Circular Weaving

I've been working for the past week or so on a very large circular weaving.

It's 35.5" in diameter, woven on a brass ring from what must have been a huge chandelier.

I really like most of it, but I'm having doubts about the outer edges. I don't really care for the natural coloured roving towards the rim, but the space is awkward to fill and it is all I had. A darker beige would have been better I think.

I liked the weaving more at an earlier stage, shown below.

Or perhaps even before that, when it was less busy looking and was more about the texture.



But leaving so much of the warp showing also seemed wrong?

More Sewing Than Blogging

There has been sewing, 

--- just not a whole lot of blogging about it.

A while back I discovered the "York Pinafore" by Helen's Closet. I used some upcycled, off white, light canvas curtain fabric for a test of the pattern.

--- and liked the pattern so much I went on to make three more in rapid succession. 

The style ticks a lot of boxes for me. It's comfortable, it has handy big pockets, it's not clingy, and by varying what is worn under it it can span all four seasons.

Seven Months Early

It's either seven months early or many years late. I finally finished the Bucilla applique kit, "Cookies and Candy Wreath".

Although it's ready in plenty of time for Christmas 2020, I actually purchased the kit on sale many, many years ago and didn't work on it until I came across it when I was cleaning and organizing my weaving room and decided --

--- that it was now or never! I would either get it made or give it away.

I chose to make it and I'm glad I did. It's quite cute and it was fun to make.

Sugarless But Sweet

These cookies won't cause me to gain any weight. 

The cupcakes are sweet but calorie free too.



A couple of handfuls of sugar free candy ---

And a few candy canes to add to the collection.

And then I was hit with the very vague direction to "fasten to the wreath as shown in the photo". No how to at all. I'll be back tomorrow with the finished wreath to show you how that came out. 

Welcoming a Wee Neighbour

We had a wee neighbour arrive a week or so ago, two and a half weeks before she was due.

It's time for me to deliver the little sweater set I made in anticipation of her arrival, though there is no fear of her growing out of the set before I have a chance to give the gift. 

It's a 12 month size, but it will likely be even longer than that before it fits.

The patterns are "Gingersnap Cardigan", and "Sweet and Simple Baby Hat" and I knit them in "Universal Yarn Uptown Worsted".

101 Sheep

Having missed out on 2 big fibre related events, and more cancellations coming in yet because of the mandated social distancing, I decided to buy an online course to learn "Turned Krokbragd on an Inkle". I'm very pleased with the course. I was not only guided step by step through the setting up and weaving of an interesting technique, but I also picked up several tips that will be helpful weaving any sort of bands.

I'm pleased about that, since I've been on a bit of a band weaving kick lately. Here's some of the regular, plain weave bands I've woven lately. These were all woven on the wee "Ukulele" I purchased from Windhaven Fiber and Tools. Windhaven makes such great Inkle looms and tools that they have a hard time keeping up to demand! They are well worth the wait.

I had to drag out an older, clunkier Ashford inkle to learn the Turned Krokbragd on though. There isn't enough room up front on mini Inkles to work around the supplemental heddles that must be used for the technique. 

The sheep band, done in "Rainbow" brand 8/4 cotton, is about 1" in width and I finished with 101 sheep. Not sure what I'll use this band for. It was just for practice. The narrower, 15mm bands I'm weaving on my Windhaven Ukulele will be used to make bracelet attachments that will hold my medic alert information.

Speck

Not what he was 25 days ago, perhaps not yet fully what he will become.

Most of the colour change has happened in the last 5 days! Every day he looks a little different. I'm wondering if his head will eventually be predominately black too.

Unusual Heirloom

This is not what you might expect a cherished heirloom to look like.

Of the things left to me by relatives, my mother's waffle iron is one of the most cherished. It may not sparkle like the crystal collection, or be of great monetary value, but it carries the most memories and has earned the space it takes in my kitchen. 

When I was a child mom always made either waffles, pancakes, or french toast for Sunday breakfast. This "Sunbeam Radiant Control Waffle Baker & Grill", with interchangeable cooking surfaces, did them all. It has continued to receive regular use for over 60 years! The manual/recipe pamphlet has accompanied it and has a copyright dating 1954.  

When mom gave it to me a few decades ago I was thrilled. I wish appliances were still made to be such good performers and so reliable. The thermostat and "easy to see signal light" still work for goodness sakes! 

Modern appliances with their built in obsolescence just can't compare to these old timers that keep on going and going and going. If you ask me, a great deal of the trash in the world is the direct result of things not being made like they used to should be. 

