Another One Bites The Dust

So I've told you that we want to move to the mountains of Montana, right? In order to make that happen, we have to sell our current house. The last time I checked, neither of us was made of money... The house is 50 years old and in need of a fresh coat of everything - and it will all have to be DIY.

Our younger daughter moved out on her own in February, and I claimed her bedroom for a Studio. We pulled up the carpet, painted the walls, installed nice laminate flooring, and replaced the bedroom door (full of pushpin holes from her teenage poster phase). Now it's a lovely bright space for my looms and supplies and stash - I'll take pictures for you when it gets all set up (not yet, too many other projects going on!)

ONE ROOM DONE.

Keep in mind that we've lived in this house for 25 years, and we're all what is lovingly referred to as "packrats." Not "hoarders" - we don't have skeletons or mushroom farms in the house - but we HAVE collected a lot of STUFF over the years, and since we don't have a garage or a shed, a lot of it accumulated in our extra bedroom.

Now that I have my Studio, the husband wants an Office. I want him to have an Office too, because otherwise there is clutter in various places throughout the house that would be better stored in an Office. He's not the "Man-Cave" type, being a computer geek, but he's got pieces/parts/tools/supplies that need a home.

Enter the spare bedroom (or rather, don't!) It was full to the brim with storage boxes and bookcases, all bursting with STUFF. Today we emptied it. (Whew!) I have a huge pile outside for the garbage collection, another huge pile of boxes for donation (the Vietnam Veterans of America have a pickup service that comes right to my door, bless them!) and a third (much smaller) pile of boxes for storage in other places in the house.

The carpet is old and tired and dusty - tomorrow we'll rip it up and add it to the garbage pile. Then we'll put down underlayment and the same laminate flooring as in the Studio. The walls will get a fresh coat of paint, and then we'll start moving HIS stuff in there and all the clutter will be gone! OK, it probably won't, but don't disillusion me.

Then I'll be able to say TWO ROOMS DONE. Only 8 more to go!

Thankful, With Cupcake

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.

Garden, Week 1 - and some Handspun

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! :)

Her Feet Are Cold - Sock Emergency

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.

Sister Blanket

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.

Better than Diamonds

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.

A Weaver Is Birthed

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.