None Here Either!

No weaving here either this week!  Dr's appointments, Grandkids, errands, and Barn chores are taking the bulk of my time.  So the only crafty thing I am working on is something I can take with me, yup, knitting.

This is a shawl designed by Joji Locatelli, it is called "Ley Lines".  It is a paid for pattern that you can find on Ravelry, my go to place!

When I started knitting the shawl I had to look constantly at the instructions, I couldn't wrap my mind around what was going on!  However, it didn't take too long before I realized what was happening, and since then, I have only needed to look at the pattern when a change is coming up.

The yarn, I got from an estate donation.  Many times over the years, when we come to the Center on Tuesdays, someone has deposited a loved ones stash.

This yarn was in 10, 50g skeins and the tag on each one says .35 and it was bought at Hochschild, Kohn & Co. in Baltimore.  The only other thing on the tag are 2 numbers  5 and 43,  and that is it, no yardage, no suggestions for needle size, no care instructions,  it doesn't even say 50g!

I therefore had to get creative on figuring out how much yarn I had and would need.  This shawl is asymmetrical so that I need a lot more yarn on the increasing part, than I do on the decreasing part.  I decided that I should go to Ravelry and look at all the different project pages for "Ley Lines" for pointers.  There were a lot projects with good notes, on one of them I found that one person used less that 100g to finish her shawl.  On another persons project notes I found a suggestion I will use during the bind off.  Have I said I love Ravelry!  Of course when you look at the project pages, there are photos of finished projects, and I have to say I didn't see a single project that I didn't like!  In fact I saw a couple of colors used that I might have to use if I cast on another one!

Next week looks a little more promising for Studio time, I hope to get that Bread Cloth Warp rethreaded and maybe even get a couple woven.  That would feel really good, and it would give me something to blog about!

Until next time, Happy Crafting, Tina

A Little Luck Never Hurts

 Happy St. Patrick's Day!

No weaving here on the Ridge...just paperwork.  Yes, it's that time of the year....TAXES.

   I did have a meeting yesterday at the Museum concerning Sheep Shearing Day in April....oh my!  That will be here before you know it!

  (Uh-oh...I just noticed that the picture on the left is a four leaf clover....not the 3 leaf shamrock.  How funny!!!)  I'm sending this Irish Blessing anyway!!!

But, I really LOVE this one..............





Happy Weaving!
LouAnn

And, They're Off!!!

  We knew the day was coming...and today was that day!

Carl finished the last flannel rug, and it was time to cut that warp off of the loom.

We rolled them out on the floor...all seven rugs in their glory!!!

  Sharon has already laid claim to the blue jean rug!!!!
  Next week we will get the fringes tied, and they will go upstairs to the shop....and, you guessed it....wind another warp to go on the old barn loom!!!!

  Today was also Crepe Day!  Polly's hens have been very happy lately, so she brought the fixings to make crepes for the Tuesday Weavers.    She brought homemade lemon curd and strawberry-rhubarb sauce, also!  There wasn't even a crumb left after lunch!!!!  Thank you, Polly, for such a tasty treat.











  Welcome back to Darlene, Christy and Barb.  It's been a little while since we have seen them.  I'm sure Betsy has some catching up to do.
  Darlene did tell us that she visited WEBS while she was in the northeast....lucky lady!!!!







  We were so glad that Molly could be with us today, too!  She brought in her stack of hand towels.... just get them tagged and up to the shop they go!!!!









  Irene got busy helping Carol out this morning.  We've had so many new students that Carol was getting low on her handouts.  Irene volunteered to put the packets together....thank you!!!!

 

  Meanwhile, Pat sat down to help Jocelyn with the sewing machine.  Jocelyn had all those placemats that were ready to be hemmed--she had them turned up and basted....they just needed to be stitched! 

  Bonnie and Ms. Ila are spreading a rumor that Shirley is the noisy lady on the back row...and she wasn't there to depend herself!!!!  (Funny...it was a wee bit quieter back there today.)







  Linda brought her finished rug to share time today...it was over 100 inches long....her son is going to love it!

  Sharon joined us after her book club meeting, and there was lots of catching up to do.  As you can see, Betsy is multi-tasking....chatting and weaving!!!!

  Darlene thought we needed a picture to prove that I DO weave (or thread as the case may be.)  Here it is!!!

  Another lovely day at weaving!

Happy Weaving!
LouAnn

Four More

This time change is throwing me for a loop!! I wish they'd just leave it at one or the other. There are some places that don't change. My sister lives in Saskatchewan and they don't change. For her it's nice. She's not feeling a bit jet lagged today! We call quite often. As a result, we have to think about the time change. Saturday we were one hour different, not a very big deal. Today, it's two hours. So if I need to call her in the morning. I shouldn't call before 11am. In the evening if she wants to call me, she tries not to call after 9pm. That's why for years it was so nice that my Mom and I emailed back and forth. We could write whenever we pleased and the other read it at their convenience.

