Still here, still creative........

 I am still here, just haven't been motivated to post about my creative life.  I have been busy since I last posted - knitting, sewing, quilting, weaving and spinning.  I created holiday gifts and holiday cards.  I worked on a special project all last year of a handwoven calendar which I gifted - 12 different handwoven fabrics.  Sorry no photos of any of it right now, I got ticked by a box that came up from google when I tried to upload photos asking for permission to do more with cookies - nope, tired of being tracked so much, no privacy anymore. 

I'm on the fence on if I'll continue to blog but I do come to my blog dashboard on a daily basis to read other blogs I follow. For the time being my blog will stay just in case I want to post in the future.  I am not on facebook, instagram or any other social media and intend to keep it that way. 

I'm afraid if I start posting again I may get too political.  I'm embarrassed by what's happening in this country originating in the White House.  I'm also very scared for the country and all who live in it. I did not vote for that wanna-be dictator this last time or the time before, or the time before that. That's all I have to say, or should say, about the subject..........

I hope all who read this are spending much of their time enjoying being creative - I know it helps keep me sane and is a lifesaver.  I'm finding there are so many projects I want to work on but so little time. Goal for the remainder of the year is to make sure I don't fritter too much time to interfere with the fun things in life. 

The best to you all.........thank you for reading over the years. 

Inkle weaving underway

 What's on the inkle loom today.......

Santa's workshop

Work is going on in Santa's workshop on many small projects, most of which I can't show on the blog.  But, here is a fun slipper sock.  It's a free pattern from Lion Brand Yarns - Scrunchy, Slouchy Slipper Socks. It uses Lion Brand yarn, acrylic, which is great for those that just want to throw everything in the washer and dryer. It's knit with Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick and Quick yarn.  I found it in my region at both JoAnn's and Michaels Crafts. It's super soft.  Downside for me is that I'm knitting with size 13 needles which hurt my hands so I'll knit for a little bit and then move on to a different project to give my hands a rest. 

Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th - ours luckily did not include any major fires from fireworks (yet) just many small ones that were addressed quickly. We are in a heat wave - was 103 at the house yesterday, today hotter, tomorrow even hotter, around 113.  I used to say it's not as bad as the east coast because we don't have humidity here but when it's over 100 it's bad no matter what......and it looks to be over 100 every day for at least the next week. 

 

Catching up.......

I am once again remiss with keeping up to the date with this blog. I just haven't 'felt' it in recent years and it's a struggle.  I did get a warp on the loom yesterday for my secret holiday project. Just got started weaving on it and am pleased. The draft is from the Strickler book, page 20, #59.  I'm using 10/2 perle cotton sett at 30 epi.

I've knit two of these hats from the National Parks hat book - it is the Glacier hat.  I actually bought the yarn called for rather than use yarn from my stash. There's enough for another one or maybe two from that yarn. I may make a pair of mittens instead to go with my hat, have put it aside and will decide later. If you're a knitter and haven't seen that book you need to - beautiful book, great patterns.

I finally finished a pair of denim blue socks for myself. They've been on the needles for probably a year. They were set aside while I worked on socks for family last summer/fall. I thought I would finish these on the long drive to and from MT recently but didn't knit more than a half inch.

I started these socks while on the coast this past weekend. I bought the yarn at The Wool Co over there (Bandon) a few months ago. Kelly has a nice selection of yarn and other goodies.  I bought some locally made soap this past weekend in addition to a couple skeins of yarn. 

 
 

A few more.......

A few more towels.  I didn't do too much weaving today as I'm trying to not aggravate my back/sciatica issues.  Wove 2 towels with the light dusty sage weft above......note that is not a color difference between the left and right side of the towels, it has to do with the window beside the loom making it look different. 

Started on towels with a lavender weft.  Not sure what color I'll choose next. 

Weaving away.........

Weaving away on some towels for hostess gifts.......and will also be keeping a couple of them.  Two block twill in unmercerized cotton. I like the way these first two turned out using a white weft.  The warp is a medium gray and black. 

I took a 2 day workshop with Denise Kovnat last weekend - One Warp, Many Structures: Exploration in Extended Parallel Threading.  I learned a lot about how to do my own designing in echo and will start playing with it after I finish up some other projects.  I still have some warp on my table loom so will be playing with it more in the near future.  Denise was a great instructor.  I'll take photos of my samples and post them soon. 

