2011 coming to an end

Sooo glad that this year is coming to an end through one thing and another. And looking forward very much to a new year.
My Internet connection is working well again. What a relieve. I can now watch the video of the class I missed last Wednesday.

Have not thought about weaving these last few months but as the year is coming to a close I find that I'm beginning to get the urge to get a warp made sooner rather than later.
My 4 shaft table loom is still warped with my granddaughter's scarf. Although she is capable of weaving on it she is not able to stay concentrated for very long. I've been helping her a bit this week and most likely will finish it for her as I do not want her to get an aversion to weaving. When she is a little older she might get back to it. At 4 it is probably asked to much. It was really sett up for her 6 year old brother who did manage to finish a scarf by himself this Summer.
This next week I will have my grandson here after having had his sister here this last week (what a lovely time we have had together). After next week my intention is to get a warp made for the Magic Dobby. I have several options for a warp, so I have this coming week to decide what it will be.

Dependency

Lately my Internet connection is so slow. I changed to fibre optic 2 months ago and that was fine but the last few weeks it has become so slow that it is no joy at all to use the computer just now. Friday I'm having a re-installation and I hope all problems will be solved.
Skype is useless too so no talking to grandchildren or, like now, having granddaughter staying here, she is unable to Skype with her parents. But hopefully that will be back to normal too after the re-installation.
It's like the old dial up connection at the moment.
It is making me realise how computer depended we have become.

Very frustrating as I had enrolled for Alice Schlein's class Triple Play at Weavolution, using Repper, Photoshop (Elements) and a weaving program (in my case PCW). But the connection was so slow that I never was able to connect to the class.

Almost the end of another year and it will soon be my 3rd blog anniversary. Very little weaving done these last months so I've had very little to report on that side. Just no inspiration whatsoever.
Closing this year will be a big help to get over this and start afresh and getting the creative juices flowing again.

Family time

Christmas has been and gone. Hopefully it has been a good time for everyone.
Last year I was to ill with flue to realise it was Christmas, so this time around I was painfully aware that Christmas is not like old times with several family members sadly missing.
But we were all together and it was happy time.

I now have my granddaughter staying with me until Saturday. Than my grandson will be coming to stay with me.A good way to get through these days. Such a joy to have them around.

Merry Christmas

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas

This decoration was given to me many years ago by Yolande, who made it herself. Every year it comes out of it's box and gets pride place on the inside front door.

Happy Thanksgiving

To all, on the other side of the pond, Happy Thanksgiving!

Photo in blog title

Jane asked about the weaving behind the blog title.

I used Venne cotton yarn in green and yellow and a variegated green/yellow as warp

and as weft a variegated green/yellow and a green silk yarn from Bart & Francis together with the warp yarns.

The pattern came from PCW Fiberworks, a 16 shaft called tumbling blocks.

On one side the blocks show the warp yarns and on the reverse the blocks show the weft yarns.
That's why I like this draft, I've used it for other projects too.

Here, above and under, the weft yarn was Noro Kureyon with a striped warp in plain colours.

Woven Picture

Not weaving myself just now but I'll soon be the recipient of a woven picture by Sandra Rude
Looking forward to this, as I've been waiting patiently.
Sandra works wonders, first on her computer to get the shades right and next the weaving itself.

I have several option as to what I want to weave next but not yet made up my mind.

Autumn

It's Autumn but the weather stays warmer than usual.
Today I found the first snowdrop in the garden! Usually it's Christmas time before I see the first one.

I was planting some bulbs when I found the flower.
When in the garden centre this week I came across this plant and just had to take it home with me....

 Never seen this colour before, it's called Royal Blue.

Green scarves

Productivity is not high at the moment. Just very little energy.
I have finished the green warp at last by finishing the fringe twisting yesterday.
The warp was enough for one good length scarf and the 2nd was just a bit short but with the long fringe on one side it still makes an acceptable scarf. See difference in photo on the left. The scarf on the right has been washed and pressed in both photos. It is very soft after washing & pressing and will be sent soon as a "thank you" present.

Next week is half term, so I will have the grandchildren here one after the other for most of the week.

