Great Colors!

Several months ago Yarn Barn's Mill Ends letter came. In it was a variegated yarn, acrylic, but a nice combination of colors. So I ordered a couple of cones. This past week I wove with it. Pulling out the colors in the yarn, I picked 6 solids for the warp.
It's a cheerful warp. I like weaving with cheerful colors.

Not knowing how far my variegated weft would go, I planned for a jacket and 3 vests.  I was going to weave a top with it but was afraid that the acrylic weft was a bit scratchy. Now that it's off the loom and washed, I think a top would have worked but I knew vests would be nice so skipped the top.

 

 The picture shows it a bit oranger than it really is but the colors are so pretty! I smiled the whole time I was weaving this warp.

 I had thought to weave the rest of the warp changing wefts. Maybe weave a vest in red or turquoise. However, when I started weaving black I liked it just that way. I almost forgot to take a picture of the black while still on the loom! There will be some warp thrums for LouAnn to add to her fun yarns but not much. I weave to the end of the warp..

 

The warp is off the loom and washed, ready for me to assemble the pieces. This week I'll be doing that. Cutting, serging, sewing, finishing. There are alot of pieces to finish yet in the studio.

 

I really liked this variegated yarn. When you get the mill end list from Yarn Barn, you feel the little sample and wonder, how would this work.....and you figure, ok, take a risk and buy a couple of cones. Then you weave with it and think, rats, I should have ordered 4 cones!

That's life. There'll be another list coming in a couple of months with no telling what yarns and just maybe there'll be another bunch of fun yarn that'll be great to weave in there as well.

Here's hoping!

Til next week...keep weaving!

Carol

"Yarnies" in Michigan

Remnants of Summer Mixed with Fall
on my Front Porch

This week we had friends visiting us in Michigan. The wife has a true yarn addiction. I had told her about several yarn stores that I had visited and several that I knew about. We planned our shopping and leaf peeping adventures around where the yarn stores could be found. By day two her husband coined the word "yarnies" to describe us. I think that is like carnies who travel from town to town with carnivals - well we traveled from town to town for yarn stores. We hit Petoskey, Cross Village, and East Jordan - we missed one in Boyne City/Horton Bay.

The weather this week would have to be called spotty at best. The guys declared it good enough to golf so we went shopping and driving to look at the georgous leaves.

In Petoskey, we visited Cynthia's Too http://www.cynthiasyarn.citymax.com/page/page/4076765.htm They have beautiful yarn and fun gift items. N found a number of yarns that needed to go home with her. I  have had good luck there in the past - some of the yarn for my host gift table runners came from there. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures at Cynthia's But I did get some great stocking stuffers.

The following day we headed out to see leaves north of Harbor Springs on The Tunnel of Trees - a 20 mile stretch of road along Lake Michigan that goes to the tiny village of Cross Village. An amazing drive - I had never been up in that way before. I will do it again.

When I was at the Fiber Festival in July I saw a fiber artist who specialized in hand dyed yarn. Her business is Three Pines Studio http://threepinesstudio.com/ She was in Cross Village so what a perfect combo - leaves and yarn. When we got there Joann Condino met us at the door offering lattes and cappachinos. She was nearly sold out of her 2012 yarns but she is working on new colors for 2013.So she then proceeded to take us into her studio and show us her Pantone swatches and her experiments with mixing her new shades. It was fasinating. N and I did both find yarn there that needed to follow us home.


Joann Explaining her Dying Process



Joann's First Run of
2013 Colors



Beautiful Pillows Woven at "Loom with a View" -
Around the Corner on lake Michigan

Yesterday I thought we had shot our wad and that we were safe from more yarn shopping but no.... N woke yesterday morning thinking about Alpaca. We had tried to call the Alpaca Store at Maplewood Farms two different days and never got an answer. But she remembered seeing Alpaca yarn at Stonehedge Fiber Mill In East Jordan http://www.stonehedgefibermill.com/. So off we went again with a tour of leaves mapped out to the fiber mill and back. N did indeed find some nice Alpaca and I got several more skeins of Shepherd's Wool to add to my stash. Stonehedge processes wool from all over the country. They process the wool for Three Pines that Joann then dyes.



The Depleted Wall of Shepherd's Wool



Their Alpaca Supplies

Oh ..... and in the midst of all this shopping and entertaining I did get the mohair shawl warped and woven off. It is in the suitcase and the loom has been hidden away. FYI that yarn came from http://www.mohairinmotion.com/ another Michigan fiber source that specializes in dying mohair. I will take pictures once it is wet finished.

All in all a very successful week. I plan to make it to the center to weave on Tuesday. I have a northern Michigan treat to bring with me - smoked fish - YUM!

Be well,
Ann

Trudging Through!

