Take a Break Tuesday!

Anderson County Schools are closed today, due to the snowfall we had over the weekend.

When the schools are closed, so is the Center that the Tuesday Weavers use on, well Tuesday.

It is true that we were planning to have a Christmas Party at Ladonna's house, and not be at the center at all, but here in the hills and hollers of East Tn, while the main roads are clear and very travel worthy, the back roads can be just plain icy!  Some of us are located in very rural parts, and even our driveways are impassable!  So we decided to honor the closing of the center, and have decided to do the party in January.

Most of us have looms at home, and I can assure you that we will not be taking the day off!  I will be sampling on the new warp I put on yesterday, just checking out some ideas I have been having.  I will post about all that on Friday.

So, Until next time, Happy Weaving, Tina for all.

Snow Day!

 It started snowing right on schedule yesterday, around 10 a.m., just as the National Weather Service said it would.  It still didn't give me enough time to coordinate shooting a picture of my peony bushes bravely pushing up through the ground, so here one is today, peeking through the snow.  It's the teeny, tiny bit of pink you see in the snow.
  I woke up this morning with a bad case of Monday, looked out at the accumulating snow and my icy street and emailed my boss.  I could probably have made it to work with no problem, but with no one else in the preserve kitchen today, and not enough jars to make any progress, anyway, I figured a snow day was a good idea.
  I got an early start on the turned overshot project, with Weftie's help.  I threaded the reed completely yesterday, while watching the snow flakes fly.  This morning, I tied onto the front apron, and spent the next two hours fixing threading errors.  When I spread the threading of a loom over a period of six months, there are bound to be threading errors, and this one was no exception.  The yellow warp threads that I had to add on due to negligent counting were for some reason very tangled in their heddles.
  But patience prevailed.  I wove in some toilet paper and started with an inch of tabby for side hems.  And then, the magic began.  Those of you who love overshot do so because watching the pattern develop thread by thread is simply magical.  It's no different with turned overshot, but you only use one shuttle.
   This is just the beginning of the pattern, but already you can see the pattern developing.  I don't mind using multiple shuttles to make overshot, but, as you can probably tell, I'm just fascinated with this technique.  It's part puzzle-solving and part simple weaving.  When I turn a pattern on its side and the treadling becomes the threading and the threading becomes the treadling, it's simply magical, even better when it's successful!
  I'm using the 8-shaft Colonial to do this, and, as I mentioned before, I've put the tabby on 1 and 2, rather than the 5 and 6 that Jean Scourgie recommends.  It did make the tabby a lot easier, but now the last treadling in the pattern has a tight squeeze.  It's definitely doable, but I have to throw the shuttle carefully and make sure each time that all the threads stayed on the sides they should have.
  The back is still ugly, but I did use Laura Fry's technique with the bottle, though I used a Cascade bottle.  There was one in the recycle bin, ready to go.  Too soon to tell if I did it correctly, but I'll keep an eye on it.
  I realized this morning as I tied up the shafts that I still have yet to use all eight shafts on this loom!  I will have to take a break from my love affair with turned overshot for the next project, and see if I can't try an eight shaft pattern.
  This Saturday, I'm hosting the Clinch Valley Weavers' Guild Christmas party.  If you're planning on attending, bring your favorite overshot pattern, some graph paper and a pencil with a big eraser!  I'll  have extras, but bring them if you have them!
  Until then, happy weaving!
Maggie

Back in NM

Hi All,

I miss you all and our Tuesdays together so much, but I am thankful that I can span the miles through all of your great blogs and photos. We left Tennessee in the middle of that nasty storm on the 30th. Our 10 little goats got a soaking, and a few of you know how much goats hate getting wet! They were sure happy to get settled in to their stalls at the Horse Hotels every night. 

We ate our way across the country, stopping at Sid’s Diner for the famous onion burgers in El Reno, OK (Saveur, Man vs Food show, Roadfood...) and the Kolache Cafe in Amarillo, TX. Yum, yum. We were ready to hit the dusty trails on our mountain bikes after all that time in the car saddle.

