Friday, February 17, 2012

What's Necessary

....and here we go!

It may have been a mistake to put this warp on the loom right now with so many distractions.  On the other hand, weaving this cloth correctly takes focussed concentration, and perhaps this time right now is the perfect time to get my mind off mom's surgery and the sale of her house, which has been giving us fits and starts - did not even think about asbestos insulation, but of course the house is of the correct era for exactly that issue.  Since the house was built in '51-52 and never sold in that time until now, of course no one ever looked in the attic before!

We've requested an extension from the buyer and Doug is scrambling to find someone who can do the work (not an easy task) of removing the old insulation and someone to install new insulation, all as promptly as possible so that the sale doesn't collapse.

Anyway, back to the cloth on the loom. 

There are times when I do use a temple and this is one of them.  I'm trying very hard to beat this cloth at 24 ppi and was only getting about 21 without the temple.  With it, I'm getting much closer to my goal.  Yes, it is a bit slower but once I get into the rhythm it doesn't slow me down all that much and since I'm using the fly shuttle the weaving goes pretty quickly regardless.

I wanted to include a sample with fringe on all four sides in the Big Project, so this two colour warp/weft sample was the obvious choice.  Since the selvedges are going to be cut off anyway, there is no need to worry about the fact that the pale green is being carried up the side for 40 picks.  I don't even have to tuck in the old weft tail and overlap the new one, just leave them hanging out.  Why take the time to do that when they are just going to be cut off anyway?

So now you know my little secret.  I only do what needs to be done to achieve the result that I want.  Sometimes that means a savings in time; sometimes that means taking extra time.  If it isn't necessary I don't do it.  If it is, I do.

Oh, and mom is doing fine.  The surgery went well and when I phoned the hospital yesterday she was breathing on her own, sitting up in a chair waiting to be transferred out of ICU to a regular ward.  :)

Currently reading Before the Poison by Peter Robinson

2 comments:

Martha said...

Great tips as always! And so happy your mom is doing well. Good luck with the insulation project! And many thanks for the "pearls" you share with us.
Best from northern VA

Sandra Rude said...

I'm so glad to hear your mom is doing well after the surgery. All best wishes that the house stuff, and her second surgery, go equally well.