Wednesday Plan of Action-
1.  Finish weaving last 2 bread cloths
2.  Hem, correct weaving errors, and wash them if possible
3.  Errands, chicken food, cat food and some people food too!
 
That sounds reasonable now doesn't it!  But, 9 am as I was heading up to the studio, I received a call from Dear One.  Could I go help MIL get some gas in her tank?  He was tied up in a meeting and couldn't get away.  Sure, I could do that, I will just run my errands first and then come home to weave. I called MIL to set up a time to meet at the pump.  As I was parking to give her a hand, she was pulling away from the pump!  The attendant had filled her tank for her! Sigh!

I went ahead and did my errands, which took longer than anticipated, (as usual!).  I got back home and after a little lunch, and after I started another batch of granola, I set my sights on those 2 bread cloths that needed weaving.  The simplest design, a loom controlled Swedish Lace, was the first one, so I got started, but in the back of my mind I was thinking that I might not be able to get both of them woven after all.

Each bread cloth begins and ends with this color work.  I use 2 shuttles, and I don't break the thread between the stripes, it just works faster that way, also I will be able to tell which side it the right side when I am hemming.





The first one went well, and I thought for a second of stopping right then, but then I saw that it was only 3:30 pm, 2 hours before I would have to go feed the animals.  Why didn't I just see how far I got on the second more difficult one, in those 2 hours.  That is all I was going to do, I wasn't going to commit to finishing it, but just get it started!

In the 2 hours I had before feeding time, I went through the color work portion, and about a third of the way through the Brooks Bouquet hand manipulated lace portion.

I put my shuttle down and stirred the granola in the crockpot one more time, and headed out to feed the animals.  Dear One was out for the evening, so when I came back in from chores, I grabbed a drink and went back upstairs to work a little while longer.

A couple of times I almost threw in the towel and walked away from the loom, but I persevered, thinking of how nice it would be to have this order finished!

Before you know it, I was past the lace center and on to the plain weave color work!  I finished up, cut them off and got them serged and ready for hemming before Dear One came home.

 I decided to call it a night, and enjoy the evening with Dear One and the Braves!  I had done enough, I had finished a large portion of a huge project, I could see daylight!

As I write this post Saturday morning, I only have 2 cloths left to hem, then I will check for weaving errors, wash, iron and tag them all. I think I can get that all done on Monday, and have them sent off by Wednesday, on my way to help set up for the Museum of Appalachia's Fall Homecoming Festival.

(I can't wait to have pictures of us all in our costumes to show you next week, it is going to be fun, I have always loved granny boots!)

Until next time, Happy Weaving, Tina

P - Three

 Planning
Preparation
Production

  It's not like I didn't know we were going to be at the Homecoming at the Museum of Appalachia.....and we have the Foothills show coming up next month.  It's just a matter of getting things planned, woven and finished in a timely matter.  And, in the midst of all of this, new ideas come popping in my mind....things I'd like to try.

 So.....I weave up an idea. 

Getting it hemmed is another matter.  Just taking the time to sit down at the sewing machine seems to take a court order these days.  (And, sewing used to be my first love....for years and years I loved to create on the sewing machine!!!)

   Mug rugs are one of the ways I try out new things.  The warp isn't too long and they finish up quickly. 
  Weave the warp.....cut it off....throw it in the washer and you're ready to cut them apart.
  Too easy!!!  Yet efficient!

And, they make such nice gifts when you want to just say "I'm thinking about you!"

  I'm still cutting strips of fabric for my hot pad warp.  It is fun coming up with light and dark fabrics that can be used in the double binding warp, but that, too, takes time.
  Oh heck, going through my fabric stash is a time sucker....it's like a black hole!  I see a piece that makes me think of a project I wanted to try.  And, another piece that would be good for yet another project........well, you get the idea.

  So, I'm plodding along.  I'm going to finish two more hot pads, and then I'm cutting them off this warp. 
  I've got to finish tagging what I do have finished, and make a master inventory list.  I'm just glad we do this as a group, and I'm not the only person involved in this endeavor.
  It's really hard to stay inside and work when it is so beautiful outside....Fall has come to East Tennessee, and the days are glorious!

Please take time to enjoy your Fall day!
Happy Weaving!
LouAnn

Welcome Home, TOOTsie!

 Look what followed me home!  The 8-shaft Tools of the Trade just fit in the back of the Subaru.  It was a smooth ride on the interstate to home, but then things got a little bumpy.  Alan and I put her in the car, but I only had Bella to help get her out.  Bella's not all that handy in situations like this.  She likes knowing what's going on, but the lack of prehensile thumbs gets in her way.  So, she just gets in my way!
  Thanks to Mom for leaving her wagon when she moved away, because this is the second large piece of furniture it's helped get from the garage to the back door.  After that, TOOTsie slid on a blanket across 90-year-old wood floors to the front of the house.  She just fit into the space I cleared out yesterday in the Loominaria, after a close call with several door jambs and the piano.
  I can see I have a little more rearranging to do with looms before I have room to use it, and with the upcoming work schedule, it might not be before next Monday.  That warp on her needs some attention, front and back.  But if any action takes place, I'll keep you posted.  Until then, happy weaving!
Maggie

A Whirlwind of a Day!

