Fiber

No pressure

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With my Aran sweater off the needles, I am in the final throes of holiday knitting and weaving. I have two more F’ing deer hats to finish by Friday. Four dish towels are a twinkle in my eye on the loom and scarves abound. One finished, one warped. I have to keep moving because the thermometer read 14 degrees below 0 this morning.

I played with how tight to beat the strands on this scarf and ended up with nice color interplay.

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I had envisioned a gold brown tweedy fabric but initially, when I packed the threads too tightly, it appeared black. So I loosened up and found the effect I sought. Next I embellished the ends with a Mexican Lace effect. Voila! I love it, in silky wool.

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Counting the miles

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In the Pool and on the loom. I am hanging in there with Master Swimming. I may still be the worst swimmer in the pool but I am also the most improved. I’m able to swim at least a mile already, doing the freestyle, without gasping for air, but still with a few cramps. I may grow to love this. As I learn to relax, I get the sense of floating in the pool. Just wait until I wear my handmade red bathing suit!

I decided I needed to make a few towels for gifts for this weekend. I haven’t been on the loom for ages! I set it up to make about six towels at once. It took 508 strands of 7.5 yards of cotton which ran through my fingers at least twice: when I measured it on the warping board; and when I threaded it and wound it on the loom. That’s more than two miles of thread.! My arms are tired this morning from swimming a mile and weaving two. I may even be getting exercise at the loom. My exercise ball is the perfect height seat when I sit inside the loom for hours fiddling with it. It took me at least eight and maybe ten hours to measure the warp and dress the loom. Then it took about an hour to weave each towel. Six towels may take 16 hours. But as with socks, there’s nothing like hand knit or woven.

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Time to fill a void

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My big knitting project came off the needles this morning, an Aran sweater designed by Alice Starmore, Irish Moss. I love it and hope my daughter does too. I missed my self imposed Thanksgiving deadline, but made Christmas with time to spare.

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Sewing it together went perfectly. The pieces matched up and my finishing technique has improved over the years. The shadows the cables create are wonderful and now my wrist has a chance to rest from all the twisted purls the pattern used.

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Although it went pretty fast, I finished just in the nick of time. I have deferred lots of little projects and some weaving because I was so focused. Now I have created a void that beckons to be filled. Here’s a starter. Pirate hat, redux. The right size this time? Second time’s a charm.

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To(o) Organize(d)

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I hit a breaking point. My work area was a disaster. I knew I had crossed a line when Tim cleaned around my work area because there was so much stuff in piles on the floor. So I got to work. First I moved my weaving and spinning equipment off the floor. I haven’t committed to where I want to permanently install my warping board so I hung it with my rigid heddle loom for now. Wreath hooks hold it over a door when I measure a warp.

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I was feeling pretty good after that first step.
My work table was cluttered with all my works in process. I considered two ways of organizing a work space. Leave everything out to remind me what I am working on or hide everything. Looking at all my plans was paralyzingly me so I chose to hide them away. I hope I remember all my projects. I left the quilt in process on a shelf with its quilting hoop; found a bag for my braided rug and material; stowed my yarn, alpaca and llama fleeces; put my quilt pieces and batting in a tub; and found a place for my rope collection for future rugs. I had a pile of tee shirts I plan to make into a quilt for me but they made a big pile. So, I cut out the logos out for the quilt and saved the bottoms for future rug strips. Somehow, the same amount of material seemed more organized.
I went from this

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To this

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Feeling real good!
To think all my quilting fabric used to fit in this little trunk.

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I’ve come a long way. Now where is my measuring tape?

Big sweater, little sweater

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And a hike in between.
I finished the front piece of daughter’s Irish Moss Sweater. It’s a beautiful pattern, still not quite memorized.

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Yesterday, I took most of the day off. I took a six mile walk with hiking buddies, spread 400 pounds of topsoil in my new raised bed and planted 110 daffodil bulbs.

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Today, I completed my Ob/gyn AND menopause certifications. Another interesting fact: menopausal women tend to lose hearing in their left ear first. What’s that you say?

I’m working on a sweet baby kimono sweater. I bought the pattern because I loved the textured band and couldn’t figure it out when I saw a sample. Now I know.

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Now, I’m off to another swimming (umhmm) session. My mantra is: BREATHE! Farewell.

Overdoing it?

