Another Monday?

Good grief! Where did the week go? There were a couple of Christmas parties and an open house at a studio but, really, I'm not sure how the time flew by so quickly!

I did get the warp wound for the last order but it's still waiting to go on the loom. It's not a tough one, just need to get it going.

Sometimes you do have to just shift gears for a moment. I started this quilt back in February when we were shut in for 2 weeks with ice and snow. It's been calling me now for months. So I caved and finished the quilt top. First, the top needs to be pressed, then I've got to find some fabric to back it and then pin the layers with batting inbetween but that can wait. It's just 60 x 68 so I can machine quilt it this winter.

I love the 30s reproduction fabrics and this will be a nice throw for the sofa, at least for now.

Guess where I'm going as soon as I finish this...yup, right down to the studio. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.... Just get that warp on the loom and woven off!! It's shaping up to be a busy week again but there is time to get it started at least!! Anticipating a break to do some more sewing is enticing!!

Until next week, get those last things woven and then do just what you want for a week!

Carol

New to Me

It has been a few busy weeks here on the "Farm".  My husband had shoulder surgery a couple of weeks ago, and I decided that it was a good time to have a roaring sinus infection at the same time.  (Not a good idea!)  That was last week, and this week, our out of town daughter is visiting with her son, and last night there was a huge dinner that involved 300lbs of turkey, and 1200 pieces of dessert.  Not the most restful post op weeks and not the most productive crafting weeks either.

Now that the big dinner is over,  (we didn't even set our alarms for this morning) the plan is to really really slow down and rest.  Our daughter will be in town just a few more days, but we will be able to focus just on them, and nothing else.

Before this all started, I had bought myself a 60th birthday present.  (I was hoping I would have some time during these last 2 weeks to play with it! HA!)   This is something that I am really surprised that I wanted in the first place.  It is in keeping with my new resolve of late to not have equipment around that I don't use.  

I started the year with 7 spinning wheels, I now have 4, (including the new electric spinner, yes, that's what I said!) plus one in the box awaiting shipment to it's new owner.  The last wheel that I will sell, is going to get some minor repairs, before it goes on the market.  The plan is to have a fast wheel for wool, the Canadian Production Wheel, a slow wheel for flax and to take to the Museum of Appalachia for demos, the Mayville/ Fell, and the electric spinner to ply on (because it has big bobbins), and spin as well.

The new acquisition, is a "new to me" Hansen Minispinner.  We are just getting to know each other right now.   I have plied a 842 yd skein of 3ply lace wt that was waiting for it.  I wanted to see how much I could get on that huge bobbin, there was room for more!  I have a 4 oz braid of Finn that I am spinning  this week.  With the weeks we have had, I am not even 1/2 way through the braid, but I am getting used to this new fangled machine.  It is quiet, and easy to use, and has the hugest bobbins you have ever seen!  Other than that there is nothing crafty to post about, so I will sign off for now.

Until next week, Happy Crafting, Tina

Pay The Piper

  You may remember that I bogarted my niece's placemats last year at the family gathering.  I cut the weft from those horrible early examples of my weaving and stored the "neatly" wrapped balls to reuse for the replacement placemats.

That day has arrived.
Those fabric balls are making me pay....big time!

  They have been tightly wound, and they do not want to be nice, crisp little strips.

Even with my new steam iron, this has been a major challenge! 
  I even tried dropping the balls from the stair landing to try and get the twist out of them.  That helped a little bit....but, this is turning out to be a labor intensive undertaking!

Oh, well....no good deed goes unpunished!

  The results are worth it, I think.  And, thanks to all the placemat practice I got earlier in the year, they weave up rather quickly (once I have the weft ready to go!)
  I'm using a modified Ellen's Pattern adjusted for a 15" width.  You can see in the picture that the warp threads are crammed and spaced.  It just adds a layer of texture to the placemats.

I hope your holiday projects are coming along nicely!
Happy Weaving!
LouAnn

Rainy Day Weaving

  We are socked in by the front....rainy days have been in the forecast for the last several days!  It was a good day to be at the studio!

  Bonnie arrived really early so that she could vacuum the studio...especially around Carl's loom (and on top of it!!!)  He had dust bunnies jumping down on his warp!  Of course, this was the day that a lot of folks decided to avoid the rush and come early to weaving!  Thank you, Bonnie!!!












  Carl had joined some large pieces of flannel together for his next rug, and Roz and Christy volunteered to cut the strips.  Irene was back with us today, and showed off her scarf that she and Linda beamed last week.  All finished!!!  Guess that means she is officially hooked on weaving!

  Yes, that's right....Irene is going to take Carol's beginning weaving course!
  Joining her is Polly....she wove here at the Center about 10 years ago, and she's ready to begin again!

  Both ladies had lots of fun choosing their colors for their first warp for the table loom.

  Harriet got started on the Ellen's Pattern placemats...always a favorite!  Roz realized that we needed a new sheet on the bulletin board to record our hours.  (Our hours count as volunteer hours that are used for grants for the Center.)













  Bonnie had finished her vacuuming, and got busy on her loom.  Now, if she can just get the other LADIES to get busy, too!!!

Linda, Barb and Linda had their own projects going.  Weaving....chatting....weaving.....chatting.....you know the drill!  It wasn't too long until Linda finished the last scarf on the Pup....two scarves cut off that loom today!!!!!

That means that Linda will start working on "walker bags" on the Gilmore loom.  But, wouldn't you know it....that nylon is not in a giving mood.  Marie joined in to help her tame the tangle!
  The nylon works nicely for walker bags since it holds up to lots of machine washing!








  Carl has started the newest rug.  He told me that the fabric pieces were chosen by Pat...they look super nice!!!













