Time

  TIME....that word has been on my mind this week for lots of reasons.

  In just a few hours, I'll be attending the memorial service for a lovely lady.  She was my Mom's neighbor when they were growing up, and had a mad crush on my uncle when she was a teenager.  She also happens to be my son-in-law's grandmother.  It's a small world.....

  This time tomorrow, Tina and I will be at the Museum of Appalachia.  Friday and Saturday will be the Days of the Pioneer Antique Show.  I love this event....I get to see lots of antiques that you normally don't see around here. 
  I have a lot of old things at my house (me included) but nothing here is pre Civil War....well, maybe the anvil and some of the blacksmithing tools.  Most of these vendors are from the northeast, and you should hear some of their stories about going into some old barns and attics.  Super cool!!!!
  I've got to check my supply of weft for the placemats I'm weaving in the loom house.  I might go ahead and cut more...just in case.  And, I know I need to wind another bobbin of the 8/4 for the hems.  There's always something to do!

  It's getting closer to time for Homecoming...time to take stock of what I'll be selling at our booth.  That means I need to get my tote bags finished and sewn!    Another thing to add to my list.
  Take some time this weekend to just enjoy your family and your favorite activities.  Time is flying....

Happy Weaving!
LouAnn

We're Here!!!!

  Carol has requested that I continue our "Meet The Weaver" series....I didn't have my notebook today, so I will start again next week!!!

  Yes...we're here...not all of us, but, a respectable crew showed up for duty.  As usual, folks just got down to business.  You can see some of the Pups still waiting to be put to work!

  Ms. Ila didn't let any moss grow under her loom!  She found a lovely painted shawl warp that will be great for the Fall sales.  She estimates that there will be two shawls from this chain.












  Carol checked in with Tina about the towel warp.  The first four are finished, and she's ready to start a new weft combo for the next four.

   That's the back of Tina's loom on the left.  If you can see down a little further, you'd see that it gets lighter in color.  Marie and Linda checked the progress on the black warp....those placemats always look great!  Betsy and Polly get a chance to catch up with each other, too.

  Here's a better view of Betsy and Polly at their looms.  Polly has taken over the ever favorite Ellen's Pattern placemats with the neutral colors.  Sharon needed a break from weaving those!!!








Carl finished a rug last week, so it was time to cut more blue jean strips for the next one.  I think there might be several rugs with this batch of strips!!!!






Casey was able to join us today...work schedules sometimes get in the way!  So, she's back to weaving on her warp.
  Yes....Karin and Sharon are still working on the library database!!!  They have found some interesting publications that we didn't even know we had!!!  (Sharon was kept busy running back and forth to shelve the books and bring back more for Karin to add to the list.)
  I missed getting a photo of Molly winding a new warp for a colorful 12 shaft scarf!  I'll get a shot of it next week going on the Macomber.
  We'll pick back up next week where we left off today....never fear!

Happy Weaving!
LouAnn

Bit of Glitter

It's been another busy week of trying to squeeze in some weaving time but I got a warp woven and another ready to wind on.

I needed a couple of solid black tops for my booth but that's an awfully short warp so I added 3 vests to my length. Still a short warp but I didn't plan to weave a jacket right now.

So the vests are glittery. 

The first one has kind of a raspberry/grape look to it. It's very hard to get a good picture with my iPad but this gives you an idea.

Lavender is the next color.

Gold glitter is the best but the picture is much duller than the real fabric.

They'll all be good additions to my booth in October.

I have been trying to finish up some handwork on handwovens in the evenings (now that I've finally caught up on a month of newspapers), I was crocheting the edge of a jacket and doing well last night when Belle decided to snuggle awhile. She even snuggled cradled next to me with my arm holding her by my side. Then Meg showed up. Belle moved down to my lap and Meg went to her favorite spot, up by my neck. It's a good thing the chair reclines so I could adjust my position to suit her. I ended up doing some sudoku while they were happily purring.

I hope you can click on the picture to biggify it and see their cute expressions. DH took the picture and posted it on Facebook. I'm not smart enough to know how to download the picture from facebook so just took a picture of it on my laptop.

The cats sleep a lot of the day. They're not impressed with the loom when I'm weaving. I think it scares them some. I won't try to fix that! They can continue to sleep while I weave each morning!

Since it's quiet right now, I think I'll go put a new warp on the loom. It's going to be a cheerful green. Hope it looks good in a picture.

Until next week, keep weaving!!

Carol

Delayed Post

I did not post on Friday,  I was away from it all.  I was at a Knitting and Spinning Retreat that is connected with the "Just one more Row Podcast" Ravelry group.  Usually my Daughter comes with me, but this year I was flying solo.  I was a little nervous about it, but I went anyway.

 Into the Wool Fiber Retreat is held just about 1.5 hours away from my home sweet home, so I am considered a local!  This is my third year and although I still have a problem putting names to faces, I at least recognize more faces!

The Retreat is held at the Lake Frances Retreat Center in Crossville, TN.  It is a rustic camp, usually used as a Gymnastic camp, but the  staff is wonderful, and the Pavillion is one of my favorite places to spend the day.

 I got to camp on Thursday afternoon, and after checking in I claimed my space and set up camp in the Pavillion.  Some people hang out in the dinning room, some people hang out on the wrap around porch, but I love the Pavillion.

People circulate between the hang out areas, the classes that are offered and the skill sharing sessions.  There are also special events like the "Sock yarn and the Fiber swap", the "Fashion Show", the "Iron Spinner" and the bonfire to name a few.  I mostly spent my free time in the Pavillion from early morning until bedtime.


