Weaverly

Peaceable Kingdom (All Together Now)

It was a busy day at the zoo yesterday. I think every preschooler in the county was there, along with all the moms and other caregivers. I was perhaps the oldest one there. Except for the non-humans.

The light at the flamingo pond was especially nice. I'm thinking that standing for long periods of time on one leg would be a good skill for weavers to learn. What could you do with the second foot? Tap on a yardage counter perhaps?

The South American habitat attracted me. I found it architecturally interesting and with a few mods I could envision living there. Without the anteater, of course.

If looks could kill! 

Well, that was a good break. Always good to get out and see what the rest of the world is doing. Now back in the studio I am weaving a few samples in a very interesting 3-shaft weave. I first encountered it in Marian Stubenitsky's newest book. It's mind-boggling that you can get so many patterns out of a simple 3-shaft color-and-weave warp. 

And today outside again. The sun is back out, but I think from now on the cooler weather will be past history. A gorgeous coneflower display at the sustainability garden.

In the Department of Books: I have finished reading Abraham Verghese's The Covenant of Water.

Flora and Fauna

Nothing I can say would make this more beautiful than it is.

So I will go back inside and sit down at the loom. The jin warp has been resleyed from 20 epi to 24 epi and it's more stable. I've chosen to eliminate pattern and just make it two-sided with no ornamentation. Weft dominates on the reverse side, as one of the warps is much thinner than the other.

Another day, another walk. A parliament of fowls. Die ganze mishpocha.

The jin has been cut off and finished. It has a very good drape. I'm glad I tightened up the sett.

Just wanted to show you this little fellow who showed up on our front door last night, just as we were shutting down. He was not there this morning. I hope he found his way back to the pond & his brethren.

In the Department of Books:

I've just finished reading Stacy Schiff's excellent biography, The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams.

 

Jin and More

I've been away, and now I'm back. I was lucky to see my beloved Fie Top again after way too long. The sky is so vast, the vistas so long. I feel restored.

Back home, my luck still holds. My neighbor tends this beautiful garden in the back yard. She does all the work, and I get to sit on my back porch and enjoy the view. Win win.

In the studio, I have finished a jin scarf. It's a curious blend of slub cotton, black & white nub rayon (warp), and pink tencel (weft). 

It was drafted on a networked threading, based on a gently sloping line, and then a liftplan constructed in Photoshop Elements ®. 

Department of Books: I have finished reading Jane Stern's Ambulance Girl.

Small Victories

Morning in the woods. The first thing that popped into my head when I saw this tree was "V for Victory." Does anyone say that anymore? It did make me think a good day was in store.

Honeysuckle is everywhere. If you put your face right up close to the monitor you will be able to smell it. Delicious.

No, I did not pay this gentleman to pose with his bicycle in front of the gazebo. Isn't he perfect?

Some of my friends are Master Gardeners and know the names of every plant and tree and weed in the woods. Not I. I don't know what this one is, but it is very showy right now, and I love the way the leaves light up when the sun shines through them just so. 

Back in the studio, I'm working on a third runner (towel?) on the Bateman variations warp. I've modified the draft a bit, slightly elongating the blocks. The pattern weft is pink slub cotton, and the tabby is red tencel. 

A closeup. The little diamonds show up more clearly with this yarn combination. It's always fun when that happens. There's never any predicting it.

I recently received this book in the mail. It's got a number of interesting overshot drafts in it, drafts which are a little different than the American ones I am familiar with. My copy is already bristling with blue sticky notes.

Here's one I am interested in sampling. It's my modification of a draft the authors call "Dalkulla." What do you think?

Blue

It's not the New Mexico sky but I'll take it. Happy Spring. Who says blue is a sad color?

The blue heron grows bolder every day. I turn a corner and there she is.  I am allowed to get up close. 

Indoors, there is this. On the other side of the world, but right here in my living room. Formula 1.