Weaving guild challenge.....

I have finished my guild challenge.  Each member blindly chose an envelope that contained a beautiful postcard of a national park. I chose Isle Royale which I had never heard of - it's an island in Lake Superior (Michigan) that's very close to Canada.  It's only open a few months out of the year. 

Rather than create something inspired by the colors in the postcard I decided to use the actual art from it. I scanned the postcard, enlarged it and then printed it out on two pages of fabric backed with paper that's meant to go through an inkjet printer. I warped up the loom in a Theo Moorman draft using 10/2 dark gray perle cotton and dark gray sewing thread. the sewing thread is the tie down thread. I cut the printed fabric into 1/4" strips a handful at a time to keep them in order and started weaving. 

I wasn't sure how to finish the piece for hanging and went through several different ideas. I had woven enough plain weave for a backing. I didn't want to quilt it but it needed some umpf so I used an iron on pellon product to make the front and back a bit stiffer. I didn't have enough of the plain woven fabric to make a binding and I had decided I did want a binding - I found a print fabric in my stash that went with it perfectly so that became the binding.  i didn't take a photo of the back but I created a label that I printed on fabric to put on the back. Also on the back I put triangles of fabric in the corners to insert a slat of wood for hanging - if you know quilting you may have done this for small wallhangings. 

I can see in the photo I need to push/adjust a few of those fabric strips to have straighter edges again, it's easy to do. They moved a bit during the sewing process. 

A side note - If you're interested in seeing the postcards for all the national parks they're available to purchase, they also have posters and some other items. They really are beautiful to even just look at on the website. My guild bought a box of them for our challenge. 

Another sidenote - when a fellow guild member, another Cindy, saw the park postcard I had picked she immediately told me about author Nevada Barr who has written murder mysteries that take place in national parks and that there was one on Isle Royale. I looked it up and found that was book #3 so I first read books #1 & #2.  I then read book #3 on 'my' park which gave me insights into what the island is like. I've now just started book #4. I need to check out how many there are. So far my library has had these and they're also available through Library2Go/Libby. 

I don't always participate in the yearly guild challenge, all depends on if it interests me, this year was a definite yes. It will be fun to see what others were inspired to create from their postcards. 

 

On the loom............

On the loom today is an 8 harness twill from the Strickler book. The warp is 10/2 perle cotton from the Lunatic Fringe color spectrum set minus one purple that I had used up so instead of 20 colors there are 19.........plus black 10/2.  I'm using the same 10/2 for the weft. 

 

More on the secret project

 Another warp on the loom for my secret holiday project. I found this draft on handweaving.net - it's called Leaves or Feather Point Twill, Ann Frischkorn #79845. It's a 16H point twill.  This is a 10/2 perle cotton warp and weft.  I can see this being a beautiful scarf in tencel or silk - may have to add that to my to-do list for the future..........or a painted warp.  I think I even have a painted warp in the stash that's in autumn colors - hmm, something to think about........

On the wheel.......

I decided to start spinning something new when over on the coast and hopefully not leave it sitting on the bobbins for years. Someone gave me this fiber and it's lovely to spin. it's 40% angora, 30% wool, 15% silk and 15% alpaca. The color is actually a bit prettier than this photo of the bumps.  I can't remember if I have 8oz - it's at the beach cottage so I can't check. 

This is what it's looking like on my Lendrum wheel although this picture doesn't represent the actual color - it's beautiful. I think it will make a lovely scarf or cowl. 

I'm in the process of warping up my table loom for a workshop in around a month......more to come on that. 

 

Tumbling blocks.....

 Another warp on the loom for my secret project. It's a 16 harness draft called Tumbling Blocks.  I used this draft for several scarves a number of years ago.  For the life of me I can't remember where I got the wif file - I'm thinking on handweaving.net but can't be positive. I usually write info like that down in my records but seems I didn't on those scarf projects. 

On the loom..........

Something came off the loom yesterday, something new on the loom today.  What went on today is shadow weave in 10/2 perle cotton. It plays tricks on my eyes.  I look at one section and wonder if it's threaded correctly, then look at another section and wonder the same but yes it all is threaded correctly, and treadled correctly - just kind of an optical illusion for my eyes. I forgot to enhance the colors in this photo - it's bright purple and chartreuse. This is also for my secret project. 

