It's Beginning....

 

.....and you know the rest of the song!

  Margi is creating some ornaments using pieces of handwoven cloth and pinecones.  If you look closely, you'll see it's a little gnome!  She's our own little Christmas elf!

  Carol has been busy helping her new weavers.  I'm sure they wonder sometimes what time warp they have dropped into!  There's lots going on around the studio.

  Since we are working hard to decrease our supply of yarn stored in the Annex AND we are trying to increase our supply of scarves (especially ones that would appeal to men,) Marie is doing a quick workshop on Rigid Heddle weaving.  They are great to use when there is such a mixed bag of yarn available!  For some of our weavers this is their first time using a RH, and others just wanted a refresher course.  Thank you, Marie!!!

  Elsewhere in the Studio, they just kept weaving!!!    I got busy and didn't get the other half of the Studio.  Marilyn, Liz, Patty and Jocelyn were super busy.

This is my excuse for not getting enough pictures!  I needed to sample the warp for the Hollywood rugs....which turned out to be a "get to know the loom" lesson.  All's well that ends well.

Peggy brought her throw to share with the group.  This was woven with her stash of leftover sock yarn.  

Can you guess what is Peggy's favorite color????

(I wish you could feel it!  So soft!!!!!)

  The Weavers are sending out big HUGS to Shirley, who is under the weather.  Get well soon....we miss you!!!!

Happy Weaving!

LouAnn

Start 'em Young!!!

 

  I have often wished I had known my great-grandmothers, and I could have learned to weave from them.  But, I have been blessed with my weaving friends, who have shared their knowledge with me.

  Today, we had a young visitor who has been asking her mom about weaving since she saw it in one of her books.  Audrey's mom came by the Center yesterday, and found out that there would be weavers on Tuesday!!!  

  And, here she is!!!  Audrey got to see a loom being threaded and several folks were weaving.  Then it was time for Audrey to weave on a loom!!!  

  

  We were joined later by Isaiah and Elijah.  They took a turn on the table loom, and Pat showed them the big barn loom.  

  Their dad says that they want to learn to weave, too!!!

  Weaving isn't always so easy...after all, it takes three weavers to wind this bobbin!  I'm not sure about the whole story....maybe Charlotte will tell me.

  

  Betsy is winding on this colorful scarf warp (there's enough for three scarves.)  This will be her first time using all 12 shafts!!!!

  She has three colors picked out for the weft.  

I'll keep you updated!

We are really going all out for color!!!

Lou Ann's towel warp just makes you smile!

Marilyn just finished another towel on her loom this afternoon.

  Another color magnet!  Sneak a peek in her basket!  Shari just lets the yarn tell the story as she creates her one of kind scarves.

(Marie and I loaded a tub with "Shari yarn" for her to take home and play!!!)

  Bonnie is not happy!

  I know that look--  it's the pattern, not the people.  Time to regroup and reconsider!

  There's Tina and Pat--putting their heads together and making a plan!  Pat is weaving the hem for her three color clasp weave rug.  I think she's ready to weave some good ole rag rugs for a change of pace.

  Tina has some crossed threads coming off the warp beam that need to be attended to...the bumberet is threaded in threes, and she had to make adjustments.

She doesn't have a lot of room to work since we are a little crowded!  (Yes, that's another loom between Tina's loom and the barn loom.)  But, she only has 10 more inches on this blanket!!!

Ta Da!!!!  She did it!  That is two blankets/throws that are finished!!!

  Weaving is fun...and frustrating...and my favorite thing to do (especially with these folks!)

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends!

LouAnn

What's Up???

 

  Now that we are finished with the Foothills show, it's time to get back to business:  purging the tubs in the Annex before the big move to the new Annex.  Today, Pat has us organized sorting tubs with fabric.  We had some tubs of fabric strips that needed to be rolled into balls.  We separated wool from cotton, and sheets that could be dyed for placemats.  We have denim as well as blue jeans that can be used for rugs.