Saori Christmas Stocking

On New Years Eve I warped my loom in red and white as part of a guild year end challenge to make something in the colours of the flag of our origin.

I'm Canadian as were my parents and 3 of my grandparents, so red and white for the Canada Flag was my choice.

I found working with such a limited colour palette was quite challenging!

But red and white does make a great colour scheme for Christmas stockings!

This stocking, and hopefully two more, will all be for sale at the guild's booth at the Christmas Craft Market in November. 

They will all be fully lined with red broadcloth. 

Buttons Can Wait

Since the pandemic has closed all stores in this area that sell a good variety of buttons, and my huge button jar has produced nothing acceptable, the baby cardigan I just finished will have to remain buttonless for at least a while yet. That's okay since the baby it was made for isn't scheduled to make an appearance until May and the cardigan is a one year size anyway.

The little hat I made to coordinate with it is finished too.

I based the hat on the "Tiny Tot" hat pattern by Kristen Rettig, but made changes to accomodate my yarn choice, gauge, and preferred size. 

I'm particularly proud of my seaming efforts.







And since I don't know the gender of the expected baby ---

--- I also made a set in blue, but on that one I accidentally sewed the striped sleeve to the striped front. Ah well, I don't think it really matters.

The little fellow I made a set for last June has now grown into it.

Colour Comparison

Since it has been remarked that the colour of the natural green cotton is subtle I thought I'd show a photo of it side by side with natural Sarepta brown and Acada white, though the white is in a skein since I have no unspun sliver left.

Apparently both the brown and the green will darken and intensify with use and laundering, or after being boiled for awhile. 

Natural Green Up the Nose

A pound of natural green cotton arrived early this morning.

Of course I had to get spinning it right away! I must say it's a little different than spinning the Acada White or the Sarepta Brown cotton. I had more trouble getting started and my results, at least so far, are a little less consistent. I'm sure that will improve with practice and experience.

I also noticed that I'm getting a lot more airborne fluff flying about clinging to my face and getting up my nose. I think it would be wise to wear a facemask while spinning this. 

Of course with all this CoronaVirus hysteria going on the chances of being able to buy a facemask right now are practically nil. I guess I'll be looking up the home sewn variety before I continue.

Wee Walnut Windhaven

This beautifully handcrafted Inkle loom arrived yesterday. Isn't it a cute little thing? It's petite size means it can be used in one's lap and will make a convenient portable loom for away from home use.

It was made of beautiful walnut wood by Miss Maggie of Windhaven Looms.

The loom comes with a narrow stick shuttle, a laminated quick reference card showing the warp path, and a well laid out instruction booklet with several pretty patterns to start you off.

I was up and weaving the same day and I'm very happy with the results.

And Now the Reverse

Another table runner, this time with the colours reversed. 

2 ply handspun Sarepta Brown cotton for the main weaving, 2 ply handspun Acala White cotton for the stripes. A small portion at each end done with singles to make hemming less bulky. 

Weaving Handspun Cotton

I've spun and I've spun over the past few months, spinning up at least 2 pounds of cotton now, but this is the first time I've actually used my cotton. Now that I've tried weaving handspun cotton I'm definitely hooked. I really love the way it looks and feels.

This is the beginning of my first weaving. I cut it from the loom to use as a wet finishing sample when I spotted a mistake in the threading. It's marked on the right there with a pin. Two threads were in the same heddle. I've since rethreaded and have continued weaving.

I've already woven enough to complete quite a long table runner but I have plenty more warp to work with. This prewound Saori warp was a Christmas gift from a very generous friend.

The warp is organic cotton in varying thicknesses in natural undyed brown, green, and white. The weft is all my own handspun! Such a pleasure to weave with it. The first runner is predominately handspun Acala white with three stripes of Sarepta Brown at each end. I think I'll weave a second runner with the opposite combination. 

Lost in Time

I finished my "Lost in Time" shawl.

Free pattern by Johanna Lindahl of Mijo Crochet. 

I used "Riot" by King Cole in the "Fab 414" colourway.

I enjoyed crocheting this shawl. It was fun. With all the back post double crochets, front post double crochets, and popcorn stitches it was a bit challenging too! I found I really had to watch what I was doing at the beginning and ending of some of the rows. Even still I ended up having to rip back a few times when stitch counts were not correct. 

Everyone's advice with this shawl pattern seems to be "Count stitches --- OFTEN". And it's true. Nothing wrong with the pattern, it's very well written. It's just a little difficult on those row ends to see exactly what you are supposed to be doing.