Bird's Eye View

When visitors venture downstairs at the Center, they seem to love walking around and looking at what is on the looms.
  Today's pictures are from that point of view....so, join in the fun.

 OK...so Linda isn't at a loom.  She was working on her notebook.  But, this was the view from where she was sitting.

And, if you were at the Center today, you would have seen a warp cut off the loom:

And, a shawl that came off the loom:

And.....you could have had lunch with us!  Today was our "Thank You, Liz" potluck lunch:

  Liz has been a good friend to the Tuesday Weavers....we'll miss seeing her!
 
   After lunch, you might have caught Sharen practicing spinning on the spindle wheel.  (Tina is a very good teacher!)

It's an open invitation, you know.  You can drop by the Center on a Tuesday....and there we are!!!

Happy Weaving,
LouAnn

Here we go again..

It's a rainy, dull day out there this morning. I thought it wasn't supposed to rain until tonight! But, we'll take it. We need the rain. So it'll be a studio day for me! Might get a bunch of weaving done. I'm so glad we have electricity and good lighting. Well, most of my studio has good lighting....the part where the looms are is awesome. However, where I cut and sew my handwovens isn't. The fluorescent lights are out. One set's been out for a long time. It didn't really affect that much. I could manage. However, this week the lights over my cutting table quit. We changed the bulbs. Still nothing. There's a call in to an electrician so hopefully later this week I'll have all my lights fixed in the studio!! Sure makes me appreciate the lights we do have, especially on a dull day like today!

In the weaving studio, formerly known as our garage before we closed it in, I finished a green warp. I hate that the picture doesn't capture the vibrant colors of both the green yarn and the accent I used.

 Close up does a bit better job but just imagine it all brighter.

It's off the loom and black is on. With the day like today, I might get most of the black done. It's almost ready to be woven!

About my washing machine. Last week the "senior technician" came by and this time he replaced the electrical panel because there's a possibility that it was causing the problems. I didn't do any laundry until the next day when I threw in those vests I wove using the painted warp. Sad to say, it began to bang around and stop. I tried to play with it, opening the lid and then closing it and pressing start again. Finally I moved the dial to drain and spin. Still didn't finish that cycle before starting to shake rattle and roll again. I finally gave up and hung them up to dry in the bathtub.
Last night we tried a few more loads and mine never could be finished either. We've learnt to get the video camera out and record it. We put that day's newspaper on the machine and press start. Then we have proof that it's still not fixed.
Friday I immediately called the repair man again. He made me call the warranty company. I got the guy that I've had on the phone that I've had before. The one you just don't want to talk to....but I did what he said. Call the warranty company, talk to them. They say call the repair place again...you know the drill. Sad thing is that the only time they can come this week is tomorrow from 1 - 5. Yeah, on Tuesday. I will have to leave early to get home. I told them I couldn't be home before 2 so hopefully they'll come after that. I can't miss more of my day at the center!! Besides, we're having a potluck tomorrow as farewell to the manager of the Appalachian Arts Craft Center. Liz is changing jobs so we want to send her off in fine style.
I don't have high hopes any longer for my washing machine. This is what, 6 visits and attempts to repair it. With me weaving alot more now and having handwovens to wash, it's getting a bit scary. I asked the warranty people about what would happen if they couldn't fix it. They said it will be a call from the repair company saying they can't fix it for them to do anything. How many times does the repair company have to come to say this thing is possessed? I've never had a problem with a machine like this before. It washes ok but when it gets to the rinse or spin cycle it just goes nuts. Not every time, but at least 75% of the time. Crazy!!
So that's what's happening here this week. I'm hoping that this week the repairs will be done and I won't have to call them again!!
I'm going down to weave now and soothe my soul!
Til next week.
Carol

It Looked So Simple

  The saga of the loom at the Museum of Appalachia continues......

  Tina, Linda and I spent Wednesday afternoon working on getting the loom up and running.  The warp is wound on the warp beam, and it was ready to thread.  And, since the heddles were so unique on this loom, we were going to try and use them for this warp.

  It wasn't to be......
  Once the warp was threaded, sleyed and tied on, the old heddles could not take the pressure when we started weaving the header.  Each time we pressed a treadle, another heddle would pop.
 We had to make the executive decision to STOP and make new heddles in our spare time.  The loom looks OK from the door to the cabin....they are having a big show at the Museum this weekend, so visitors will see a dressed loom.
  From the picture above, you would think I had it down pat to make a jig for those heddles.  I pulled out Mary Black's The Key To Weaving just to make sure I had it straight in my mind.   I had my drill with the appropriate bit, and four little dowels cut to the right length.  I had measured the heddles at the Museum, so I knew how long they had to be and had it all marked on my board.