I got half of my black warp woven last week between other things I needed to do. Friday, I cut them off, hemmed and inventoried them.

I used the last of my black selvedges.

Tried to use most of my darker gray.

Added some lighter gray.

And, got into some color.

Saturday I drove to the Craftemen Loop in Gatlinburg and delivered 15 rugs.

I've got 4 more rugs to do on this warp. After that I do want to make some more so I have some on hand when these sell and she needs more.

Spring has arrived in East Tennessee! Yesterday we saw some pear trees starting to bloom. They only bloom for a short time, so I'm glad I saw it. Sometimes I'm stuck in my studio and I don't see things outside for awhile. Also, driving up I-275, at the overpasses, someone was very busy last year. Daffodils are blooming like crazy on all the exchanges. It's awesome, better than along Pellissippi Parkway where they planted daffodils years ago. I don't drive there anymore so seeing this new display of colors on this part of the interstate is just cheerful and uplifting.

I'm late heading down to the studio but that's where I'll spend my day. Wearing sandals instead of thick socks, maybe even turn on the fan, and wind my ski shuttles with selvedges, ready to go!

Until next week, keep weaving!

Carol

A very little weaving progress

I made it up to the studio earlier this week, and it felt really good!  The first order of business is a rethreading job.  Late last fall, just before the 2 shows in which our group has a booth, I had thrown on a warp of 8/2 cotton for bread cloths.  These bread cloths have stripes that meet in checks at the corners and a lace center.  The warp was wound onto the back beam with little difficulty and I proceeded to get the threading done, then through the reed and tie on quick!  However, when I started spreading the warp to get the weaving done, something was really wrong!   I had tried to take a 4 harness threading pattern and transfer it to a 6 harness loom, in order to use all the harnesses.  Somewhere something went very wrong!

That is where I left it, there was no time to rethread and weave it off before the shows, and after the shows there has been a string of surgeries and more recently a death in the family.  It is only now that it has all settled down, that I am able to think about tackling that mess.

I could have just rethreaded the center lace part, but I would have had to tie on a lot of repair heddles.  So I figured it would be faster to take most of  the warp out of the heddles, back to where all the madness began, and start over.

 I have taken out the plain weave section and I did a double knot on that last piece so that I would remember where to stop the lace threading.

This is where it is right now, life sure gets in the way doesn't it!

That is all the news from upstairs, maybe next week I can get this finished and get on with the weaving.

Until next time, Happy Crafting, Tina

Did You Downton???

  I admit, I was not ready to see this series come to an end.  But, my sister and I decided we would treat it with the respect it deserved.  (I finally got to use my tea caddy!!)
  I found some "Yorkshire" tea at the local grocery store in the international aisle--we ended up making another pot with some Earl Grey--much nicer!  And, we each made goodies to nibble on while we watched.
  Yes....there were tears........









  The weather has been lovely!  In fact, we set a new record today with the temperature went up to 81 degrees!  My ornamental magnolia is now in full bloom....and the air is scented with the sweetness of those blossoms.  It has been several years since I have seen this tree in full bloom...it usually gets bitten by a frost!!!










  Tonight we are in the path of that weather system that has been bringing rain to the southern part of our country.  Thank goodness they are not calling for any flooding.  But, all that rain means that the blooms will be beaten off of the tree.  You can see some of the petals already on the ground.

  This is one of life's little pleasures!

Hummmm.....great colors for a warp.......

Happy Weaving!
LouAnn

A View From My Loom

  I really want to get this throw threaded so I can weave!  The only way I can do that is to keep my head down, and just do my five threads at a time....and, that was my goal for today.

  But, I also needed pictures to show what was going on in the Studio today.....this is what I saw:













  Marie had some tips for Michelle on fringe twisting....she's finished a lovely shawl.  There's always some catching up to do with the other weavers.

Ms. Ila helped Shirley get her new scarf warp ready to put on the loom.  You can see the new shawl warp on Ms. Ila's loom, too.

  Lanny was twisting the fringe on his newest scarf. 

  After lunch, Bonnie stepped in to help Shirley wind on the warp while Ms. Ila got her warp ready to wind on the loom.
  You can see Irene at the warping board winding a new warp.  She brought a friend to weaving today to see all the fiber fun.










   Carl is getting closer and closer to the end of that warp!  You can see the rugs on the cloth beam!










  And, I have to admit....I didn't get as much threading done as I had planned..........
  Tina dropped by with her grandson this morning.  You just have to put the threading hook down and enjoy the moment, ya know!!!!  What a cutie!!!

  The ladies that attended the Nuno Felting workshop last weekend brought in their finished items.  I think they had a blast!!!

Connie finished her warp, and she got it cut off the loom.  I think she's got one proud hubby!!!!

  Just look at the eggs from Polly's hens!  I can testify that they are first rate!  She is promising to make us crepes next week since the hens are laying so well! 
  I'm bringing the Nutella!!!

That's it for now.....have a great week!

Happy Weaving!
LouAnn