End of Year Update

 This is on Peg's wall at present and catches the eye of anyone entering the room. It may have been on the blog before but it is so pretty it deserves to be seen again.

 Peg's new work is in a completely different colour range from what we have seen before and incorporates some fascinating yarns and ribbons.

 Here are a couple of close-ups.

And here is Peg, looking deservedly satisfied with her work to date.

But what is she planning to do with this bundle of silk?  Right now it's a secret but keep watching for clues.

August's Offerings

Peg;s 97th birthday in July did nothing to slow down the rate she is weaving and turning out hangings, all different, all creative and hard to choose the favourites. It's just as well she has been selling some or her studio would be bursting!
Here are some she produced during August.

Blocks woven incorporating fancy ribbons alternate with blocks of unwoven warp, lightening the structure and showing the linen to best advantage.

A similar construction but the festival colours just pop out, radiating fun and frivolity. A very joyful, happy piece.

And now a change of mood, more subtle but still colourful.

 Understated and elegant . . .

and rounded out with full and fluffy texture. What a variety! Well done Peg!

Part 2: Hanging No. 4

(For photos of 1, 2 and 3 see the post below.)

No 4.  Diamonds on a green background.  This is 15 1/2 inches wide and 49 1/2 inches to the bottom of the weaving; 63 inches overall. Of course any of the fringes can be trimmed if necessary.  This piece can be viewed from either side. Here is the "A" side.

And the reverse:

I hope these pictures have been helpful.

Special viewing Part 1

This post is for a fan in the USA who is interested in a long narrow hanging. Here are some photos of some Peg has on hand at present.

No 1: This is on a black background with red borders. It measures 10 inches wide and 47 inches to the bottom of the weaving; 58 inches overall. It can be hung on a wall with either side facing or hung in an open space where both sides can be viewed.
This is the "A" side, followed by a close-up.

And this is the reverse, side "B"

No 2 is on an olive green background and has a right and a wrong side.  It is 12 inches wide and 61 inches long.

No 3 has a black background with grey edges. This is one that can also be seen on Peg's website.  It is 9 1/2 inches wide and 62 inches long.

 The blog is not keen to show any more pictures but there is one more hanging to display so it will go into a separate post.

A Treasure for Rangi Ruru

As promised, here are some pictures of Peg's presentation to Rangi Ruru school. Thanks to Neil Macbeth who took these photos and to Andrea Innes for sending them.

The opening ceremony

The Blessing of the weaving.

Peg's daughter Gendy (in the red coat) and her God-daughter Carol

attended the ceremony with her.

Sir Tipene O'Regan and School Principal Julie Moor with Peg

The culmination of many weeks' worth of planning, weaving, wrapping 

and enjoying being creative.

Well done Peg! What's next?

All is Revealed

The secret is out! The work that Peg has been putting so much effort into over recent weeks can now be revealed. It is a hanging for Rangi Ruru school where Peg was educated, planned to coincide with the 125th anniversary of the school.

The finished work, the full length of Peg's work table

Using her tried and true construction method Peg has used the cloak form
which has worked so well for her in the past

The warp is a fine white merino wool, the weft, which emerges to become the long drapes,
is unspun pure silk fibre

A close up of the woven heading which is embellished with just a tiny amount of sparkle

The long strands of silk sliver are bound and secured with fine ribbons, complementing the sheen of the silk

Peg attended the anniversary celebrations right from the start of the dawn ceremony and didn't miss anything. Not bad for a lady who is to celebrate her 97th birthday on 9 July! She made a speech to the girls and unveiled the hanging to the delight of all present. Hopefully for the next post we will have a photo of Peg making the presentation and also the hanging in place.

What's Peg up to?

Sorry, can't tell you just yet. She has a top secret project on which you will see in due course.

In the meantime here is the view from her house on a gloriously sunny Mothers Day, 11 May.

More news when it happens.

Happy Easter

Here we are in April, and here is what Peg has been up to lately.  Not fifty but just a few shades of grey.

 Plus a burst of colour. These could be called Easter eggs!

Keep watching for a work in progress.  Happy Easter.

Marching on . . .

Here is a full length view of the hanging shown in the last post just before the camera batteries went flat. This does not do justice to the subtle greens and the bright colours within the diamonds don't show up at all. You really need to see it.

Since then Peg has experimented with unwoven sections of warp, to excellent effect.

And, as promised, here are the bobbles. Not too many as they are 'too slow' !

At times when Peg is not at her loom she can usually be found with her feet up but still as busy as ever. She has made several of these 'snails' with stuffed circular knitting. Mounted on board they are quite spectacular. A black and white one was sold in double quick time.

Next weekend Peg will be thinking of her Professional Weaving colleagues who will be gathering for their annual seminar. This time it will be at Coopers Beach, just a bit too far for a 97 year old, but she will be there in spirit.

Instead she will be enjoying the placid peaceful Marlborough Sounds, still with a twinkle in her eye.