Hozho

Handwoven: Emerald Forest

2012-01-20T08:41:00.000-06:00

As the holidays approached, I wove several scarves for gifts and several for the Etsy shop so other people could give them as gifts. :) One of them was the Emerald Forest scarf, woven with a combination of merino/silk/alpaca/sparkle yarns. It was quite lovely, and sold in the shop quickly to someone who wanted a gift for her mother.

Fortunately, I had warped the loom for two scarves. :) This one waited patiently until this week, when I had a chance to weave it. I love the undulating color changes of the greens with the hints of brown. I used one of my favorite yarns as the warp - Enchanted Knoll Farm's "Fairy Dust", a lovely merino/nylon yarn with a touch of sparkle for elegance. The weft is an alpaca/silk blend from WEBS.

The finished scarf is 70" long (excluding fringe) and 7" wide. The hand-twisted fringe on both ends is 5" long.

Available in my Etsy shop.

Kraken Ahoy!

2012-01-13T16:58:00.001-06:00

The rest of the fiber for my handspun Kraken polwarth sweater arrived this afternoon. So gorgeous! I love this colorway. David of Southern Cross Fibre is a genius with the dyepots.

Now that I have all the fiber for the sweater, I'll split it all up and combine the two dyelots to ensure the yarn will be homogenous.

Along with the Kraken, there was a hitchhiker - a sneak preview of David's new semi-solid line of colorways. This one is "Dark Cheddar", a color that made this orange-lover swoon with delight when he revealed it in his Ravelry group.

There will be over 30 new semi-solids available over the next 6 months, in colors that will coordinate with so many of the colorways in my stash. My wallet may not survive!

Roc Day 2012

2012-01-08T19:48:00.000-06:00

I joined the New Orleans Weavers Guild in November 2007. I found the local guild via internet listings, and begged them to teach me to spin. :) Two months later, they introduced me to the Roc Day tradition. We celebrate it on the first Saturday of January every year. The hosting of the event is rotated among the Gulf Coast guilds in our area. We have a great big Spin-In, and there are vendors (yay!) and we share lunch, door prizes, and tall tales. :) This year it was held by the Lake Charles area guild, the Spinners and Weavers of Imperial Calcasieu. A number of us went on a girl's road trip and had a great time. :) On our way to the area, we visited Running Moon Farm, where our friend Margrett keeps a flock of Gulf Coast Native sheep.

It was a lovely weekend. The sharing, the camaraderie, the laughter - I'm so glad I found this great group of fiber friends!

Kraken Sweater - Beginning

2012-01-04T13:07:00.000-06:00

After 11 years of dabbling, I'm still a beginner knitter. Oh, I can knit a mean (basic) sock, and I can knit/purl a ribbed scarf with the best of 'em, but to me, advancing past "beginner" will entail knitting real SWEATERS.

Now, I've knit two sweaters, but they were both child-size and the same pattern, in the round with a 3-needle bind-off at the shoulders. No piecing, no seaming. I knit them from Reynold's Lopi, for a charity serving Russian orphans. They were simple, WARM, and bullet-proof.

But an adult sweater has not yet sprung full-born from my needles. I've started one, the Oatmeal Cardigan, in (appropriately) oatmeal bfl, handspun of course, but the staggering neutral yardage bored me to tears, and it languishes in a knitting bag somewhere.

Handspun handpainted - now THAT's the way to go, to keep my interest during both the spinning and the knitting. So I joined the SCF & Friends Sweater SAL/KAL (Rav-link) because I knew the wonderful members of the Southern Cross Fibre forum on Ravelry would encourage me and give the kick in the pants I'll need when the going gets tough.

I chose one of my very favorite Southern Cross Fibre colorways - Kraken - and one of my very favorite fibers - polwarth.

(picture courtesy of David at SCF)

(Isn't it scrumptious???) I have enough fiber for half the sweater, and David (one of the best dyers on the PLANET) was happy to dye more. It's shipping today (from Australia). I'll wait until I have all the fiber together, so I can split it all up to combine the dyelots, for a nice blend throughout.

Since this is my first real sweater, I knew I'd need a simple pattern - the Bailey Cardigan (Rav) is great for handspun, and has good clean lines. My friend Sandi has already knit it and I was able to see (and feel!) it in person on our last Montana trip. I'll knit mine in fingering weight yarn rather than in DK, because I want it to be lightweight and useful for indoor wear.

And since I want the sweater to be wonderful and perfect, I knew I'd need to sample and swatch. (Yikes.) I did both. I spun samples of 2-ply, 3-ply, and navajo-ply:

(My camera washed out the colors - they're actually rich and vibrant like David's fiber photo above.)

I really like the 3 ply best, but needed to knit a swatch, not only for gauge, but for the look and feel of the fabric. So I knit my first ever swatch:

(top, n-ply; middle, 2-ply; bottom, 3-ply)

I love the look of the n-ply, but for socks, rather than for a sweater. I prefer the heathered transitions of the 2-ply and the 3-ply. In the end, I chose the 3-ply, because its fabric gave me the look and feel I liked best. It's so soft (yet durable) and pliable, and it drapes nicely.

I cannot wait to get started on this project! I'll keep you posted...

Welcome, 2012!

2012-01-01T13:59:00.000-06:00

I loved 2011.

It was my first full year of retirement from my fulltime job, where I'd worked for 24 years. My first full year of freedom and rebuilding of my self-esteem and confidence. We paid off our last bit of consumer debt, leaving only our mortgage - oh, what a great feeling of freedom! I learned a lot about me as a person this year, and about myself as a fiber artist.

Spinning: I did a lot of commission spinning this year, and a good deal of spinning for the shop as well. I got much more comfortable with the Hansen miniSpinner as a spinning wheel, not just a plying wheel (though I still spin most of my yarn on my beloved Schacht Matchless.) I spun 32,010 yards of yarn this year (and I only started keeping track in April.) That's 18 MILES of yarn! Much of it was lace and 3-ply sock weight. My wheel has been very busy this year! The widget that keeps track in my sidebar has started over fresh for 2012 - I'm eager to see if I can beat 2011's total. :)

Weaving: I took several local informal workshops this year - learned to work with cottolin, how to weave overshot, and creative design with Saori. I wove a lot of scarves, some dishtowels, and a few table runners. I'm planning a lot more in 2012 - some traditional, some Saori-style. I am blessed with a lovely stable of looms - a Macomber 10H, a Baby Wolf 8H, two Flip RH looms and a Cricket. The plan for 2012 is to keep them all warped and in use.

Knitting: Hmmm. Well, you know I'm not much of a knitter. I like to knit, but I far prefer weaving and spinning. I mostly knit when I'm a car passenger - it keeps my hands busy and passes the time. I usually keep a pair of handspun socks going for that purpose. That's all I knit this year - a few pairs of socks. I just finished spinning samples for my first real handpainted handspun sweater - I'll show you that later. I'm planning to knit several of those this year, as well as a few pairs of socks for my husband, who's finally agreed to wear them. :)

This will be a year of transition for us. My younger daughter is moving out on her own next month (after being back home with us for 6 years post-Katrina). My husband's company is being bought by a larger one, that will likely allow him to work from home. And this is the year we plan to realize our dream to sell the house and move to Montana.

Lots of changes ahead, all of them good. 2012, I'm happy you're here.

Autumn, How I Love Thee

2011-09-22T10:49:00.000-05:00

Autumn - the word conjures images of swirling dry colorful leaves and brisk chilly air. Sounds lovely, and many parts of the country experience this when the season changes in late September.

Not us - we still have temps in the upper 80's, high humidity, and green leaves firmly affixed to trees. We won't experience much in the way of Autumn until late October, and perhaps even early November.

So I wove some Autumn instead. :) Here's a lovely scarf I finished this week, handwoven on a Schacht Flip rigid heddle loom. It's 70" long, 6.5" wide, with additional handtwisted 3.5" fringe on each end. Warp (lengthwise yarn): Enchanted Knoll "blissful" yarn (merino/silk/tencel) in "Sunflower Sampler". Weft (widthwise yarn): 8/2 tencel in "spice".

It's available in my Etsy shop.

I'm attending a weaving workshop with friends this weekend - we're weaving finnish-twill breadcloths in cottolin (blend of cotton and linen). I've not woven with cottolin before - I look forward to learning its unique quirks. I hope to end up with some Christmas gifts for family, and if I love the material and the structure, a new item for the shop. We'll see!

Custom Confetti, and Another Scarf

2011-09-17T08:31:00.000-05:00

Remember when I talked about designing a handspun yarn, specifically the rainbow yarn that my customer friend requested? Here's the resulting yarn (remember, she chose the "confetti" option):

Rainbow colors with black accents. I'm happy with the way the two skeins coordinate, considering the original braids of fiber were slightly different. They're 400 and 380 yards of 16wpi fingering weight 3-ply.

And I finished another of those fun scarves on my Cricket loom - this one is the mirror image of the Rainbow Waterfall scarf, which had a purple center that flowed down into red fringe. Instead, this Rainbow Cascade scarf has a red center flowing down into purple fringe:

50" long, with additional 4" handtwisted fringe on each end, 6.5" wide.

I'm really pleased with the way these scarves turned out - they're soft and drapy, colorful and fun. I see more in my future!

Today is World Wide Spinning In Public Day - I'm taking my Matchless to the library. We have a guild meeting, which is usually just us sitting around a table discussing weaving/spinning and passing around FO's. Today I'll demo for passersby and see if we can't attract some new members!

