North to Washington… and back

Oct30

We’re home again. It was a nice trip tho parts were less enjoyable than others. We spent most of the first day visiting with Les Schwab. In case you aren’t familiar with that gentleman, he sells tires. He sold us 6 that day. Two for the truck which we had planned to buy and 4 for the 5th wheel, which we had planned to put off until winter. They had other plans! lol But we had no tire worries for the rest of the trip, which was good as parts of highway 101 would have been a test of an old tire!

But we got to Monroe and the Fiber Fusion North West event and tho we enjoyed the company, the sale was pretty much a bust and I doubt we’ll return again. We left there and headed for Seattle where we visited the American Girl Store and REI and both of us spent our allowance! lol

Then we headed west to the Olympic Peninsula, a part of the country we had not visited before. The weather, of course, decided to be wet and rainy but we enjoyed it anyway. We road the ferry, this was a first for me, and saw the rain forest, shipping, viewed Canada across the bay, and finally down into Oregon and the Real Pacific Ocean. I love watching the waves. Once we got into California again the skies cleared up and we got to walk on the beach once before we headed inland and home. Here’s some trip pictures.

Our booth at the fiber fair.

A view of the volcano of Mt. St. Helens in Washington. It blew ion 1988, I think.

Randy standing the the bow of the ferry. Not exactly a classic movie shot but we didn’t sink, either, so that’s okay with me! lol

Here’s the truck and trailer parked on the ferry.

Looking back as we left the ferry. We’re on the islands, now. Next to get off this island was the ‘floating’ bridge.

Most of tie trip was foggy or raining but it was still interesting and Very Green. I did not get a picture of the looong green tunnels between the fir hedges. Thousands of trees of the same size jammed together in large plantations.

The rain forest was even wetter and most of the trees were covered in long grey green or yellow green moss ‘beards’ like these. Too wet for man or animal but there were lost of these, including, they said, a large heard of elk.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition was not thrilled with this camp on the coast of Washington. I think they got there in about the same time of year as we did when they named this spot. lol

Well, it looks like I have jammed things up so will post the rest a bit later. The sun did come out as we got south so they pics will be a bit cheerier!

Rain?

Oct13

Our promised rain… well, they said 60% chance…. turned out to be 40% that it wouldn’t. Not a drop. Very disappointing as we really do need it and our rain is very late this year. This storm all went north of us it looks like, tho we did have our first little fire last evening. I’m going to have to turn the water back in the garden. But it’s been cool enough nights that all but the Kale and the other few cool weather plants have done. I picked the last of things yesterday. There are still quite a few tomatoes that I’m hoping will at least show a little color before frost so that they can ripen indoors. A late cold spring and a long cool dry fall do not make for good gardening. But here’s yesterdays harvest. The little green melon would have been a cantaloupe but the vine died so it was only starting to show some orange. Bummer. The apples are windfall, those on the tree are better after frost.

We are getting ready to leave for the next show. It’s near Seattle, the Northwest Fiber Fusion, on Oct 20-21, in Winston at the fairground. If you are in the area do come by and see us. And Randy wants to visit Grizzly Tools, which is in the area, so I get to go to the American Girl Doll Store! I’ve never been to one so I am excited. I am going to take Addy and see if they can do something about her hair in the salon, there. Meantime, I made a couple Halloween outfits for them. The knitted Sweater is a pattern from a Ravelry knitter, Jacqueline Gibb. The woven one is mine, ‘stealing’ her Boo idea, but Kanani doesn’t need a heavy sweater in Hawaii, after all! Hope your autumn is going as it should!

Some interesting yarn

Sep28

Susanne from Benny fibers in Montana gave me this skein of yarn at OFFF and I wanted to thank her so wove a little pouch using the 4×6 Mutli and noticed that this color-way wove up into a really nice Scottish looking plaid so decided to make up a school suit for my AG doll. I think it turned out really nicely. I also made a dress for Skyler Hopscotch. Weaving is such fun!

Back From OFFF

Sep25

We had a great time at the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival this year. The weather behaved and was just perfect, sunny and warm but not too hot. Lots of people came to enjoy the activities. We met and made new weavers and met a lot of weavers from years past. It was a very nice weekend.

This picture shows a very new weaver! She’s just 6 years old. She told me that she already knows how to crochet so it is not surprising that she caught right on to weaving as well. She finished her little square here and Mom bought her her own loom. I am sure it will not be long before she has many projects to share. She went off happily to find yarn!

And here’s little Hazel Rose. She’s not so little any more, she now 3 years old, but as pretty as ever. We met another young Hazel there, too, but I did not get her picture.

And then a large group came by. Not all of these people came into the booth at once, of course! They are refugees from Burma and several of them were very interested in the looms and this kind of weaving. They are all, or most all, weavers themselves and were wearing lovely examples of their weaving skills, but found this kind of weaving new to them. A small group of them came in and tried their hand at weaving the Quilt Weaver square. I gave them a copy of my book and I was asked to sign it. First time I’ve been asked for my autograph! lol We enjoyed a nice long visit.

We also had a brief visit with Hazel Rose, who is now three years old. Mom took a photo, which I hope she will share with me. Hazel was in a hurry to get to the animal barn and see the interesting stuff so I didn’t think of my own camera until it was too late! lol And we got to visit with friends from Hamilton, Montana, who are at OFFF every year with their lovely yarns and fleeces. We hope to be visiting them next spring at their Big Sky show. But now we are going to be busy people as we have just barely a month before we are to be in Monroe, Washington for the Fiber Fusion fair up there. We have a lot of looms to replace in stock.

