Whirlwind!

This past week has been such a whirlwind!! Coming home from Nashville, I had only 2 days to regroup and then head over the mountain to Asheville to show my pieces at the Guild Fair of the Southern Highland Craft Fair. I've done the show for about 25 years. Can't believe it's been that long. The show is awesome. The quality of crafts is amazing! Sometimes it's hard to believe that they let me in! I like to play with colors. So my booth is full of color. The triangles are scraps that I sew on vests just for fun. They look really nice on people! The show was 4 days long. People are so interesting to watch. You get to meet the nicest folks from all over the place. I sold to people from as far as Delaware, Florida and othere times I"ve sold to people from California.

This time when we were setting up the Fire Marshal came by to say our curtains had to be fire retardant. Well, mine aren't. So I got away with using just a few of my panels to have a dressing booth. Guess I better do some research  on flame retardant fabric for the show in October. Guess what I"m going to do with the dozen or so panels that are about 2 x 6 feet long? I'm going to cut them up and weave them into placemats. They're a soft sand color.

The show was over Sunday afternoon and we got home late that night.

I came home with a couple of pieces that I had to alter. The top needed to be quite a bit narrower and the black and red vest needed to be shortened. I crochet alot on the edges of my pieces so removed that, cut where I needed to, serged the raw edges and re crocheted the edges. I have to pack them tonight yet to ship. They'll be happy that I'm getting them out this quickly. So, yesterday afternoon I was on a roll. I had finished what needed finishing and had time to sew a handbag that I'd started a few weeks earlier. The fabric is red, purple, yellow and blue. The picture is kind of fuzzy which is probably a good thing. I'd made the prototype for this in December for our challenge. That one went together nicely. This one didn't. First, I forgot to iron on interfacing. So figured I"d see how it did without that. Then, I had it about done and realized I couldn't turn it right side out. I had to take the whole thing apart and start again. Back on my roll, I sewed the base to the bottom. It's oval. I sewed it the wrong way, the lining too. So had to get the seam ripper out again and remove the oval. It wouldn't come easily since I"d double sewed it (of course), so cut it off and cut another oval for the base. This time it worked! I'm experimenting to see if I need to interface it or not. Interfacing it works nicely but if I don't have to do that, it would be good as well. This bag is mine. I wanted a summer color. The other one I did was browns.Today I've been packing. Weaving at the center was fun again. We had a new student! She's going to be good too!! I'm not sure why Tina hasn't posted yet. Maybe she will tomorrow. They decided it was ok for me to post a bit early. I"m supposed to post tomorrow. However, I have to leave very early in the morning to head to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan to see my Mom and sister. Since I"m not sure where I'll be spending the night tomorrow, it's better to blog tonight!

I'll be writing from up there the next few weeks. My car is packed with fabrics, batting, 2 sewing machines, rotary cutters, threads........you get the idea. Oh yeah, the inkle loom and a bunch of bits of carpet warp for more projects if I can get this one done! I'll be driving 2000  miles in about 3 days! I'm looking forward to the corn fields and my books on CD!

Carol

Lessons Learned

I began the last color on the friendship afghan project, and got to about 7 inches before I noticed a problem when I tried to advance the warp.  Yes, that would be lack of warp, enough to finish the last two rectangles.  I only warped 9 1/2 yards, because that's all my warping board will hold.  I simply hoped for the best, and since I didn't have any errors that would have used more warp, I figured I would be fine.  Now I must tie on another yard of warp, and honestly, I just don't feel like it today!  I wanted to have this color done by tomorrow morning, before heading up to the center, but I can see now that I won't.  I must buy a larger warping board!  And stop hoping for the best.
  Because, I'm sad to report, the blouse I made from the bottom of the dress my mother had cut out shrank to the size of Barbie's younger cousin, Skipper.  The blouse was beautiful, a dusty peach color, and I put some of my favorite buttons on it.  I washed and dried it this morning, and found out that the fabric hadn't been washed before.  The good news in the sewing room is that I've washed all the fabric Mom gave me, and it's all pressed and ready to be made into many beautiful garments.  But two blouses from the same fabric, all that effort, will be going to Goodwill tomorrow.
  I'll leave you with photos of the cardoons that are growing outside my kitchen at work.  I've never eaten a cardoon, and don't know when these will be ready to cook, but I've been keeping my eye on them.  They're a relative of the artichoke and are popular in Italy, but used rarely in American kitchens.  They look like thistles on steroids.  If I get them before the chefs do, I'll cook them and let you know how they come out.


