Looking Forward To A New Year!

  Molly finished up the mug rugs from the Foothills show, and they're ready to go upstairs.  That's one finished project in the books!

Betsy wanted to start a new project:  learn to weave on the Inkle Loom.  She got her heddles made and chose 3 colors of 8/4 for her project.  It didn't take too long to get the loom threaded.
  Margi was taking this all in, too.  She might like to try weaving on an Inkle loom later.

  Ms. Ila finished up her shawl project and brought it to show us. 

  A visit from a local Boy Scout troop added a lot of excitement to our morning!  It's always fun to show off our barn loom and the rocker beater loom.  Carl and Ray answered lots of questions from the boys.

  With so many different looms to see, and all the different projects on each of them, the boys went from person to person....loom to loom.

  Karin even got one of the Scouts weaving on her rug warp.

  With all the different looms in the Studio, the Scouts got a good look at different kinds of weaving.

  We adjourned to the Museum of Appalachia for lunch.  There was a nip in the air, which made the fireplace one of the favorite places to stand!

  While we were all together, we had a chance to talk about plans for next year.  There's always new things to learn in weaving, and we threw out suggestions for things we'd like to do.

  We'll start next week with a quick lesson from Tina about spinning.







Then, back to the Center to unload the linen we had bought from one of our East Tennessee weavers that is cleaning out her stash.

  Different weights and some colors gave the weavers lots of choices.  It was Christmas all over again.

  I guess we'll be talking about weaving with linen in the near future!!!!


New ideas.....new projects......a new year!

Happy Weaving!
LouAnn

Now I can show it!

This past summer while I was in Canada, I found out about a quilt shop, The Missouri Star Quilt Company. It sounded intriguing and I checked the map......I could just take a bit of a jag and stop by there. I had no idea what I was in for! I thought it would be one building. Nope. It was 4 shops and I understand they've added a fifth, all in a small town off the beaten track. This is a destination shop. You could spend all day there. I had a couple of hours to explore.

Do you remember Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer? Well, it's the 50th anniversary and one of the shops had fabric for it.

I buy without a plan. I see something I like, buy enough to make "something" and then figure it out, buying a bit more of something that will blend with it if necessary. I know I bought a layer cake (a stack of 10 inch squares) plus 3 pieces of a yard each and then 2 yards for the backing.

My daughter loves Rudolph. She may be an adult but everyone needs something warm to cuddle with that reminds you of good stuff. So I made her a throw for Christmas. It's about 52 by 70 inches, enough for a throw on the couch. First, I had to figure out what to do with those squares. I didn't have alot of time to fool with it so I just planned to have a 4 patch and cut some of the 10 inch squares and shuffled them to make nice blocks. Sashing between the blocks and a tiny squares inbetween set the blocks off nicely.

 Even got my corners to match pretty good! Who wouldn't love the snowflakes, Rudolph, all the words printed on the fabric.....

 I got the front done without any problem. However, I had to have a backing. I only had 2 yards for that which was fine for the length but not the width. So I used what I had and jerry rigged a back that worked.

 I really like the main backing fabric. DD loved all the familiar figures on it!

I did have to buy fabric for binding. I just didn't have enough left for that. I figure I did pretty good surprising her with a childhood memory.

I haven't gotten any weaving done and may not until next week due to family obligations here but like all of us, my mind is filled with plans of what to weave next and how to make the yarn I have work with the ideas floating around!!
Until next week, enjoy family and if you get a chance, work on your loom!
Carol

Whew!

The majority of the Christmas festivities have come and gone.  We still have most of the kids and Grand kids here in town.  Remember those cute leg warmers I whipped up last week?  They fit wonderfully, and even have room for growth!

Now that things have calmed down just a bit, all I want to know is what day it is, and where is my knitting?!

Happy Spinning, Knitting, and Weaving, Tina

Oh, and a Happy New Year to you all!

And A Merry Time Was Had By All

Too busy to write.....

....just know that all good wishes for a happy day, and a fantastic New Year were coming your way!

I hope Santa brought you all kinds of fiber fun!!!

Happy Weaving
LouAnn

Merry Christmas!