And don’t forget that if you are within reach of Grants Pass, Oregon in November I’ll be having a class there at Fiber Mania. Sign up now. I think it will be a lot of fun.

Home again… for a bit

Sep12

We had a great time in Arcata at the Natural Fiber Fair but I came home with a ‘gift’ from someone. Sore throat, coff, head ache… Not bad, but certainly not good. I’m sure I’ll be over it soon. Meantime, I am working on projects as usual.

And the tomatoes are getting ripe at last. I think I have an orange one, too. These are heirloom Oxheart. They average almost a pound a piece & are very tasty. There’s also one early girl, a roma type, and some cherries.

This is the basket I made for Momma to pick her asparagus in. It’s long a narrow, I used willow and our native blackberry vines.

Wishing everyone safe from fire and storm.

Busy Month for shows!

Sep5

I’m taking the cats to the pet motel tomorrow and getting the dog washed. We head out Friday to Natural Fiber Fair in Arcata to join in the fun there for our first time. This fair has been going on for 22 years but it’s the first time we’ve been part of it. I am looking forward to it. And it’s on the coast, which will be fun, too. as the weather is perfect!

The end of the month is the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival and we’ll be OFFF to it in a couple more weeks. Today on American Girl Knitters on Ravelry we discussed a Weave ALong to be tentatively set for January/February. that will be fun , too. We’ll weave a doll dress, of course!

Speaking of dolls… I got a new one today. She’s an American Girl, too. An older one, no longer made by Pleasant Company. I knew she was coming in just her undies so i found some patterns from fellow dollers and had some waiting for her. Now that she’s here for me to fit I can start weaving her wardrobe, too! Meet Skyler! She’s having a bad hair day just out of the box but is in great shape elsewhere. She even stands up. her mini skirt is just a tad too mini but the sweater fits just fine.

End of summer?

Aug28

It’s been down in the 80’s all week and in the 40’s at night. I love it but my tomatoes don’t. They are ripening a couple at a time, slowly. I have some veggies in the dehydrator today, zucchini, peppers, green beans, a roma type tomato, stuff to make into my soup mix. I dried the Asian pears that a neighbor gave me, those we didn’t eat fresh, that is. Good stuff! And the black berries to deal with tomorrow. I made some dill relish using up the excess cucumbers. It’s pretty good, I have a half pint left over that I just put in the fridge to use more or less fresh.

But today I also finished up a little doll dress. I say a kid version of this in a knitting magazine but this doll one is woven on an assortment of little blooms. Here’s Samantha Whirling and twirling in her new dancing dress,

Been awhile!

Aug22

I did not realize it had been so long since I posted here. I am really falling down on the job as a blogger. Well, I have been busy but not that busy so that’s a poor excuse. Sounds better than “I forgot”, tho.

I got my HandWoven magazine last week with the picture of my toddler set I sent in to the contest. They bumped me out because I sent the shorts with it. The title of the contest and the only rule was “sleeveless” so I don’t quite get this. You may have seen it. They didn’t mention the looms but I guess that’s okay, too. Anyway, it was a nice picture. Fed Ex was supposed to have it back here yesterday but they can never find us. UPS has no trouble finding us but Fed Ex… well, I have to call and explain every time. Anyway, Hopefully they’ll get it here tomorrow. I want to try to talk a neighbor into letting her little girl model it for some pictures. I’ve almost finished the boys outfit and then I have to find a toddler boy.

I almost sent this one. They’re both sock yarns. Now I’m working on a doll dress for a possible WAL. And I am working up the hooded doll jacket pattern, too, and have started sketching some baby things.

That’s about all I’ve finished since the chicken kitchen curtain. We’re trying to get the loom stock up for the fall shows and orders are pouring in again now that the very hot weather is abating a bit. And boy am I glad about that. I’m not ready for winter yet but I am ready for a little moderation! It got up to 82 today, I can deal with that!

What else? I’ve been printing snow scenes today for a neighbor who has ordered 20 more christmas cards! Wow, that’s planning ahead! And yesterday I canned pickle relish to use up the excess cucumbers the garden is producing this year. The tomatoes will be coming on by the bushel in a week or so, too.

Did I mention that I will be teaching a class this November at Fiber Mania in Grants Pass, Oregon? This is a new venture for me. X your fingers that someone actually signs up for it!

Some pictures

Jul31

Here’s a few of my pictures. I did a series of self portraits for a show, running them down through the years. I don’t have them all digital but it started in my 20’s and went on up to the present. They were titled In my 20’s, In my 30’s etc and on up to the last one ! lol

20’s (& painted in my 20’s as well)

This one is In my 60’s.. It’s a dirt painting & not true to life. It was one of the times I never got around to having my hair cut but it was not red by that time. Should have used the red for the back ground and the grey for my hair but I still like it. You can tell that I’ve learned a bit about life in the interim.

And lastly… In my dreams (When I was in high school I used to make 50 cent each painting ‘cheese cake’ on the hard hats of guys who worked on my dad’s survey crew!)

Well, painting is fun and I have made a few bucks, but probably not enough to pay for all the supplies I’ve bought though the years!

Trying it out.

Jul15

I really haven’t make a whole project on the new peg loom so thought I ought to give it a serious try. Randy designed this one at the request of several weavers. It seems to be going quickly and is making a very plush rug. I’m using a reel of selvage cut from knit fabric. I’ve used the smooth-and- cut smaller version of this fabric to make place mats on the Mat Maker loom, & wove a larger rug on my old rug loom that I gave away. There was lots of this fabric. it was given me by a neighbor of my Rogue River sister. Here’s what I have so far.