What a Ride!!!

This past weekend we were invited to Earl Klugh's Jazz Weekend. We know finger style guitar and Django Reinhardt's style of jazz, and, of course, Earl's wonderful music. We don't know what's out there as far as good jazz goes. So, when life gave us the chance to escape, we did!!!
We arrived on the coast of South Carolina late in the day Thursday. We found where the registration desk was, were given our tickets and told to go out to the shuttle immediately! Wow!
The shuttle took us to Mingo Point (kind of ironic, since our daughter loves flamingoes and I think one of her pen names is Mingo!). The sun was slowly setting over the marsh and they had an oyster bar out there, tables and benches to sit on and Spencer Day sang. He's a crooner. Very easy to listen to especially when Earl was accompanying him!!

As the moon came up through the trees, it was magic. Of course, I don't have the kind of camera that captures it fully, but you get the idea. The big silver thing on the left was a heater, one of many we'd see over the weekend. The weather wasn't awful but there was a chill in the air.

As we left, someone offered to take our picture at the sign. We were all headed back to the shuttles to take us back to The Sanctuary, the big hotel on the island, where we had what they call a lowcountry feast. Big buffet with chicken, mahi mahi, ribs and bbq with sauces to choose from and deserts, peach cobbler, tiny key lime pies and tiny pecan pies. Made me think of you, Maggie!

 We haven't been to Charleston in quite a few years and we were anxious to go back, to the market and to just walk around. We walked but there are several forms of transportation available!

 Lunch was at Barbara Jean's restaurant. The She Crab soup was awesome!
Then back to the island and put on warmer clothes because the concert was outside. Gates opened at 6 and the show started at 7. There were about 60 heaters all going full blast.
Here's Earl introducing the evening. The place filled up quite quickly. We were in row AA. It went from A - V and then started at AA again.  As the evening continued, it got colder with the low according to our phones, as we left, at 39 degrees. Not a problem really. We were up and moving around as the evening progressed, awesome music, alot of dancing!!

 First up was Mindi Abair who is an incredible sax player. Here she was in the middle of the crowd, having come down off stage, without missing a beat and ended up standing on a chair not too far from us, just playing her heart out.

 Never missed a beat!! Talk about energy. I was impressed!

 The second performer was Brian Culbertson. Never heard of him either but by the end of the weekend we sure knew who he was! He plays keyboard and trombone, oh yeah, and drums like a pro! During the show as he introduced his players, he told us that on trumpet (just above the guy playing guitar below), was his Dad, Mr C. He had just retired from 39 years teaching high school band!! How cool would that be, going on tour with your son, doing what you always wanted to do and just having a good time doing it!!

 During his show Earl and Ray Parker Jr came out to  join him. Our convention has alot of that too. Where several guys are asked to join the performer. Magic happens then!!

 So, afterwards we went into the hotel. I was ok while we were outside but once inside, I just felt cold. Took awhile to warm up too!!
Saturday  morning we figured we'd better find the ocean. Our villa was inland, not far from the hotel so we took our handy little map and found the ocean. This is off season and still a bit cold but the ocean was so peaceful. Once we were there, it warmed up. Amazing. Kept taking off our layers!! People were out there in shorts and tshirt, barefoot, walking the beach with their kids.

 We didn't have alot of time to explore because by early afternoon we were back at the hotel to watch a question and answer period with some of the guys and to see that, yes, we actually had been right by the water!!! Here's where the music was. When we came in the night before, it had been dark by 6 when they opened the doors, so we had no idea where we were in relation to the water. This time gates opened at 3 and the music started at 4. This time we were in row EE. Didn't matter where you sat, the sound was good!  As the music was going, we could watch boats out in the water. Very peaceful. I suspect they have tons of weddings out here. Oh yeah, the grass. We couldn't decide if it was fake or what. It's real. Apparently it's like a putting green or something. The grass is incredibly short and there's water underneath it somehow to keep it going, all above the sand that's below everything. That would make for an awesome walk if one was getting married... (can you tell we don't golf or know anything about that?)

