Knowing when to throw in the towel, um, blanket.

 Yesterday morning, I was up in the air about whether to go to Norris to weave, or to weave at home.  I walked into the studio and found others waiting there for me.  Due to the heavy accumulation of fur on both these weavings, I believe this is a favorite hang out spot when I'm not here.  I gently placed Weftie on the floor, and got down to business.  Remember way back, over a year ago, when I cut the first baby blanket off this loom?  The one with the hand-dyed blue yarn?  After  I cut the first one off, the second one languished.  The recipient left the farm to go make cheese elsewhere without saying goodbye, so I thought I'd make it into a shawl.  Unfortunately, there are loose threads all over the place.  I had about 5 weights on the back, plus a couple of spools of thread to replace broken ones.  There were so many mistakes, the more I wove, and I just didn't have the patience for it!  Enough already!

 So I cut it off.  And it felt so good!  It's only long enough for a baby blanket, not a shawl, and the baby intended for it is too big, though his dad has come back to the farm.  And I'm not getting any grandchildren, I've been told.  So, I'm not sure what to do with it, even if I can get Weftie's fur out of it.  It's so dirty! I will hem it and wash it, soaking it with some nice baby detergent, and hope for the best.  Maybe someone I know will need it someday for a baby.  Maybe it'll just join the box of heirloom stuff I have saved.  Either way, I'm glad I tried that pattern, and I know now that I love monochromatic patterns in overshot.

Next project was to have been the group challenge of a hand-dyed shawl, and I thought this skein was 480 threads.  So I spent the afternoon yesterday threading away, listening to classical music, surrounded by my furry entourage.  I was almost done when it was time to meet a friend for dinner.
  Imagine my surprise this morning when I ran out of threads long before I ran out of pattern.  Imagine further my shock when I rechecked my math and saw that I thought 44 went into 480 20 times.  And that I only had 240 threads, not 480.  Sigh...
  So, this warp will look lovely as scarves, won't it?  And the shawl project will have to wait a little longer, because the other warp I have dyed?  Yes, it's also 240 threads, not 480.  And combined, they would be very ugly.  That just means I'll have to have another dye day, which I love, and design a new pattern, also very fun.
  Now, it's back to threading, and possibly weaving this afternoon.  Stay warm!  Wear fuzzy slippers while you weave!  And have a nice cup of tea!