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A New project

Jan8

Well, now that the holidays are over and things are more or less back to normal, I’ve gotten out the lovely, huggable alpaca yarn I bought at the Fiber Mania in Grants Pass, Oregon this past November and am weaving some replacements for the Hooded Scarves I sold there. I don’t usually sell my weavings but people kept asking and I decided that I needed to make some new ones to show at the fiber events anyway, so I gave in to a couple gentlemen buying wife gifts. lol
I’m weaving this one on our 14” tri loom and assembling them side to side. I have not yet decided if it will have a fringe. This hand spun alpaca seems a little fragile and I don’t know how a fringe would handle being washed. I may leave it plain or maybe crochet something.
I’m using an old fashioned stitch called fagoting to assemble the triangles. It give the scarf a bit of a lacy look while still being plenty warm. Because this is a thick & thin soft yarn of varied color I wove a plain weave, letting the yarn show itself.



I use the needle to hold the loop while I adjust the length of the stitch.

Once it’s blocked ( I block most things after assembly) it will look something like this.

Rope!

Nov28

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!

Free shipping! Some restrictions apply.

Nov25

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!

Fiber Mania

Nov15

We just got back from Grant’s Pass and the Fiber Mania event. This fiber show is sponsored by the Alpaca guild there in southern Oregon. Now you want to talk about your luxury fibers? It is really hard to resist this one! And I didn’t. In fact, I would not be surprised if a good portion of our profits came home in the form of alpaca yarns! lol

Once I get the house cleaned up after being ignored for so long while we traveled hither and yon that’s going to take awhile as it really needs the attention!

I got a photo of my American Girls modeling some woven dresses and shawl for visitors at the show. And the baby was also popular.

Patrick is my kid magnet! lol The kids lug Momma into the booth as soon as they spot Patrick! I guess I need to weave another Sponge Bob to go with him. The first one has gone home with a grandson.

We had a great time and got to spend a couple nights with my sister and her husband, who always put us up and feed us without complaint! Nobody loves you like family! They’re coming down for Thanksgiving. I thought I’d make the guys thankful this year and not make them eat more turkey so I bought a Prime Rib. Gasp! Thought I was going to have to hire a Brink’s truck to bring that home! lol I just hope I can do it justice, never having cooked this expensive bit of cow before. But for Christmas it’s going to be turkey again!

A little bit of Christmas weaving

Nov9

Jan and I have been showing this doll in her shop. I made the outfits and the patterns and she is holding the raffle, the profits of which will go to the charity of the winner’s choice. I wrote up patterns for all but the poncho and hat, which are pretty simple. The patterns are available in Jan’s shop and also on Ravelry for those of you who don’t have access to the Sweet Sheep in Weaverville. It’s been a fun project. For the store patterns we made up little kits. The tutu pattern, for example, comes with the lace and a beaded necklace, Jan carries the yarns used. The Cropped Top and Low Rider shorts has the belt included. Sophia and her wardrobe will make some little girl happy this Christmas!

Winter’s on the way.

Nov4

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!

Oct28

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!

Some weaving…

Sep13

Getting ready for OFFF next week so I thought I’d whip up a new hooded scarf. I bought this yarn for a doll dress but found it not really suitable, The label has a pattern for a knitted “one skein” scarf so I thought I’d weave one instead, naturally! But this one is going to be a two skein scarf. I got four 12 inch squares out of it with a bit left over. Randy will just have to stop in Yreka on the way up so I can buy more.
I had to bring my weaving indoors last evening as we had a whopping thunder storm and rain just after dark. In spite of the rain I’m afraid there are probably going to be at least little fires this morning. Too early to tell yet but there were very many strikes. Power went out several times for a minuet or two each time. We have more predicted for the next few evenings.

August Harvest

Aug30

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!

Fiber artists at work!

Aug20

One of our weavers sent me these photo’s of a wrap she made, Valerie Dawson was inspired by Zann Carter’s Mangos for Breakfast. Both these woman are so creative! You may remember that Zann won in HandWoven Magazines sock yarn contest last year using our triangle loom. It’s good to see she’s still at it and still inspiring other artists! Thanks to Valerie for letting me post the photo’s of her wonderful wrap!
Valerie says, “This is my first piece with the triangle loom. I loved a Zann Carter piece called Mangos for Breakfast and this is my interpretation in carnival colors. It is very light weight so perfect for Arizona (or California) evenings.” Her first piece! She’s off to a great start!