 The first set was Earl Klugh's. He had his band with him and played alot of his music. Some of the best, tho, was when he was playing solo, weaving intricate notes around a melody.
Then out came Ray Parker Jr. Apparently they played as kids, meeting when they were about 13 and keeping up with each other over the years.
Here Earl's laughing as Ray introduced the song that put his kids through college. Just 3 chords........Ghostbusters. Talk about everyone standing and rocking to that tune!! Oh yeah, this hotel has 2 wings, one on each side of the main lawn. During this show, alot of the people staying there were out on their decks watching. At least one guy had his Ipad up, recording Ghostbusters. There were even a couple of workers up on the roof. I don't think they were security, just 2 guys up there because they disappeared immediately after that!!

 Involved in this song and a few more then, were also Brian Culbertson and Eric Darius (on left with the sax) I tried to capture the moment. I hope you can see the fun and excitement as they were enjoying themselves as well!!

 They could have played all night. It wasn't as cold Saturday evening which was much appreciated!!! However, too soon they were done and there was an intermission before Chaka Khan came on stage. It was really hard to get a good picture of her. She has a very distinct voice.

We stayed afterwards til almost midnight. They had a ball room open for Eric Darius to play with his band. Of course, most of the other players came out to play with him. You couldn't leave. It was just awesome, an event one would hate to miss now that one's discovered it........problem is, next year it's the same date at the Foothills Craft Guild show. Hm......

So Sunday morning I snapped this from our living room window looking out across the water. I think all the villas here had views like this, nice and private. Too bad the weather wasn't warmer and we didn't have more down time. I took alot of things I wanted to do but, of course, never got to it. Next time, if there is one, I want to stay an extra 2 or 3 days just for that down time.

Yesterday we drove back to Knoxville and reality.

Today I've got tons of things to do, handwovens to finish for our show that starts on Thursday.

We bought some CDs from the guys we really liked and listened to them all the way home. Some of the melodies continue to go through my mind.

This was the perfect break for both of us. It's been a very long time coming. Hopefully we can do something like that soon again.

Until then, I'd better get down to the studio!!

Carol

Short & Sweet

Sad.....
   .....so sad....nekid looms are just down right SAD!

But, it's good, too...since this means that all my totes are downstairs in different stages of completion.  And, I have warps on two other looms that I can weave on if I get the notion.

  I have some ideas for the 8 shaft loom that I'd like to try....I'm going to put some wool on her!  (I haven't woven with wool yet, so I have some reading to do first!)  And, I'll tie the warp back on John and do some rugs after the excitement of Foothills has passed.  They won't be nekid for long!!!!

  Marta's husband, David, left this at the door for me this week!
  Hatch Green Chile....yum-yum!!!!
  And, some yoga mat straps for our booth at Foothills that she wove on her Inkle loom.  Marta told me in an email that she's putting together a proposal to teach Inkle loom weaving at the community college near her in Santa Fe.  She should...don't you think????

  Ohhhhh.....what is it?????
  I am really looking forward to this bloom....it had a little nubbin on it when I brought it in before the freeze.  Last week it was slightly larger.  This is today's photo.
  And yes, that's a tub of cherry tomato plants.  It was full of little green tomatoes when the freeze warning came, so I just pulled the whole tub inside so they could ripen on the vine.  I keep it right next to the sliding glass doors, and I've had a couple ripen so far.  What a wonderful little reminder of summer!

  That's it for today....the long range weather reports show sunny days for our Foothills show.  That's great news!!! 
  Now, for those finishing touches on my totes.........

Happy Weaving!
LouAnn

Just the Fleece Rug

I posted on Wednesday over on my own blog about the experiments I am doing with fleece and the rug warp I have on the Newcome rug loom.

I had some fun mixing up the natural colors of roving on the bench pad, and I thought that I might try a solid color, for the first rug.  I have had a box of 2 white shetland fleeces from the sheep I used to own.  It is in fact their very first fleeces, so the finest and the best of wools.

Here is what it looks like in a rug, on the loom.

It is just as soft as you might imagine.  I almost hate to felt it!  I may see if I can  soak it in the tub and not agitate, and see what happens.

I have several natural colors to choose from.  Some of them are already in roving which seems to be the easiest form to use.  If it isn't already in roving, I run it thru the drum carder, and then using a "diz" (a little gadget with a hole in it)  I start just a small edge of the batt on the carder, and pull it all thru the diz a little at a time.  I know many of you will not have a clue what I am talking about, but it is kind of like cutting strips of cloth for rugs, when you have made a tube of the fabric.  You can keep going around and around until the carder is clean.