Handwoven: Rainbow Waterfall

2011-09-14T20:04:00.000-05:00

How cute is THIS??? And so much fun to weave. The warp yarn (Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport) does all the work - its regular repeat gives the illusion of faux ikat without cutting and tying individual strands. I direct-warped it on my Cricket loom and wove it off with a bright red 8/2 tencel.

50" long (not including the handtwisted 4" fringe on each end), 6.5" wide, fully reversible.

And did I mention "cute"????

More!

2011-09-07T12:00:00.000-05:00

"I love this yarn, but I need more for my project!"

"Do you have a second skein of this lovely silk yarn?"

I often get requests for larger skeins of yarn, or more yardage of the same color blend.

As a spinner who loves fiber and color, I'm in several fiber clubs, plus I scoop up delightful colorways in Etsy updates - my fiber stash is quite large and quite lovely. These beautiful offerings are almost always packaged in 4 oz lots, and since I enjoy variety, I rarely purchase more than one lot of any single colorway. A skein of yarn spun from 4 oz will be limited in yardage. The limits depend on several things: the grist of the final yarn, the ply structure of the final yarn, and the method of spinning used.

The grist (the wpi, or wraps per inch) refers to the thickness of the strand. Knitters think of this in terms of "bulky, worsted, sport, dk, fingering, lace" and weavers think of similar weaving yarns, such as mop cotton, carpet warp, 8/2 cotton, 22/2 cottolin, 20/2 silk, and so on. The thicker the yarn, the more fiber it consumes in its creation.

The ply structure deals with the actual number of threads that make up the strand. For instance, most handspun is either singles, 2-ply, 3-ply, or navajo-ply (chain-ply). The more plies involved, the more fiber is used.

The methods of spinning include worsted (the method, not the yarn weight), woolen, and variations between the two. Worsted spinning methods keep the fibers aligned as much as possible, making a denser strand that takes more fibers per inch to maintain structural integrity. Woolen spinning methods jumble the fibers to greater and lesser degrees, making a lighter and loftier strand that takes less fibers per inch while retaining structure. My preferred spinning method is more of a woolen technique, giving loft and softness. Worsted-spun yarns consume more fiber in their creation than woolen-spun yarns.

On average, from a 4 oz lot of fiber, I can expect to get:

75-175 yards of bulky (depending on the thickness)
175-225 yards of worsted weight
225-275 yards of sportweight
275-350 yards of fingering weight
350-425 yards of sock weight
425-500 of heavy lace
500-700 of finer lace

Now, for special spinning projects, like my ongoing supply of Black Magic Woman yarn, I special-order larger lots of fiber. My Black Magic Woman yarn takes 6 oz of fiber, so I order it in lots of that weight from Josette at Enchanted Knoll Farm on Etsy. I take requests, too - if you find fiber that you want custom spun, you can order it in a larger lot or purchase two or more and I'll spin it into a larger skein with greater yardage.

And occasionally I will combine two coordinating yet different colorways or dyelots to create a larger skein with greater yardage. I did one a few weeks ago, combining two different colorways to create "Autumn Sunset" in superwash merino - 580 yds of sportweight 2-ply:

I produced another one this week - I combined two 4.5 oz dyelots of the same colorway to create "Confetti" in merino - 520 yds of worsted weight 2-ply:

I loved the challenge of getting all 9 ounces of this yarn on one giant bobbin, to make one continuous skein with no knots:

I could almost hear the bobbin saying, "I can't believe I ate the whooooooole thing!!"

Thankful, With Cupcake

2011-09-04T23:16:00.000-05:00

The storm is still in our area, but mostly it's passed on to the northeast. Tropical Storm Lee hung around a long, long time, moving at 2mph and causing us great concern for flooding. Historically, when a storm moves very slowly over us, it dumps more rain than our pumps can handle, and we have street flooding and home flooding. We were fortunate this time - the storm's bands had enough breaks between them that the ground was able to absorb the water and the pumps were able to clear the streets.

We're so thankful, and hope that as the storm moves away, it doesn't hurt anyone else, either.

And now the cupcake. My daughter made cupcakes this week, with a Harry Potter theme. She made this adorable owl with Oreos and M&Ms for eyes, sliced almonds for feathers, and a piece of a Starburst candy for a beak. He's sitting on my Glacier National Park mousepad - the view is of Lake McDonald.

And yes, I ate him.

Everyone Likes A Discount, Right?

2011-09-02T14:54:00.001-05:00

I'm nearing my 150th sale in my Etsy shop, and that's exciting and humbling at the same time. I'm so appreciative of the support that's been given my little indie spinning and weaving venture!

I've decided to reward my friends and customers (and I'd like to see that 150th sale, too!) so I've enabled a coupon code through Labor Day (September 5th) for 10% off any purchase in stock, on all items including handwoven scarves. I originally intended it for Ravelry but am pleased to extend it to any blog readers as well.

Enter the coupon code RAVLABORDAY10 on checkout to get your discount.

And shipping to the US is always free - and reduced to international addresses.

Thankful for the kind support! ♥

Placemats!

2011-08-31T20:13:00.000-05:00

I finished these placemats this week and mailed them off to Canada. They're for an exchange WAL (Weave-Along) in the Jane Stafford Textiles group on Ravelry.

We chose a color scheme (either blue/green or red/orange) and decided on our own individual design. We were to weave 6, and send 5 to the exchange coordinator, who will send us 5 placemats (all different, but in our chosen color scheme) in return.

I adapted a pattern for a scarf from a recent Handwoven magazine, in a twill/huck lace fusion. I really wanted the twill ribbons to be vertical, which meant that I couldn't fringe my placemats and had to hem them top and bottom. I used 6/2 unmercerized cotton. I'm really pleased with the way they turned out!

Handspun Yarn Design - Rainbow Edition

2011-08-26T22:23:00.000-05:00

I chatted with a customer friend today about some rainbow-dyed superwash merino (from Western Sky Knits) that she wants spun into a 3-ply. We discussed the many possibilities, and I thought I’d share them with you.

Here's what we've got in this "Rainbow Brights" braid: Black/pink/orange/yellow/green/blue/violet...black/violet/blue/green/yellow/orange/pink...black/pink/orange/yellow/green/blue/violet...black/violet/blue/green/yellow/orange/pink.

What the dyer has done is folded the fiber into 4 equal lengths (in half, and then in half again). Then she painted the fiber black/pink/orange/yellow/green/blue/violet/black across the 4 lengths. So when you UNFOLD the fiber and stretch it out to its full length, the rainbow reverses several times, pivoting on the black at the folds.

When I spin rainbow yarns, I try to arrange the rainbow in consecutive order if I can. Sometimes that's not possible, if the dyer has randomly chosen her colors. In this case, it IS possible - what I can do is to separate the fiber into the 4 repeated pieces, and reverse the 2 pieces that are out of order. This would line everything up into "black/pink/orange/yellow/green/blue/violet", repeated 4 times. OR, I can leave it as the dyer painted it, which would give the order of the reversed rainbows.

I will divide the fiber lengthwise into 3 equal lengths. Then depending on how long the desired color repeats are, I'll either spin the fiber "as is", or split it down further into thinner strips to shorten the lengths of solid color in the strands.

For a navajo/chain-ply, I spin all 3 of those lengths in the same order onto ONE single bobbin, then chain-ply the strand on itself to preserve the strongest saturation of color.

For a traditional 3-ply, I spin all 3 of the lengths in the same order, each on a separate bobbin. Then when I ply them, they'll line up colorwise, mostly - the variance is because of infinitesimal thickness variation and the fact that the dyer doesn't have straight lines in her color demarcation. There will be some areas where the colors overlap in the plied yarn.

For a "confetti" 3-ply, I spin 2 of the lengths in the same order on separate bobbins, but REVERSE the order of the 3rd length. This mixes things up when I ply, and guarantees that there will be a lot of color overlap and speckles, with a few accidental areas where all 3 strands happen to be the same color at the same time.

Now, for color-length - if I spin this fiber, which has 6" color sections, just as a traditional 3-ply all lined up, I'll get 7-8 yards of each solid color before the color changes to the next one. If I want the color lengths to be shorter, I can split each one of those original 3 equal lengths into thinner pieces before spinning, which will yield around 3-4 yards of solid color before it changes. With a Navajo/chain-ply, color-length becomes even more important – if the fiber is spun without any splitting, it’s going to give super-long color lengths, which may or may not be desirable.

Our 3-ply choices from this one braid of rainbow fiber:

3-ply "confetti".

3-ply rainbow solids, in rainbow order, short lengths of solid colors.

3-ply rainbow solids, in rainbow order, longer lengths of solid colors.

3-ply rainbow solids, in rainbow/reverse/rainbow/reverse order, short lengths of solid colors.

3-ply rainbow solids, in rainbow/reverse/rainbow/reverse order, longer lengths of solid colors.

Navajo/chain-ply, in all those variations.

So many choices! So much fun! (My customer friend chose "confetti" - which would YOU choose?)

Hello!

2011-08-18T14:36:00.001-05:00

Here I am! Thanks to the dear friends who have emailed and asked for an update. Time passes much too quickly!
The summer is 2/3 gone, and that's a GOOD thing here in the South. It's too hot and humid to enjoy the outdoors - in fact, we rush from house to car to store to car to house, trying to limit our exposure to the heat index and get back into A/C as soon as possible. My family spends the summer longing for October. :)

Garden: Catastrophic failure. The plants COOKED inside the containers. When we watered (daily) we could feel the water coming out the bottom of the container was HOT, hotter than comfortable bathwater. The heat was built up and concentrated in the containers, and cooked the roots of our poor plants. Everything died without giving us more than a few measly peppers. We are planning a fall garden bed IN THE GROUND so it can maintain a constant dirt temperature. No pictures... too sad. :(

Knitting: I finished the Socktopus socks. They were a fun knit, with the sparkles and softness of the wool.

