Mining the Stash

It is no secret I have a stash that never seems to diminish, although I can say I have made inroads.  

But I still have yarn I purchased to re-sell and some of it is not in colours that make my heart sing.  However, they ARE in my stash, so I need to use them up.  Some how. 

So, this warp.  Colours are not quite so far into the yellow as shown in the photo, but...not my favourite.  

Why do I work with colours that don't appeal to me very much?   Partly it is a challenge.  Can I still make something nice even though I'm not using my favourite colours?  Mostly, can I use up this yarn without buying more to go with it?

Right now what I am trying to do is use up a rather brown yarn for weft, so my warps of late have been a lot more beige than I find appealing.  But the cones are getting used up.  And that is all to the good!

I just wish my lack of focus hadn't caused me to make a mistake while winding this.  It isn't terminal, just a time consuming pita. 

Work = Play

So, I am back to weaving with yarn of relatively high linen content - during winter - with low ambient humidity. 

Yesterday I dressed the loom with another tea towel warp on the small loom and wound bobbins for weft.  The weft yarn is a cotton slub plyed (plied?) with a singles linen.  It's fairly co-operative but not so much when the humidity drops as it does here in the winter.  The filled bobbins were placed in one of my humidors and allowed to 'steep' overnight.  Hopefully by the time I get to the loom, the yarn will have picked up enough moisture to be friendly.

Wait - did I just say I worked on Christmas Day?  Why, yes, I did.  I finished the red place mat warp in the morning, had lunch, then rough sleyed and dressed the loom before we left for Christmas dinner. 

When your work is your play...every day is a potential work day.  Or play day.

I also pushed through the next stumbling block on the writing and started the next section.  I have pretty much covered setting up the loom (the way I do it) and have begun discussing weave structures.  I'm hoping the next bit goes fairly quickly because I have published articles on various weave structures and should be able to mine my own writing for content.

Word count stands at 19,000 and 40 pages - without the photos/diagrams that will be added later.  Given the space needed for those, the page count is actually nearly double that, I think.  I won't know for sure until they get added in.

A friend is coming for a visit in exactly three weeks (yay!) and my goal is to have enough written that she can take a look and give me some feedback.  I'm also waiting for feedback from a brand new weaver, to see if any of it makes sense to her.

Currently reading Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine

Throwback Thursday

I have a vague memory of this day, December 1955.  I was only 5 (and a half - that half is so very important at that age!)

I remember the theatre filled with children, the excitement for the coming Christmas Day, but feeling a bit overwhelmed with it all.  Which, I think, shows on my face.

This year several of my friends are dealing with hard stuff.  Stuff that gets even harder as the season is supposed to be about being happy.  But life isn't always built of happiness, and sometimes life is just plain hard.

So for all my friends, I offer my wish that you find peace.  I send my thoughts and best wishes for a life that isn't quite so hard.  That everyone finds some contentment in the coming days and weeks ahead. 

I hope that people will be kind to each other and whether it's Merry Christmas or Seasons Greetings or whatever you believe in, that life will be kinder in the coming year.

Break Over

Got my yarn order yesterday so it's time to get back to work.  This warp will be more place mats, some for a special person, in a special size.  The rest will go into inventory. 

I seem to be taking a break from writing today.  There were appointments and errands and this warp to deal with.  

We will be having a very quiet holiday so I'm hoping there will be chunks of time to spend at the computer.  The writing seems to be going fairly smoothly so my hope is to continue with my goal of an hour a day...until it is done.  

The illustrations are then going to take a while, but it is looking good that this project will stay on track.

Mush

This folks, is a photo of page 30 and 31 of The Book...so far.  That's 31 pages of single spaced text, lacking copious numbers of photos, diagrams and potentially links to video clips.

I am at the point where I am trouble shooting selvedges in order to help people figure out why they might be having issues with them, and at the minute my brain is mush.  Toast.  

On the other hand I feel as though I have made significant progress.  Enough progress that I actually feel as though I am going to be able to do this, for realz, as a young friend says.

A really nice realization to come to on this, the first day of a 'new' year.  

Now I think I need some studio time.

Currently reading Even Dogs in the Wild by Ian Rankin

Resolutions

I am not a big fan of New Years resolutions which seem to dissolve by February.  But I find myself, halfway through my 65th year, thinking about life.  What it means to be alive, living a life of, hopefully, meaning.  What it means to live a life of mixed parts service...and selfishness.  What it is that gives meaning to MY life.  Even, on some days, of how I would like to be remembered, when all is said and done.

To me the solstice is more truly the beginning of a new year and I find myself resolving to live a more focussed life.  I have taken steps to remove things from my life that cause the bad sort of stress.  Fired myself from things that were not bringing pleasure.  Reflected on what is important to me now that I am more than halfway through my sixth decade.

The past few years have been potent reminders that I have used my body and it is showing signs of the wear and tear.  I am watching my mother becoming increasingly frail, having to give up her much loved crafts because she simply can't do them anymore.  

And so for the time being I have decided to concentrate on teaching and passing on my knowledge.  I intend to do that via the book I am trying to write, the Olds College program, for so long as they want me, and on the Internet by answering questions, whether that be in personal emails, chat groups or here.  

And I will weave as much as I am able.

Next warp...more tea towels.

Satellite Launch!

Got word yesterday that the satellite weaving program has been approved for Prince George, BC May 21-26, 2016.

Registration will begin in the new year, perhaps as soon as the end of the first full week of the new school year (January 8 or so).

Class will begin on the Saturday morning, run through the May long weekend and into the following week.  For those folks who work, that means they won't necessarily have to take a full week off work.

Class will be held in the Prince George Fibre Arts Guild room.  The guild has a number of floor and table looms, so you don't have to bring one.  (There may not be enough looms to go round if the class fills, so do bring your own if you have one that is portable.)

As I understand it, because this is a college course for credit the tuition can be used as a deduction on your income tax (Canadians).  Check to make sure before claiming it, of course.

The weaving program via Olds consists of four levels plus an independent study.  It is not a 'learn how to weave' class but assumes that people know how to dress their loom and the basics.  The program endeavours to ensure that everyone who takes it has a good grounding in the principles of textile creation. 

Homework is assigned and marked and each person must 'pass' one level before going on to the next.

The class here needs a minimum of six to 'go'.  There are a total of 10 spots (which will make the room...cozy...but we're all adults and we will play together nicely.)  If anyone is interested in signing up, I suggest they do so quickly.  We have tried to get the word out early enough that folks who need to apply for vacation time will have the time to get that into the works.

I am very excited about this opportunity.  This will be the first time the college is offering weaving as a satellite program.  I am honoured that they have agreed to have it here in Prince George.