  But, my skill with the drill leaves a lot to be desired!!!
  Now the question is:  Do I want to try another one?  OR Do I wait and let Allan drill the holes for me at the Center?

  Now I know why they make drill presses!!!!
I never dreamed it was so difficult to drill straight down!!!

  I'm sad that the original heddles could not hold up for this warp....they are so unique.  But, we learned a lot about these heddles as we attempted to thread the loom.  Number one:  they don't move!!!!  These are set to be about 15 heddles to the inch, which became a challenge for us while we were threading.
  I showed the heddles to Marta...she was visiting us at the Center on Tuesday.  She told me they were like the heddles you make for a back strap loom.  She had used her netting shuttle to make them for one of her projects.  So, now we have one more clue to these wonderful old heddles.

  In between getting the warps on the looms at the Center, we'll start making heddles for the loom at the Museum. 
  And, on the home front, I'm weaving on my chenille wrap.  You can barely see the inserted art yarn using the ladder ribbon.  I've got to get in gear and get that woven and off the loom this week.  Little Parker Pup is going to be put to use at the Center next Saturday.

Enjoy your weekend......
Happy Weaving!
LouAnn

Finishing Something

I have stayed away from the looms for the last week, to let my ankle heal.  It is still a little sore when I bump it on something, but we are loads better this Friday than last Friday!  I started walking the dogs on Monday, they just couldn't understand the slower pace!  Now, however they are doing fine with it.  I will wait until the bruising is completely gone and there isn't any more tenderness before I gingerly try to jog.  It is amazing what such a small minor injury does to slow you down!

As I was saying, I have stayed off the looms, but I have been able to finish knitting the gray Shawl I have been working on, here is the pic from last week.

I blocked it on these nifty alphabet blocks.  I this is my first time using these, I borrowed them from my daughter.  Once you have determined how big you want the piece to be you lay out that many 12 inch blocks and with the blocking wires and T-pins I was done in less than 20 minutes.  The lines of the blocks give me wonderful guidelines!

All I need to do now is weave in the ends and deliver it!  I found that I blocked this shawl a little more vigorously than I did the burgundy one, I will need to see if that is ok with the customer.  It will be easy to correct if I need to.  I did wet block it this time, there was a lingering campfire smell from taking it camping, but it sure was able to stretch more!

Another thing I was able to finish doing was the Merino and silk singles.  I am going to get a couple of other projects ready to ply before I go to my daughters to use the Louet, with it's huge bobbins!

It has been good to get all that done, but now it is time to get back to the looms.  I was kind of stuck, you know, no weaving drive to speak of and several looms that haven't been touched in quite awhile, since I have been concentrating on the bread cloth order.

The good news is that I only have 3 more bread cloths to weave and then that project will just need the finishing.  I will probably cut them off as soon as the weaving is done, serge, hem, wash, iron and tag those babies so that I can get them out the door!  Then I will tie on and weave the rest of them off for the fall shows.





Anyway, like I said, I was having trouble getting started.  Well, when it is like that, all I can do is pull out my timer and set it for 20 minutes and work on something!  After 20 minutes are up, I can switch to something else if I want to, or continue for another 20 on the same loom.  It is surprising how many times I go for the extra 20!

Today, I did 40 minutes on a looper rug that was languishing,  I did 40 minutes on a loom that hasn't seen a weaver in over a year!  It was a project that I put on for a student that couldn't continue her classes.  I decided today to weave the placemats and a runner or two to boost my inventory. ( It is funny how I picked the unused looms first!)

I also spent 40 minutes finishing up an Overshot baby blanket for my youngest daughter who is adopting very soon! (We hope!)  This time, I will go ahead and weave off the last 2 or 3 blankets before I cut it off the loom.

The blanket I just finished on the loom looks just like the new babies blanket here.  (You wouldn't believe how big this one is getting!)  I just love the "Cat Tracks and Snail Trails" pattern.

I may see if I can get another purple one done and maybe a navy one.  I think I have made over 35 of these blankets, and I can't believe it is almost done.  A few have sold, but over half of them have been baby shower gifts!  I haven't decided what is next for that loom, definitely something with one shuttle!  She is in need of a little repair on the warp beam, so I will have some time before she is ready to go again.


There are a couple of things I haven't done today, one of them is the bread cloth project, and the other is this pile of finishing that needs to be done before the middle of next month!   It isn't a huge pile, that is true, and at least it is all washed and ready to be hemmed.  But, I am getting ready to cut off the bread cloths next week, and then the pile will grow!