Spinning: Oh, goodness - I can't show it all to you, we don't have time or bandwidth for that. Since last I posted, I've participated once again in the Tour de Fleece and spun 18 skeins of yarn in 3 weeks, a total of 5100 yards of plied yarn (much of it thin 3-ply yarns) in 21 days. That was a concentrated spinning effort, but I still spin/ply an average of a,000 yards a week. This morning I plied a 730 yard skein of 2-ply laceweight polwarth/bamboo. Monday I navajo/chain plied a 440 yard commissioned skein of sock yarn. Spinning is one of the great joys of my life. :)

Weaving: I've woven several scarves in rayon boucle and tencel (one is in the Etsy shop right now), an Overshot runner, and a set of placemats in twill and huck lace for an exchange with some dear friends in Canada.

Personal: After nearly 8 months of retirement, I still love it. :) Today is my dear husband's birthday - he is the joy of my life and my best friend. And our move to Montana grows ever closer. Life (and God who gives it) = GOOD.

EKF Summer of Socks: 1st Up - Socktopus

2011-06-01T09:38:00.000-05:00

The Summer of Socks SAL/KAL/CAL (spin/knit/crochet-along) in the Enchanted Knoll Farm Ravelry group has begun! It lasts from June 1 to September 1. I love spinning EKF fiber, and socks are what I'm most successful at knitting (and actually finishing) so this is right up my alley. Either handspun or commercial yarns are fine, and Josette is featuring sock yarns in her Etsy shop all this month, with free shipping.

I cast on my first pair this morning. I've discovered sportweight socks - they knit up quick, on large needles, and give me a satisfying finished pair in a short period of time. This pair is for Jessica - she appreciates my handspun handknit socks, so she's worthy. :) It's from my handspun, an EKF batt in the "Blue Ring Octopus" colorway, 300 yds of 2-ply sportweight. Size 6 needles, 40 stitches, magic loop, David's Toe-Up Sock Cookbook. We'll call it "Socktopus":

My goal is 3 pair - one per month. I have spinning and weaving to do this summer, so I don't want to be overly ambitious.

Also, today is my dear nephew Michael's birthday. He's 19 - how fast time flies!

Zinnias Boucle Yarn

2011-05-30T11:30:00.001-05:00

I've always been a smooth-yarns girl. I like a nice round 3-ply, or a tightly-plied 2-ply, consistent and even and smooth. But lately I've been branching out into boucle-style yarns - a thick/thin plied with a fine thread, causing bumps and slubs and squooshy texture. Texture is good! Knitters love to make textured yarns into hats and scarves, and weavers love 'em too.

I spun a few last month, and this week I spun another, with even more texture. It's a strand of fine handspun silk in reds & amber, paired with a thick/thin slubby strand I spun from a blended batt with BFL wool, silk, and sari silk infusion, in pinks & oranges & golds. Both fibers came from Enchanted Knoll on Etsy, one of my favorite indie dyers. I really like the way this one turned out. 145 yards, 2-ply thick/thin boucle - I have two equal skeins. SO SOFT.

Both are available in the shop.

I'm dressing the big Macomber loom for a set of placemats in blues and greens. This is for an exchange with the Jane Stafford Textiles group on Ravelry - the same talented people I swapped dishtowels with in February. Looking forward to seeing what they create using the same color family. I'll have pictures of the placemat warp tomorrow - I hope!

Garden, now with Bee!

2011-05-27T14:11:00.000-05:00

Leigh came looking for zucchini flowers and I hadn't posted a picture, so this is for you, Leigh:

And look, a Bee! There were several of these guys flying around, welcome pollinators. How exciting!!

My eggplant is flowering, too - I hope the Bees make their way over there as well.

Garden, Week 1 - and some Handspun

2011-04-26T09:30:00.002-05:00

It's been 1 week (and a day, don't judge me) since I took pictures of the Garden. Everything is growing well - and so far, we've been faithful to water every day. Hmmm... there might be a correlation between the two. :)

Cucumbers:

Eggplant:

Onions:

Peppers:

Tomatoes:

Zucchini babies!

And corn babies!

I'm sure we'll make lots of mistakes with our first vegetable garden, but they will be learning opportunities for next time.

I've finished some handspun in this past week, too - one of my rainbow commission skeins is done, and I've spun two skeins of falkland wool, one in lovely blue/green/purple singles and one in 2-ply apricot/peach tones.

The first skein of Black Magic Woman fingering weight yarn sold already in the shop, so I'm starting another one. I'll be spinning up numerous skeins of BMW - Susan Pandorf used it for one of her Lord Of The Rings: Two Towers patterns (Eleventy Seven - a lace scarf in black metallic handspun), and in cooperation with Josette at Enchanted Knoll Farm, I'm making as many skeins available as I can. (If you're interested in a skein, let me know, and I'll spin it especially for you.)

We had a lovely family gathering on Easter Sunday. My brother is getting married May 28th, and he asked me to sing in the wedding. I'm so pleased! I'm happy about the marriage, and so glad to be a part of the ceremony. A little nervous, too - I used to sing solos in church, but haven't sung in a public setting in 7-8 years. Time to start rehearsing in the shower! :)

Can't CONTAIN my Excitement!

2011-04-18T11:28:00.002-05:00

Yesterday my husband brought home plants and seeds and started our container veggie garden. I am so happy!

Vegetable gardening is one of the many things in my life that falls victim to my tendency toward perfectionism - "if I can't do it perfectly, it's not worth doing at all." Which of course is self-defeating, but governs many of my actions nonetheless.

DH finally took the bull by the horns and just DID it. And because I wasn't the initiator, I can enjoy it without being critical of myself. Of course, we're first-timers and will make lots of mistakes, but if we get a few veggies out of the venture, and learn a few things, it will all be worth it. I ordered a compost bin this morning, and I've started saving veggie peels, eggshells, and coffee grounds.

Here are some pictures of my babies -

Cucumbers:

Eggplant (note the invader ALREADY munching on the plant's center - he's dead now):

Onions:

Peppers:

Tomatoes:

Zucchini (seeds):

The containers lining the edges of the patio, in full sun:

And for color, on the front patio, Petunias:

In fiber news, I've spun 3.59 miles of yarn this year. (I added a widget in my sidebar keeping track.) I'm aiming for 15 miles by Dec. 31st - just a fun goal I've set for myself. Now that I'm RETIRED, I have so much more time to spin and weave, and it's such a joy to have the time to dig into my fiber bins and choose bags of lovely soft color to spin.

I just finished this one, 700 yds of fingering weight 2-ply, from Enchanted Knoll Farm's "Black Magic Woman" batts. I love spinning this sparkly, silky stuff.

On the wheel right now, some lovely rainbow fiber for a customer. Bright color for spring!

Since I Promised...

2011-03-31T13:27:00.002-05:00

I went for my morning walk today. Wow, it doesn't take much time to go back to square one, does it? But then, square one is a good place to start again.

I saw more signs of spring in the park - some of our swans have cygnets, and the mother hens are bustling around with their chicks, teaching them to scratch for bugs. I took pictures with my cellphone, but Blogger wants to rotate them sideways, and I don't want you to get a crick in your neck, as my grandmere would say, looking at them like that. Anyone know how to make Blogger keep a picture's orientation intact?

I finished some handwoven scarves last week. Want to see?

I wove them all on my Schacht Flip rigid heddle loom. The first 3 are variations on some lovely handpainted yarns from Enchanted Knoll Farm. I'm particularly pleased with the last one, in Mediterranean colors - I handspun the warp yarn on a spindle.

I've spun quite a few skeins of yarn lately - I'll show you those later.

Random Wednesday

2011-03-30T09:55:00.001-05:00

Totally stolen from Carole. She won't mind, because she'll be glad to have been the catalyst to get me blogging again.

Yes, I know it's been more than 2 months, and I had every intention of posting several times a week.
I have no idea where the time has gone.
I may be enjoying retirement a wee bit much.
Since Jan. 18th, when last I posted (ouch) I've spun quite a few skeins of yarn.
I've also woven some scarves and dishtowels.
I do have pictures of all of them.
I'm pretty sure you don't want to sit and wait while all those pictures load in this one post.
I'll post some over the next few days.
I pulled out the table loom that I bought 2 years ago and haven't used since. Bad me. It's a great little loom (15" LeClerc Voyageur) and deserves to be in service. Remedied - I've got a lovely color gamp on it now. I'll show you that one today.
I'm also knitting a pair of socks with worsted weight handspun on size 6 needles. Good grief, they knit up quickly! I see more of these in my future.
We went to Disneyworld for my 50th birthday in February. What better time to visit the happiest place on earth and act childlike! :-)
I walked my feet off in Disneyworld.
I haven't done any walking since then.
I think I'm illustrating just how easy it is to lose a good habit.
I'd go right now and get started back walking in the park, but it's raining.
That sounds like a poor excuse, but there IS thunder and lightning, so I'll call it prudence.
I promise I'll go tomorrow.
I'll blog it, too - perhaps that will keep me honest.
There, that wasn't so hard - hope you didn't mind the random too much.

Ten OnTuesday

2011-01-18T08:23:00.000-06:00

10 Favourite Games from Your Childhood

1. Jacks. Oh, my goodness - we girls played jacks every chance we got. We always had pockets full of jacks and rubber balls. As a result, everyone had "jacks bruises" on the bottoms of their barefeet from walking on the strays that got away.

2. Tether Ball. There were 2 tether ball setups on our playground - they were always occupied and had a line of kids waiting to use them.