 
 

pro-cras-ti-nat-ing

Isn't this beautiful????  It's Wild Poinsettia or some call it Fire on the Mountain.  I found two pots of them for sale this morning at the Farmers' Market.  A dear friend had given me a start of this native plant years ago at my other house....but I didn't have any here on the Ridge.  I was jumping for joy when I found them this morning.

I needed a "jump for joy" after the last couple of days I had!  My company computer's email account had been acting wonky for awhile, and Norton's kept telling me that it had prevented an attack.  That's why I had Norton's!!!  But all of a sudden, what should have been legit emails were just gobbley-gook.  Now, my company computer is in the hospital and I'm hoping that I'll have it back on Monday. 
  I stopped at Staples while I was out and picked up a few things that were getting low.  I'll be making up for lost time when the computer comes home!

I put another warp on the inkle loom this week...I just couldn't stand it being nekkid!  My daughter has already decided that she needs this belt for her jeans.  See!  This really needed to be done!  And, I can weave in bed!!!! 
  Linda sent me a link yesterday about the new Gilmore Inkle Looms.  They actually have a warp beam...WOW!  I looked, but I didn't even price them! 

And....this is what I'm trying to ignore!  The warp that just keeps on giving.

Actually, it's finally going better.  I'm using a new "treadle, throw, treadle, beat" pattern with it, and it seems to be working.  It's just SLOW since this is a different way of weaving for me.  I'm sure it will get better (faster) as I get used to it.  I've retied the warp again to keep the tension even....cross your fingers that it will work better. 
  
  So, today is a good day to weave.............after I get my Fire on the Mountain in the ground!
Happy Weaving!
LouAnn

Wool anyone?

I am spinning this yarn for my daughter.  It has been on the Louet S-10 for quite some time.  It came as very compressed top.  I tried to spin it that way with little success.  What I didn't realize at the time is that I like to spin woolen and top is for worsted!

I then began to make rolags, mixing the colors as I pleased, and I am very happy with the results.

You can see all the colors and some mixing of the colors too!  The finished yarn is in the first picture, with the rolags.  I hope to finish this up in the near future.

Here is an action pic of the wool after my first draft.

Here we are after I have added twist drafting the whole time.  This is the same bit of wool.  I use a supported long draw method, and I basically spin the same wt yarn all the time.  If I want to use a thicker yarn for a project, I just use a three ply.  I just bought a new book called "the Intentional Spinner" by Judith Mackenzie McCuin,  I am hoping to be able to vary my spinning on purpose, to get a different weight yarn when I want to.

Last fall  I demonstrated spinning at the "Blackberry Farm" in East Tn. during their Fall Festival.  I came away with 8 spools of unspun wool from the sheep there on the farm.  I have finally found a pattern that I think I can pull off and that will do it justice.  It is a pattern I found on Ravelry. It is one of Becky's Knitting Patterns,  "Transitions Yoke Cardigan".  She is interestingly vague about certain parts of the pattern, it makes it challenging.  For example, she says to increase 12 stitches evenly in the next row.   Most patterns will say, " increase one stitch after every 6th stitch"  or something like that.  Also when I go to separate the sleeve stitches from the rest of the yoke, she doesn't tell me even what percentage of stitches to use for the sleeves!  So I am really having to use the old noodle to work this all out.  I hope to have this top down sweater done for this fall when I go back to demonstrate at BBF.  I am using the yarn doubled.  The pattern has a garter stitch/st stitch pattern to the yoke, the body of the sweater is st stitch, and then you repeat the garter/st stitch pattern at the bottom of the sleeves and body.  I can see how you could do alot with this sweater, you could substitute lace for the garter stitch yoke, or you could do color work as well.  That is where the authors vagueness is a plus I suppose.

    Today, after I finish this post, I am off to the local farm store to buy more paint for the old shed.   It soaked up 2 gallons yesterday and is screaming for more.  I hope to finish all the painting this morning, since I am babysitting this afternoon for the grandkids, and it is supposed to rain tonight!

    Life is busy this time of year, I am keeping up with the blackberries. but the weeds are winning everywhere else.  I am busy with outdoor duties and family stuff, so that the weaving is not progressing much.  Plenty of ideas up in the studio, just not much time.  It isn't going anywhere though, I know where to find it, I just have to make the time!

Until next week, Happy Weaving, Tina

Logged 10.5 miles this week, one step at a time. (That first step is the hardest one every day!)

