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A bit of a remodel

Things are changing. It was supposed to look like this:

plans 2

And then it looked more like this:

plans 3

And now I’ve rearranged it again.

plans 4

I’m pretty sure I have enough yarn to do it this way since it looks like I have to stick to what I have. It’ll be shorter so not a tunic but I think it’ll be long enough and if not I may use the scarlet or the cream and work a border. These things evolve. That’s one of the lessons, I guess. It could evolve yet again as I am not sure this one is going to work, either. I could get by without the ‘sleeves’ but I am really trying not to. I need 5 more squares, if I can squeeze it out of these last 1 3/4 skeins. Hang on, I’m getting there!

4-10-14

Yet another excuse…

I am making progress here but slowly.  Shop work and you know it’s gardening season, too, so other things are calling but I am getting it assembled. I’ve given up on finding more of this yarn so it looks like it may have to be sleeveless after all. I guess I can live with that.4-9    DSC01679

And the other squares I was weaving have run into a hitch. But as I have not yet decided what I want them to be , I guess it’s not an urgent problem, huh? The difficulties of life just keep coming, don’t they?! Ah well, it would be nice if this was the worse we had to deal with, wouldn’t it?  I’ll try to show you a bit more progress tomorrow.

Meantime, I hope your projects are moving along! Wishing you warm and sunny!

 

 

 

Still at it. I am starting the assembly but…

Meantime, the hall closet has reached critical so I had to undertake that task today. I’ve sorted a lot of it for goodwill but there are some things I just can’t see going there.  One is this collection of crocheted doilies. My grandmother, & mother’s work mostly, and some of mine. I kept the ones I just can’t bear to part with but there are more and they will never be used again here and my kids don’t want these things, they really don’t mean anything to them. I was wondering if any of you might do lace crafts and could use them. I have seen everything from Hostess aprons, vests, and blouses, to lamp shades made using vintage doilies. I am never going to have the time to use them myself and I would love them to go to someone who could appreciate the work that has gone into them and give them new life. They could, of course, be used as doilies but I know not many modern homes use those anymore. Still, if you would like this bunch of handmade lace, I would be happy to send it to you, just let me know soon.

 

The doilies are gone to a new happy home!

doilies1

Ready to assemble… maybe…

I have all the squares woven for the tunic but…! I am still trying to figure a way to add sleeves.  I really like it all brown but I also really need sleeves. I had intended to beg for yarn but I don’t want to wait. It’s hell when you can’t get everything you want Right Now!  Still fretting over what to do but it is good to go, if I decided to do it. Robin has been a good boy today, too, staying on his kitty blanket and off my project.

Ready to assemble 2

It’s still trying to snow. Temp has been slowing dropping all day. It’s (nearly) April fur heaven’s sake!

 

Recounting

Decided to lay it out and see how it was coming. Took some new measurements, too. I didn’t flunk out of math in high school but my Pop, who was a surveyor back in the Olden Days before calculators and computers, had been known to wonder how he managed to sire such math dunderheads! lol

Okay, but I don’t think my initial guesstimate was too far off. I scooted the cat over and laid them out on the bed. Laid the pattern out over them and came up with a couple modifications. Not entirely happy with it yet, but I still have more squares to weave so time to mull it over.

First trial  First Pattern fit

I think I may yet rearrange the upper bodice. I’ll have to see how it fits once I get most of it assembled. One thing I have learned during this design it myself era is never weave ends in until you are Absolutely Sure it’s right. It is really difficult to find ends if you have to frog once you’re done a proper job of weaving them in!

Okay– back to weaving while it’s still raining and too wet for gardening.

Still weaving…

But meantime I thought I’d chat a bit about ideas. I have a picture file on my computer under Weaving Clothing called Ideas. When I see a picture of a garment- sewn, knitted, whatever- that I think I could possibly make with the looms, I save it in this file. Of course, there are many more ideas than I’ll ever have time to make so I thought I’d share a few “Inspired by” here to give you an idea.

Here’s a couple for you with the big shawl looms. I’m pretty sure this first dress could be done but it’s a bit difficult to sketch here. I’m going to have to get out the paper towels and work in the round for this one. But I’d love it if some of you put your minds to it and came up with a plan! The second one, the shawl with sleeves, or whatever that might be called, is easier. I have thought about making that one for my daughter who likes drapey things. Trouble is, as always, the time to do it. The sleeves could be knitted in, of course, but also woven with the smaller squares or triangles. I made some prelim sketches just to keep the idea in my head. You never know…

image5961859hoodedcape

And there are lots for the smaller looms. This one would be pretty easy. If it’s your project, I have to thank you for the inspiration, I don’t remember where I saw it. It was Multi woven, the 4″ I believe, but if you have a big dog it could also be done with the 6 inch or one of the Quilt Weaver squares.

Dog coat

If you’re looking forward to summer and have the ‘figger’ for it, here’s a pretty simple top for hot weather. Your teen could wear this. The woven blocks should be a fairly tight and modest fabric but would still be lighter and more comfortable than this crocheted version probably would be. Something like a soft cotton or one of the bamboo, silky yarns might be good.

halter top planJust something to think about while I am weaving for this tunic. Make your own file, & teach yourself to think in squares and triangles while looking at clothing. Get out your stash of already woven squares and spread them out and get inspired!

 

 

 

 

SweetHeart

A weaver in Oregon sent me these little SweetHearts she made using our loom. She felted them and then added a beaded edging to them.  I forgot to ask what yarn Kathy used, but I’m guessing it was a fine yarn as the hearts are light and thin, delicate and so pretty! She says she gave some a pin back to make wearable valentines. Great idea!

Kathy Warner gooddog@gmail.com 2

The Stack is growing…

I’m getting there.

coming along

I decided to add a bit of an edging pattern to the tunic bottom. Just a little two repeat pattern:

1. Weave Plain

2. Under 1, then slip the needle across between the layers of warp and go under the last one.

Slip stitch 1

3. Weave plain.

Slip stitch 2

4. Repeat row 2 and them weave the rest of the block plain.

Slip stitch 3

Day started out raining, now it’s just cold and gloomy so I think I’ll build a fire and sit and weave today.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello everyone! I hope we all can use this weekend to remember the long list of things we have to be thankful for. It’s easy to get caught up in the grumbling and complaining  that we’re all exposed to daily from friends and family and news and  internet but I  hope we can use this one day at least to look at the brighter sides of our lives.

For Randy and I, we are thankful to live in a community of friends that we can enjoy and feel safe with. We are thankful for all the wonderful weavers who enjoy our looms as much as we enjoy making them, we are thankful to be able to spend this holiday with family and wish the rest of them could be with us as well. I hope you are all remembering and sharing the good things in your lives!

Here’s a laugh for you…. me in my woven, felted Thanksgiving Turkey of a hat!

Thanksgiving

 

Fall in Coffee Creek

It has been an exceptional autumn here, nice sunny reasonably warm weather, and gorgeous colors with the oaks competing with the maples for the brightest! Set off by poison oak and dogwood in reds against the perfectly blue mountain sky.Hope you are enjoying beauty where you are getting the wood shed full and the garden put to bed. Time to dust off your looms and start finding the perfect yarn for winter projects!

Derric cornerDogwood