3. Red Rover. So much fun to try to break people's arms as you burst through the line. Well, not REALLY break their arms.

4. Parcheesi. This was my favourite board game - my cousin and I wore out several sets.

5. Rummy 500. Card game variant on Gin, this one was a favourite of kids and adults in our family.

6. Dominoes. My dad was the dominoes champion in our neighborhood. We liked playing too, but more often than not we were using his domino sets to build elaborate knock-em-down trails all over the house. Heh.

7. Yahtzee. We spent hours and hours playing this game - I've played it as an adult and didn't enjoy it at all. I guess you had to be there.

8. Scrabble. I was never defeated. Being a huge reader, my vocabulary was always the most expansive of all, including the adults in my circle. Eventually no one would play with me. Oh, the angst - and the gloating.

9. Checkers. While I lacked the strategy gene that would have allowed me to think ahead in chess, I could manage ok in Checkers. It was my brother's favourite game, so we played it a lot. I didn't enjoy it as much as he did, but I did like making him happy.

10. Chinese Checkers. SO MUCH FUN to 'accidentally' upset the board when someone else was winning. Ooops.

Thanks for the trip down Memory Lane, Carole! I wonder if I have a set of jacks in my junk drawer...

Sanctuary

2011-01-17T12:44:00.000-06:00

Sorry about the radio silence. I went on a lovely retreat with fiber friends for most of last week, and I've been waiting for a good time to take some rooster pictures for you. I headed out late this morning with camera in hand, and though it was a gloomy, overcast day, I think you can get a good look at my local park.

This is one of my favorite places on earth. Lafreniere Park, a half-mile from my front door by foot. It has small lakes, lots of trees, a 2-mile walking/running trail, a waterfowl sanctuary, and plenty of wildlife to fill it. Any given day you can see cranes, seagulls, geese, ducks, swans, chickens, songbirds, squirrels, nutria, rabbits, turtles, cats, and dogs.

As soon as I entered the park, I saw this little family. Mama was teaching the little ones to scratch for bugs, but also to take advantage of the occasional treat thrown by a passerby. In this case, someone had just thrown goldfish crackers on the walk.

The boys were showing off their colors - very handsome.

The seagulls (and various ducks and geese) congregate when they see people with bags of bread - they know they'll get treats.

The wildfowl are safe here - it's "posted" so there's no misunderstanding.

Here's the BIG hill - it's the high point of the park. Remember, it's flatland swamp around here, so we're amazed by any elevation at all. (Having hiked in my beloved Rockies, I am no longer impressed.) You'll note green grass - this is mid-winter in New Orleans. My Canadian friends will recognize some of their geese, wintering here.

I love this place. I used to run 3 miles every morning before work, watching the sunrise on my way back home. That was before Katrina devastated the area (and the park, which was used for a dumping ground for all the refuse cleaned up out of the surrounded neighborhoods, and wasn't restored to its former use for a year). Vagrants moved in and made pre-dawn runs unsafe. Since I had to be at work shortly after dawn, my morning jaunts ended. I lost my focus, my fitness, and my sanctuary.

But now... I've got the time. I'm takin' the park back. I'm looking forward to spending an hour every morning in this place of peace and healing. Walking now, but soon I'll run freely again.

Earlier, though. Too many people at 10:00am.

Walkin' on Sunshine

2011-01-06T06:38:00.000-06:00

Still walking - on the treadmill yesterday, because it rained buckets all morning. The Beatburn app for my phone gives me a good treadmill workout, though it has me change speeds and incline levels like a madwoman, every minute or so. I can tell I'm getting a good workout, because all the appropriate muscles are sore this morning.

No roosters in my bedroom where the treadmill lives, so no rooster pictures yet.

I participated in a fun contest on Hilary's Crazy As A Loom blog to name her Solmate Sock Rugs, and she chose my "Walking On Sunshine" name - my prize was one of her fantastic rugs! It arrived yesterday and I am thrilled. Just the thing to brighten a dreary winter - and it tickles me to have a textile from someone I admire so much. (She sells these rugs on her website - don't you want one???) One of my weaving dreams is to have a rug loom in production at all times. I'd love to hang out in her studio in the Adirondacks and watch her weave her many different rugs. She offers 'weaving weekends' and one day I just might go. Thank you so much, Hilary!!! I promised you a picture of me dancing to that song on your rug - you'll have to settle for this, as it's nigh near impossible to take a photo of yourself dancing.

"I'm walkin' on sunshine - oh, and don't it feel GOOD!"

In other sunshine happy news, my dear friend Sherie from Amarillo is on her way here RIGHT NOW. She's flying in for a fiber friends retreat at my weaving mentor Cheryl's studio - we're having a 4-day slumber party. We'll visit, spin, weave, laugh, and go to our Gulf Coast Roc Day celebration on Saturday in Lafayette. I haven't seen Sherie in a year (though we chat daily) and I can't wait to pick her up at the airport this morning. Good times!

Rooster, and 10 Things on Tuesday

2011-01-04T11:03:00.002-06:00

I was walking in the park this morning (yes, I was!) and I noticed a large number of roosters. We have a large chicken population in our local park, dumped by parents getting rid of Easter chicks who had the audacity to grow up, no doubt. The hens are beautiful in their own way - lovely variations of browns and creams - but the roosters steal the show. Their color palette is glorious. I wish I'd had my camera this morning so I could share them with you - I'll try to remember to bring it with me tomorrow.

The fiber I'm currently spinning is the December offering from Southern Cross Fibre called "Oasis" - its colors remind me of those roosters. A Southwestern palette, to my eye. I was spinning this up as a 2-ply sock yarn for the Etsy shop, but decided I like it too much to sell it, so it's for ME, ME, ME. I'll have some yummy southwestern socks soon. It's superwash BFL, and it spins up so nicely:

See what I mean? Roosters, I tell you.

Carole does a great job with Ten On Tuesday - her lists are always interesting. I'd like to play, too. This week’s Ten on Tuesday topic is 10 Things You Wouldn’t Want to Live Without. Of course, family and friends are far above such a list - that goes without saying - but I think the spirit of it is intriguing, if only to give a better appreciation for what I have. Here goes:

1. My cats. I have 6 of them (well, 5 plus my daughter's cat who is in permanent residence with us) and they are my babies. My only grandkids so far (ahem). They are spoiled rotten, with little catbeds all over the house and toys underfoot. They give us great joy, and I never want to live my life without cats in the house again.

2. My glasses. I've been wearing them since I was 6. I'm severely nearsighted - I can't focus further than 6 inches from my face without them. They're the first thing I reach for in the morning and the last thing I take off at night. I've worn contacts from time to time, but my correction is so strong that I need reading glasses to counteract them in order to see anything closer than 18 inches. I'd rather wear the glasses.

3. My laptop. It's my file cabinet, my photo album, my stereo, my diary, my dvd player, and my connection to the outside world via the internet. Knowledge at my fingertips - wow. I keep EVERYTHING on it, and yes, I do regular backups.

4. My iPhone. This is a new addition to my life - I got it 6 months ago, and I'm trying to figure out how I lived without it. It's a pocket laptop. I hardly ever make or receive calls, but I text a lot to family. It's a camera, an mp3 player, a game machine, a translator, a portable library, a mailbox, and a million other things.

5. My GPS. (I know, I'm going techie here, but remember, I'm married to an IT guy.) I have NO sense of direction. If you set me down in the middle of the city in which I was born, raised, and have lived all my life, I'd be lost as a ball in the weeds. My GPS is the only thing that enables me to venture out of my neighborhood - and get home again. Please don't talk to me about maps... I don't speak their language.

6. My foot warmer. I suffer from Reynaud's Syndrome, and my feet and hands lose their heat rapidly. At night, I can't get to or stay asleep if my feet are cold, and they're ALWAYS cold at night. This was the most thoughtful gift the husband ever bought me. It's like a heating pad, but it goes under the fitted sheet on the bed, and can be used all night. (It's similar to THIS one.) He turns it on 30 minutes before we go to bed, and it makes the foot of my bed toasty warm. Delightful. I take it with me when I travel, too.

7. My spinning wheels. Spinning brings me such a joy and a peace - how did I ever do without it? My Schacht Matchless is my dearest wheel - this wheel is my constant companion in the evenings. It sits in front of my chair in the living room and I spin for several hours each night - more on the weekends. I've added a Schacht-Reeves saxony, a Hansen miniSpinner, and a Majacraft Suzie Alpaca wheel to the fold, but the Matchless is my baby. (The Majacraft Suzie Alpaca isn't getting any lovin' anymore, and I put her up for sale on Ravelry yesterday - check it out if you're in the market for one in good condition.) (EDIT: She's gone to a new home!)

8. My looms. I've not spent as much time with them this past year as I'd like, but I intend to remedy that. Weaving is fascinating - so many different structures and techniques to learn. I have a big floor loom and 3 rigid heddle looms - they usually have projects on them. My dream is to fill my house with textiles from my own hands.

9. National parks. We love them - such a treasure. These are usually our vacation destinations. We've been to Yosemite, Great Smokey Mountains, Glacier, Carlsbad Caverns, Rocky Mountain, Rainier, Grand Teton, Mesa Verde (5 or 6 times), Yellowstone (3 times) and Grand Canyon (3 times). We love to do little short day hikes, and I am passionate about collecting waterfalls. I can sit by a waterfall for hours. Our favorite mountains are the Rockies - one day soon we'll live close enough to see them every morning.

