March-ing into spring…

Mar5

Nothing to report on the sweater. I think I needed a break from brown yarn. Too much brown in the world this time of the year, anyway. Things are starting to green up and I’m sure I can see a faint bit of pink in the buds on the peach tree. The flowering quince is definitely blooming now & there are even two tiny daffodils blooming out there in the brown.

I have done some weaving but for the dolls. Little things. A KAL for Your Favorite Season. What would it be this time of year but Summer! Lexi is wearing Summer Nights and little Felicity is in the Sunshine. The skirts are the woven bits. Some Wildfoote sock yarn for Lexi’s and lace weight for Felicity’s to warp the first three layers and then woven with Lion Brand Trellis. I used the 4″ and did o1, u1 for Felicity’s skirt, which is two squares and a knitted bodice. Lexi’s short skirt is three 6″ Multi Squares and I did hers in o3, u1 which gave it a really interesting texture and showed more of the colored squares, I think. I rather like the effect and since I have a couple more balls of this stuff (I think I bought 6 in a package at the dollar store a couple years ago) I may have to come up with another project for it.

These are busy days, even if I have been ignoring brown. Randy is working long hours in the looms shop, (which means I am also) and we are trying to get the garden ready as it looks like spring is coming on early and dry here this year. We also signed up for 6 fiber fair shows this summer. The first one, a new venue for us, in Nampa, Idaho in May. then we’ll be in Hamilton, MT & Eugene, OR in June and Arcata, CA, Boonesville, CA and Canby, OR in September.

I think I am going to sell my Baby Wolf Loom and it’s accessories. If anyone is interested we can bring it along to any of the shows. I don’t want to haul it around on speculation as even tho it is a small loom, it still takes up a lot of space in the 5th wheel. If you’re interested email for details. The loom works fine, I’ve woven a few times on it but I just don’t have the time or space for it. I still prefer my little looms.

Hope you’re seeing a bright end of winter where you are.

Making a little headway…

Feb15

If I had not been doing this project publicly in front of all of you it would have been shoved in the back of the closet by this time, to languish, probably for years. I don’t know what it is, seems to have been jinxed somewhere along the way. The weaving went fine but I have un-stitched this thing more than any other project I’ve yet undertaken! And I can only blame gremlins because it’s just stupid stuff, sewn the blocks together backward, sewn the new strip in the wrong place. This last time I thought it was going to be too small so added a strip and found it was way too big instead so have taken that off now. I am going to make a button band, either woven or probably knitted so I am leaving the front alone for awhile and will go to work on the sleeves. It fits pretty well except for the front of the arm holes. I’m not sure what the problem is there, maybe it needs a dart. If it’s too wide it’s too bad. But it’s not really a big problem so I’ll just leave it for now. Here’s what I have at this stage. Stella thought she’d help a bit but I declined. She’s really good at showing her feeling are hurt but I was in no mood to be sympathetic.

I’m thinking about trying a collar. Never have but I’ll wait until the sleeves are finished. I’m getting low on yarn too, so a lot depends on that. The shape woven yoke and sleeve bits worked fine, by the way. I’m thinking about the sleeve tops themselves now…

Progress

Feb7

Got the back put together and am starting the fronts.

Finished yoke

Feb2

Okay, got it done this fine rainy day by ignoring all calls to the shop by Himself.

Here it is. I think it worked just fine even tho some of it, those last shoulders mostly, were a pita to work.

It’s finished but still on the “loom”.

Off the loom you can see that there is still a little draw-up to deal with. Not much but I hope I did.

Next step, of course is to start assembling it into a garment. Keep your fingers x-ed for me.

shape weaving

Jan29

I’m back at it. I didn’t find my pattern but I did fins another one and between that and using my previous jacket as a pattern I think I’ve got it. I’m trying my hand at shape weaving working on a yoke. I thought it might be easier than the cut and sew I did on the last one. Yet to be determined! lol But it seems okay so far. The test will come when I start putting it together.

Here’s a few pictures of this part. We bought a new cupboard for my dolls and it came in a huge cardboard box, nice thick cardboard and that’s what I’m using as the ‘loom’. I drew around the sized yoke pattern and started putting in pins. The article I read suggest putting in the pins as you warp. I can see why as the curves require different spacing. I just kind of felt my way along. I’m doing the same for the weaving. Once i get a little further along I’ll show you some close-ups. this is the same wool the squares are woven with. I saw an article where they wove a really neat yoke in a tapestry but my tapestry ‘skills’ are untested so I think this first one will be just plain.

It’s coming along at a pretty good rate, in the time I have to work on it. I am pretty pleased so far;

Hazel Rose

My Life in the Country

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