Prezzies

In the past few weeks I've received a couple of just-because presents.  Today I had lunch with a friend I hadn't, due to Life Happening, seen since before Christmas.  At the end of lunch and an exchange of stuff - books we'd read and were passing on, etc., - she casually mentioned that she had something else she wanted to give me.  It was in her car.

So as we left the restaurant, we walked over to her car and she took out a copy of La Dentelliere that she had purchased while traveling in France.  It seemed appropriate since she was the one responsible for getting me started making lace.  :)

I think I have a nice spot for it.  Just need to wait for Doug to get home to put a nail in the wall to hang it from.

Things Happen

I'm blaming the cold Doug so generously shared with me for the brain cramp that resulted in my making a mistake in the tie up of the next set of towels...and not noticing until well into towel number three!

Now I know you can't really see it in the photo, but it will be quite apparent in 'real life'.  So these three towels will be 'seconds' and probably given to friends who don't mind my orphans.

Anyone want a flawed orange towel?  Or three?

The Runner Stumbles

Since arriving home from the coast I had been steadily making good progress and not even working terribly hard at getting what needed doing, done.

And then I caught Doug's nasty virus.  With just days to go before the Big Project!  So I have eased off somewhat, taking things a bit 'easy' (or easier than I would have been doing, given the looming deadlines!) in hopes that I can keep this bug from completely taking over and ruining everything.

Over the weekend I got the demo warp onto the loom.  It is 7 meters long and follows the directions for the Spring Bouquet towels I had published in Handwoven's May/June 2013 issue.  It seemed appropriate, for many reasons.  :)

This morning I cleared the clutter off the table near the loom.  I left some things there because a) there is no where else to put them and b) the studio shouldn't look like it isn't used, right?  (S'my story, sticking to it.)

There is still the counter to the right of the loom to deal with.  But little by little, I'm getting there.

I'm a little worried now that I wove one too many towels and there won't be enough warp left for the demonstrations, but oh well....

Currently reading Blood by Lawrence Hill

Blessed

I am blessed with friends and family who encourage and support me.  

In spite of being very sick with a nasty virus, Doug loaded up the van with the boxes and bins we filled yesterday, emptying the end of the studio so the crew can fit in for the Big Project in (gasp!) 9 days. 

Loralee came back today and started by tidying the rayon chenille, then began filling the shelves with some of the 2/8 cotton tubes.  She says she will come back to finish that.  Plus she is going to store the clutter because the annex is full of stuff that needs to be accessible before I can begin dealing with the contents of the boxes and bins of clutter. 

I am grateful beyond words for the people in my life, including you, gentle reader.  My life would be a lot poorer and much less interesting without you all. 

Round Tuits and Re-organization

I have been procrastinating about getting the rubble removed from the part of the studio that needed to be cleaned up.  However, this morning a friend with a 'round tuit' arrived to help!

Between the three of us (she brought another pair of arms and legs to help physically remove the boxes) cleared away the piles of boxes and bins on the floor in front of these shelves, then cleared all the rubble off the shelves as well.

And then she vacuumed!  I removed myself during this part of the process as my allergy to dust kicked in.

Even better, she will come back tomorrow to tidy the rayon chenille on the rack against the far wall, and help to put yarn, currently in bags and boxes onto the shelves so that I can actually see what I have and get to it.

The store room is once again a mess after she cleaned it up last summer, so we may even take a little time to straighten that out, although it isn't necessary for the Big Project.

Trouble with re-organizing is that before it can get better, it has to get a lot worse.

I even managed to throw stuff away.  Not nearly enough, but at least some.  I will work on serious clean up after the Big Project is completed.  (Not saying when, just...after!)

Irrepressible

showing both sides of the cloth - one side more orange, the other, not so much

close up

Finally got started weaving the warp on the AVL yesterday.  The colours aren't to my taste particularly, but I think for those people who do like soft earthy palettes, these are looking pretty good.

One thing about being an optimist - one tends to look to the future.  Sometimes far into the future.

And so another Big Project is aborning.  This project has a deadline five years in the future.  What can I say?  I'm excited.  :)   Stay tuned.

Go Gently

Into that good night.

The days are getting longer and longer.  When I got home from guild drop in it had stopped raining, so I went for a walk.  This picture doesn't do the sunset justice but it was a perfect evening to take a walk.

Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network