10. The public library. Now this one is embarrassing - I used to spend hours reading library books. I took home 10 at a time, devoured them, and went back for more each week. Sadly, I've gotten out of that habit, and I am ashamed to say that my library card has EXPIRED. Egad. Getting it renewed is on my list of things to do next week.

A Spring In My Step, And Some Handspun

2011-01-03T10:09:00.001-06:00

I, like many of us, don't do well with NY Resolutions. "Resolve" - it sounds so formal and dreary. Instead, I like "intentions" like Laurie's and "I want to" lists like Hilary's. So here's my "I Want To" list:

I WANT TO: spend part of each day walking in my beloved local park. The wildlife and the trees are so heart-warming. The aerobic benefits are great too. My park has a 2-mile walking trail, and it's exactly half a mile from my front door. So a round-trip gives me 3 miles of pleasant surroundings and refreshing exercise. The catch? I find that I only really enjoy the mornings there - the afternoons are too crowded and my energy level is low (and my procrastination level is high). Heading out the door with the husband in the morning is perfect. He leaves for work and I'll leave for the park.

I WANT TO: weave more. I have some mini-workshops lined up with local guild members, and I joined a tea-towel exchange on Ravelry. I love weaving, but I haven't set up a consistent plan for keeping my looms moving and learning new things. Now that I have my days free, I'm excited about having time each day set aside for passing the shuttles.

I WANT TO: spin more. It's no secret that spinning soothes my soul and brings me great joy. I want to do more of it. I'm happy to have more time to spend doing something I love so much. I sell most of it, otherwise I'd be knee-deep in yarn. I'm eager to increase my production, and see more activity in my little Etsy shop - I've met some great people through sales there, and I've set up some satisfying custom commission work, too.

I WANT TO: organize my space. I have enough space to do the things I love, but until now I haven't had the time to organize well enough (on a consistent basis) to keep clutter at bay. I'm pondering a system of cataloging and inventory that will help me to have a place for everything and put everything in its place. This will free up more time that is currently spent hunting for supplies.

I WANT TO: spend more time with friends and family. Having my days free (do you sense a theme??) gives me that chance. I've got some "playdays" marked on the calendar for guild friends, and I'm planning lunch once a month with sisters.

I WANT TO: learn some new recipes and vary our meals. I'm in SUCH a rut. I really don't enjoy cooking - this year I gave away 3 nights a week to the daughters and to the husband, but the other 4 nights are mine. I struggle to come up with something that doesn't seem tired and old. I have many resources (the web, cookbooks, recipe cards) and I'd like to USE them to add some new meals to my boring repertoire.

Sounds good to me - all things that I would like to do, and none of it seems like a chore or "scolding". I'm eager to get started!

I downloaded a free app for my iPhone (BeatBurn) that gives me an interval workout to music, changing the beats-per-minute to vary the intensity of the walk. I used it this morning - I walked out the door with the husband as planned. I worked up quite a sweat this morning in 45F weather. 3 miles, and the time passed before I knew it. It was great - give me more!

So far this year (heh) I've spun two skeins of yarn. They're both chain-plied to preserve their color changes, and they're both Aran weight.

The first is 'Monet' - a luxury ultra-soft blend of merino superwash and cashmere, in colors evoking Monet's Waterlilies.

And this is 'Eat Your Greens' - a bouncy skein spun from 'lambkins' superwash merino from Enchanted Knoll Farm, in a riotous blend of green shades.

Watch This Space

2010-12-31T20:36:00.002-06:00

You often see that sign as a placekeeper; a promise of things to come.

Yesterday, I retired from my job of 24 years. I'll be 50 in February - I worked there for nearly half my life. Today I have felt a bit disconnected... a little like I had something amputated, or like I've experienced a broken relationship. A good friend counseled me to "stop looking back - this is not a time for reflection, but a time to move FORWARD and make plans."

So here's the thing. I'm FREE now. Free from the stress and depression that filled my days. Free from the battered-woman-syndrome that had become my coping mechanism. Free from the inability to take time off for anyone or anything. Free from the bully who ruled my life. Free from the toxic atmosphere I breathed for 8 hours a day.

I can feel a fresh breeze blowing through my spirit, and the desire to take charge of my time and my creativity.

Watch this space. Look for much more frequent glimpses of what I'm weaving, spinning, knitting, and creating.

And watch for a woman who sees joy in the distance, not so far off as she'd supposed.

I love October.

2010-10-02T11:03:00.007-05:00

October means the sweltering heat of our 5-month summer is behind us. The humidity drops a bit, the high temperatures dip down into the 80's, and we actually get temps in the upper 60's at night. We celebrate by throwing our doors and windows open to air out the house and relish the DRY. :)

I've been on vacation from work this week, recharging my batteries and reorganizing my space. My "studio" (that means my corner of our large living room) had become cluttered and was stifling my creative breath. With things put away and neatly stored, I have room to move and play and dream. :)

Weaving-wise, I've finished (finally!) the Huck Lace dishtowels - I love them, with their earthy organic cotton colors and thirsty texture. Now to hem and wash (finishing is my weakest link).

I've also been weaving some cool cotton openwork scarves on the rigid heddle looms. It's leno with a 'twist' - the entire scarf is twisted while weaving, creating a lovely fishnet effect. I'm working on a variation this weekend that includes bands of plainweave - I'll post pictures of that one when I'm done.

Spin, spin, spin - you know I always have yarn in progress, since my wheel brings me balance and sanity. Its treadles are my footrest in the evening, and the repetitive motion is so very soothing. I've finished lots of yarns, some for the Etsy shop, some for custom spinning requests (yes, I take them - I can spin fiber you've purchased elsewhere... just drop me a line for details) and some for ME.

(as always, click for big)

Oh, and I attended a cotton-spinning workshop with the guild - had fun sharpening my skills on spinning cotton yarn. I chain-plied my samples into one yarn - fun! I'll have to weave a little something with it as a memento.

And knit: I'm knitting along with the Camping Shawl KAL in the Southern Cross Fibre group on Ravelry. I'm using commercial yarn for this one, a lovely heathered brown in Knitpicks Shadow called "Redwood Forest".

My lace skills are beginner, definitely, but I'm excited to be knitting my first circular shawl. It's nice to have knitting in my lap again, now that the weather is cooling - did I mention that???

Love you, October!

Summer Went By In The Blink Of An Eye

2010-09-14T16:45:00.003-05:00

...and before I knew it, it was gone.

When last I posted here, I was gearing up for the Tour de Fleece and very excited about the prospects of challenging myself to spin, spin, spin a LOT of yarn.

Yeah, not so much.

You see, my daughter was diagnosed with a very large ovarian cyst (the size of a grapefruit) and she needed open surgery to remove it and determine whether it was benign or... well, you know. So we had the surgery, the biopsy (benign!! Hooray!!!), and the convalescence (made much more difficult by complications.)

So I set my spinning plans aside, and went through all the necessary motions to get her healthy again. She's doing well - back at work and feeling much better - though she will now be dealing with PCOS and the lifestyle changes necessary with that.

And here we are at the end of the summer, with precious little yarn spun and few plans/dreams realized.

BUT! Today is a new day. I'm ready to sink my teeth into some new projects. I have some spinning and some weaving to show you, and I've acquired some wonderful new tools since last we chatted. So here's a shot of my newest baby, the gift of a precious dear friend:

She's a Schacht-Reeves 24" double treadle saxony, in ash, with right flyer. Heaven, I tell you.

Tour de Fleece

2010-05-27T19:05:00.002-05:00

For the past two years, I've participated in the Tour de Fleece on Ravelry. It's great fun and great motivation to spin more and document one's spinning escapades. I don't need much motivation to spin more :) but I could do a better job of documenting (yes, Blog, I hear you) so I look forward to participating again this year.

I haven't done much in the way of goal-setting yet, other than deciding that I'll be spinning from my favorite four dye artists (Enchanted Knoll, Southern Cross Fibre, Spunky Eclectic, Hello Yarn). As the time grows closer, I'll narrow down some specific goals (which fiber, which challenges, etc.) and post them here.

I've joined two 'Wildcard' teams - Enchanted Elves (for Enchanted Knoll) and Monkey Farts (for Spunky Eclectic).

In case anyone wants to join up too, here are the (non) rules:

This year the Tour de Fleece starts Saturday July 3rd and runs until Sunday July 25th, 2010.

Guidelines (NOT RULES):

Spin every day the Tour rides, if possible. Saturday July 3rd through Sunday July 25th. Days of rest: Monday July 12th, Wednesday July 21st. (Just like the actual tour)
Spin something challenging Thursday July 22nd. (The Tour’s toughest mountain stage from Pau up the legendary Col du Tourmalet)
Take a button if you want one. Then we can use the button on our blogs in show of solidarity. Take it from here or grab a clean one from the flickr pool. Come join the flickr pool!
Wear yellow on Sunday July 25th to announce victory. Why not wear yellow on any day you feel particularly successful? (Yellow is the color of the race leader in the Tour - but here we are all ‘race leaders’)
Other colors if desired: Green (sprinter - think FAST), Polka-dot (climber - as in uphill), and white (rookie)

...And we're back again...

2010-05-23T10:22:00.007-05:00

Dragonfly mind, that's me. Always flitting here and there, forgetting where I set down my coffee cup - and when I last updated my blog. February? Really?

OK, let's just jump in where we are...

I've been knitting, mostly handspun socks. Finished 2 pair in the past month, both from yarn I spun from David's Southern Cross Fibre Club:

The first is BFL in the 'Spring Forward' colourway - I love the subtle shading in this 3-ply yarn. Knit on size 1.5 (2.5mm) needles, using 280 yds of yarn.