We hope the holidays

bring you the things

that make you smile!

Merry Christmas

&

Happy New Year

The Tuesday Weavers

Three Things

I should say Three Important Things!

First of all, yesterday was the first official day of winter! Down here the weather isn't bad until sometime next month so we don't feel the cold as much but still, it's winter! DH has an issue with the long dark nights as time approaches the winter solstice. So he was very elated to see yesterday come. Gradually life for him will be better as the nights are shorter. I don't think he could handle living in Alaska, at least not in winter. Of course, I don't see him handling snow and ice that well either long

term!! I'm not so big on real winter either. I'm spoilt having lived in Tennessee so many years now!

Secondly, it's almost Christmas!! It's one of my favorite times of year. I love the lights on the tree in the evenings.

 Actually, I didn't even have to decorate the tree this year, just plug it in. Because it's not a huge tree, it was easy to leave up all year. Jury's out on whether to take it down or not after the New Year....

 I did add a few things to the tree and beside it. We were down at my in laws again this past weekend going through things and I found the church. DH and his sister remember it from their childhood. It does light up although I haven't plugged it in. It is also a music box that works. Having a church near the tree reminds me of the real reason for Christmas. It's so much more than Santa Claus and decorations.

 The third important thing is that I got my placemat warp off the loom!! Yup, I've got my placemats woven. I'd forgotten how much warp I put on there but apparently I filled the warping board. So, there are 12 of the official placemats, the way I'd planned to weave them.

 Getting tired of changing wefts so often, the next 4 were predominantly brown,

 then teal.

Still more warp meant 4 runners, 2 of each color scheme. I may just bring them to the center now to sell and take my chances on there being 12 in September when we're to have them done by. I'll probably put another warp on that loom anyway for more placemats so that I'll have it ready to go when I'm needing to work but don't want to spend time warping my workhorse.

It feels good to have that done. Now it's time for wrapping a few presents and maybe even, shock of all, bake a few cookies. This year has been so different. I'm not thinking about shopping or worrying about getting the right thing for family and friends. It's been a season of trying to help my in laws with the house. My mother in law had good taste and found some pretty neat things to use for sewing, laces, fabrics, buttons,pins, etc. As the recipient of alot of her stash, I'm well stocked with supplies. Anyone need some children's buttons?
Until next week, Merry Christmas!!
Carol

The flour is flying here on my tiny farm.   I have mapped out what needs to happen in the next few days, and really it isn't bad!  Today my list consisted of  taking the turkey out of the freezer, making 6 pie crusts and putting them in the fridge, make the corn bread for the dressing, a post office run and a library run.

(The use of a food processor really speeds up the pie crusts!)

In no time at all I had them in individual zippy bags and in the fridge.  I plan to make 2 double crust apple pies, a chocolate creme pie w/ merengue and finally a pumpkin pie.  It isn't hard to get the festive juices flowing!





After the pie crusts were in the fridge, I made a grocery list of all the things I needed to pick up to finish the pies,  I will be baking them on Christmas Eve morning first thing.  The turkey will be just coming out of the oven by then so it should be just right.  I usually cook my turkeys, especially the big ones overnight at a fairly low temp, they turn out nice and juicy that way.


This afternoon, after the grocery run,( and those other runs) I watched White Christmas with my Mother-in-law, and we made little snack packets for her to give to her nurses as they come and check on her over the next couple of days.  As we were watching the movie, I finished knitting my last gift.  I only knit 3 of them this year, and 1 had already been finished this Summer!

I knit a pair of the craziest socks, they are called Skew, and they can be found of course on Ravelry, and it is a free pattern!  This is not an easy breezy pattern that you don't have to pay attention to, so be forewarned, but it is fun!

These socks are knit on the bias the whole way, so you are always increasing and decreasing.  When they tell you that you are adding heel increases you are like, "What!  I sure don't see it!"  But then the origami moment happens and bingo, there it is.  It was right up there with the first time I turned a heel!

There they are, those cute little heels sticking up, all on the bias! 