I had taken several projects I was ready to get finished, or to get going again.  One of them was a pair of sock that I finished the first hour I was there.  I took a scarf that had fallen by the wayside and my travel sized bobbin lace kit.  I was able to get back on track and to get the scarf about 3/4 done, and  I got several inches done on the lace inset I am working on.  I am very please with my progress, and I hope to keep it going!

There was a small market where there were 2 opportunities to purchase, yarn, project bags, fiber and accessories.  The first day I did not buy anything, but the second day I did my part to support the fiber artists that were there.

I met people from all over the US at the retreat, there were even a couple of ladies from California, my home state.  Texas, Florida, Ohio, and of course several locals from less that 3 hours away.  It is a fun and varied group, and you will always be able to find someone interesting to talk with.  I took a 2 hour "Reversible Cable Scarf" class and it was great!  I learned so much!

Next year the retreat will be on the last weekend in September, and I hope I will  be able to go.  I know I will need to bring warm hand knits to keep comfortable with the cooler fall temps that we will probably have that week!

Until next time, take a break, relax a little, and breath deep, Tina

Memory

  Well.....my memory isn't what it used to be!!!  Just stating a fact!
  I got the four 4 yard strips made for the handles, and got them woven into the piece, and then wove the next five inches.  Time to braid the four strands, right?
  Uh-oh!  For the life of me, I couldn't remember how to make the 4 strand round braid.  (I wouldn't even venture a guess as to how many of these I have done!!!)  So, out comes the handy reference:  200 Braids to twist, knot, loop or weave.  That was just the mental boost I needed!  Once they are woven back into the bag, it's clear sailing.  But, boy....did I feel like an idiot!!!!
    I'd like to make one more tote bag for the Fall shows, and I hope I can keep my wits together just long enough to do the handles on that one!!!

  I've been meaning to get my spinach and lettuce planted for the last few weeks, but I still had some work to do on my pallet garden.  I used the hay from my failed experiment to stuff the bottom two pallets (this is 3 pallets high.)  I mixed the good, rotten hay with my leaf compost and Tina's goat berries for the top layer.  Then I added a thin layer of potting soil.  They were predicting rain by early this afternoon, and I knew that this would be the perfect day to get those seeds planted.  I finished just as the rain started to fall! 
  We're getting just what we needed:  a slow, steady rain!!!  Yeah!

  Now, I've got to get these postal receipts logged...something I cheerfully forgot.  It's got to be done.....

  If I get it done quickly (3 months worth) I can weave this afternoon.  Sounds like a plan.

Happy Weaving!
LouAnn

Two Warps Down

  You can see it right here...the end of the warp!  Ms. Ila wove right up to the heddles, practically!!!
  She had six dish towels on this warp.  I saw her this afternoon taking a look at some of the painted warps that are waiting to be woven.  That means that she'll be winding on another warp next week!!!

 Jocelyn cut off her warp, too!  That's six more dish cloths...these are in waffle weave!  We'll have to wait until next week to see what new project will go on this loom.














  I'm trying to finish weaving this dogwood throw...the weavers would like to sell Bertha and replace her with a loom that can fold up at the end of the day.  Forty more inches and it will be done!

   Just look who joined us today!!!  We were so happy to see Molly again, and she thinks she has her schedule worked out so that she can weave with us here at the Center.  She was able to go to Milwaukee for Convergence earlier this month!  We'll be getting more of the story as time goes by!















  All that weaving means we need a little something to keep up our strength!  Tina to the rescue!!!  These are chocolate chip oatmeal cookies....and Tina even milled her own flour!!!  Needless to say, they were YUMMY!!!!

The Ladies really were busy on the back row (see Ms. Ila's loom above.)  Shirley finished up her scarf, and needed a little refresher course on hemstitching.  (That happens to me, too!)

  Karin jumped in to help Sharon add even more books to the database for our library.  We really are so blessed to have these wonderful resources!

  Betsy found a great spot to set up the sewing machine and hem her newest rugs.  These are the colors for her kitchen!

  Can you believe that roll of rugs on Carl's loom????  He did finish the hit or miss rug, and will start a new blue jean rug next week.

  We had a lot of other folks at the Center today, and I failed to get them in a picture!  Pat, Frieda, Harriet, Christy, Irene, Lanny and Polly.....please accept my regrets....I just need to make group pictures!!!!

Happy Weaving!
LouAnn

Another One Checked Off!

My mind's been on bobbin lace a lot lately. I don't have much time to make any but enjoy it while I do. It's slow. About a square inch an hour. Every year we have a teacher come from California to teach us. We have 3 days but it takes time to finish the little pieces. I had 3 pieces I wanted framed. During our CAAS convention, I gave  3 pieces to a friend to take back to Texas to frame.

They came back while I was in Canada.

I love how she follows the outline of the lace with colors that are absolutely perfect.

The hedgehog is the mascot of bobbin lace so I had to make it!!

This year was the bluebonnet.

The only piece I needed to finish asap was my teapot. I needed to mail it today for her to frame. She retires soon so if I wanted to have it framed, now was the time. So this weekend I bit the bullet and spent the needed time to get it finished.

The cup and saucer were finished a couple of years ago. Now they're both done and on the way to Texas. I'm looking forward to seeing how it's done.

I still have a pansy that needs leaves and a few other tweaks....and then that half done second seahorse. I have plenty to do when I make lace.

However, this week it's back to weaving. Probably a black warp will be next. I need some tops for inventory. Time to get serious.

Until next week, keep weaving!

Carol