Cuff is a mixed rib:

Round 1: (K3, P1), repeat.
Round 2: (K1, P1), repeat.
Repeat 1 and 2.

Used Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretch Bindoff. Love it.

The second pair is falkland wool in the 'Homeward' colourway. I navajo-plied the yarn to preserve the long color bands, because I loved the idea of wide stripes in this lovely colors. This pair was knit with size 1 (2.25mm) needles. The cuff is a simple k2,p2 rib. Used the same Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretch Bindoff. 250 yds gave me shortie cuffs - love 'em.

I love knitting with handspun - the texture and color is incomparable to regular old boring millspun yarn. :)

Of course I've been spinning and spinning and spinning, as usual. I finish on average a skein every 3-4 days. Some of it goes into my own personal knitting/weaving stash, and some goes into the Etsy shop (see sidebar for link). Lately I've been spinning a great fiber base from Enchanted Knoll Farm called "Bliss". It's 65% superwash merino wool 35% silk, and has fabulous drape and shine. Very soft.

This one is navajo-plied to preserve the lovely pastel rainbow progression that Josette dyed into the fiber. 145 yds of 14wpi fingering weight from 2 ounces. The colourway is 'Sunshine' but I've called it "Sidewalk Chalk" because it reminded me of the drawings my girls used to do in the summertime:

I finished this one last night - it's "Queen Mermaid" and has the lovely blues and greens of the ocean depths. 395 yds of 2-ply 24wpi laceweight from 2 ounces.

I've been spinning far more than weaving lately. I still have the huck lace dishtowels on the big loom - I want to get back to them this week! On the Rigid Heddle I completed a handspun handwoven scarf, but it's not fringed or wet-finished, so pictures will have to wait.

All for now...

Handspun Lacy Baktus Scarf

2010-02-28T21:23:00.005-06:00

I'm back from a wonderfully refreshing trip to the mountains of Montana and Wyoming. My heart lives there, and I like to go visit it occasionally. :) Another few years, and we'll be there for good!

While on our trip, I knit this Lacy Baktus scarf from my handspun polwarth/bamboo yarn in the "Budgie" colorway, fiber from Southern Cross Fibre on Etsy. It was an enjoyable and easy knit, finished quickly because the yarn is heavy worsted weight.

BELIEVE DAT

2010-02-08T05:32:00.000-06:00

It's a dream come true. We've waited 43 years for this moment.

Superbowl Champions!

WHO DAT!!!

2010-02-07T10:19:00.000-06:00

My Saints are in the Superbowl today. It's surreal - we've waited and cheered and agonized for 43 years, and now the dream has come true. Whatever the outcome (GO SAINTS!!!) we are so very proud of our team and our players, class acts every one.

What does that have to do with fiber? I'll be spinning throughout the game to keep the butterflies away. :)

FINISH STRONG, SAINTS!

*The title of this post comes from a chant that's been around for years and years in the dialect of the Cajuns in this area (my grandmother and cousins, for example) - "Who Dat? Who Dat? Who Dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints? Who Dat?"

Budgie

2010-02-05T17:25:00.001-06:00

I spun this yarn last weekend at a Fiber Friend retreat (a small group of guild-friends had a slumber party over the weekend - spinning, knitting, watching weaving dvds) and I absolutely love it. It's soft, it glistens, and the color depth is amazing. The fiber comes from my friend David, the dye artist behind Southern Cross Fibre on Etsy. It's a luscious polwarth/bamboo blend, in his 'Budgie' colorway. I've been wanting this particular fiber for a long time, and was thrilled to nab some in his latest update.

I navajo/chain-plied it to preserve the wonderful color changes. It's 220 yards, 8wpi. I'm thinking of knitting a Lacy Baktus scarf with it. Most of the yarns that I spin end up in my Etsy shop, because the joy was in the spinning for me and I don't desire to knit them. But this one? Mine, all mine! :)

New Skill Acquired!

2010-01-31T21:30:00.000-06:00

New Day Socks

2010-01-07T22:23:00.000-06:00

I knit these socks way back in June, but lost them in a knitting bag in the closet. Dug them out tonight, and discovered that they were finished except for the bind-off. A few short minutes with a tapestry needle, and voila!

These are knit from my handspun yarn - the fiber is corriedale wool in the "New Day" colorway, from Spunky Eclectic's monthly fiber Club. I love these orange-reds! Nice to have warm wool socks on a cold night - it's dropping below 30F tonight, which is really cold for us in the Deep South.

Alke asked me if the Huck Lace will close when I wash the towels. Yes, the fabric will draw together more when washed, though it will not be completely closed and dense. It will also 'poof' a little, giving texture which is good for drying hands and dishes.

Jolene asked about the Russian Spindle - I haven't tried it yet. I'm going to bring it with me to our guild's Roc Day celebration this Saturday. There will be ~100 spinners in attendance... I'm hoping someone can give me some hands-on instruction. From what I've read, you DO spin with it supported in a little bowl.

Adrienne says she has the same Tibetan Spindle, and the shaft is hickory. Thanks, Adrienne, for the wood identification!

First Towel Done

2010-01-06T19:56:00.000-06:00

The first Huck Lace towel is done. This first towel has just the plain natural colored cotton for weft - the next 3 towels will have colored striping. I really like this pattern, and foresee many towels woven in this manner. I have lots of 8/2 cotton. :)

I acquired several lovely tools in the mail today. I am enamoured of spinning/weaving tools handmade by artisans, and I like to support small businesses. First let me show you the Bosworth (Journey Wheel) boat shuttle, in Bird's Eye Maple:

And here are two supported spindles, made by Edward Tabachek - the first is a Russian spindle, in walnut:

The second is a Tibetan spindle, in purpleheart and an unknown wood in the shaft:

I look forward to getting to know how to use these lovely spindles - they are supposed to be wonderful for spinning lace.

Huck Lace Towels

2010-01-03T10:48:00.001-06:00

I started warping the loom with these towels on New Year's Eve. It is my intention ("resolution" sounds so formal) to weave more this year and learn more about my craft. So I started this project in a structure I haven't used before - Huck Lace.

These towels are from a kit I bought from Cotton Clouds. I own the magazine that contains the project instructions, so I just got the yarns.

I've warped 4.5 yards for 4 towels (32" each, should be 24" hemmed after washing).

After some problems getting the warp complete (learning opportunities!) I started weaving last night:

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T15:15:00.000-06:00

Hello, my poor neglected blog.

Let's try again, shall we? I'd like to keep you updated on a regular basis, with photos and descriptions and details of projects begun and completed. 2009 has been a difficult year - but the calendar has brought us a brand new one, filled with promise and possibilities.

So let's "start as we mean to go on" - and I'll come back and feed you more often.

Happy Twenty-Ten!

If I wait for pictures, I'll wait forever.

2009-05-31T08:45:00.000-05:00

My daughter frequently nags me about feeding the blog, and I say, "OK - but I need to take some pictures first." The problem is that I don't LIKE to take pictures. I do it out of necessity - someone really wants to see a specific item, or I have a yarn ready to put in the Etsy shop - but I don't enjoy the role of shutterbug.

Lest May get away from me without a post (as April nearly did), I thought I'd just type and see what happens.

My weekends have been full lately with required re-certification workshops for the daycare (where I am head of the infant department - 8 sweet little newborns!) but I did manage to squeeze in a wonderful spinning/weaving retreat in Lake Charles, Louisiana last weekend. It was sponsored by the Spinning/Weaving Guild of Imperial Calcasieu (parish) and was held at the St. Charles Retreat Center in Moss Bluff, about 3.5 hours away from me. I went with Cheryl (my weaving mentor) and 6 other fellow guildmembers. We spent 4 days relaxing, spinning, weaving, laughing, and learning. The retreat center had a conference room for us to use 24 hours a day - we made "nests" with our wheels and spindles and RH looms and fiber piles, then played whenever we wanted and rested back in our rooms when we were tired. You could go spin at 3am if you were so inclined. Heaven!

I finished Jessica's Opal Magic socks, and started 3 more pair with handspun - all Spunky Eclectic. Two are Club (Soul Windows and New Day) and one is Panda Emerald Isle. I firmly resolve to take and post pictures for you when they're finished. :)

I've been spinning and knitting this past month, with no attention spared for the loom. Ezara has inspired me, though, with her descriptions of warping her Baby Wolf. I have sleyed the reed for the Monk's Belt towels on the Macomber - but they need threading, and that's what I plan to do today. There, I typed it, so now it will come true!

Squeezing A Last-Minute Post Into April

2009-04-30T17:07:00.000-05:00

Time gets away from me... How did I manage to miss most of April? I really mean to update much more frequently - it's a hard habit to get into, but apparently pretty easy to break.

Lest I allow the entire month to pass without a post, let me give a quick update:

I've been spinning

and acquiring new tools

The loom has been neglected lately. I want to remedy that - I have a warp for some monk's belt towels that is 3/4 sleyed through the reed. A few hour's attention will get it finished and threaded, and then I can start the weaving. The colors are lovely spring shades - I need to get going on it, so I can enjoy the process!

Thanks to Ezara for reminding me that the blog needs care and attention, too. ;-)

A Winner Is Me!

2009-03-18T15:48:00.000-05:00

Cyndy of Riverrim asked if anyone could guess the weight of her spindle with the cop on it, and my guess was closest - so she sent me this wonderful prize. It's a handmade wooden button - isn't it beautiful?? She offers them for sale in her new Etsy shop. She suggested that I use it as a closure for a woven bag - now I will have to plan the perfect bag to go with the button!

Her packaging is beautiful as well - I wish I'd thought to take pictures of how carefully it was wrapped. I suspect even the string is handmade, as Cyndy is a flax-spinner. Thank you so much, Cyndy - this is such a treat!