Spinning weekend

I've been away a few days as it was our yearly national spinning weekend.
The weekend is held in a conference centre in the middle of the woods. We even heard the red deer at a distance as it was toward the end of the rutting season.
I did some spinning (Hampshire Down)

and knitting (commercial yarn, that I had dyed with cochineal some time ago)

The weather has been exceptional this last week, braking all records for this time of the year but it is getting back towards "normal for this time of year" weather now. It was lovely whilst it lasted.

The cats were very pleased to have me home again, following me everywhere the first day home!

This and that

Weaving still on the loom. As I'll be going to the yearly national spinning day this weekend, it will have to wait to be finished. I'm looking forward to meeting up with lots of spinning friends.
I did weave one scarf but the 2nd is just a bit to short to be called a scarf so I was in doubt what to do. Un-weave what I have woven so far of the 2nd scarf, or continue and use a long fringe to make up for length. Result is a standstill but I hope to finish one way or the other soon.

Last week grandson was swimming for his 2nd diplome

Another 2 months and he'll go for C. He loves the swimming and it is nice to watch.

Slow start

The warp is on the loom and I'm weaving but it has been a very slow start. I made a threading mistake in the reed. When I started to weave I noticed a threading mistake in one of the heddles. Next, after weaving a bit, I noticed the sett was not right. I needed more weft than warp yarns. So I rethreaded from 6 to 7 per cm in the reed and I'm happy at last! Weaving is now square. I love weaving with this yarn. It's new to me, but it is lovely and soft and shiny. The colours used here are darkteal and greyteal.

The draft is simple, but in combination with the yarn, I think it's just right.
Hopefully the rest of this warp will be without any hiccups.

Lots of other things are going wrong. Washing machine broke down, printer has stopped working. What next? Together with the sombre weather we are having, not a very good time just now.
Better go back to some more weaving.

#*#*

Today would have been DH's birthday. Strange day, the first without him being here.
Youngest daughter here tonight, I'll cook them a nice meal :-)
New warp is made but no energy to get it on the loom. Tomorrow is another day.
I'm using a new to me yarn of 50/50 wool/Tencel from WEBS.
It feels lovely and soft and the shine of Tencel is coming through, so hopefully it will make a nice scarf.

This is what I plan to weave in a 3/1 and 1/3 block twill design with 2 colours green.

Above the threading of the block twill with extra plain weave at the edges and below the tie-up in detail

Done

The warp is finished, washed and hemmed. Ready for showing.

I managed to weave 2 towels with a linen weft weaving a satin (below left) and an Oelsner pattern (below right).

1 using warp yarn as weft in tabby (below left)

and 1 using a cotton chenille yarn (above right) weaving satin again.
When finishing, I noticed that the linen satin towel has weaving mistakes that are beyond repairing, so it will have to stay as it is.

I like the Oelsner patterned towel best.

It is Oelsner pattern 813, or pattern 8980 at Handweaving.net.
May be I'll make some more similar like that at a later date. It has no distinct front or back like the satin towels in linen and cotton chenille and it feels nice.
I also like the warp/linen combination. I'm not so keen on the all cotton (weft like warp) towel. It just feels different. The cotton chenille one is nice for drying hands, it feels very soft.

I'm recovering from a starting lung infection, I was early catching it but it does take it out of  you and the coughing is still going on and I'm told it could be 4 weeks to get over that.
I think my next warp will be a scarf that I want to make for someone as a thank you for visiting my father on a regular basis. I had thought of giving the coloured/white silk/Tencel scarf but I don't think it will do her any good colour-wise. So, I'll make a woollen one. Have to think of pattern and colour first though. May be a 2-tone green.

Another young weaver

At the moment my 4 year old granddaughter is staying with me. She also wanted to weave a scarf and I'm surprised that she is managing very well!

I've tried to make a video of her, it looks like it is successful to upload.
It is as well that the loom and warp are strong when you watch her weaving!

Here a photo of her weaving, she managed almost 19cm today. It's the same warp as her brother but she wants to weave with pink.......

Not sure if she will be able to finish the whole scarf this week. Next week she'll have to go back to school so at the latest she is going back home on Saturday.
Giving her mummy a well earned break, as it can be very demanding, a 4 year old around you ;-)
But we are having a lovely time together, though today started very early, 4:30 :-(
Luckily I did get her to go back to sleep again....