Here is what I have to work with:

Black roving from an unknown sheep.  (Not the one that Lou Ann wants me to spin up!)

Grey roving, fairly short stapled, again from an unknown sheep.

And finally, some Moorit Shetland from my own sheep.

All the other fleeces are not in roving form, so I will have to do some work to get them that way.  I have to laugh to think that some months ago I was mortified that I had 15 fleeces,  now I am thinking that it won't be nearly enough if this project is a go.

Until next time, Happy Weaving, Tina

Daily Dose of Fiber

  Crazy busy days at work this week, with the most guests we've ever had at once.  And the sadness of having to let someone go piled on top of that made this weekend--Monday and Tuesday--so welcome.  I started by washing and ironing all the fabric I've gotten lately, and Weftie helped, by making sure I didn't iron the white shirting fabric too quickly.

  I cut out a pair of pajama bottoms from some fabric I bought in 2000 to make pj's for Matt.  If they would have been a bit young for him then, they would be ridiculously so now.  I made them for me, then, to wear with a t-shirt.  They're giant robots, in case you can't see them clearly enough.

 I also cut out a black flowered skirt, the kind of fabric that's been popping up everywhere lately, with fabric tape swirls sewn on top of it.  The pattern has two skirts, one on top of the other, and the swirly bits seemed to be too much bulk, so I've altered it to just have black silk underneath, except where the underskirt shows.

  Then, there's the beautiful dove grey linen I bought at Textiles in Nashville.  I had in mind a beautiful peasant blouse I'd just gotten the pattern for from Vogue.  There are about 5 billion pattern pieces, lots of tucks and loops and gathers.  It's one of those projects I have to schedule a day or two just to make it, so I don't lose my place or my interest.
  And just to show I'm a well-rounded fiber person--not just from sitting too much!--I finished the alpaca wool scarf I've restarted about five times this summer.  I settled on a tv-watching friendly 1x1 rib, and used all but about 3 inches of the yarn.  It's drying over a heater vent today, and I hope to wrap up in it tomorrow.
  No weaving, and Bella didn't get to join the weavers this week, but we're hoping this week will be easier and we'll meet our friends in Norris next Tuesday.  Until then, get your daily dose of fiber!
Maggie

It's A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood!

  That would be the weaving neighborhood!!!!

  Lots of chatter....

Lots of laughing....

Lots of weaving!!!!

For instance:

  we had a box of donated thread.....Carol sorted through it, and some of it can be used for future warps, and some of it went home with weavers.  Carol also tagged more items for the Foothills Show.

  Christy was working on her Inkle Loom, while Cindy is still putting her new warp on her loom.

Bonnie has a new title:  The Stripper!  Ah shucks, you know what I mean....she is cutting strips of fabric for rugs!  What did you think I meant?????

  We have completely sold out of blue jean rugs upstairs in the shop, so we need to get more woven.  These fabrics will look great with the denim strips in the rugs.

  Look at the great progress that Allan is making!  We are so excited about having more storage room for our stash of fabric and weaving supplies!  We are planning on a paint day the Tuesday after Foothills!!!!

  Lanny took time out to supervise after lunch.

  Yes, siree....Tina warps front to back!  She's very talented that way!


  These are dish towels with a beautiful stripe....they will be very popular!

  Ms. Ila is weaving overshot mug rugs...she's using the honeysuckle threading!

  And, Pat completed another table runner on her warp.  Since it's banging on her knees, it's time to cut off the cloth that has built up on the beam.

  And, here's the Roll Out.............

.........no wonder it was hitting her knees!!!!

  Carl spent the morning back on the barn loom weaving away on those rugs.  We are all so glad he's back with us.

Yes, indeed........

  ..........it was a beautiful day in our neighborhood!

Happy Weaving!
LouAnn

Transition

Last week after I wrote the blog and took the camera chip out of the computer, I looked up out of our kitchen window and saw this tree. It was a very cloudy day but the colors were so pretty I took a picture of it to remember in winter. Looking out now, most of the leaves are still there and it's going to be weeks before the leaves are all gone but I think it was peak last Monday.