Planning

OK, I have one loom empty. Place mats still on the other. A warp on the board. I need to take the warp off the board.  I have my yarn ready to do the warp for the friendship afghan.   I have procrastinated long enough. My loom is not ready for a warp yet. I need to do some adjustments. I bought a flat washer to place on the front roller to push it over to the right a bit. The latch does not stay latched and lets the woven material slip loose and hangs into my lap. First, I will fix it. Then wind the white warp and be ready for everybody's yarn when available.
The next project in line will be the scarves for out challenge at the center for Christmas. I do need to get the exact rules on that before I start.
On the spinning front. I bought some new parts for a wheel that was at the center. Tina and Linda had spun on it before I found  it and scavenged some parts for another wheel that Maggie has. I took it to the center on Tuesday for Tina to try it out(with the new parts). She confirmed that it did spin better. I had signed up to get the magazine "Spinn Off".  My first issue came today. So I will be reading that and anything else to learn how to spin.
Sorry no pictures today. I have been working for the husband this week.
Everybody have a safe and productive week.
Until next time.
Bonnie

CAAS 2010

We just finished hosting the 26th annual Chet Atkins Appreciation Society Convention in Nashville. I know it's not weaving, but it's the other major event that I'm involved in each year. We had almost 1500 people come. I have people pre register but then we have alot that just show up because they know that "Carol will take care of us"! I couldn't do it without my crew!! They come from Florida, Texas, Tennessee and Ontario! The newest couple has helped me for 15 years. Talk about dedication and commitment. These guys have it!I don't get to see any of the music during the week. The convention starts on Wednesday morning and goes through Saturday evening. The only time I see the music is Saturday evening. I took a picture from the stage as people were settling in. There's room for a thousand people. Not that many stayed for the concert but it's still an impressive bunch! First up, Bobby Bare. He sang and told stories about Chet. It's always interesting to hear them.A big treat was seeing Eddie Pennington play. Of course this year he had to have some help from his 5 year old grandson who's not shy at all and has just been playing since Christmas. That child has inherited a musical ability!!Valerie Duchateau comes from Paris. She's the best classical guitar player I've ever heard. She makes it sound so great.This year the guys presented a whole album that Chet had recorded in the 50s. It was called Chet in Hollywood. There were 13 songs on it and this string quartet from Lexington had arranged the songs so they sounded like an orchestra. The guys all took turns playing. It was a very peaceful hour and it was good to just let the music flow. Great musicians!Scottie Moore who played with Elvis for years has retired from playing guitar. He gave my DH his guitar that Chet had given him. Scottie toured the world with this guitar. It was lost twice but always came back to him. If it could talk....This year we gave a young up and coming guitar player a new guitar. This guy isn't excited about it, is he? Then I caught him a few minutes later when a bunch of the next generation of players sitting beside the stage. They come from San Diegl, Wales, Australia and Georgia! We like to encourage these guys. They eat up the music! Love it!So, I didn't get much sleep. Talked to a ton of people, kept things running the whole time and just had a blast. I just tried to give you a glimpse of what we do. We had over 60 performers and workshop people. 3 stages, 2 workshop rooms, 3 vendor areas and lots of music all over the place.  No weaving. Took my inkle loom along and didn't touch it.

So, this is after midnight so I can say it's Wednesday. Later this morning I"ll be heading over to Asheville to set up my booth for the Southern Highland Craft Fair at the civic center. It runs from Thursday through Sunday. I'll try to take my camera along and see if I can get a few pictures to post next week.

No rest for this person!!!

Carol

Tootsie Tuesday!

Yep....the topic of the day is TOOTSIES.  Blame it on Kimberly Lang!   My niece that writes fabulous books blogged about a killer pair of shoes that she's going to take to a convention.  Honestly...I couldn't even walk in them!  But, it did get me to thinking this morning about my little piggies and what I wear most of the time.  Out & about you'll usually see me in my birks...even in the winter.  But, when I'm at the loom....I'm BAREFOOT!  A glance around the Center on Tuesday will show you lots and lots of little tootsies!!!!

  Looking at the tootsies above, you can tell Marta is treadling plain weave:  1-3, 2-4!

       

Bonnie is just about finished with all the caterpillars, and they have made a very interesting rug!  But, if you ask Bonnie, she'll quickly tell you that she doesn't think she'll make another one like this.                                                                    

                          And, Maggie is barefootin' those linen towels like a pro!  Is she pointing her toe like a ballerina???? 

Tina was spinning this afternoon....she had on her flip flops at the wheel.  That might have been because she was rushing between one thing and another!  She helped me wind my warp of scarves on the loom this morning, and it took a little longer than I thought it would!

Lanny, Carol, Carl, Pat, Ila and LaDonna were at the Center this morning, but left before tootsie pictures!  Ms. Ila made a Blackberry Cake for us to enjoy after lunch!  It was YUMMY!!!!

Ms. Bonnie and Joyce had their shoes on for their picture.  Notice that they go for comfort, too!!!





So....weave the way you love, and love the way you weave. 
Just weave!!!
LouAnn