Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Next project, please!


The challenge is off the loom, and just as nature abhors a vacuum, a weaver abhors a naked loom. I've been staring at Issue 12 of Weaver's Craft, the Lace issue, for at least 2 months now. I read it at breakfast, trying to get my wee small brain to absorb the details and warnings and processes involved in Mexican Lace, Leno and Brook's Bouquet. I am planning on making hand towels from bleached 8/2 unmercerized cotton, each one using a different lace, or at least different patterns of the 3 laces. I have a 12 yard warp wound and am just about to start sleying the reed.
The challenge was fun and educational, as usual, and I feel as if I won the jackpot by getting Tina's beautiful looper rug, with the warp of the challenge yarns. It goes perfectly in my bedroom, as if Tina had planned to match my dark purple walls--Nairobi Dusk, according to Ralph Lauren-- and my chartreuse Flamingo quilt. It's soft and gooshy and warm to step on while I decide what to wear in the morning. My towels that started out as a tapestry rug, only to be thwarted by misread drafting and time constraints, came out fine. Not exciting, but fine! We've decided to not skip a year, but go right ahead with a new challenge, and I'm looking forward to that. I'll try not to wait until the last minute to finish it this time! Really! I will!

Weave on!
Maggie

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I liked your towels. You're always ready for a challenge and trying something different with the towels was really good. Yup, we're going to start a new challenge in January. We'll have to research yarn a bit if we want orange as Tina requested!
You're really brave putting a 12 yard warp on for the towels. However, you will know laces very well by the time you're done. Then you can teach a class on it!
Carol

Tuesday Weavers said...

Orange? Yikes! That WILL be a challenge! Peach is my favorite color and goes with orange... just saying...

Bonnie said...

Lace towels. Sounds interesting and hard. I look forward to starting our next challenge. Orange?? I have seen some things with orange,red,yellow maybe green. Pretty bright. It will be fun whatever the colors we use.

LA said...

Maggie
I loved your towels! That was such a neat pattern, and I know they would be a dream to use.
OK...I'm ready for the new challenge, too. Who knows what we'll come up with this time. BTW, where is Leo???
LouAnn

Tina J said...

The colors were just my suggestion. That's all. I am not the color boss around here!
12 yards of lace, love it! I know you will learn a bunch from it. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

Anonymous said...

My yarn guy doesn't have orange but does have peach. I'll bring my samples on Tuesday.
Carol

Maggie said...

Darn! I forgot to include a cat! Trust me, they were watching! And the spray bottle on the top of the loom? That's for Weftie, when he attacks the warp.