Pro-choice AND pro-life

(Warning: This post contains no reference to fiber, except perhaps moral fiber.)

It's too bad that the anti-abortionists have co-opted the phrase "pro-life". My observation is they are not pro-life in any sense of the word. Consider the following:

• If you are against safe, affordable, effective birth control, you are NOT pro-life.
• If you see no reason to fund maternity care, you are NOT pro-life.
• If you don't support paid parental leave, you are NOT pro-life.
• If you don't want adoption to be affordable, you are NOT pro-life.
• If you are against healthcare for all, you are NOT pro-life.
• If you are anti-vaccine, you are NOT pro-life.
• If you don't want universal childcare, you are NOT pro-life.
• If you prefer lower taxes to good public schools, you are NOT pro-life.
• If you favor corporate profits over a living wage, you are NOT pro-life.
• If you support gun rights over gun safety, you are NOT pro-life.
• If you are unconcerned about climate change, you are NOT pro-life.
• If you support capital punishment, you are NOT pro-life.

I live in a red state where the anti-abortion forces and pro-choice forces are about 50-50. I doubt the current conservatives can be voted out of office, but I can certainly hound them about following through on their so-called "pro-life" stance. I invite you to do the same, wherever you live.

Leno and Brooks Bouquet sampler

I wanted to weave some curtains, but couldn't decide whether to make them using leno or Brooks bouquet. To help me make up my mind, I created a sampler of both, using the Ashford SampleIt loom with a 10-dent heddle, out of 3/2 mercerized cotton. For some reason, I photographed the sections in the reverse order than I wove them in, but I'm sure you will get the idea.

Doup leno without doups

Doup leno

Leno - Jane (Patrick) variation

Cheater bouquets without ties

Cheater bouquets

Ladder hemstitch - 2 warps

Ladder hemstitch - 4 warps

Brooks bouquet staggered over Brooks bouquet

Leno 2x2 continuous over Leno 2x2

Leno 1x1 continuous over Leno 1x1

Put it all together

In the end, I used the doup leno without the doups for my bathroom curtains. Doups are basically string heddles, and in this instance, I found them more trouble than they were worth. I also forgot to enter this project into Ravelry (now rectified) and didn't take very good notes, but was able to figure out what was what based on a fiber "log" I keep. I'm still thinking of using Brooks bouquet for some kitchen curtains, and my SO likes the ladder stitch patterns, so this sampler will come in handy for several projects.

(References: Inventive Weaving on a Little Loom, by Syne Mitchell, and The Weaver's Idea Book, by Jane Patrick.)

Sage guest towels

After finishing a set of leno curtains, I needed a palate cleanser. Some plain weave towels sounded perfect. However, this project was my first with cotolin, my first with 8/2 yarn, my first with both warp and weft doubled. Some new experiences, to say the least.

Pattern: None
Weave structure: Plain weave
Loom: Ashford 24" rigid heddle
Warp: Maurice Brassard et Fils Inc. 8/2 Cotolin Organic, in 'Sage', doubled
Weft: Maurice Brassard et Fils Inc. 8/2 Cotolin Organic, in 'Sage', doubled
EPI/PPI: 12.5/10ish
Ends: 205
Loom size: 27.5"x15.5" for one towel or the other
Finished size: 24.5"x14" for one towel, 23"x14" for the other towel

One problem with weaving two of anything on a loom is maintaining an even beat so that they come out the same length. I didn't have an adequate tape measure nor did I pay too much attention to the one I did have, but I *thought* I kept an accurate count of picks. Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. The two towels came out a bit different in length.

Using doubled yarn was in itself a bit challenging but definitely doable. I'm glad I have a niddy noddy, a swift, and a ball winder to help when it came time to load the shuttle. What I did not like was the wrinkly fabric that came out of the dryer. I made some towels with cotton before that were relatively wrinkle-free, so I'm guessing the wrinkles are caused by the linen content of cotolin.

Recently, weavers have been participating in an annual towel exchange. Of course, theirs are masterpieces, especially compared to my early efforts. However, I find myself getting hooked on weaving towels.

Fixed despite the heat wave

The plan was to meet up with Phia, the owner of Little Shop of Spinning, prior to the spinning guild meeting, BUT. The AC in the building we meet in could not cope with the 90+ degree heat that day. The meeting was cancelled. Instead, today I drove out to Roanoke (IN) so Phia could fix my wheel. I also bought some fiber (how could I not?) and cruised the Roanoke Vintage and Handmade Market (did not make any purchases there). So my Ashford Joy 2 is up and running again. Huzzah!

White is Romney, blue is Polish merino

Knitting: Same ol' same ol'. Down to 155 stitches per row on the Habitation throw.
Spinning: See above.
Weaving: The waffle weave towels are off the loom! The stitch pattern looks so lovely, I hate to wash them as they will shrink significantly. The wall hanging (which is in shades of grays) is off the loom as well, awaiting some hand finishing.

My SO and I have been out and about again, this time to a new restaurant on The Landing called Mercado (Cali-Mex cuisine). Then we went to the annual members exhibit at Artlink, where my SO has a photo on display. Downtown Fort Wayne has been transformed from a flood-prone nothing to the most happening place in Northeast Indiana.

Broken wheel

I was spinning along on my Ashford Joy 2 the other day when it broke. More specifically, the rubber thingy that connects the treadle to its arm broke. I think the part is called a "poly conrod joint". Hopefully, my local spinning shop can fix it for me. I could order the part and try to fix it myself, but my hands don't work as well as they used to - no gripping power.


Knitting: Still plugging away on the Habitation throw. I used to count stitches on just the eyelet rows, but I've been having so much trouble with the decrease rows that I have been counting stitches on every row. Down to 167 stitches per row.
Spinning: See above.
Weaving: I started towel number two, am almost halfway finished with it. I also addressed some finishing work on a wall hanging I created quite some time ago but it's still not done. I unwove the wall hanging I started a couple of weeks ago; it just wasn't working for me. I restarted it, though.

During the summer, Fort Wayne hosts festival after festival in our revitalized downtown. The past two years have been festival-less for the most part, but it looks like things are back to "normal". Since I needed to be downtown anyway today, my SO and I hit up Germanfest, celebrating its fortieth year. We ate brats and potato salad, and watched part of the "wiener dog" races. Even though I am not a big festival-goer, I admit I got a little teary eyed about the seeming normalcy of this kitschy event, even nostalgic about the polka music.

I hope things are feeling at least somewhat normal for you, too.

Fiber break

This past week, we spent a few days in Chicago. While I took along the cowl I'm knitting, I didn't work on it much. It was kind of a relief to not weave, knit, spin every day like I've been doing lately. While visiting the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art I did keep an eye out for fiber art, though.

The primary exhibit was by Nick Cave and included many whimsical pieces made of a plethora of objects.

If you look closely, you will see that the objects are mounted on a background of afghans.


In the museum store, there was a display of woven bookcovers. I didn't check out the details other than note their presence and wonder if I might weave some of these myself. (Assuming I own any books that deserve a handwoven cover.)

Knitting: Still hacking away at the Habitation throw. I'm about an inch beyond the ribbing of the cowl.
Spinning: When home, I spun a bit more of the Shetland top.
Weaving: I did finish towel number one, have yet to start towel number two.