decided to start spinning at around 10pm... as you do. I suspect the Sloe Gin has a lot to answer for. It would have been ideal fodder for my neglected Charkha (at home), however I did have the quill for my Hansen mini spinner with me. So (remember, this was gin fuelled), I decided it was the ideal time to learn how to use it. The end result is soft and fluffy, needed lots of twist to hold it together, but will make a beautiful garter for the Bride in question. Three of us made this skein as a collaborative effort, the language, like the gin, was fruity!

I learned how to do new stuff, and taught someone else at the same time. Jacob yarn, spun that weekend, and dyed with Kool Aid. Knew the theory, never done it in reality, but it came out alright, and made the entire hostel smell of cherry sweets.

The weekend was bought to a spectacular close by this. Crab soufflé, in the worst oven I've ever cooked on. Even the 30 year old oven in my caravan that I use for dyeing performs better... But it did rise, and tasted delicious. Jill is a queen amongst cooks to have puled this off!

One of the pleasing by-products; managing to snap a picture of the ruined Marcher castle and flying crows.

and spotting this... a wriggly tin barn with interesting colours. Back to work with a bump today, creating March's Gradient Pack colourways. I think I might have found my first inspiration!