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!
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
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.
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.
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!
Now, where's my timer, it is back to work!
Until next time, Happy Spinning and Weaving, Tina
2 comments:
You might have been Hop A Long this week, but you sure got a lot done! The shawl is a work of art!!!
Wow, pretty darn productive and I second LA's comment. That shawl is stunning!
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