Just a bit more. Aren’t they pretty? None quite the same, either!
Tag Archive | weave it
Another January
I didn’t check to see when I last posted. I know it’s be awhile. Not a heck of a lot to post about in January. We had our snow at Christmas, and since then it’s been mostly sunny and cold. Pretty much 24 every morning for the last couple weeks. A bit after 2 pm it reaches the high for the day, lately brushing 40 degrees, it was 41 today before it starts dropping again. Days are getting longer but since we have a late, bright moon, the day seems to start about 3 am! A bit longer than I’d like. I manage to sleep until about 4 am then nap for another hour. Makes the days seem longer, anyway.
I have been doing a bit of weaving, playing with stitch designs and textures. Did this one today. I think I’ve figured it out enough that I can chart it and maybe get a good one. This one will get frogged so I can reuse the yarn. I have to figure out how to center the design and how many will fit and also do something about the edges. Simple, right! lol I’ve been working on single color pattern for the new Fine Sett looms as well. And making a chart that lists the yarn amount needed for each of the looms. I guess I didn’t realize how many different looms we make when you count size and shape and type!
As for the rest of the day… I seem to be busy all day but I really can’t say at what. Strange how that works. The days just fill with little things , nothing memorable but seem necessary at the time. Well, I mean the dishes have to be washed, the laundry also, dinner has to be planned ahead of time, It’s not like we could afford to eat out every night even if we wanted to and had a restaurant closer than 40 miles from us. Then there’s always work in the shop making the looms and packing up the orders and getting them shipped off to waiting weavers. And of course, the Infamous Internet. Yes, emails to answer, posts to read & someone is sure to send a link to a funny or interesting You Tube, just a quick glance you tell yourself. It’s amazing how fast an hours gets by!
I did knit myself a pair of bed socks. They fit well and stay on all night or until I kick them off. Those were knitted during the evening movie, mostly. We take turns picking one of our many DMVs or video tapes and swap off between reading evenings. Pretty lively around here of a winter evening!
But I mostly just wanted to let you know, anyone who may still be interested in my “Life in the Country”, that I have been worrying over not posting or more specifically, over not seeming to have anything of interest to post about. I hope you are enjoying your January and hoping it’s a comfortable one. That you aren’t in the big snow blizzard back east and sitting in the dark with no power. Tho if you are you are not readying this! duh.
With that brilliant observation I’ll bid you all a good night!
Sweet Dreams!
December Oneth already!
Hasn’t improved things, I’m still behind and still losing things. Story of my life lately. Bah Humbug! Finished the 4″ square Christmas sweater for that Brazilian ladies’ yearly JAL. White on white just doesn’t work. So after 4 tries I went to a pale blue back ground and finally got a good photo. Even made a file especially to put it in. Computer tells me this file is empty. Cannot find that picture anywhere on this perverter machine! Not going though all that again so too bad. I do have a picture of Piper wearing it, tho.
I’m mostly working on the stitch patterns for the continuous weave looms. So far mostly the 7″, both regular and fine sett. And finishing up some magazine submissions. And I have to make bread today. There’s stuff in the yard and flower beds that need some pre-weather cleaning up. It May happen. And the ravens are hanging around in the neighborhood today, being noisy. Not common here, wonder what’s up with that. They have been before during fledgling season but I told them to come back Nevermore!
Okay, with that I guess I’d better get the laundry started and the roast ready to go in the oven. Hope your December is starting out more cheerful!
WAL coming to an end…
Are you ready? I’m hoping to see a few more finishers before Saturday night. Red Bird is excited! He puts that old robin to shame!
Remember to post here to be sure I see your finished project so you will be in the drawing for the Grand Prize!
Winter work…
It’s November even tho with temps in the 60’s as high and the lows just in the low 40’s it doesn’t really feel very wintery. Well, except for the rain and gloomy skies. And gloomy husband. He doesn’t do well in continual darkness and besides has jobs that need to be outdoors in dry weather so that’s adding to the frustration. I’m fine tho it worries me a bit that it’s not getting cold. We are still picking pole beans and when I cut greens yesterday there was a bee buzzing around in the borage. Not normal winter conditions for these mountains. Well, I guess we’d better start getting used to the “not normal”. They are suggest a vague possibility of some snow on Monday. Not holding my breath!