I had some yarn left over from those socks, and I have a new grand baby, so I cast on a pair of leg warmers.  I took the advice from the Knitmore girls, and did a round of k1p1 at each color change, I love what it does to this simple project.

I started by casting on 36 stitches on size 1.5 circulars.  I knit about 2 inches then increased 2 stitches, one plain row, then another increase row.  I knit on until I felt I was past then knee.  At that point I changed to size 2 dpns, and kept going until I ran out of yarn.  I love these, and I hope they fit!  I won't know until after Christmas when the little buddy gets here with his family.

That is all I can post right now, I hope that you all have a meaningful Christmas time, and that your family time will be blessed with joy.

Until next time, Happy Spinning, Knitting and Weaving, Tina

It's That Time of Year

  Yes, the wee men made an appearance this year.  Not all of them, though....but, enough to enjoy.  I think they may need to start looking for new caretakers....at least some of them.  (Mom wrote on the bottom of some them.  She noted if they were a gift from someone and the year.  I'm thinking that they might like to have them back to remember her by.)

  Today was a well spent day at the Museum of Appalachia.  There was a Third Grade class from Norris, TN.  They couldn't believe that I was weaving a ribbon!  It's hard to imagine getting dressed these days without a zipper or elastic!  But, ribbons came in very handy for clothing once upon a time!




They made some button ornaments with the Museum staff to take home.







Then, it's all around the grounds to see the different cabins.  A couple of the kids circled back around to my cabin to sit by the fireplace for a minute to warm up.  It wasn't too cold today, but it was a little chilly!  The fire sure did feel nice!










  Santa came to see me a little early this year.  Hilary (Crazy As A Loom) recommended this stool on 4 Shaft Weavers on Facebook.  I  Santa found it on Amazon and thought it would be a good addition to my studio.  (We won't talk about the scarf warp on Parker Pup.....it is not behaving!)  I really like that I can lower it to thread the heddles, and then raise it to weave.  My other benches are adjustable, but just not so easy to do!!!!

 Yes....I was at the Museum on Wednesday, too!  But, just for lunch!  This is our retired teachers' group that gets together once a month.  It's amazing how busy we all stay.....how did we ever have time for full time jobs???  It's really nice to stay in touch!

  I hope you are taking advantage of the sights, smells and sounds of this wonderful season. 

Enjoy!
LouAnn

What's Going On At The Studio?

Just take a look.....what a busy, lovely sight to see!
Little Christmas Lamb wanted to see all the sights, too.

No, Lammie, that's not weaving.  That's Reindeer Poop.  It's good to munch on to keep up your energy while you weave...... right-- Linda?

And, you can see Karin's pictures of her warp on her loom at home.

  Meet our "not new" weaver, Darlene.  She's joining the Tuesday Weavers, and will be working on the black warp.  Carol has pulled out five colors of 8/4 to use for weft.











  This is Molly....she finished up the mug rug warp from Foothills.  Wonder what will be next????








  Ms. Ila is threading a warp for three shawls.  You know they will be lovely.





  Karin retied her warp, and started her corduroy rug, again.  Little Lambs have trouble tying knots....no thumbs!












  No knots here!  You just wind the warp on the board!  Say "hello" to our new weaver, Sharon.  Carol got her started on her first warp today.

Don't get too close to the rag cutter!  It's very sharp!  Christy helped Carl guide the joined strips of blue jeans through the cutter.....that's another blue jean rug for you!!!!!








  I think there might be some wool in this warp, Lammie.  Marie will have it finished soon!










  Yes, this is a cheerful place to be!  Shirley and Bonnie  had a great time today!

Jocelyn's friend, Carol, is going to start weaving with us in January.  They really loved seeing Betsy's towel warp.








  WOW!!!!  How do you get from one side to another????  Lammie really wanted to try out that sliding bench!




Roz got there just in time to show off her scarf warp.












  Yes, more knots.....but Lanny is all ready to start weaving more towels! 



That's hemstitching....and that means that Sharon is ready to start another placemat.  So much to learn!




 









  And, this is all that was left of the brownies that Sharon brought us today!  It's very important to hydrate and eat while you weave!!!!!

Happy Weaving!
LouAnn