Tuesday, June 28, 2022

Beehive

 

  When I got to the Center this morning, there was such a hum of activity as soon as I opened the door.  One of the Convergence trips will be visiting the Appalachian Arts Craft Center on July 18.  It was time to do a little Spring cleaning!!!  Bonnie (back right) was busy running the vacuum around and under the looms.  Tina was rethreading her warp.  Patty, Jocelyn and Betsy were working at their looms.



Shirley and Pearl were sorting yarn and putting them with like yarns on the shelf.  All around the studio folks were sorting and cleaning!  


Carol took some time to work with our new weaver, Shannon.  She's planning a new warp and wanted help reading a draft.


We are so glad to have Liz back with us for the summer.  She's busy threading her warp.


Ruth is back also...she's working on her placemat warp.



Betsy's been busy at home!  Besides a whole stack of bathmats, she wove this blanket for a newborn. This was some "dragon tail" that she was given!  It's so soft!!!



Marilyn was inspired by an article in Handwoven and wove a bunch of kitchen towels.



Linda was commissioned to weave a table runner and had enough warp to do two!!!  The lady requested a "white" one, but the pattern shows nicely with the natural weft.

  July is going to be a busy month, and we're really looking forward to welcoming our guest to the Center.  The bulletin board is even getting a make-over!!!!

Stay safe, fiber friends, and Happy Weaving!

LouAnn

Tuesday, June 21, 2022

Heat Wave

 After a fabulous mild weekend, the heat wave has returned.  Thank goodness for A/C!!!



Meet our newest weaver, Shannon!  Rather than starting her lessons with Carol today, Patty pressed her into helping with our mug rug project.  All of those "blue-green" mug rugs are becoming a wall hanging.  For those of you that have been to the Great Smoky Mts., you'll recognize the name Abrams Falls.


Marie finally got a moment to weave her mug rug, which will be added to the Falls.


Sharon got on the loom after lunch to weave her mug rug.  Carol brought the serger with with blue thread to finish the hems, and they will be added to our creation.


Our other new weaver, Jayne, got her warp on her loom and she'll be ready to thread.  Would you believe she ducked as I took the picture!!!!   That's Liz on the left...she's finishing up her first warp.


And, off it came!!!!  This is the sampler that Carol has all her new students weave.


Jocelyn and Betsy were hard at work at their looms as I stopped to chat.


Bonnie, Linda and Laura held down the back of the Studio.


Shirley cut off the small scarf that finished her warp, and now she'll have to plan for a new project.  I think she's planning on some fiesta colored placemats.

Liz is weaving on her shawl warp.


Mary is getting a nice roll of rugs on that cloth beam.

Hugs going out to Pat, Tina, Sharen and Lou Ann.  We missed you today.

Stay cool, fiber friends!!!

LouAnn

Tuesday, June 14, 2022

Guests

 

Our guest today was from Guatemala.  She set up her backstrap loom and started weaving on her project.  Her friend translated her remarks as the weavers watched her every move.


Mary was very pleased with her Dye Day projects.


Liz also brought her Dye Day yarn.  I'm looking forward to seeing their yarn woven into new items.


Christy has finished her bamboo scarf for the blue-green project.  It has such a lovely sheen.  Do you see the "ripples in the water"?

Dye Day


Pickles acted as "snoopavisor" for the ladies as they dyed their projects.

Mary got right to work laying out her project.  (The results are in the picture above.)



Barbara had a plan for her dye.


Carol kept track of what needed to be done.


Boots made a guest appearance on Friday to check out all the fun.

Thank you, Patty, for hosting Dye Day.  Space is always at a premium at the Center, and this was a lovely setting for the event.

We're in the middle of a heat wave this week in East TN, so I'm glad they were able to do Dye Day last week!!!!

Take care, Fiber Friends!!!

LouAnn



Tuesday, June 7, 2022

Busy June

Wow!  June is quickly turning into a whirlwind for the weavers!  We have Dye Day later this week at Patty's barn, an arts & crafts fair on the 18th, finishing touches to our items for the exhibit in July and the move into the new Annex.


Patty, Marie and Barbara made some headway on the move this morning.  More shelving will be added for the additional tubs.


One of the tubs found in the Annex contained woven items and ribbons won by former head of the weaving department, Ellen Cain.  


The first batch of "blue-green" mug rugs came off the loom.  Barbara was busy threading another warp for the other members who haven't woven one yet.  Carol will take them home to hem.


After a threading error, Sharon finished her "blue-green" scarf and took the opportunity to twist the fringes.  The Bress Weaving Book is just heavy enough to keep everything in place.


I'm sure you'll remember all those times we came in to weaving to find boxes and bags of donated yarn and fabric.  This was not a donation...it was a cry for help!  These ladies inherited this braided rug, and wanted to finish it, but had no idea how.  Carol did her homework and she was ready to help out.  Isn't that a beauty!!!!

While we stay crazy busy, we do hope you have a wonderful fiber week!

LouAnn