And by pure coincidence, this is my current spin. Corriedale (75%) and lotus fiber (25%) from Hilltop Cloud. I will eventually ply it and use it in a warp.

Assorted Treasures

I believe a Bunched Arrowhead has been sighted. Very excited to have seen this.

Also on this morning's walk at the Preserve a fine display of tree fungi. Stripes anyone?

This past Wednesday I had the good fortune to accompany friends for a stroll at the garden of Jane and Boris Bauer. These gardeners have in 40+ years started and nurtured the most marvelous display of magnolias, over one hundred varieties, as well as other regional plants.

 

The array of colors and subtle differences in tone & shade among all these plants was inspiring to me. I am very grateful to have seen this wonderful garden.

Also inspiring, although totally unexpected, was an array of "expired" camellias under a bush. You never know when a new color scheme will jump out at you.

Back in the studio I stitched a label onto a recently completed blanket. It's just in time for the 21st birthday of a super terrific person.

In the Department of Books: finished reading Hugo Hamilton's The Speckled People. Recommended!

New Beginnings

"New beginnings" is too many words, or, as Bruce suggests, superfluous, or again, redundant. Just plain "beginnings" would be better. But Typepad doesn't charge me extra for too many words. So I"ll leave it for now.

My favorite story of the week: Fernando Alonso, at age 41, has just signed with Aston Martin in Formula 1 racing, and achieved a podium position in Sunday's race in Bahrain. It's never too late to begin again! 

Bridges can take you somewhere new. Here are two of my favorites.

I saw this fellow from the bridge. Think circles. More to come.

Back at the studio, another beginning. A new warp. A collection of 10/2 cottons from my ever-dwindling stash

My adaptation of "Conestoga," a traditional overshot draft. Four shafts. Tabby weft is brown 16/2 cotton. Pattern weft is handspun 2-ply Icelandic wool from my stash.

Circles. I never get tired of the surprise of being able to produce circles from a 4-shaft loom. Click to enlarge. The Icelandic yarn is poufing out nicely. Click to enlarge,

Complete change of topic. In the Department of Books, I just finished reading The Escape Artist by Jonathan Freedland.

Jin on 4 (Again)

This lovely long warp is perfect for using up little bits of yarn stash. I'm still weaving jin on 4 shafts, and the treadling is easy (musical interlude of "Summertime" here). 

Today I got into the greens.

And how can I avoid it? Yellows will have to be next.

Over at Swan Lake, the water level has been drawn way down. I assume they are doing maintenance. The wildlife are confused. Ducks have been walking in the roads.

Although this fellow seems content.

Back home, I am reminded just how much I love my little breakfast room. It's actually at its best in the evening, when the monstera casts a fine shadow.

A Puzzle

Which one of these is not like the others?

Clue: the first one is halvdräll, the final towel on this particular warp.

The second one is magnolia, rather late in its blossoming cycle.

And the third one is a jacquard sighting in a waiting room.

Answer: there is no answer. I'm just trying to cool off a little at the end of a very hot day in South Carolina.

 

 

 

Fringe Benefits

The gray warp is all woven and cut off. This morning I sat on the back porch and tied fringes. 

The paperback I am using as a weight is the first one that came to hand, a weighty tome from my cookbook shelf. The New York Cookbook was recommended to me when I was researching the best recipes for a NY style Jewish rye bread, which some in the North call corn bread.

Apparently the term "corn bread" in this context is not the Southern style made with mostly corn meal, but a dense rye bread with a little corn meal, and a good sour flavor. 

In her introduction to the recipe, Molly O'Neill quotes Terry Kornick, " My mother learned to make this from her brother, Izzy, who immigrated to New York from Poland, where he had been in the shoe business." 

That's what I love about this cookbook. It's full of little personal gems. Out of print, you can still find plenty of used copies. 

And now a closer look at the scarf. 

And if that's just too much orange for you, here's a little purple from yesterday evening's jaunt to the lakeside to see the iris in bloom.