On the loom

This week has been spent mostly out going to therapy sessions or doctor appointments! DD is doing very well with her knee repair. When we went Monday for the first appointment she was already able to bend it 105 degrees, more than the 90 degrees they were hoping for.  I guess all those years of ballet and dance have paid off!!

The days right after her surgery when I needed to be quite close to her, I needed something that I could do that was productive but nearby. I decided to cut some narrow strips for placemats. The problem was where to attach my rug cutter. Too bad they've a narrow space built in to clamp onto tables. However, our TV tables are the perfect size. So that's what I did. Also, when DD went off to college, of course we sent along a tabletop ironing board (which was never used!). In the package with the board was a fairly flimsy laundry basket, tall and narrow. It's perfect for all those strips I'm cutting to fall into.

The only problem is that the TV table is kind of light weight, so I am having to rest my feet on the cross bar at the bottom to keep it stable while I'm turning. Well, the only other problem is that DD thinks the sound of the cutting fabric reminds her of them drilling into her bone to attach the cadaver parts to repair her ACL!  One week of crutches down, only about 5 to go!!

Having to spend so much time being DD's legs, I haven't had alot of time down in the studio. However, I do have a warp on my Nilus. I just love the combination of red, yellow and orange. I keep trying to think of new combinations to try and this is one of them. The way the colors blend is very nice. I can't wait to finish this one to see how the pieces work in finished clothing, vests, tops and a jacket and dress. I think a dress like this with a solid vest would be nice. I do have a solid red dress or two that one of these vests would look great over!! With my time down in the studio limited right now, it may be awhile before that all gets done, especially since there are 2 warps ahead of it, waiting to be washed and sewn.

I've thought alot about what Hillary from Crazy as a Loom has been saying about having others help her with the production. Wouldn't it be great to have someone to help you with that if you need it? However, I'm glad that I can take the time  to do it myself. I like sitting and cutting fabric, digging out the unwanted threads from the loopers and all that slow work that is necessary but doesn't feel productive at the time. To me it's kind of therapeutic, like throwing the shuttle.  You can contemplate life or just veg while you're doing something that doesn't require alot of thought. Or you can put in a DVD of something you enjoy like last year's NCIS or Bones and watch with half an ear as you do your work.

Here's hoping that I can get just a little more time this week in the studio than last week!!

Carol