posted 5:30 PM
#%&@*#% yeah, you heard me. I'm trying to spin the 50/50 cotton/wool
I got from Little Barn and I'm having a bear of a time. At least I have spinning
guild tomorrow and Charles can help me. He spun up over 5 lbs. of the stuff
last year. I've never spun cotton before, so I thought with this much wool in
it I wouldn't have a problem. But then again, I believed my kids when they said
if we got a dog they'd clean up after it.
I twisted one end of the blanket last night while watching the first half of the History Channel's Land of the Tsars. I'll do the other half tonight. This morning I experimented with two yards of muslin for my FQ exchange. I'm really excited to see how they turned out. They're a modified (very) shibori. One I used marbles to tie in, the other I stitched down folds in the fabric. I'm going to start rinsing about 7 tonight. Wish me luck.
posted 11:30 PM
I usually pass up the quizzes, but the history major in me just had to take this one!
Which of Henry
VIII's wives are you?
this quiz was made by the
groovtastic ghouls at Spookbot
posted 7:25 PM
I'm getting ready to weave yardage for a top, not a tailored blouse, but slightly fitted. I have 3 pounds of 15/3 raw silk. I'm wondering if that would be good for blouse weight material. Since it's natural, I was thinking of painting the warp and then using the natural for the weft. On the other hand..... I love linen and cotton so, to me, cottolin would make sense. But I've never heard of anyone using that for clothing, only towels. Any thoughts on that?
I'm pretty wasted from trying to keep the attention of kids who don't want to be in school anymore. After next week it will be nearly impossible as all of the other schools will be having, or done with, exams. Our seniors don't start until June 16th and underclassmen on the 23rd. I'm just focusing on the 27th and the thought of Creative Strands around the corner.
Tonight it's a drink and twisting the fringe on the blanket - that's about all I can handle.
posted 4:45 PM
While I was reformating my computer and cleaning up my files I found the slideshow for The Silk Road, last year's Folklife Festival at the Smithsonian. It was so hot and dry last July - you felt like you were on the Silk Road with the amount of dust that was kicking up. Hard to conjure up that feeling with the cool, damp, dreary days we've been having lately. Of course, with 21 school days until vacation, I guess it's good it doesn't feel like summer.
I took the blanket off the loom. I'll post pictures after I twist the fringe and wash it.
posted at 7:25 PM
What's
this you say? First, I can't take credit for this - I have to thank Catherine.They're
Dr. Scholl's foot cups and the gel bottom is tacky enough to stay on the treadle.
When I spin with socks - even with barefeet - my feet slip and I feel tension
in my feet and legs trying to keep them still. This way my feet stay put and
they're soft and comfy to boot!
I spent many hours at my computer in the last few days, reformating and reloading
programs. No horrible story - it was elective surgery <g> so everything
(at least I hope) was backed up. So I was able to get some more knitting done
on the 
Little
Dimun. It's starting to go a little faster as the decreases have been adding
up.
I spent today, my birthday, spinning, plying, and weaving. All of the corriedale is spun and plyed. I'm actually glad the weather wasn't cooperative for dyeing as I'm starting to rethink the color. The doubleweave blanket is ready to come off the loom, but I think I may have to leave it there. The temptation would be too great to start twisting and I have a whole copy paper box of reports to grade for my psychology classes. I don't think I'll get through it all tonight, but I should start.
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Happy Memorial Day |
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Thank
you. Although I often express my displeasure with some of the decisions
made by our government leaders, I never forget my pleasure in the
privilege to do so.
|
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posted 9:20 AM
posted 9:00 AM
I'm going to cross my fingers and make a big wish that this is going to upload. I backed up all of my files, but I don't want to install them on the family room computer, so I'm just FTP'ing this in. I'm in the midst of reformating my computer and adding more memory, so I won't be updating until the end of the weekend. Hopefully I will have something besides a well running machine by Monday night.
I decided to finish all of the corried and then decide if or what I'll dye it. I'm cutting off the striped doubleweave blanket today too.
posted 5:45 PM
Finished the rainbow gradiation sampler with a kit from ProChem. I had to run out between rinsing and setting the dye for my mom's 87th birthday brunch. I think the omelet guy thought I was either dirty or had been in quite a fight! My family is used to it though - I add color to our outings (sorry!) Check out the results. I also did a yard for the ST fat quarter exchange, but I don't want to put that one up yet. Any ideas on a quilt pattern to for these?
posted 9:47 AM
I just uploaded a slideshow of warping pictures. Some of my students were asking about the process of weaving. I don't think I'll have the time to add any text until vacation, but I thought I'd throw them up now.
I've just finished preparing the fabric for a rainbow gradiation sample. I'm using three earthy tones and I've prepared 30 fat eights and numbered them with permanent marker.
The WFB fleeces are being washed today too. It's a pretty miserable day around here, but I'll just lay them out on sheets for today and put them on the deck tomorrow. I guess there is an upside of being dogless after all. :-(