Members were in attendance at this year's Devon County Show - the one where Saturday was cancelled due to MUD!  

We all managed to get out OK on the Friday, but many people had to be towed out by tractors.  There was also a bad accident up by Blue Gate - which was instrumental in the decision to cancel the show for the first time in its 119 year history.  The wet winter has been blamed, combined with the heavy showers.

The Guild had a good couple days despite this, making contacts, meeting old friends and making new.

Several folk commented on how relaxed and friendly today's meeting was. This was the skills exchange meetup and there were several 'skills' demonstrated, including Suzanne's felting prowess (beads and buttons in beautiful merino).  The sight of Suzanne with soap up to her elbows gathered a good crowd.  Pam Brown had organised a 'knit in' of Easter Chicks to be sold later in aid of the Hospice movement.  The multicoloured chicks looked beautiful - and were just the right size to tuck a cadbury's creme egg inside.  And I'd brought a couple of marudai which several people had a go on.

Mostly though, folk chatted amiably whilst spinning or knitting or eating the delicious cake on sale, and quite a lot of folk stayed until the end of the day - at around 3pm.

Jo, Jane and myself had a meeting a few weeks back to brainstorm ideas to raise the profile of the Guild .  We also want to get a new members pack together - and a leaflet highlighting Guild activities to put out at Events and Displays.  To this end, Paul Diffey came along to today's meeting with his camera and snapped various members at work (and play) and took pics of the many finished articles by members.

If any member reading this has any high resolution photographs of previous events, or of their work please please do bring them along to a Guild meeting or email them to Jo or myself.  They are needed to go on this website, or to be used to illustrate publicity leaflets.  Thanks in anticipation!

Yuli Somme - is a local craftswoman who started out on her woolly journey with Devon Guild.  She came to give us an entertaining and fascinating talk about her beginnings in weaving and spinning to her latest adventures with felt.  We were especially interested to hear about her beautiful felt 'eco-coffins' and her research into the world of funerals and natural burial here in the UK.  

Here is an excerpt from her website:

"Bellacouche – meaning “beautiful resting place” – is the old name for the ancient granite building where I started designing and making the Leafcocoon wool felt coffins. I have recently moved the workshop into bigger premises; a beautiful and airy chapel in Moretonhampstead, Dartmoor, Devon.
Wool is my raw material, which is made into felt, and from this is crafted a unique range of lovingly hand-made products; bags, tuffets (seat pads), quirky tea cosies, woollen insoles, hot water bottle covers, hats, little decorations, wall hangings, felting kits and Leafcocoons – a unique soft wool eco coffin, designed for natural burial.

The pieces are all hand made, motifs are either sewn or needle felted in. Dyes are always natural.

Dartmoor is where I live and work – a beautiful and wild landscape – and this is an infinite source of inspiration. I am deeply mindful of our environment and the preciousness of nature, so everything I do or make bears this in mind; keeping my impact on the planet as small as possible. ‘Wool miles’ are kept as low as is currently achievable; workshop waste is kept to a minimum, recycling as much as possible and composting the rest on site as part of the management of the chapel grounds.

Yuli Somme, M.A. (Textiles), Feltmaker & Bellacouche Owner

Thanks so much for coming to visit us Yuli!  

Saturday  December 14th