I’ve seen bark rope in museums and I think I have finally figured out how the Indians did it. I’ve tried this before without luck, both with pine needles, green and dry, and cedar bark. Nothing but disappointment and splinters. But I found this wad of fiber in the road and discovered that it was pine needles, rained on and run over many times by passing cars. An epiphany! Of course I could not find my drop spindle so I remembered a more simple way and hip spun a bit then attached it to a hook and off I went. This sample is plied back on itself. It’s also very rough and shaggy but it’s rope! The fiber was not completely processed, there were still some nearly whole needles in it which ought not be there but I did this in a hurry. I’ll gather more and see if I can card it a bit better so it can be drawn out more evenly. And I’m going to hunt up a bit of cedar bark and lay it in the driveway!
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It’s finally cold enough for a pair of mittens woven with the Tiny Weaver Set of small looms. The 12 & 14″ square looms make a great Hooded Scarf for keeping that the wind and snow from blowing down your neck, it’s been quite a popular one at shows. Everyone wants to try it on! And When you order the larger looms I’ll include instructions for the Button Down scarf as well. You can make gifts for the whole family and save on yarn as well since these looms take less yarn than a comparable item that is knitted. For instance, a nice warm snow hat takes just 100 yards and fits every one from a medium sized child to adults.
Or make their Santa stockings using the small squares… check the web page Project for instructions.
Order between now and December 10th and if your order is $100 or more I will refund your shipping! Continental states only.
Questions? Email anytime!
Hazel
Looms made items. You can do it!
Winter’s on the way.
I know some of you are having more than enough already. We have our first snow predicted for tomorrow evening. We’re not ready, either! The garden is mostly put away and we’ve only one more trip. We’ll be in Grant’s Pass for Fiber Mania on Nov 12/13. That’s if the pass stays open!
But here’s Taz taking her ease on Randy’s lap, a sure sign of cold weather. This is the Mighty Hunter who does not come in before 10pm on summer evenings, but she appreciates a good warm fire when the temps reach freezing! As we all do. Randy’s looking at expensive tools on his laptop and I’ve weaving and reading my mystery by turns. If you’re looking for a project for the up coming season be sure to check the web site projects page where I’ve posted instructions for the Chirstmas Stocking.
Home again!
We’re back in Coffee Creek after our long trip to Washington. We drove up for the Fiber Fusion NW show in Monroe, Washington and enjoyed greatly meeting new folks there. The crew put on a very professional show and we look forward to going back next year.
And since we spent our ‘vacation time’ this year building a new shop we decided to come home the long way. We went east from Monroe and explored Washington, Idaho, and into the western part of Montana. What a huge variety of country, everything from forested and craggy mountains to miles and miles of nearly flat country, not quite desert and not quite prairie. Long green valleys surrounded by bald and rolling hills. And the fall colors were brilliant. This photo was taken at Steamboat Rock Campground in Washington, not far from Boulder Dam, which we also visited.
It was an great trip, I have many, many photos, too many to share but any time you get a chance to visit this great country of ours, do it!
But now we’re back to work making looms and getting in firewood for the fast approaching winter. And somewhere in there I need to weave a couple of Christmas gifts! Oh yes… on that subject, be sure to check the project page on the web site for the newly posted Christmas Socking pattern! Free, of course!
Art Along The Rogue
We spent the weekend watching the street artists in Grants Pass produce some really great art. And it didn’t rain!
I wanna paint the sidewalk, too!
August Harvest
The garden is finally starting to produce. I picked my peaches a couple days ago as the Jays had found them. They are ripe enough to soften indoors the rest of the way. Good! But now I’m itching. Those little zucchinis were growing on huge stickery plants, darn’em! And I chased the doe out before she got to the beans again. She was outside the window munching my America roses, darn’er! And the cherry & pear tomatoes are over=growing my big Brandywines and so they aren’t getting the sunshine they need. I guess I’ll have to prune some more. Next year those little sprawly guys are going in pots out in the danger zone. Let the doe prune them! My big ones need more room.
But I got several of those white eggplant fruits and there’s more of the japanese types, too. And I have a standard one a pot but it’s not ripe yet. Oh, and the bell peppers… They have done really well in spite of the fact that I cut the top out of one accidentally with the first pepper I cut. 😦 But Now we eat!
and we’re making looms again so if you have an order due… keep the faith, we’re getting there!
More progress
Full Speed Ahead!
We took the boys to the airport on Friday and they are back home now looking forward… maybe… to the next school year.
Meantime, the slab is poured and the forms pulled. The truck delivered the lumber this morning and Randy and his carpenter have already got most of the heavy double wall between the house and the shop built and it really standing now. They’re having lunch but I’ll bet this one and maybe more will be up by quitting time if it doesn’t get too hot. We should have most of a new space by the end of the week. X your fingers!
Summer working!
The boys are earning their swimming trip today! And it’s hot today. The shale is to fill for the foundation of the new garage. Yesterday they pulled nails to recycle some 2×4’s. When do you thing they’ll want to come visit grandparents again! lol
Summer memories
Their Mom sent the boys each a journal, so when the ball game comes on in the evenings I print out a photo of something that we’ve done that day and they get to make an entry in the journal so Mom can share in their trip when they get home. They are doing pretty good at it with a little encouragement. Here Shane is checking what Mac wrote in his. Randy reads or Googles and I weave while the ball game is on the XM radio. Since the weather has kind of settled into summer warm, it’s actually a peaceful way to spend the evening on the deck. Sometimes the boys and I have a game of scrabble or dominoes. As a rule Shane is the best at scrabble and Mac excels at dominoes. But I occasionally win at both.
Hazel Rose 