She Followed Me Home!

2009-03-17T20:37:00.000-05:00

This is the wheel on which I learned to spin: a Country Craftsman saxony wheel, the guild's loaner. She's beautiful and smart. She needs repair, though - her footman is damaged, her leathers need replacing, her drivewheel is warped. While I'm ordering repair parts, I'll go ahead and order a few extra bobbins (she came with 4, and a 4-bobbin lazy kate).

She was languishing in a storage shed, with stuff piled on and around her, neglected and unloved. The guild is wanting to sell some unused equipment, including this wheel. (They now have a new Schacht Ladybug for loaning to new spinners.) I have great sentimental attachment to her, and will spend the money to fix her myself.

Isn't she lovely?

March-ing Along

2009-03-12T16:20:00.000-05:00

The Opal socks are march-ing along, albeit slowly. I am not a fast knitter, and I would much rather spin than knit, if truth be told. Still, I have made progress in a few minutes here and there. The gusset is almost finished, and soon I'll start decreasing the heel.

I finished some handspun this week - two batches of Spunky Eclectic Club corriedale fiber 'New Day'. I received the lighter one as my Club shipment, and I traded with a friend to get the darker one, too. The lighter version is a 2-ply sportweight, the darker is a 3-ply fingering weight. I just loved spinning this, and it reminded me how much I love a 3-ply - I really enjoy seeing the colors meld.

Also got a new spindle (I know, I know!) from Amy - this one is a Greensleeves Lady Barbara, 28g of delight.

I need more hours in the day!!!
(Not less, thankyouverymuchDaylightSavingTime.)

Her Feet Are Cold - Sock Emergency

2009-03-04T05:42:00.000-06:00

My daughter came in Monday night, sat down, and gave me the pouty face. Complete with pouty lip. She has only 2 pair of handknit socks to wear - neither pair was clean. And her feet were cold. What's a mother to do? (Never mind that said daughter is 29 years old, and should have learned by now to knit her own socks...)

Opal Magic, in shades of blue and white. Toe-up, magic loop, 2.75mm needles, on 72 stitches. I'll throw in a 3/1 rib, nothing fancy. Second sock knitted first, to avoid SSS. ;-)

Must knit quickly! After all, it'll be in the upper 70's later in the week, and her feet won't need them. Until the weather changes again, probably next week, and it's freezing once more. Silly weather.

Last Yarns of February

2009-02-28T11:11:00.000-06:00

I finished spinning the lovely birthday gift batts from Sherie. The yarn is 500 yds of 20wpi 2-ply softness - lighter than air and super-soft. I'm going to knit the Twilight Scarf/Stole from 'A Fine Fleece' with it... someday. :)

This is 200 yds of 9 wpi 2-ply bulky yarn I spun from Polwarth dyed by David of Southern Cross Fibre in his Teresa colourway. Very squooshy and soft, and for sale in the Etsy shop.

Currently spinning Amy's Spunky Eclectic Club offering for February: 'New Day', in yellow/orange/red/brown corriedale. Very nice - I'm aiming for a heavy fingering or light sportweight, and a lovely pair of thick socks. :)

Temple

2009-02-25T19:31:00.000-06:00

I thought I'd show the cloth beam of my loom with the blanket wound around it to illustrate the usefulness of a temple. Ellen posted a link to this DIY temple (free - just use household items), but you can spend $$$ for a good sturdy stretcher-type if you like. You can see that the cloth started to draw in, but after I applied the DIY temple to either side, it stopped drawing in and remained a constant width. I used a paper clip, some cotton string, and some large brass nuts. It did distort the cloth a bit at the insertion points until by trial and error I figured out a good weight.

Mail From Oz

2009-02-23T12:12:00.000-06:00

I got off early today - it's Lundi Gras, and many of our parents were off work today, so they kept home their children. (I am the lead teacher in the youngest infant class in a local daycare.) We only needed one teacher in my class - my assistant drew the short straw.

The mailman arrived right after I got home, and brought a package from Oz - the first monthly installment of the Southern Cross Fibre Club. It's gorgeous and soft - 115g New Zealand Polwarth, colourway "Love Over Gold". David also included a lovely silk bag dyed in the same colours. It will be a nice spindle bag.

Tomorrow is Mardi Gras, and I have the whole day off. We don't celebrate or go to parades anymore, not since the children were younger, but we do enjoy a nice quiet day at home.

This and That, Weekend Edition

2009-02-22T20:21:00.000-06:00

Finished twisting all the fringe on the Sister Blanket, and am working on the crocheted edging. I plan to do some sampling in double-weave for next time - I really don't want to seam panels together to get a wider blanket in the future, and there is no room in my budget (and home space) for a wider loom (yet!)

Today I'm warping for a pair of kitchen towels in "monk's belt". It's a pattern from Handwoven's 'Design Collection 18 - A Treasury of Towels'. It calls for cottolin, but I'm using cotton. The warp is 10/2, the weft is 20/2. Using a 12 dent reed, 24 epi, with 24 ppi in plain weave areas and 48 ppi in pattern areas. I can't wait to see how this turns out - if it's really nice, I plan to weave more for gifts.

Spun up another skein of handspun for the Etsy shop - 'Grape Juice', superwash merino, 160 yds, 10wpi. My camera has a hard time with purple for some reason - I'll post a picture when I have some better light.

I'm halfway through the lovely orange polwarth/camel/silk batts that Sherie carded for me. I call them "Pumpkin Spice" and I'm hoping for enough 2-ply yardage for a lovely shawl. Spinning the singles at 30 wpi, looking for a 20-ish wpi.

Lastly, I scored some gorgeous fibre in David's 'Southern Cross Fibre' update - woot! Polwarth and Shetland - yum!

Sister Blanket

2009-02-20T05:47:00.001-06:00

This blanket is for my sister. Fresh off the loom, not yet wet-finished or fringe-twisted. She asked for a woven blanket to keep her lap and legs warm while watching tv.

30" x 85". 8 epi/ppi. Used LB Woolease so she can throw it in the washing machine.

Gifts From More Dear Friends

2009-02-18T19:44:00.000-06:00

I was so very pleased and delighted with the generosity that was showered on me last week. So I was flabbergasted to open my mailbox today after work and find two more packages. Obviously my mailman wanted to space out the presents and lengthen the celebration. (Or he was hoarding the packages for himself - in which case he's in deep trouble.)

First, from Josette/Farm-Witch of Enchanted Knoll Farms, a beautiful ounce of Tussah silk roving in her gorgeous ‘Johnny Jump Ups’ colourway. It's so lovely - the spindles in my spindle vase are eyeing it and jostling for first dibs:

And from David of Southern Cross Fibres, 4 ounces of Polwarth (my new obsession) dyed in his beautiful ‘Snow Gums’ colourway - the subtle shades of green and blue and grey are delicious:

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Fibre friends are the BEST.

Tomorrow: pictures (hopefully) of the blanket I've been weaving for my sister on the Macomber...

Gifts From Dear Friends

2009-02-17T17:35:00.000-06:00

Last week I got some lovely birthday gifts in the mail from dear friends far away. Amy Boogie of Spunky Eclectic surprised me with some delicious Corriedale/Alpaca in her "Riverwalk" colorway:

Sherie from Amarillo, my dear Swa(m)p partner in the Spunky Eclectic Swa(m)p, sent me a delightful package. Inside - her beautiful scarf/stole handwoven with her handspun Pumpkin Juice (a Club fiber from Enchanted Knoll on Etsy).

Also in the box: a lovely pair of fingerless mitts, knitted by Sherie in Debbie Bliss cashmerino. They are soft and soooo warm - perfect for my Reynaud's. They keep my hands warm while typing, knitting, weaving, or spinning.

Lastly, Sherie conspired with David from Southern Cross Fibres in Australia - he dyed the fibre and she blended it - polwarth, camel, silk, and a little glitz - and she carded it into these spectacular batts:

I've already started spinning them into what will be a lovely 2-ply laceweight yarn. They draft and spin wonderfully.

I am so blessed with great friends and an abundance of equipment and supplies for my ~~obsessions~~ passions and hobbies. This is a lovely journey - I am certainly enjoying the ride!

Valentine's, and Guild

2009-02-14T18:12:00.000-06:00

Spent a relaxing morning with the husband, admiring the roses and eating a nice brunch. Then I headed to Yvonne's for Spinning.

We call our 2nd Saturday guild activity simply 'Spinning', but what it means is a day of fiber-crafting and hanging out with guildfriends. Yvonne donates her home for this every month, and we bring our lunch. We meet from 11-4 and bring whatever fiber project we want to work on - wheels, spindles, looms, knitting needles, crochet hooks, fiber, yarn - all welcome. I usually bring a wheel or two, a handful of spindles, and a bucket of fiber. Today we had 3 wheel spinners (including me), 2 knitters, 1 weaver, and 2 spindle spinners (including me).

I spun up 2 oz of purple superwash merino, which I'll ply with another 2 oz already on a bobbin. I spent a little time helping Judith, who's learning to spindle-spin. She's already been taught, but needs reinforcement and practice (don't we all??). These lovely ladies are so smart and funny and sweet - they're all from different backgrounds, and we differ on religion/politics/etc. - but the fiber brings us together and gives us a common language. I try never to miss the meetings - I learn something new every time.

48 And Counting

2009-02-13T17:43:00.000-06:00

Another year - and grateful for every one. :)

The husband gave me roses this morning, and daughter #1 gave me a beautiful addition to them:

It's a Forrester Dervish, 1.6 oz. Spins great - I'm looking forward to using it for fingering weight singles.