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Physically and craftily.

We joined a Master Swim Program and had our first session this week and I nearly drowned. Not really but I am not in swimming shape. I have never been a competitive swimmer. And I don’t swim freestyle. It was pathetic. My goggles flooded, my legs cramped up. Despite being given an easier program than everyone else.

Which leads me to my next issue: lots of projects. Including a new one. I may try to sew a bathing suit. I went to a fabric sale today and the woman had an old bathing suit pattern which is perfect for swimming and bathing suit material. I’ll be the only one there that made my own bathing suit. In red! Easier to spot on the bottom of the pool.

I also discovered a new ( to me) local (less than 50 miles away) yarn store, Plattsburgh Yarn and Gifts. Sweet little shop, which carried the Malabrigo yarn I wanted for a baby Kimono and the Plymouth Encore for a colorful blanket. Plus their business card had instructions for the kitchener stitch on the back!

My new sewing machine was able to churn out this little gem of a bowl. It has cloth wrapped around clothesline then zig zagged together.

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I’ve almost finished the front of my Irish Moss sweater. I haven’t used a cable needle at all and have tons of cables, including four over three.

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My friend gave me a wool coat, which had washed funny. First I checked out whether it fit me but since it didn’t, it became strips for a braided rug.

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I received another request for an amorous deer hat. The deer heart is pickling away and very tasty. It looks like I’ll be enjoying it on my own.

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Geraniums look great.

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The christmas cactus I bought a year ago is getting ready to bloom for the first time and I bought at least a hundred bulbs and 350 pounds of top soil to spread in the new raised bed Tim built.

And there’s fiber to spin, quilts to sew and a Board recertification exam to complete. Where does the time go?

Not for the feint of heart

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Once again the Universe delivers.  I traded a deer hat for deer meat.  I received a heart, three chops and two steaks and may have had the better end of the bargain.   Yesterday I made the chops.  I seared them on the stove,  put them in the crock pot with tomato sauce, brown sugar, onions, mustard, apple cider vinegar and cooked them forever.  They were delicious.  Lean meat, good taste.  I intend to pickle the heart, which Tim is too squeamish to eat.  I’m OK with any muscle, but draw the line at filter organs like kidneys and liver.

It’s good to be home and cooking and crafting here.  I made a mini apple pie the other night.  A friend is a potter and she made a small pie plate, which is just perfect for the two of us.  Besides, I only eat pie the day it’s baked.  I’m such a princess.

Apple pie

BFF 2013 (3)

 

I finished two children’s hats so I can finally begin my daughter’s next sweater.  I’m still a little concerned the pirate hat may be small but we’ll see.  I can always make another one.  The aviatrix hat is so sweet, I may need one for myself.  I made it with Koigu, nice and soft merino.

Gift hats

 

I wound wool and knit a gauge swatch (three times) for my daughter’s Irish Moss sweater, by Alice Starmore.  Apparently I’m loose.  I’m using a merino, alpaca blend, Mountain Vista by Classic Elite.  I think I’ll focus on this and spinning for a while.

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I was dismayed to learn from my quilting group that I can’t use the quilt I am quilting for a baby because it has a polyester, flammable fill.  So I’ll let the adults burn up.  They also pointed out my border fabric is POLYESTER and should definitely by ripped out.  Boo Hoo.

Hand quilting

Hand quilting

I think I may just hide it under the binding!

I’m not as upset as this cat, which was chased up a tree by my cat.

Loki and a cat up a tree

 

The interloper finally scrambled down the tree, they caterwauled for a while and then were off for a run.  Loki made it home unscathed and feeling pretty  proud of himself.

My new green machine

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My, new to me, Husqvarna Viking sewing machine shipped to my office while we were in Maine. I work with such great people that we all, excitedly, gathered round while I unwrapped my purchase.

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It’s so retro and green. Look at this plaid fabric lining the case.

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It was manufactured in Sweden in 1959 and was under warranty until 1984. Lucky for me, it sews like a champ right out of the box.

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It can even sew buttons onto fabric!

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I love it because it’s mechanical, not computerized and I can see its working parts. I justify this purchase because it has a powerhouse motor, which I will need to sew new cushions and a sail cover for the boat.

But I’m sure I’ll find lots of other projects for it. In Sweden, they even use it to sew a form of Rya rugs. The mind boggles.

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