What came off the loom yesterday is my guild challenge.  I'll post a picture of it once it's done, I'm still in the thinking stage of how to finish it for display.  The Theo Moorman weave structure for it turned out just as I wanted. 

 

National Park hat

Our guild challenge this year is to create something fiber related based on a National Park postcard we received.  I got Isle Royale which is a Michigan island in Lake Superior.  I do have a weaving project planned and started winding the warp this afternoon.  Since I was gifted this book recently I decided I'd also knit the hat inspired by the park.  I like it.  I don't wear hats often but there are some incredible hats in this book so I will be making more for myself, my hubby and gifts. I used worsted wool that's came from the stash destined for hats for charity - I had the perfect colors. 

Sorry the picture is sideways - I took it using both orientations with my phone and both were turned. There's no rhyme or reason to why sometimes it works, sometimes not. I take several pix. 

 

Was current warp...........

This was the current warp on the loom but cut it off 30 minutes ago and am already washing it. This is another warp for my secret project.   It's a two block twill, sett at 30 epi, 10/2 perle cotton.  I love the bright jewel tones in the warp set off by the black weft. 

If you read my post of January 19th you know I had a problem with some 20/2 black perle cotton breaking left and right. Well, look at what was happening with this 10/2 perle cotton as I wind a bobbin. All this fiber dust comes off on my hand, on the bobbin winder and around the cone on the floor - you can see where I moved the cone to show what was happening.  This cone is from a different company and I had used at least 2/3 of it on another project with no issue. Each time I wound a bobbin I'd have a handful of black fluff.  It also breaks easily but since it is weft it wasn't an issue.  If this fabric would be heavily washed, worn, used a lot I wouldn't have used it but this project is just for show and it will be fine.  
 

Yet another warp......

It's good to have a weaving goal for the year with my secret project - it has gotten me back to doing what I love.  Once I stopped selling my handwovens my motivation went down........plus I was doing other crafts.  This warp went on the AVL yesterday. I just wove a few inches to make sure all was ok.  This is an original 32H draft based on Iranian tilework from centuries ago.  I designed it for a guild challenge where we picked a country's name out of a bag and had to weave something inspired by that country - I pulled Iran.  That was around 7 years ago, give or take.  I may weave today although I have a few other things to work on too so may not make it to the loom.

Thinking of guild challenges, our challenge for this year was pulling a National Park postcard from a pile of envelopes containing them. I pulled Isle Royale which is a Michigan island in Lake Superior very close to Canada. I had never heard of it.  A fellow guild member told me about author Nevada Barr who wrote a series of mystery books that take place in National Parks, the main character is a female park ranger.  The second book in the series took place on Isle Royale.  I have now read 3 books in the series, they're light and quick reads and I'm enjoying learning about more National Parks.....will soon get the next in the series from the library.  I have an idea for my challenge piece but am waiting for one supply I need - will share my plan when I get it on the loom. I decided in addition to a woven piece I'll also knit the hat out of the book Knitting the National Parks - I'm ready to start that any day now.  BTW - that book is a beautiful knitting book, love the hat patterns for each park. 

Onward with the day..........

 

More for the secret project......

More weaving done for the secret gift project.  This is a draft designed by Ivy DeHart - forgive me for forgetting if I got it from the Complex Weavers book, their website or handweaving.net.  I got it a number of years ago and didn't write down the source of the wif file.  The design was originally horizontal but for my previous scarf projects I wanted it vertical so turned the draft.  Once I turned it, it was 20H. This is woven in 10/2 perle cotton.  I originally wanted to use a seafoam for the weft which would have been perfect for a scarf or such but I needed a little more contrast so went with a light blue denim color. This morning it is awaiting washing.  

Yesterday was not without snafu's at the AVL when I started weaving.  Springs at the bottom of the harnesses sprung off a couple times, cable came undone from the top hooks and jumped out of the guide a couple times.  Very frustrating but eventually all was well, not sure what the problem was...........and then when I started to weave again I was getting a shed so small the shuttle wouldn't fit through.  I did what often needs to be done with techie things, turned everything off and on, more than once but eventually the shed was back to normal - phew.  The rest of the time weaving was uneventful. 