 I wove off the last clothing warp I am doing before January. Not making it as long as I usually do, meant weaving it was alot quicker. It's already cut, serged, washed and dry ready to finish before the show next week. I do hope to have them all ready to go by then.

 So for the next couple of months I'm going to weave placemats and rugs. I've been collecting fabrics for several years now, just waiting for the right time to cut them to weave into rugs. Awhile ago when Walmart was getting rid of their fabric, they had things like flannel 60 " wide for $2 a yard. I got about 5 bolts. This fabric is cotton, not really good for clothing but great colors for rugs.  So I've got a primitive station set up in the living room to cut strips. The TV tray is way to unsteady for it and I have to hang onto it just right with my feet but I'm cranking out strips getting ready for the bright warp that'll be on the loom in the next day or so ready to weave on.
I've got loopers in alot of cheerful colors. Later I'll be dyeing those loopers that we got on Friday. I'm still sorry I couldn't go along on that road trip!!

 This morning the sky is clear and it's sunny. I looked out another window in our kitchen, the other side of the table and took a picture of this really tall tree. It's peak today! This really is the prettiest time of year here.

 In spring every year I get some plants to plant in window boxes outside our bedroom on our deck. Each year it's a battle with the squirrels. Will they eat them before July or wait til August?  Doesn't seem to matter what I buy, they will tackle the plants and enjoy them. Last year they kind of let the petunias alone, so I  got them again this year. However, this year they liked them and by the time I got back from Canada in August they were gone. In the last month or so this brave guy has shot up from what was left. Because it's right by the window and on the sunny side, I guess it's still alive and blooming. Here's hoping it'll keep on blooming for awhile yet before the frost will get it.

I talked to my sister and Mom yesterday in Moose Jaw. It had been snowing all day and was to continue most of the evening..........the first snow, warm underneath meaning what hit the road would melt and it would be icy there. A cousin in Saskatoon posted on facebook that she just hated when it snowed. A friend pointed out to her that she'd lived there all her life and should be used to it already. Well, I sure am not any longer. I've actually lived in the US longer now than in Canada. I would have a hard time if I had to be up there all winter. Going up for a couple of weeks in January is quite different (and still plenty enough) than living there through all the cold and snow. Even when it's sunny and bright outside, it can be -20 and you know that's cold! I guess I'm spoilt by now.
So I'll enjoy my fall colors and my petunia as long as it's able to keep going. I'll head down to the studio to finish the black and grey pieces I wove and get that rug warp going. Using up my stash is a good thing. There's always more where that came from!!
Stay warm, Mom!
Carol

It's the Little Things.....

  I never know if my cactus will be an "Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas" each year.  They like to surprise me!  This year, they started putting on buds as soon as I brought them in when we got the freeze warning.  Some years they even bloom twice!

  I have four in bloom right now.

  The cactus in the bedroom greeted me with this bright red bloom and the BRIGHT fuchsia tip!

Total surprise!

  Although the poinsettias were left outside longer, they, too, have started getting their trademark colored leaves.  These plants are about five years old, and they just refuse to die!  In the old days, the yearly poinsettia would last almost through the Christmas holidays, and then DIE.  These guys get dragged outside as soon as it starts to get warm in the spring, and they stay outside until I have to bring them in when the weather gets cold.  We have a relationship now, and I'll just keep taking them in and out.

                                                                                         Then, there's road trips with special weaving friends to secure future fiber for our endeavors.  That's a lot of loopers, my friends!  I'm thinking I need some bath mats......ummmmm.  My tootsies will be delighted!  But, the first rug will be a "payment" to our friend at the mill.

  I can already tell that I need to spend some time outside to get the strings and lint off of these loopers....next week is supposed to have some warm afternoons.

   It's one thing to weave the totes....and another to get them finished!  But, I'm making sure progress in that direction.  I just tag them and hang them up on the peg when they're finished.  

  So, today, I'm back at the sewing machine...I really want to get them all finished this weekend!!!

  And, in the meantime, I can enjoy the blooms provided by the cactus.  Maybe they are Foothills Cactus????

Happy Weaving!

LouAnn