But meantime, with the WAL coming to an end, I got out my cardigan project. My favorite orange sweater is wearing out. When even Himself notices it’s sort of ratty condition I guess it’s time! So I’ll be weaving 12″ squares for some time. I’m reusing a frogged knit sweater that turned out to be a bad idea, mostly a bad fit. And I have another one that is in line for frogging as well. I guess I’d better stick to weaving! lol I balled this yarn up but it hasn’t been washed before weaving with it. I’ll find out if that’s a good idea.
But today I have to finish up a batch of apple sauce and sand a couple looms as well. The sweater is going to take awhile to finish.
And there’s enough apples left for a pie. 
Last Week….
Looks like I was mistaken about the enduing date! The WAL will end on Wednesday November 11. That adds a couple more days for those of you who need a little more time to finish! Go! Go! You don’t want to miss a chance at this prize!
The last Week of the Anniversary WAL. It ends Monday midnight. that gives you 5 1/2 days to get your red bird finished up. Remember, you don’t have to make anything of it to qualify as a finisher, just need to have the chart woven and assembled. Of course I’ll be delighted if you do manage to get it made into something so try for it! How about adding a waist band and making it a Hostess apron for your Thanksgiving get-together?! A little old fashioned maybe retro!, but I remember Momma wearing her prettiest aprons for those festive occasions when she had to be in the kitchen as well as in entertaining guests and family. But in any case I hope to see a few more finishers getting a chance at our BIG PRIZE!!!
A few pieces woven on the fine set. the lacy bit used the Croquette. It’s about the size of #30 crochet thread, I think. Has a bit of metallic sparkle which never shows in photos.
Post a comment to let us know how you are getting along with your project!
Sharing a nice letter from a weaver!
Jody gave me permission some time ago to share her little story with Weavers here. I know exactly how she feels about weaving on the loom and I know a lot of you feel the same way but it is really nice to hear you say so from time to time. I hope this WAL has inspired some of you to dust off your looms and enjoy this relaxing and creative craft once again.
“Hazel please forgive me, but I must tell you a story about your looms. I don’t know when I purchased a 12” loom from you, maybe 2 or 3 years ago. I really can’t remember, but I had such a great time in the evenings making these wash cloths. I loved them and I loved weaving them. You would not believe the number of wash cloths I had made. I gave them to my daughters, to friends as Christmas gifts in a basket of goodies. One of my friends absolutely loves them for her facial wash cloth. Well anyway, I ran out of steam as it turned out as I was making them day and night. I put the loom back for a while.
Jumping forward to this past year. My husband and I had decided to move up closer to our youngest daughter–she is 42 years old. I have been working on our house, downsizing, packing away things to make the house a bit more appealing to prospective buyers. Well a year ago this past August I fell–ouch—I am 73 and have strong bones praise the Lord for that, but they tell me I had very deep extensive bruising and it would take a while for me to get back on my feet- maybe about a year. I was tickled when I finally could get up and start accomplishing some cooking and cleaning and packing again. Me being me has to have a project of some kind going. I decided the perfect thing would be to make some more wash cloths, besides all mine were looking pretty sad. Well, I searched high and low and could not find my 12″ loom. 😦 So I thought okay I know it is here somewhere and since I can’t find it I will order another loom. I saw you had the 14″ so I ordered that thinking WOW that will give me a larger size to create larger cloths. So I ordered it. When it arrived I immediately started making cloths again. After making a half dozen or so I decided that these were a bit too large for what I wanted. Finally I gave in—I told my husband, the best way for me to find my 12″ is to order another 12″. haha. So I did. I was as excited as a kid on Christmas day when my 12″ arrived all safe and sound. I immediately sat down and started making wash cloths. I don’t know why, but all my worries go away and pleasant thoughts dance through my head as I weave. I have several rigid heddle looms, but they are a bit awkward with me sorting and packing, but this little loom is just the right size, easy to move from room to room and so relaxing. No, Hazel I have not yet found my other 12″ loom, but that is okay as it will show up one day. In the meantime, I have this 12″ to keep me relaxed and happy. Thank you for sharing this craft and thank you for being so prompt in sending this wonderful product.