   It was all hands on deck as we worked through all the tubs.

  As Carol serged the hems on some newly woven projects, Betsy wound up strips of wool that will make some great rugs.

  When all the tubs were returned to the Annex, it was time to pull out the looms.  Marie did some repair work on the Baby Wolf that Liz uses.  She just has the right touch with anything mechanical!

Laura, Jocelyn and Margi had their own meeting about our logo, which is another goal we have for the new year.

  Bonnie has her loom threaded and sleyed, so now it's time to tie on the warp!  

  Carol is working with Courtney....her warp is on the loom!!!  (I apologized to Courtney for last week's picture.  She approved this one!)

  Linda has switched to a multi-colored weft for this towel.  Can you see how the colors form pools on the towel?

  I wanted to show you Pat's rug using three colors for the clasp weft.  (I think she's ready to do some rag rugs next!!!)

Enjoy your week!

Happy Weaving!!!

LouAnn

There and Back

 

   Go back in time to the morning of 4 November.  It's a sunny day, and Patty knew we'd need donuts to get us through our project!  As soon as I arrived with the grid panels, it was time to go to work.

  Pearl and Patty started on the first four sided kiosk.

  With the first one finished, Tina joined in on the second kiosk.

Having the power drill makes short work of the tiny screws.

  We also used three panels to make a stand alone triangle.

  Carol had arrived early and got her part of the booth set up, which gave her time to meet up with many friends in the Foothills Guild.

  The tables were set up and we started putting out the woven items for display.

  The kiosks were quickly filled with placemats, scarves and dishtowels.

Rugs were displayed on a tall sturdy rack.

  The trick is to display the items so that they really show!  

  These are Tina's bread cloths, and you really need to see them spread out to appreciate how lovely they are.

  It's such a good feeling when it all comes together!  

  Here we are back in the present...Marie is still on her computer!!!  Yes...all those items that didn't sell have to be checked in on the master list and returned upstairs.  

  (As we packed up the booth, we sorted the items that the individual weavers had for sell.  They either took them home on Sunday or took them today.)

And, it's back to the looms for the weavers:  Bonnie, Linda and Laura.

Get to work, Ladies:  Shirley, Marilyn and Lou Ann

Business as usual:  Liz, Susan and Pat.

And, welcome to our newest weaver, Courtney!!!!

(So sorry this picture does NOT do her justice!)

Yes, we've been busy!!!

Enjoy these lovely Fall days and

Happy Weaving!!!

LouAnn

Buzzzzzz.....

 

  

  That sound you heard coming from the studio was the result of two different activities in this space.  Above you can see the weaving ladies working at their looms.  There's always a lovely chatter and the sound the looms make as they treadle and beat.

   There is the whisper of quiet conversations as we get the input from other weavers.  (Note how close the warp has come to the heddles!!!  Is Jocelyn playing loom chicken???)

  Actually, Jocelyn cut off her placemat warp soon after I took the other picture!  Carol got the edges serged so Jocelyn could take them home to hem and wet finish.

   Barbara also came to the end of her warp.  All done!!!!

Meanwhile, some of us started pulling stock from upstairs to take to the Foothills show.  Sharon pulled shawls, scarves, placemats and towels to add to our inventory for the show.  We also pulled rugs (especially ones that Carl wove.)

Marie pulled double duty...she attached the tags after Carol got the items tagged.  Then Marie entered all the items into the computer inventory for the show!
Oh, and did I say that Marie also loaded up her van with tubs and equipment for the show?
Pat, Tina and I pulled the grid panels out of storage, and found the bags and other items we would need for the weekend.

After a frantic search, we found the hardware we needed to connect the pieces!!!!

  The vans are loaded, and we'll meet up on Thursday to set up our booth.  I'll try to post some pictures for you this weekend.

Busy, busy, busy.....

Happy Weaving

LouAnn