  Congratulations to Harriet....she's now a GREAT-grandmother!  She wove this baby blanket for the new arrival....it's super soft!!!

  I didn't get pictures of the brigade that was formed to move the weaving magazines from their window perch.  Tomorrow, the cabinets under the windows will be moved to the kitchen area of the Studio as part of the remodel.  We'll be getting new shelves for our "library" to replace those.  We are always trying to make good use of the space we have!

Happy Weaving!
LouAnn

Not Much Here!

So in thinking about this past week, it's obvious that no weaving happened! It was hectic. A trip to Atlanta and another to London, KY made for some fun times but weaving took a very back burner this time!!

I did pull out all the balls of painted weft left over from the projects woven the last month.

They looked pitiful. Bamboo is soft, pliable, and a bit tricky at times. It tangles quite easily. When I wound bobbins for weft, I pulled from the center. The same when I was crocheting edges. The result was that the leftover bits were a mess.

Also, there were 3 skeins that needed to become balls as well. So as time permitted, I spent time re-balling the yarns.

I do love the ball winder from Strauch. It holds up to a 2 lb ball of yarn. 

They look so much better now. Ready to store, they're waiting for the project I'll use them in.

There are still 2 skeins left to wind. Hopefully I'll have time this afternoon to do that. I really need to get a new warp on later this week. My last show is over but there's still an order or two to get done. Then there's next year to think about and yarn to order.....so many ideas to think about and get listed for next time.

It's easy to be distracted this time of year and I think we should heed the call to have some fun and do some extra shopping. I love going to the shops that sell Christmas ornaments and decorations. Even if I don't buy anything, it sets the mood for celebrating. That's why this blog is late today!!  I refused to go get into the Black Friday crowds but today there weren't crowds where I was. 

Hopefully you will get some creative work done before next week and maybe even throw a shuttle or two!

Until next week, enjoy!

Carol

Begin Again

  And, another one is in the books...

  We did OK....not great, but OK.  A lot of those ornaments that we made at the 11th hour did not come back with us....SOLD!

  All of those placemats that we wove....most of them came back with us.  But, the shelves sure did look GREAT!  There's always next year!

  Today we got all the show equipment tucked away, and Marie checked-in the inventory from upstairs.  We have a missing scarf that Harriet wove, and I hope it's tucked away in one of the weavers' stash.  We'll keep looking.

So, we're back to doing what we do best:  weaving!!!!

  Carol serged the edges on the placemats that Lanny took off of his loom.  The twelve that he wove are going home with him!  The placemats in the picture were woven by one of our other weavers....they will get hemmed and taken upstairs.

  Carol was also busy with Connie, one of our new weavers.  She's ready to start weaving on her first warp. 
  Casey finished her first one, and was starting on her new warp.  Busy, busy, busy!!!!








  Linda took Irene in the Potter's studio (no one was working in there today) to stretch out the warp for this vintage rigid heddle loom. 







 
  The Ladies got right back to work on their warps.  Shirley is checking the treadling order for her newest scarf.

 And, right across from the Ladies, Frieda and Sharon were weaving on their scarves.












  We got the news that Betsy took a tumble and will be out for awhile....so, Sharon decided this will be a good time to weave some rugs on that loom.  She and Linda looked over the yarn on the shelf to see what they could use.




  Carl just kept on weaving....


And, Jocelyn was busy at her loom, too. 
  She is wearing her newest scarf that she wove:  a six shaft snowflake design!!!  Isn't it lovely!!!!








  And, here's the Birthday Girl!  Happy Birthday, Sharon! 
(Just don't ask her how old she is......)

Now we'll get ready for the holidays, and set our goals for next year.....only eleven months until the first show!!!!

Happy Weaving!
LouAnn

Foothills Craft Show

This morning all of us Tuesday Weavers are relaxing, thankful that the last show of the year is done!!  It was the 3 day Foothills Craft Fair here in Knoxville. It's a high end, juried show where you have to submit items to just become a member. It's not easy to get in but once you are, you can do their show each year. Back in 2011, we were juried in as an educational center. It is what we are, teaching classes and educating the public on what weaving is. So we've done the show each year since.

This year we decided to try to have some lower end items for sale. Hair clips, pins, key chains were there to temp customers along with our regular stock of rugs, placemat, scarves and bags. 

I didn't take pictures until the second day so a lot of things had sold from the trees but you can still see some of the ornaments we made from scraps of handwoven fabrics. The group booth is right next to mine and we left a space open between them. 

We had 2 small trees. One on each side of the booth.

The lighting isn't great here but you can see how mine is always set up, colors prominently featured.

It's been so much fun playing with the MX dyes and then weaving vests and pullovers in bamboo. In January we plan to have another few dye days so we can get more done. I do need more pullovers. Deciding what colors to do and what wefts to put with which warps makes for a fun day!!

Knowing that some of these pieces found new, good homes is very satisfying. Oh, and don't you like my new rug? The old one wasn't nice anymore plus it was heavy and bulky, hard to transport in the van. This one is actually a bit bigger but because it's thinner, it folds up. Tuesday Weavers have the same one. Got them at Home Depot for less than $40 each!! They're actually plastic but once taped down to the floor, sturdy. Never slipped on them.

So today is the end of the year inventory. What do I take to a couple of shops and what stays here for next time? Also, what do I need to weave for next year? That all starts today. This morning I didn't get up til 9. Pure luxury!! I may take a break later on, put my feet up and read a book. But then, it's back to organizing the studio, moving the piles that got stacked the last couple of months as I got ready for these shows. Can't really hibernate. Too many ideas and projects to do!

Isn't that great?

Til next week, keep weaving! My loom is empty and it'll be pulling at me by the time I come home from weaving tomorrow!

Carol