My own weaving: I'm still weaving the last warp and now weaving the 4th and last towel.
I've been so busy these last few days that I just collapse in the evenings not doing any weaving at all ;-)

Magic in the Water

Today in the post came my own copy of Magic in the Water by Laura Fry. I had seen a copy 2 years ago from the library in England so I knew what it was like and just wanted my own copy before it was to late. The full versions are sold out now, just some available now with not all the samples in. But Laura is also working towards a pdf version of the book. So, the information will still be available, but without the real samples.
As a  bonus I also received a lovely towel. It is made with 50% cotton and 50% linen.

and here a detail

That was a lovely surprise to receive with the book.

Summer School

Today I was going to travel to Edinburgh to Summer School. I was booked in to the Digital Photography course. But I cancelled as I wanted to be near my family for special reasons.
It would have been lovely to get back to Edinburgh, the city where we married in 1969 and also meet up with friends. But hopefully I'll be able to get to Complex Weavers next year. Never been to USA.
Family comes first and I'm happy to have made the choice to stay at home. I took my grandson back yesterday, and the house feels empty after having had him here for 10 days but on Wednesday his sister is coming. I  just have a few days to recharge my batteries. ;-) School starts on the 22nd so she will have to get back home before than.

Weaving is going slow, but the end of the warp is in sight. I will plan a cheery new warp after this. But this warp was all about just being able to weave without thinking much. I'll be lucky if I get 4 towels out of this warp. Probably made the first 2 a bit longer than I planned. They have linen weft, I'm now weaving the 3rd with yarn from the warp.

Holiday almost over

Tomorrow I'll take my grandson home again. First time he has been away from home for so long, 10 days. If it was up to him he would stay longer but I need a few days on my own and will have his sister later in the week. We'll see how long she wants to stay this time.
We went to the Zoo yesterday, that was a big hit. Lots to see and do.

He loves climbing, and this was quite high up

We will go back there again.
Today was weaving day as he wanted to finish his scarf. I think it is great that he managed so much for a first project. Have to see if it stays with just this one project or that more will follow in the future.

Here he is with the scarf just finished fringe twisting but not yet washed.

Here it is after washing and pressing.

And here a scan of the middle part. Not bad for a first weaving for a 6 year old!

He liked my finishing here, so I added one on his scarf and also found the "hand made" hand. That will be a surprise for him in the morning.
Today was also baking time

Nothing better than helping and licking

Young Weaver

I have my 6 year old grandson staying with me. I asked him if he would like to do some weaving himself.
So, today we made a warp together and we got my first loom out for him to use.
The loom is now ready and he is weaving like he has done it many times before!

The colour of the warp and weft he choose himself.

Blue and red in the warp

and a multi coloured yarn as weft. All cotton.

Concentration

And after 15 minutes he has come this far and he is singing away whilst weaving.

Yesterday we went to the cinema. We saw Cars 2 in 3D. It was his first visit to the cinema as he usually sees DVD's at home. It was fun to see the film in 3D.

Cotton Warp

Here is my new warp, it is a stripy cotton warp and I'll be weaving tea towels. Never done this before. I need to be doing something very simple for this moment as a lot is going on around me. It will be nice to just get into the rhythm of weaving this warp and think of nothing else.

The first towel will be woven with white linen in a satin weave.

It's an 8 shaft satin and the sides are on shaft 9&10.

I think I'll be able to weave 4 or 5 towels from this warp and I want to make them all different. I hope they'll make nice presents to give away.

Blue Bayou

Today in the post I received a present to myself.

It's made by Sandra Rude and I'm very pleased with it. The photo shows it hanging in my bedroom. It will be really nice to see last thing at night and first thing in the morning. Sandra is showing the original photo here.

Above some details to show how this weaving is so different in parts.

My own weaving is slow at the moment through one thing and another. It has taken me over a week to warp and thread. Now threading the reed and hope to be able to start weaving tonight. Never woven tea towels and thought that this would be something easy and tranquil to do. A cotton warp on 10 shafts with a linen weft.