Next warp planned for the AVL.  It's an original design of mine. I may wind it today........or may get sidetracked and work on something else...........

Plaid......

I designed a plaid which will be part of my secret holiday gift project. Finished weaving today, will wash it tomorrow.  I used 10/2 perle cotton for warp and weft. 

More hats being knit on the Addi machine in-between other projects and chores. 

 

A pile of hats

My goal this week was to get the first bag of hats delivered for those that could use them, those who are living in tents and cars in our community.  Finding out where to deliver was a bit difficult but then I read in a city email update where 2 shelters were opening tomorrow since the temp will be 32 or lower.  I called UCAN (United Community Action Network) and they were thrilled with the prospect of getting hats so I delivered them to their office this afternoon.  After getting home I knit 3 more beanie style hats and will continue to knit more fitting them in-between other activities with hopes I'll have another bag full soon.  I put tags on them with sizing, yarn content and a note saying they're reversible, often with different colors on the other side. There's another organization opening a shelter, it's doctor's and nurses who go out to help the homeless, but all I've found out so far is there's a facebook page and I'm one of the minority who is not on facebook so I can't message them. I'll be working on finding out how to get in touch with them.

I also knit a hat for a friend who had stopped by - she picked out these colors - she'll get it next time I see her. I like this color combo too. 

Knitting progress............

I finished the 2nd hot water bottle cover that will be a gift. Very cute. I love mine so I hope the recipient loves using this one.  (once again pix are sideways for what reason I don't know as they aren't sideways on my computer)

 I finally finished a pair of black socks, with specks, that I had set aside while working on holiday gifts. I love having handknit black socks but this is the last time I knit black ones, way too hard to see. I can cross these black socks off my to-do list.  In the bottom corner is another pair of socks in progress, always need to have some on the needles to work on when I have down time waiting somewhere. 

Overshot......

Take two on my lost Friday.  Saturday I spent a good part of the day winding this warp of 20/2 perle cotton in navy to replace the black warp that kept breaking.  It's hard to see but the 10/2 perle cotton pattern weft is a brilliant lime green, no sun today so I couldn't get the color right.  Once this is off the loom and washed the design will be square.  Hoping to finish weaving today.........

(in case anyone is interested this pattern is Queen's Delight out of the monograph - Miniature Patterns for Handweaving by Josephine Estes)

A lost day......

Today turned into a lost day. Right after taking this photo of my 20/2 perle cotton black warp sett at 30 epi it was off the loom and in the trash can.  While winding the warp this morning it broke twice but I didn't think of it as a problem since it caught on a peg on the warping board that pulled it taut and broke it.  I wound it on the back beam with no problem. Threaded heddles.  But once I started sleying the reed it was shredding right and left. If my sley hook didn't break it the reed did. Of course I was almost done sleying and ready to tie on at this point. The cotton was so weak I knew it would be a problem tying on and would never hold up to weaving. I'm now rethinking the project - maybe using a navy blue 20/2 that is very strong.  I have lots of 10/2 but very little 20/2 to choose from.  This has happened several times over the years with black cottons, all thicker cottons but hasn't been an issue in probably 10 years.  Oh well...........another day, another warp...........  

 

thinking spring tulips

 I started weaving some spring tulips even though tulip time is 3-4 months away.  These are for a long term project yet to be written about. 20/2 perle cotton warp and ground weft, 10/2 perle cotton pattern, sett is 30 epi. 

Today we have torrential rains which is better than the ice to the north and snow to the east. I'll be staying in to weave and knit while listening to audio book 8 of the outlander series. I had wanted to go to the weaving guild meeting but it's probably 50 minute drive, much of it on the highway with crazy drivers, especially semi's, in this rain I'd rather not be on the road with them.  As a friend on the coast would say it's raining pitchforks and shovels. 

The good and the bad.......

The good - I'm ahead of the game - today I put together a total of 30 cards that will be birthday cards for this coming year.  I wove the fabric last spring on a scarf warp that I intentionally put extra warp on for cards. It has sequins in little double weave pockets. This is a sampling of some of the cards.  I probably should have taken a close up picture of one of the cards - at this point I'm just happy the pic turned right side up once loaded to blogger. I've gotten low on envelopes to fit this size so will have to make a stop at Staples next time out.  

