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lots of copies, some signed (12?)  $20

12 copies - $40

Well, it's that time of the year again!  Where has this year gone?

As per usual, I will be having my 'birthday bash' special offering - July 1-9 buy two items and get free shipping.

I will be posting photos of the tea towels I have available - pretty much anything I've posted in the last six months on my blog.  Which I realize isn't much but then, I haven't been weaving much, either.
However, I also have some left from last year like these:

They are made from 2/16 cotton warp and a singles 20 linen weft.  The design is Young Lover's Knot woven in twill blocks.  I think there are six left.  Have to check for sure.

Or contact me to see if I have something in a colour you'd like.

There are also lots of painted warp scarves, too many to try to post because each one is individual.

The colours change along the length of each scarf, sometimes dramatically, sometimes subtlety.

Towels range in price from $24 to $36.  Prices will be going up this fall (just saying).  Painted warp scarves are $125.

The silk shawl/scarves I wove during recovery are $150.

Happy birthday Canada (July 1), the United States (July 4)...and moi...

(email me laura at laurafry dot com to inquire about photos or place an order)

Know Your Materials

A good crafts person learns as much as possible about their tools and materials as they can.  For weavers this means understanding the inherent characteristics of the fibres they work with and how preparation for, and then spinning them, will affect those characteristics.

One of the things covered in the Olds curriculum is an introduction to the materials being used, but if you can't take a class where this is covered you can find out by doing a search on the Internet, taking my webinar via Interweave, called A Good Yarn, or asking your library for books on fabric science.  Here are just three such books I have in my personal library.  And why I am registered for two spinning workshops next month.  You can never know too much about your materials, imho...

Gathering

We got home yesterday.   The trip had been very tiring, what with one thing and another and we were delighted and even relieved to be home again.

We did the absolute minimum, rested, vegged, generally gathered ourselves together after such a hectic week and a bit.

There was much to reflect on and things to consider.  

There is still almost zero energy, but considering I am just barely five months out from major surgery, AND that we wound up with food poisoning at some point (the joys of travel and eating every meal out) I think I am well on the road to recovery.

I had made the decision that Olds Fibre Week would be our last yarn sale/show so I am very happy to be done with that.   I had approached the college about starting a satellite weaving class here.   Zachary has agreed and I will get a formal proposal to him as soon as the new computer is completely set up.  (Just to add to the general stress level, the old computer was threatening to die.)

The experience of team teaching was good, especially as I wasn't feeling my best.  My co-teacher is young and enthusiastic and I hope we can repeat the experience at some point.  I think the students enjoyed it, too.  

Now that Olds is done, I have just a couple of weeks until company comes.  I'm hoping to tame Clutter Mountain so I won't be embarrassed when she arrives.   I need to weave like the wind to get things ready for the fall sales, so hopefully my energy will begin to return tomorrow.   I am...and I never expected to say this again...thinking about another 'book', this time digital only, no hard copies, no samples.

With less travel in my future I expect to have some time to devote to doing more of what I enjoy and less of what causes me stress.

After a 40 year career, I have earned that benefit.

Although I could not fit hemming into the van I am making good progress and expect to have these towels ready for my annual 'birthday' sale which will run from July 1 to the 9th.  It will be another buy two items, get free shipping.   Hopefully the computer will be back to functioning onTuesday so I can post photos of available items.  Stay tuned!

Just finished The Bellini Card by Jason Goodwin and started The Resistance Man by Martin Walker

Heading Home

Hinton, AB, last night around 9 pm looking west at the Rockies.  

The mountains looked very atmospheric and it rained all the way through so we didn't get a very good view.   But no matter the season or the weather the mountains are always inspiring.  

Satellite

With interest in learning how to weave apparently growing, Olds College has agreed to establish a satellite program to begin next year in Prince George, BC.   We are looking at holding it over the long May weekend.  It would run Sat through Wed.   With Monday a holiday, people who work would only have to book off two days for class time, not a full week.

Details are currently being sorted out as college staff are still dealing with this years Fibre Week so I will post here and on social media as exact information becomes available.

The Prince George guild has a small but fairly well equipped guild room and has some looms available for rent. The guild room is near several motels and restaurants for people coming from out of town.  The town has an airport and is at the intersection of hwy 97 and 16 for those driving.

Stay tuned for further details!

Olds Fibre Week

So, we made it.  It even stopped raining long enough to pack in.   Set up went smoothly as we were able to drive the van right into the building, so even if it had been raining we would have been ok.   And my classroom is in the same building.  Zachary, bless his heart, took the cart with ALL the stuff for class to the classroom.  I'm hoping to get in early tomorrow morning so I can start unpacking ALL the boxes, get things set out on display and dress the loom with the value scale warp.

All in all, things are going smoothly.  I'm hoping for a nice quiet dinner and evening tonight.  

Here is how the booth looked.  Well, part of it.  We have two spaces, so you can't see all of it in this picture. 

In Praise of Simplicity

After two consecutive warps with threading errors, I decided I needed some instant gratification and a palate cleanser and after many re-thinks eventually settled on a straight draw over 16 shafts.  The tea towels will have a small repeating design rather than a larger one.   I also wound stripes of colours in the warp and wanted those stripes to take a larger role in the design.  A little bit of something for everyone.

I was reminded how much faster threading a straight draw is as I zoomed through the 768 ends in no time.  This morning I sleyed, tied on, generated the treading draft and wove just over one towel, all before lunch.  Happiness!

The colours, although subtle and may not show well in the photo, taken with my iPad, are pleasing to me.  I have several other treading variations to try when I tire of this one.  But in the meantime I'm enjoying the simplicity of this warp.  And I'm using up stash!