Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Connections!

What a day this has been! First of all, I just got this warp off of my loom. It's seafoam green, natural and wisteria. It'll be a jacket, 2 tops and 3 vests. It'll be fun to figure out which buttons to use on these pieces. I'm in the full spring mode on my loom!!



As was posted on the Tuesday blog, it was kind of like Christmas with yarn and fabric strips coming to the center. We were very fortunate to have all of this offered to us. Of course, as we were moving them to storage more got put on our piles. I know there are some neutral colors I"d like to get yet, but for now, here's my stash. Some of those weigh 20 lbs! There's always room for a bit more in my studio but I am already figuring out warps to weave these on. The fabric is synethic, alot of it nylon. I think they'll make great bathroom mats, placemats and even handbags. Back in the day, Arrowcraft sold bags woven with the nylon strips and I think we need to make our own version for the shop!! There will be more coming in a few weeks. I'm not sure the people getting it to us even know what all is there yet and we certainly are excited about the prospect of something that will take us in new directions. I didn't ever imagine that these selvages were still available anywhere so am looking forward to playing with them in the months to come!
It's after midnight on Tuesday night, so I can do my blog as a Wednesday! We just got in from a concert. We have a friend who is good friends with Merle Haggard. She has gone to his concerts for probably 30 years! She called us the other day to say he'd be in town, did we want to go? Maybe go backstage? So we went. We had good seats but ended up backstage for the whole performance. Not only was Merle Haggard playing, but also Kris Kristofferson. Kris had a nasty cold and had a time trying to sing but they put on a good show. Merle's son is 18 and is playing in the band. That kid is good! He could have a very bright future in the music industry if he wants to. It was obvious how proud his Dad was to be on stage with him.

There was an opening act of young guys from North Carolina. We invited them to come to our convention in July because they would really enjoy meeting Paul Yandell who was Chet Atkin's rhythm player. I hope they come. It's like our fiber conferences. You always learn something new at them. Whether it's guitar music or a new weave structure, we're all in the game of knowledge!
I've been meaning to visit my family in Moose Jaw for some time now. I always dread going in winter but January is generally the time I like to go for a couple of weeks. This year it's alot later. I'm flying up on Friday for a couple of weeks. My sister has plans for us to sew! This should be interesting. I've collected some fabric and notions that we'll need. She has both her sewing machines in fine shape so I hope to post some pictures of what we do while I'm there. No room for a loom in my carry on. I'll be taking a laptop. So the weaving will wait til I get back!
Carol

7 comments:

LA said...

Wow! What a fun night! You got to meet two greats in the music field! Yes, we had a load yesterday, and you got some great colors! I'm sure you'll have fun playing with your stash. Have a safe trip!

roxie said...

What a lot of fun things to report. You've been so busy!

Bonnie said...

Sounds like a fun night. Have a fun and safe trip.

Linda said...

I am looking forward to seeing what you create. Have a safe trip. We will miss you!

Tina J said...

I love that spring colored warp. Be sure and let us know how you are doing in the frozen north!

Kathy said...

I love that spring warp, too. What grist, fiber, & sett are you using to make fabric for garments? So far, I haven't made fabric to cut into, but I aspire to!

Carol said...

It depends on the yarn you're using. I'm using mainly cotton but I've got alot of different weights of yarn in there, everything from an 8/2 to really an 8/8 cotton. Sometimes I throw in a different yarn like rayon chenille or linen. I preshrink everything before I sew it, plus I"ve done this so long, I just know it's going to work. Start small and maybe weave enough for a vest, checking out the sett ahead of time to get a fairly balanced weave. Be sure to preshrink it either by washing it by hand or do like I do, serge the raw edges and then throw it in the washing machine but on gentle and warm wash and warm rinse. Hang to dry. Then cut, serge and sew it together however you're figuring to do that. Hope that helps a bit. Don't be afraid. I was kind of scared at first myself, but the more you do, the better your fabric will look and the more confidence you'll have to weave something a bit more challenging. Keep us informed on your progress, ok?