Webbcrafts

Sorting the Worms from the Compost

Working Worms

Today I sorted my worms from the compost that they have made for me.

I provided old cardboard in the form of tubes from various sources of paper, and a huge quantity of used tea bags, both conventional black and herbal.

No Worries

Throughout the winter I checked on them occasionally, gave them extra tea bags or a blanket when it really got cold, and they worked. Thanking me by producing the most nutritious compost ever available, and staying with me.

A potted Mahonia fed on worm compost gives me berries for wool dye

Worm Bolt

It is not possible to keep a worm if it doesn’t want to stay, and when there are thousands that don’t want to stay it is indeed a spectacle.

They didn’t Like Scrap Wool

When I first started keeping worms my intention was to have them compost the waste wool that cannot be spun. Duly I gave them the wool as part of their bedding, and they left in huge numbers. I only spotted the flight by accident, and managed to keep a small amount by quickly finding another container and changing their habitat to cardboard. They then chose to stay, and have been with me ever since, which has been eight years now.

Grateful for Worms

I was destined to keep worms from an early age.  On reaching the age of  eight my parents and I holidayed in the country, and I collected an enormous number of worms and put them in a jar, but I didn’t have a lid. On being called to eat I wondered how to stop the worms from crawling away. The solution I felt was to turn the jar upside down then they couldn’t leave me.

On returning to the spot some hours later there wasn’t a worm left, and I was so embarrassed that I didn’t tell my parents what I had done, feeling that I should have known that they would burrow.

These beans are just a few weeks old and budding already

Mutual Admiration

I now know that if you give them what they need, the reward will be well worth the wait.

Free Fertilizer

Who knows if we will be able to rely on manufactured fertilizer always being available? And why not be organically self-sufficient anyway, it saves a great deal of money and the resulting vegetables are sweeter for that.

A luscious pot of Mange Tout Peas

Chocolate Egg just fits the Hobbycraft container

Easter Chocolate

Didn’t I promise you chocolate?

There are many kinds of chocolate, some are good, but most of the shop bought chocolate eggs are not either good or economical. The cardboard and silver paper make up much of the cost.

The Best Possible Chocolate

I wanted my grandchildren to have the best chocolate possible. This means that some sugar is unavoidable, but by using organic  chocolate with as high percentage of cocao mass as possible, and raw sugar, I am doing the best that can be done.

I melted 2 bars of 80% cocoa with a little butter and moulded the chocolate in different ways.

Egg Poacher Mould

The Egg Poacher Easter Egg Mould

The egg poacher was the perfect size to fill the Hobbycraft painted egg. Just to create the cream egg effect I put two balls of home made truffle into each half and chilled in the ‘fridge. When hard the chocolate fell out without any trouble.

This made an 8 ounce egg of the finest quality. Wrapped in cellophane and put into the painted egg I am very pleased with the effect.

Wrapped and ready to go!

Hobbycraft Lollipop Mould

Hobbycraft Lollipop Chocolates

A Hobbycraft lollipop mould was very easy to fill with liquid chocolate and produced shapes that will be attractive to the children, once set the chocs fell out easily too. Nothing wasted!

Now what to do with the left over chocolate.

Coated Nuts

The little ones love soft cashew nuts (so do I!) and coated in chocolate they are even more tempting.

Brandy Truffles

For the adults I used the same chocolate melted with raw sugar, egg yolks and finely chopped nuts and then added a good splosh of brandy. Chilled, and then rolled in good quality cocoa powder and arranged on a dish…who can resist?

Brandy Truffles and Coated Cashew Nuts

Lamb Amongst Spring Flowers

Making An Easter Lamb

I saw some lambs with their mother’s playing in a field and couldn’t resist making one for my grand daughter.

Needle Felting Again

It’s good old reliable needle felting again, and once more my stash was raided.

Having ready washed and combed fleece means that sculpting can be done at a moments notice, as the mood or season takes me.

Have Your Wool Ready

I also have felting needles and foam pad ready for when I need them. This also means thinking ahead. You will be glad that you did.

All Wool and Needles Needed for Resting Lamb

Now is the time to start thinking about your fleece stash.

All woollen sculpture can be made with any fleece, but the best use of fleece that can’t be used for spinning is the basis of sculpture. This is always inexpensive and sometimes free.

My fleece comes from organic Kite’s Nest Farm in Worcestershire. They only have four sheep which means that their wool doesn’t have to go to the Wool Marketing Board. One of the sheep has such poor quality wool that it is better to use it in ways other than spinning. I always have too much for my own projects though, so should any reader require fleece, do get in touch, and I’m sure that I can provide some for you.

Make Your Basic Shape

When you have made your basic shape then you can apply colour or a different fleece to make a different texture for your sculpture. I buy coloured Merino tops for this purpose, and these too are inexpensive, as you get a lot for your money.

The picture below is of Kite’s Nest sheep when they were young, browsing on the roses.

Roses Good Enough to Eat..