It will all get done, and what doesn't get done isn't important!

Now, where's my timer, it is back to work!

Until next time, Happy Spinning and Weaving, Tina

Problem Solving

 Last week, I broke a thread on Big Bertha's warp as I finished the third napkin.  When I sat down this week, I threw the shuttle a couple of times before another thread broke.  I stared at the  warp for a little while, then decided the best solution was to cut it off and tie back on.  I did, wove one napkin and called it a day.
 

back of the warp

front of the warp

Then, I went home to see if I could successfully solve the problem with that huck lace warp.  What I saw surprised me, but definitely explained the tension problem I've been having.  Do you see the Weft-shaped indentations in the warp?  Obviously, a tightly wound warp in front of a window is a lovely place for a cat nap, and dear Weft has been doing just that.  Unwoven bamboo is stretchy, so I think it will be difficult to get the overall tension fixed on this warp.

Weft in hiding

A couple of people at the center expressed horror that I even let the cats in the loom room, and while I'll still let them in, I think some safeguards are in order for the future.  I'll try a good, sturdy cover for the looms with projects in progress, and see how that goes.  Meanwhile, Weft is traveling incognito in a shopping bag.
 




One of my team members at work was keeping her 21st birthday a secret this past week, and when I found out, I decided to make her a Birthday Stocking.  Never heard of it?  Neither had I, but maybe I've started a new tradition.  I hadn't sewn anything in ages, and it was fun to throw it together.  I don't have much quilting fabric left, having donated most of it to the Center, but I had some of Gisell's favorite color, found some glitzy embroidery thread and whipped it up.  It was a lot of fun, and gave me lots of ideas for future Birthday Stockings.

 After I posted last week, I went to work to have dinner with one of my heroes, Ruth Reichl.  Ms. Reichl was the Editor in Chief at Gourmet magazine for ten years before Conde Naste pulled the plug three years ago.  All the artisans met this past Wednesday to have dinner with her, each bringing something from the upcoming Blackberry Farm cookbook.  I brought coconut cream pie, which looked beautiful, but stuck fast to the pan!  At least the coconut cream was yummy!  The dinner was fun, and we all had a good time.
  Next week, I'll be back at that warp, weaving more napkins and thinking ahead to Lee's Surrender.  Carol's ordered the yarn, and I'm already computing how many repeats I'll need.  Until next week, happy weaving!
Maggie

WOW! What A Day!!!!

New Weavers:  Say hello to Marie (on the left) and Linda (on the right.)

Warps Cut Off:

Carl cut off his rug warp.  There were eight rugs on that warp.

Linda cut off the placemat warp...there were 18 place mats!

Many hands make short work:  Several of us pitched in to help knot the fringe on Carl's rugs.

Welcome An Old Friend:  Marta was visiting from New Mexico today.  Look at that sweet little inkle loom!!!!

Just Doing What They Love:  Andy, Bonnie and Judy were weaving away all morning!

 

Standing Room Only:  Ann counted, and we had 20 weavers today.  (We had some regulars that were not at Weaving today!!!)  I'm not sure why Lanny and Allan didn't join us for lunch.....

Quote of the Day:  "The bangs aren't straight."

Happy Weaving!

LouAnn

Love the colors!

I think that last week I posted a picture of the first vest I was weaving on my painted warp. Here it is again:

 After all those cheerful, clear colors, the second one I wove with more autumn tones, olive, nutmeg, etc. I think some of this came from Christy's old set of dyes. The colors are beautiful and they toned down that warp like crazy!

 Then the third one with weft about the same colors as warp.

If you click on the pictures the enlarged view shows the colors much more clearly.

There's a new warp on the loom, almost threaded and ready to go! I hope to have it off in a few days.
The weather here has changed a bit. A cold front came through on Saturday and yesterday was nice, high in the 70s. We're back to the 80s this week but I don't think we'll get back to the 90s anytime soon. At least that's the hope. This is the kind of weather where you like to sit out on the deck!
My sister posted on facebook that they had gone to the Farmer's Market on Saturday and alot of people were bandying about the F word. The 5 letter F word. Yup, frost! She'd already covered their tomatoes once and was afraid she'd have to do it again. Their tomatoes are just now ripening and there are still flowers on the plants. Mom is sure enjoying them! They have a wide variety of plants, one of each kind so it's interesting to see what they're getting, I'm sure! In about a week or so they'll pick all those tomatoes because they'll have a killing frost and it'll be too iffy to just cover the plants! Then they'll wait for them to ripen. I remember boxes of tomatoes slowly ripening when I was growing up!

Today it's back to work in the studio. I have a long list of things to do!
Til next week
Carol