Changing colors

Some weeks are just busy. Weaving happens but other things take up time. Each year on this weekend, when we can, we drive up to Muhlenberg County to the International Home of the Legends Hall of Fame for their Thumbpicking Championship. DH is a judge in the contest. It's like a mini conference of great music, sort of like the convention we host in Nashville each summer. Last year the contest was won by a 14 year old (who's even better this year) named Parker. This year the traditional contest was won by another 14 year old, Evan. They have to wait 5 years before they can enter again but you know they will (although Evan can compete next year in the contemporary section, and he will). Competing against adults and winning is quite the feat! 

 It's just such a good atmosphere of friendship and music. No one wants to leave. 

But we did and got home last night. It was rainy most of the weekend but the clouds parted enough to see the lunar eclipse, just enough to take a picture with my iPad.

Weaving and finishing happened this past week. I had a warp painted for 4 vests. This warp was a bear because somehow when I was rinsing out the excess dye, I put it into my centrifuge and it got tangled. DH and I spent several hours a couple of months ago untangling it. It still had some issues as I wound it onto the loom but in the end, I lost only about 5 inches which was a huge relief.

You can see again how changing the color of weft just changes the whole fabric.  Another thing, the color in the warp that looks kind of gray is nutmeg dye color. I don't know if they had issues with producing the dye or what, but it painted on a lovely color but all washed out to this sort of gray. It's pretty but not what I wanted. I did mark  the container. I'll use the rest of the dye but adding it to a warp where I want that color.

More blue in the weft or less blue? I like how both vests look.

The last one I wove with a bit of blacks. There are at least 4 different blacks in the weft. It tones down the rusts and makes them pop. 

So that warp is down, washed, serged and sewn. I took some of them along this weekend to work on while I was listening to guys and girls pouring their hearts out though their guitars in the contest. For awhile we thought that the contest might have a girl winner but not this year. There's always next year, though.

We met some new people and renewed old friendships. The best part....I didn't have any responsibilities.

Now it's time to get back to my loom. Guild Fair is in just a couple of weeks and a lot of weaving has to happen first.

So until next week, weave on!!

Carol