The bad - I hadn't put this on my to-do list even though it was something I've wanted to do for months. Now I don't get the pleasure of crossing it out.  Does it still count if I write it on the list now and then cross it off???

Another finished project in the new year.......

Upside down photo this time - makes no sense when taking photos with my phone as to how they'll upload to blogger, definitely not consistent.  Anyhow finished up a hot water bottle cover for a February birthday. A friend gave me one for my back issues and I love it - the water stays hot all evening. The pattern, Hot Water Bottle Cozy, is by Churchmouse. I'm going to start the snowflake design this evening for a March birthday. 

I continue to go through some stash/books to see if they need to go live elsewhere so they get used.  I have a container of novelty yarns that would be great to mix in as accents in knitting or weaving projects that will need new homes, still keeping some for myself.  Today I'm going to look over my knitting books, some of which I bought but will probably never knit any of the patterns. 

Sheesh - just noticed in the picture I have a mistake, a white stitch where it should be purple. Thinking it will stay that way. I could try doing a duplicate stitch overtop the white stitch but then that might even draw more attention to it.  Oh well.........

 

Working on that to-do list........

This year I'm hoping to make a dent in the creative to-do list that carries over from year to year.  First I sat down and updated the list which means more projects added to it. Last night I was able to cross a project off the list that's been sitting for years, so many years I can't even guess how long. I bought the pattern, Union Square Floor Tote, fabric, jute webbing, soft & stable foam and other materials to make two of these. One was made as a gift but then the bag with the supplies for mine sat under the sewing room desk for years. I worked on it the past few days minus one day when we were without power for many hours. Now I remember why I never got to mine - with two layers of the foam it's very hard to maneuver under the sewing machine. It's also big which makes it hard to machine sew. But I persevered and have a finished tote to sit in the living room with my many current knitting projects in it. The background color of the outside is actually a bit more colorful - a soft seafoam teal.  The inside is the same fabric with a brown background. And yes, those are sheep all over it. I love it. I will never make another one. 

Today's chore was organizing my knitting supplies as they were spread all out over the house instead of where they should be. I thought I was done and then found another basket full.  Now they're all organized. Two dilapidated knitting totes are off to the trash, all combined into a third one. I also went through my felted knitting books to share with others. I kept one. I will never make all those projects so best the books move on to someone that will use them. This freed up space on one shelf for more quilting books...........ah, there's always an upside to cleaning out. 

Other than the knitting projects I have going I'll have to go look over that very long to-do list to see what I'm in the mood to work on next.

I wish you all a Happy New Year - I wish you peace, good health, no chaos or crisis and lots of time to be creative at what you love doing..............
 

Post holiday

First off, sorry a couple pix are sideways - makes no sense, can't seem to correct it when it loads to blogger. Take the pic with phone held the same way but some come out different and no amount of editing on the computer reflects once they upload to blogger. 

I'm sorry I neglected to take photos of many of the gifts I made this year but that's life.  So below is one of them and a few other pix. 

I decided to make an inkling this year since I had an idea. This is #27 in the series started back in the 90's. Some years I have ideas, some years I don't, some years I've made a set that go together, some years just one.....or none.  This year's inkling is a Yellowstone Ranch cowboy (Yellowstone series starring Kevin Costner) The body is inkle woven and stuffed. What looks like feet is really a horse shoe he's sitting on top of. Part of the fun making these is searching for 'accessories' from all different sources.  I already have an idea for next year.....if I can pull it off. 

Yesterday I knit another hat on the Addi machine out of Cascade 220 worsted wool.  It's reversible. Here is one side of it........

...here's the other side. I thought I'd be doing good if I could knock out one a day fitting it in-between other activities - may not always happen but I'll work towards it.

And here are our holiday cards. Handwoven as they often are although I have been known to make quilted, crocheted or paper crafted cards. 

Finally, this is for Judy from Fundamentally Fiber, if you happen to read my blog. The photo of your current roving being spun on a turkish spindle is incredible - the colors are incredible and the photo is beautiful - I think you could put together a great calendar with your fiber photos. Anyhow, since you don't have comments enabled I'm writing here to say I love seeing what you're up to in your fiber life. 

 

New toy.......