Take care and may God bless you and yours,
Jodi”
This dishcloth is mine, just an illustration of the kind of weaving Jodi was describing.
Raining fish and frogs!
Well, not really. Used to do that once in awhile when I lived in Florida years ago, but never seen it here. But we are all delighted to see it raining hard enough that the Fire Service people are considering the fires to be OUT! 
I finished my Antimacassar yesterday but was not able to load it here and it kept timing out. So I’ll try again! I added a 14″ triangle to the top to hang over the back of the chair to keep it in place and still let the whole picture show. I’m not really very happy with the additional stuff on the top left but not unhappy enough to rip it out and do over. Worked a SC in white around the edge just to finish it off neatly. Now I just have to find a shiny black button to give him an eye. Sister insists that he needs one in spite of the fact that it’s probably not going to show.
So I hope you are all making some headway, maybe even starting to assemble? Hope to hear some progress reports!
Remember, this weeks prize is a 4″ Multi triangle loom! The dusty one in the photo is mine, you’ll get a new un-dusty one!
Row two is the most complicated bit and that is really not that hard once you look at how it’s put together. It’s just overlapping triangles!
Sept-Trying again..
Maybe the internet and I will get along better today. You think?! Doc says, Yes I did break my finger. He gave me a new splint and congratulated Randy on his. He also said I’ll need to wear this thing for a month!! Trying to make apple sauce today. I can halve them with the cutting board and big knife but coring realty puts a strain on that finger so Himself will have to take over that slot for the time. But I’ve got the first pot cooking. The Squeezo wall take care of the clean cores.
I spent most of yesterday in town what with Doctor, Chores for Himself, and my own list. Traffic was horrible, with fire hold-ups still north of town and Weaverville’s first traffic light being installed on the other end of town. Took forever to get from place to place so I didn’t get anything done on the shirt yoke.
But we got a lovely cool wet rain! It was so relaxing that I didn’t mind sitting at two road work stops on the way to and from town, just relaxing with the cool and wet and dim landscape. It was great. And hopefully did some damage to the remaining fires as well.
I’ve made and modified the pot holder. Have two more made and one test woven. It’s a light commercial “worsted” woven on the 5″ Quilt Weaver Square. So a test for both yarn and loom size. The dark on on the left is the first one I made using the 7″ and it was a little too long. I rewashed it to felt it a bit tighter and then cut it off shorter. The red one and the one on the skillet handle are both handspun felted max. You can see the pot with the apples there on the left, too. 
But now I think it’s time for some lunch and by then the apples may be ready for the next step. Hope your day is moving along smoothly!
Weaving a Pot holder
Okay, finally here’s some weaving content! When packing up the kitchen in case of evacuation I used all my potholders as packing material between breakables. Clever, huh? Yes, but I still have to cook meantime! The too thin commercial pot holder that was left is cute but I may as well use my barehand and burn scars are not cute! I I dug out some yarns and the 3.5×7″ Quilt Weaver rectangle and wove a few. Two are Brown Sheep’s Lamb’s Pride 80% wool, 20% mohair and a skein of my own handspun, unlabeled, of course. That’s how I know it’s mine. Rosy, my spinning sister, labels hers with fiber type and yardage. Anyway, I wove two of each yarn and felted them in the washer with some bath mats. Not a good choice by the way as they incorporated a nice bit of white fuzz onto my blocks. But as I am not after pretty with this project I didn’t let that stop me, just something to keep in mind!
So now I see that the Brown Sheep felted up nice and tight, the hand spun less so but still good. I decided that the Brown Sheep were going to be a little too small for my project and that both were still a little thinner than I wanted for a pot holder. So I sewed the smaller ones to the larger to make my holder a double thickness. Then I used a blanket stitch to sew the two pads together.
Those of you who use the original non-stick (cast iron) skillets know how hot that handle can get but I think I’ve fixed that now! I’ll tell you after breakfast tomorrow!
It’s not pretty or cute but it looks like doing what I need. It ought to be pretty fire proof too, so hopefully I won’t set the kitchen on fire! However, I think I’ll make another and make it just a bit shorter. And maybe this time I’ll go for cute as well as safety!
Hazel Rose 