  YES....we have one week to get ready for Homecoming at the Museum of Appalachia!  Pat is getting tags on her items.



Behind Pat on the table are some donated items that have to be taken care of.....things come in during the week, you know!

 New weavers have lots of questions.

The Tools of the Trade loom is going home with its new owner:  Maggie!!!  First of all, the three bread cloths that Allan wove have to come off the loom, and the remaining warp needs to be tied off before we can fold up the loom.  

Meanwhile, Andy was weaving away on her warp.  She'll be ready to start weaving it back in next week to make her shawl.

  Just thought you'd want to see Eiko's cute tootsies socks!!!!

   Carl is finishing up the threading on the loom, and he's getting ready to tie it on the back beam.

  Meet Tim and Ellen!  They have brought the new (to us) 4 shaft Studio loom.  It used to belong to Karen (In the Woods) and it has come to Tennessee to live.  It is going in the space vacated by the Tools of the Trade.
  They insisted on helping to set it up, too!

   Eiko and Ms. Ila are weaving away on the Wolf Pups, and you can catch a glimpse of LaDonna working on the Triangle Loom.  Linda is making great progress on her project.

 Marie and Shirley are making great progress, too!  (Our new weavers are doing a great job working while there's so much going on!)

 Ms. Ila made us a Stack Cake!

And, there was very little left at the end of the day!

Carl finished threading and tying on, so Tina, Pat and I jumped in and starting winding on the warp.  He'll be ready to start weaving next week.

  Bonnie started a new shawl using a beautiful pink for the weft.  She's declared that this one might just be for HER!!!!!

Allan seems pleased with the warp that was on the Studio loom.  Wonder what he'll choose for weft for the first rug???? 


See.....it was a whirlwind of activity at the Center today!!!!

Happy Weaving!
LouAnn

A Great Day for a Wedding

I did get some weaving done this past week.  The warp with black, blue gray and cranberry turned out nicely and I'm looking forward to assembling the pieces. Right now they've been washed (yes, the washing machine is still going well!!) and dry, ready for the next step in production!!

 

 The weekend was consumed with The Wedding. When we got married in Canada, 34 years ago, DH's friend D flew up to be our bestman. Now his oldest daughter was getting married. The wedding was at Butterfly Gap Retreat near Maryville. I'd never even heard of the place before this wedding. It's only about 20 minutes from our place but it's an awesome retreat with cabins and meeting areas that are wonderful for weddings but also other events, I'm sure. Small and intimate. This wedding had just over 100 people there.
One of the first things D did after J and P got engaged was to ask DH to do the music for the wedding. We asked Z to help and flew him down from Boston to be part of the ensemble. DH will tell you that Z can play circles around him but together they sounded awesome.
We had iffy weather in the morning but by afternoon, the skies were partly cloudy with not a raindrop in sight!!
The ceremony was on a point in the lake, a fair distance from where any vehicle could drive. Didn't think about bringing the dolly! So they carried the amp together. Have to proteect those hands, you know!

 Think they have enough instruments? Not on the picture is the fiddle they used to play the theme from the Civil War series.

 Since this was an outside event with the nearest building a fair walk away, the bride had to walk a long way down the path, carefully hidden by the bridesmaids. Oh yeah, J is from East Tennessee, blond, gorgeous and methodist. Her husband is from India, Hindu and very good looking. Turns out he's alot of fun and loves to joke around. They are a good match!
So, this was termed a Hillbilly Hindu wedding. The bridesmaids all wore saris. Absolutely gorgeous, too!! Each sari was different. In December they're all flying over to India for a Hindu ceremony. I'm sure they'll have stories to tell about that!

 What's more awesome than a ceremony out by the lake, no rain, calm weather and happy families?

 All hitched, ready to party!!

 Aren't the saris awesome? The blonde bridesmaids are J's sisters. The one on the right, I think, is her new sister in law. The one in green her long time high school and then college roommate. 

 Oldest friends, B and DD have been friends since birth, going to school together the first few years. The bond will always be there, no matter where they go.

So that was our weekend. I leave in a few minutes to drive Z back to the airport. Then it'll be back to work getting ready for the shows these next couple of months!
Here's hoping it'll be awhile before the next wedding!! I think the parents of the bride need to recuperate, at least until December when they do it all over again in India! Roadtrip anyone?!
Until next week.
Weave on!
Carol