Friend Yolanda 'enabled' me to buy a new toy - the Addi Express King knitting machine.   It is limited with what it can knit having only 46 stitches but it will knit tubes and although I haven't tried it yet, it will knit flat too.  I have a ton, I mean a whole lot, of worsted weight wool that I'd like to use to knit hats for charity but if I were going to handknit them I might only get a few done each year.  So, the Addi was a perfect solution - I haven't officially timed myself but I'm guess it takes between 30-45 minutes to knit a hat......will time it next hat. 

Here is it with some Red Heart pink yarn that I bought to learn on. I watched many You Tubes for instruction as learning from the minimal directions would be difficult......at least difficult for me. There are tons of You Tube videos on the Addi and many different project ideas. 

This is my first hat. It is double thick which means it could be reversible, different colors on each side. Learning the tension to put on the yarn coming through my hand takes a while - this hat is a little too tight for an adult but would fit a child just fine. I had enough of the big skein of pink yarn to make a second hat so I lessened the tension in my hand and it turned out perfect. 

Sorry, this is upside-down for what reason I don't know.  Next up I wanted to try the Cascade 220 wool yarn that I have shelves of. Sam requested a hat so I told him I wasn't in the mood to wind skeins into balls right then so I'd use some leftovers that were already wound. I was worried this would turn out too small as I needed to learn how much tension for this yarn but it's perfect. At first I was having troubled with dropped stitches and what is called tucked stitches - I learned how to fix them except a couple times the ladders on dropped or tucked stitches were crossed so I to take the hat out.  My friend told me to use a dryer sheet in my hand and let the yarn run over it, I also held my hand a little lower than the guide - perfect, no issues. I know I saw a video where it showed how to make a jogless change of color - need to go back and find that. Sam loves his new hat, being 2 layers it will be extra warm.  I made this hat a little shorter too which is perfect. The inside of the hat is a lighter green with the black. I can't wait to mix and match all the fun colors of yarn I have for some colorful hats. 

In addition to being able to knit many hats for charity I will be able to knit flat pieces. I've been wanting to knit my own flat pieces for dyeing. In the past I've bought some or had a friend make me some on her flatbed knitting machine. When I get to doing that I'll be learning how small the yarn can be on this machine. 

At the moment the two downsides to buying this new toy is that I have many, many skeins of wool to sit and wind into balls and then where do I make room to store it.......it does have a nice 'hat box' for storage but there needs to be shelf space for it. Oh, another downside - I need to not go too far the rabbit hole at the moment as I have other things to do too.............

 

Sunrise in November

Beautiful sunrise this morning..........

Playing with fiber on turkey day......

We're having a very laid back turkey day which suits me just fine. It's harder this year with no family here locally but we're doing fine. I'm playing with fiber and Sam is watching the Commanders, formerly Redskins, our team as we both grew up in DC/MD. I am making a small turkey dinner but got much of it done yesterday, will finish up in a bit and put a spatchcocked turkey breast in the oven which shouldn't take long to roast. 

 

I've got more socks on the needles - this is sock number two of this pair. Kind of weird color combinations but I like them. 

Over a week ago I wound a warp and got it wound on the back beam. Yesterday I threaded heddles, sleyed the reed and got it tied on. Today I started weaving. It's a networked twill with an advancing twill treadling. The left side looks like there's a problem in this pic but there isn't, it's just the way the light is shining in on that side.  After this warp I may go back to a quilt project just barely started way back in March. 

I hope you all are having a wonderful Thanksgiving. 

Festive table runner

 I got this warp on the loom yesterday and almost have it woven off. It's basketweave and twill in 5/2 perle cotton. It was inspired by this fun melamine platter and a matching chip/dip tray I found this summer. They along with the runner will be a fun gift for friends that moved to AZ last year. I just love how festive and cheery it is. I put on enough warp for 2 long runners, not sure if the other will be a gift or if we'll use it ourselves.  I've really been enjoying weaving in fun colors lately, it's nice not to always be thinking about what will sell best, I love weaving what tickles me these days..........

.....that blasted table runner warp.............

 Here is one of the table runners woven from that blasted summer & winter project I posted about two weeks ago. It's still not quite square but that would have taken reworking the entire project, as in changing sett and I really didn't want it wider. I'm happy with the end result even if it's not what it should have been. I guess I really should have ironed it before it's pic but at this point I'm happy to get another post on the blog. I'm going to make an effort to do it more often............

Towels..........