So here I am in the middle of the holiday season, surrounded by the piles and boxes of moving. David is still “commuting” to TN, and his family arrives in less than 2 weeks! Instead of focusing on the unpacking and holiday decorating, I’ve been manically converting the guest room into a weaving and work space. (Yes, there’s still plenty of room for guests, so keep Santa Fe on your bucket list.) Our Glimakra has been released from captivity in the corner, and now we’ll be able to weave while enjoying our view of the Sangre de Cristo mountains. Yeah!

Enjoy your holiday party and exchange on Tuesday. I’ll be weaving on my little table loom and thinking of you. Happy Holidays! ~Marta & David

...on second thought!

  I'm starting to think that my fall in early November might have damaged more than my arm.  Really!  I'm thinking I might have had some trauma to my head, too.  That's the only explanation that I can think of.  Why else would I forget to put the lease sticks in before I put the warp in the raddle????  Yes I did!  I cut the choke ties on my cross and put each group in their spot.  Then the light bulb came on!!!  What have I done!!! 

  As much as possible I tried to find the cross...the top was easy.  It's a good thing that the scarf is done in color sections.  I just did the best I could.

  And, if you had asked me a week ago if I would ever work with fine thread again, I would have said, "NO!"  But, as I'm weaving it up, I like the way it looks.  I don't like the way it wants to twist, though.  I do like the bright colors and all the possibilities that you could create.

Right now I'm taking a wee break in the hemstitching.  (I think my fall might have affected my eyesight, too.) 
  So, today I'll be weaving away while the rest of the country runs to the store for milk, bread and TP.  It's two weeks until Christmas, and I have plenty to keep me busy up here on the Ridge.
  Besides.....I don't think I can afford another fall.

Happy Weaving!
LouAnn

Holiday Handiwork!

I always pleases  me when I finish an item like this Couch Throw on the loom.  I think one more completed, woven, hemmed, washed , pressed  and in the mail!

I was curious this time around and added the smidgiest smidge of  allergen free fabric softner to the rinse.  I was pleased at the increased loft and softness it gave to it.  I wasn't, however able to press out that extra inch in width that I normally can.

Since these gifts are going to people who don't read this blog (as far as I know), I will post them.  These are Mug Rugs of course.  I am supposed to be sending Christmas ornaments, so I added a I-cord loop to one corner and there you go!

This is a hat I made for my DD's boyfriend, I don't know if you can see the purl stitch swirl or not.  I got the pattern off of Ravelry, it is the "Hurricane hat".  I used 2 strands of Knit Picks Palate that I already had in my stash.  I have already started another one, DH needs a hat too!

This is getting mailed off today, the last mailing of the season.  Now I can concentrate on the last  piece needed  for the TN crowd.

I finished the scarf for the Tuesday Weavers Challenge 2010.  I wish I could post a picture of it!  That will have to wait til next week.  I have taken pictures of the process and will be excited to post them.   I must say going from Overshot to a fine scarf was quite a switch.  I was afraid that the scarf would be too dense!  Even when I took it off the loom I was still concerned, but after I had twisted the fringe and washed,  and let it dry , oh my, was I pleased!  I probably won't have time to finish the second scarf before next Tuesdays party, but at least I will be able to post pictures before it is finished.  ( I rethreaded for a different look.)

This morning I noticed that my cat Toni was limping terribly.  I took a closer look and sure enough, it looks like he has an abcess in his left front paw.  I am on the way to take hime to the vet and let them take care of it.  Poor thing he even walked into the carrier all by himself!  I will drop him off this morning and they will get to him this afternoon.  I may let him spend the night tonight since we are having very cold ones.  I used to work at this clinic, so I have complete confidence in them.