I finished up a skein of yarn last night - I spun alpaca and bamboo and plied them together into 550 yards of 2-ply 18wpi laceweight. It's soft and shiny and drapes very nicely.

Now we're off to dinner - Mexican food. Yum!

Each One Teach One

2009-02-12T16:38:00.000-06:00

I got 24 spindles in the mail today. ^_^

Now, before you think I've gone completely over the edge, they're not for me. Let me 'splain.

On Monday afternoon, a guild-friend called me with an urgent spinner-emergency. Her 20-something granddaughter had come to visit for the week, and was scheduled to return to her Oregon home the next morning. She suddenly had the urge to learn to spindle-spin, and my guild-friend only wheel-spins. So I dashed over to her house with the only simple (read: inexpensive) spindle I own, and "asspinerated" the granddaughter. (She was a natural, and got the hang of it quickly.) I was glad to be able to give her the spindle to take back home with her. After all, we know that practice makes muscle memory.

That left me with no inexpensive "give-away" spindles, but an idea. I found an Etsy dealer who makes simple low-priced spindles, and ordered a boxful. They came in today. I'm going to put each one in a ziploc bag with a poof of fiber, and carry one in my purse at all times. Often, when I'm at a guild meeting or a workshop, someone will come up to me and say, "Debbie likes to spindle-spin - she can show you how!" And I could, and I did, but I could only demonstrate on my Bosworth or Golding or whatever other precious spindle that I had in my purse that day... until now I didn't have anything to give them to take home.

Back to knitting frantically on a pair of handspun mittens for a coworker whose birthday is tomorrow, as is mine. ;-)

A year? Really?

2009-02-11T17:30:00.001-06:00

It does not seem like a year since I posted here. Yet I cannot argue with the calendar.

I've no idea how time passed so quickly. I've thought about updating here, like you would think about calling an out-of-touch friend - you pick up the phone a hundred times, then put it down again because catching up would take so much time.

I'd really like to use this space, so I decided to pick up the phone one more time. (Metaphorically speaking, of course.) It would be impossible to try to catch up, so I will just pick up here where I left off. I've added another loom (a LeClerc Voyageur 4-harness table loom) and another wheel (a Majacraft Suzie Alpaca), and countless skeins of handspun have accumulated since last I posted. I'll add pictures over the next week.

I've opened an Etsy shop in the past month ('DebbieB Handspun, Handwoven') - and am offering handspun yarn and woven items.

We're getting closer to realizing our dream of moving to Montana - planning a trip to Bozeman this June to check out possible areas to buy a house.

I've put this off for way too long... Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?

Better than Diamonds

2008-02-20T17:00:00.000-06:00

My husband has always despaired that I am not an easy girl for whom to buy gifts. He has tried in vain for years to interest me in fine jewelry... I'm not a clothes-horse... I wear comfortable shoes.

When I told him about THIS beauty's availability, he pounced on the opportunity to give me a birthday present that I would cherish and remember for years:

(Gypsy-kitty for scale.) She's a Macomber type B "Ad-A-Harness" jack loom, 32" weaving width, 10 harnesses, 14 treadles. Guild-friend Cheryl was selling it for a friend in New England, who was asking 1/3 of the new price. I don't know too many particulars - it doesn't come with any documentation or manual, though it does have a serial number on a side plaque. I plan to write the company and see if they have some info on its birth-year and materials. The construction is good solid hardwood and cast-iron, with stainless steel heddles and back-hinged treadles. I haven't a clue how to use her, but we'll have plenty of time to get acquainted. I borrowed Deb Chandler's video, "Beginning Four Harness Weaving" and the warping process seems less scary after watching it. I'm so very excited - this loom is the equivalent of my Schacht Matchless, as it is versatile enough to go from the very simple to the very complex.

It needs new reeds (the reeds were rusted and seem beyond rescue - Cheryl lent me a 12 dent reed until my new ones that we've ordered come in) and a good rubdown, but otherwise it's ready for years and years of weaving adventure. Don't you agree that my husband has outdone himself this time?

Speaking of Cheryl, she is a master weaver and a wonderful teacher, in addition to being a great guild-friend. She surprised me with this gift, which she said she wove to give me as an inspiration and goal for the future:

I have worn it constantly since she gave it to me on Saturday. It is so soft, and the drape is divine. The warp is rayon boucle, and the weft is tencel.

Lest anyone be concerned about the dear rigid heddle being neglected, I warped it last night with some cotton (Sugar & Cream) and began weaving a dishtowel. I was trying for a balanced weave, which is difficult for me, since I want to beat everything down to a very compact fabric (which then gives me a too-compact fabric!) - I think I got close:

Oops. That's not a dishtowel. That's my loom kitty, Fizzgig. He is the guardian of all things ME, and is protective of the looms and my yarns & fibers. He lies at my feet while I weave and watches intently, without interference. He does not fetch, however.

Hummingbird Focus

2008-02-10T13:29:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I feel like my mind is a hummingbird, flitting its attention from blossom to blossom. It makes following a project from beginning to completion a little difficult... but it does combat boredom! Also, I have had the Flu this week, and have concentrated on healing and comfort. Here is a recap of textile pursuits since last I posted:

Weaving... I warped, wove, and completed another project in January. This one reminds me of fall gourds, with oranges and greens. I used Moda Dea 'Cache' novelty yarn as the weft, and Knitpicks 'Palette' wool as the warp. It feels a bit rough, like upholstery, not soft as I would like for a scarf to be. 54" long, 8" wide. There was virtually no draw-in this time, and the selvedges were much more even. I enjoyed the color changes in the weft yarn as I wove it. I switched to a new 10" cherry shuttle I bought at Roc Day - the shorter shuttle makes a big difference in shot return time. This will become a fall table runner.

Next up: a cotton warp, intended to be my first dishtowel attempt.

Spinning... Cheryl from Guild gave me some samples of Finn from her friend in Pennsylvania, a little more than .5 oz each of undyed and dyed. I spun it up woolen, with no real plan but to sample it, and plied it together as it came. It's quite soft, and I hope to get some more when the shearing is done in the spring.

Also I spun 4 oz of merino from Abbysyarns in 'Bluebell' - very soft 2-ply, ready for socks.

And a double-subscription batch (8 oz) of icelandic wool from Spunky Eclectic's fiber club in 'Snow Squall' - scratchy but warm, it will become stripes in outerwear of some sort, perhaps a vest.
Finally, on the wheel now, 4 oz. of a merino/bamboo blend from Spunky Eclectic in 'Walking on the Sun' - half done.
Knitting... I completed a scarf in January, knitted from handspun wool, using Jackie E-S' pattern 'Morning Surf'. I liked this pattern very much, and will use it again. The scarf is 60"x6". I like the color changes, and the windowpane effect.
In progress: a Forest Canopy shawl, knit using my first handspun from the Schacht wheel, spun back in May 2007. Yay for using up stash! This is spun from Crown Mountain Farms corriedale pencil roving, 2-ply, 12 wpi. It will be soft and warm. And bright!

My Firstborn Weave

2008-01-02T19:07:00.000-06:00

My first weaving project came off the loom last night - I finished tying the fringe at 11:30 pm.

This was so much fun! Of course, it has a multitude of beginner mistakes - the selvedges are wonky, the striping is uneven, and I beat the heck out of the weft, so it's not a balanced weave - but I love it anyway.

It’s getting a bath, and will assume a prominent place on the wall in the living room, where all will be expected to oooh and aaah (I might have to post a placard with instructions).

I think I'll stash-dive and find some softer wool (this was Briggs & Little Durasport, and is scratchy) to weave a scarf. Already I am eager to warp the loom again.

A Weaver Is Birthed

2007-12-26T21:59:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was a good day, filled with family and food. We spent the day and evening at my sister's house, snuggling cute babies and telling the old family stories over again.

This morning I got up with the determination to teach myself how to warp the Rigid Heddle loom (with the aid of the Betty Davenport book and the loom's manual).

The particulars:
25" Schacht Flip Rigid Heddle Loom
Loom stand
8 dent reed (I also have the 10 dent reed and 12 dent reed)
Briggs & Little Durasport wool 1 ply yarn (16wpi)

I used the warping peg that comes with the loom, read the instructions through and referred to them often, and exercised a lot of patience. I believe I got it warped properly, though time will tell. I need to find a better chair with support for my back, and figure out good ergonomics while changing sheds so that I don't strain my back muscles.

I'm weaving a simple table runner, 14" by 26", using grey for the warp and plum for the weft. I'm also striping a few simple grey stripes on the ends.

If I can ever get the husband to set up "his" camera (gifted for Christmas) I'll get some pics up.

This is so.much.fun. I see a lot of weaving in my future, and I'm excited about weaving my handspun into scarves and vests and table linens. I plan to learn to spin cotton over the next few months so that I can weave cotton towels for the kitchen.

The day job may not survive.

Day the First

2007-12-22T11:52:00.000-06:00

Day the first.

Solstice - a time for starting new things, welcoming back the light.

The blog title? Explained well here. (I'll make this prettier later - just wanted to get things set up and running.) It encompasses my desire for balance, harmony, centeredness - in a world that seems to contain none of those things.

This is a place for musing about fiber - spinning, weaving, knitting - and random bits of nonsense concerning cats and family.

I don't promise to update daily, or even often - this place is for me, though you're very welcome here. Have a seat and a cup of tea. You may put up your feet on the furniture and make yourself comfortable - I hope you're not allergic, because if you sit down and make a lap, it will quickly be filled with a cat or two.

Debbie
(DebbieB on Ravelry)