 Towels off the loom this morning, washed and hemmed. They're a 2 block twill weave structure. I started out with sea glass green for weft and woven 2 towels. Then I decided to weave the rest all different colors. I can mix and match them if I want to give away a set of 2. I did take photos of them all on the loom but never got around to posting them so a finished pic is what shows up here. I've noticed lately I've been drawn to using cheery bright colors - guess that's what I need in my life right now. 

I've got another gift project planned - a couple table runners to match some melamine platters.  It's hard not to put on long warps like I did when selling my weaving but I'm starting to get used to it.  The table runner project wouldn't really work for many others because of the bright colors so no use putting on a long warp. 

Tonight will be spent hand hemming a few table mats off another table runner warp.  I need to lay out one of the table runners on the table and get a pic of it to post. 

MIA.........once again.......

I'm not sure why I can't motivate myself to post to the blog. Maybe those that have followed it for years have given up on me. I just don't have anything to say, often not much to post photos of.  I could say I'm going to do better but might as well not since who knows what will happen.  But for today there is a post...............

I've been wanting to do a summer & winter runner project since seeing it in Handwoven magazine back in the S/O 2001 issue. If I do use something from Handwoven I don't often follow directions for  projects exactly - usually I use a draft in totally different fibers for a totally different project.........but this time I decided to follow them......big mistake for this particular project. 

Phew, what a fiasco.......for a bit.  First I almost had the 400+ ends threaded through the heddles when I decided something didn't look right, too many warp ends left to thread - yep, I had forgotten to do a repeat back at the beginning.  Out it came, rethreaded the next day, sleyed the reed and tied on. 

I started weaving but it wouldn't beat square (no pic), it was at least 3 times longer than it should be. There was no way to beat it square.  When starting this project I was thinking using 10/2 sett at 24 epi was a bit much, should have been 18-20 epi but I kept with the instructions. And with 10/2 I would have chosen 5/2 for the pattern weft but the instructions said 3/2. The errata I found for this project was actually in the letters to the editor where someone brought up this exact issue - answer was that yes, it could be beat square (hah!) but there were changes that could be made. The changes I made were to give up the diamond summer & winter background which takes 8 shots per square on the profile draft to a plainer background that only took 4 shots per square which meant I could alter the number of repeats.......and to use 5/2 for the pattern rather than 3/2. If I were going to weave this project again I would change the sett so I could use the diamond treadling. I've now got 3 out of 4 table runners woven - hoping to finish the last one today. 

I went to Websters with a friend on Wednesday to see the trunk show for Greenwood Fiberworks - the owner Carolyn, was on her way to OFFF (Oregon Flock & Fiber Festival) so stopped in our area on her way to share with those of us not going to OFFF this year. I helped make her trunk show a success with the purchases below..........

So once again taking photos with my phone leaves me with sideways or upside down photos that no matter how many times I edit them once I upload them to the blog they do what they want.  Here is the Greenwood Fiberworks shawl kit I bought - almost bought one in sand/sea glass colors but decided I've done too much in those colors recently so went with these yarn colors. I think I can wear the shawl with much more in these colors.  Not sure when I'll start this - have many things on the to-do list before it.

Here is the yarn I bought to make these fingerless mitts, 2 different colorways for 2 pair of mitts. Carolyn Greenwood had a pair knit in this pattern in her trunk show, it's a free pattern on Ravelry called Keep the Leaf. 

And then I bought this set of mini-skeins for a pair of socks - will have to look for some ideas of how to use them.........when they move up the very long to-do list................

Still dealing with back and leg pain but it's slowly improving. I was going to PT for a bit, now doing the stretches and exercises here at home.  I'm able to weave again, slowly with many breaks but that's ok, I'm weaving. 

Maybe I'll post again soon........
 

In the pipeline...........

More socks in the pipeline for holiday gifts.  I'm having fun knitting all the socks and my hands haven't cramped up yet so that's a good thing. 

Love these lavendars and purples

These are very fun, have finished the first sock, this is sock #2 of the pair

We spent a few days on the coast escaping the smoke of the valley.  There was still a bit of smoke on the coast and inland just a mile from the beach there's heavy smoke. We have a big fire just to the south of us spreading most of the smoke but then there are also fires to the west, east and north. The AQI (air quality) has been hazardous for weeks, it's ugly out. I hate summer/fire season.