Off I go, drop off Toni, mail the last package, and go to the bank to deposit my check from Blackberry Farm, (Yipee!), and then to the store before I head back home.  There I will put on a veggie beef soup, do laundry, keep the fire going, and start on the last Couch Throw gift I need to make before Christmas.  All the other gifts are not needed til after, if I can't get to them before.  (though I sure would like to finish them up and start on fresh inventory!)

Until next time, Happy Weaving, Tina

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Well, it's another really cold day here. We have gotten to see lots of snow flurries over the last few days. To tell you the truth....I love it! If this keeps up maybe we will have a white Christmas for a change. I grew up where there was lots of snow. I know some of you won't agree but a foot of snow once in a while would be really nice!

I bet some of you thought I had forgotten how to weave, right? LOL. Here is the latest project on the loom. It is a dish towel order I really need to get out soon. The stripe is sage green. I just don't get good pictures when I use my phone. For the weft I am using a double strand of cotton novelty yarn. I can't tell you how many of these I have made. Maybe a hundred!

Here is a picture of the loom I am using for this project. It is the loom on the right.  It is a Schacht standard loom with a low castle. It was built in 1982.  I bought this a few years ago from someone who really wanted it gone. I snatched it up for a song and I am thrilled to have it. I only use it for dish towels.

Here is one last picture. A while back I bought a love seat for the studio. One of our sons calls it the love chair. Sometimes when I weave in the evenings my husband comes, has a cup of coffee and keeps me company. He sits in the love seat and we talk. What a guy! It has to be boring watching me weave but he does. Now that is love! Hmmmmm, I guess it really is a love chair!

Linda

Deadlines

Can't talk about what I'm weaving this week! Next Tuesday is our Tuesday weavers Christmas party at LaDonna's home in Oak Ridge. That's our deadline for the two projects that I am weaving right now. The first is for our gift exchange. We decided to each buy a mug and then weave a mug rug or coaster for it to give as a gift to each other. The other project was using some fairly fine crochet cotton, cebellia, I believe, either 20 or 30 to weave 2 narrow scarves. We can add a bit of our own yarn to this project. The yarn was donated to us years ago and we are trying to use what we have as a challenge. None of us have woven with this yarn before so it is interesting.
Of course, some people have woven their projects ages ago. But, not me! I have the mugrug almost woven and the yarn sits there for the scarves. It's going on the loom today. I'm using an even finer yarn for the weft, a 20/2 that I've got in my stash. That should be interesting since it's the finest I've ever woven with!!

So pictures next week.

Yesterday I went to buy a couple of poinsettias for our home. While there I asked if they had any African violet dirt. I've got a nice big garbage bag full. When we added on to our house in 1994, we totally redid the kitchen. In the process, we got 2 windows that butt out 18 inches. These have been great for plants, especially my African violets. Years and years ago I brought a couple of leaves home from my Mom's plants. They rooted nicely and have been potted again and again. I also buy plants once in awhile if the flowers are pretty.

 Here's the window by the sink. Most of these plants are so out of control that you can't see the cute little animals and figures that I have. The one plant by the faucet is a good example. The flowers are cute and pink. The plant itself is interesting. It grows and then kind of trails down and away from the pot. What I"ll do is just break off the end of it and put it in a pot of dirt and it'll re root itself.
I'm not sure what that branch in the vase is doing except maybe DH decided to try to root it in the house!

These are the other window by the desk. These are even more out of control. You really can't see many of my little sheep and rabbits or birds. Under there somewhere are some great ceramic birds that Hugh Bailey made.
Before Marta left to go back to New Mexico she brought some plants to the center for us. I got the orchid. We'll see if I can keep it going. Allan said to give it 3 ice cubes every 3 weeks. That they like to get dry. My African violets don't mind being neglected either. In fact they seem to thrive on it!
About every 3 years I have to go through all of this and re pot all of them. Looks like that's my job once the weaving projects are done!
So, heading down to the studio to tackle that challenge warp.....
Carol