Finishitis

We have a JoAnn store here, but I hate to shop there, mainly because of the s-l-o-w checkout. I don't shop much at Walmart, but they have a sewing and craft section and self-checkout. So that is where I went to purchase some thread. I have the finishistis bug and am determined to complete my outstanding weaving projects, if only so I can clear off the dining room table. I will post about them separately.

Knitting: *Finally* moving forward again with the Habitation throw. While I'm knitting, I find myself thinking, On my *next* Habitation throw.... But seriously, I think this is the last one, no matter how much sock yarn I still have.
Weaving: I hemmed the top of a sampler of leno and Brooks bouquet techniques. I also hemmed the sari yarn table runner. Next up are the sage hand towels and leno curtains.

I came across this magazine at Barnes & Noble. It almost makes me want to take up felting. It's from Australia, so it has quite the international vibe.

Why we swatch

While working on the sage towels, it occurred to me that sage and gray would look good together. I worked up a little sample on a mini loom and they do NOT play well. They are too close in tone.

I also played around with a red, gray, and black combo. I like how they look together as a warp, but am flummoxed about the weft. I'm thinking a repp weave, which is warp-faced, but I don't know how to do that except on my inkle loom. Research is needed.


Knitting: I did more tinking than knitting on the Habitation throw this past week; I keep messing up the decreases. I started a cowl using a DK yarn, but I may frog that because I don't like how the colors are pooling.
Weaving: The sage towels are off the loom! Initially, they were different lengths, but after washing and drying, they almost match. While I was working on finishing steps, I also washed and dried the sari yarn runner and the leno curtains. The latter are very different in length, not sure how best to correct that in a way that is not too noticable. Now I need to do some hemming on all these items.

At spinning guild, the program was learning how to make Dorset buttons. For some reason, Dorset buttons are hot right now. They are a bit addicting, but I don't think they would hold up well if used as actual buttons on a sweater or something. They add a nice touch to hats and such, though.

We were supposed to spin the yarn for this project, at 14 WPI, but I used some fingering. I haven't felt the urge to spin lately, maybe because I have SO MUCH handspun yarn just waiting for a project.

Minimum daily requirement

Tommye Scanlin says "Weave every da*n day." And I try to do just that, at least a little bit, on all my active projects. My downfall is actually *finishing* the projects after they are off the loom or needles. So while I weave at least two inches on the guest towels each day, I fear the hemming will take a bit of motivation. At least the Habitation throw doesn't need any extra treatment once the knitting is done.

This past week's weaving guild program was on tartans. It was advertised as tartans and plaids, but the plaid part was more of a not-tartan part. I'm a Hamilton, and the Hamilton clan has a tartan in red, navy, and white, but I doubt I will ever weave a sample because, except where each color crosses itself, the weaving is in 2x2 twill, a bear to do on a rigid heddle loom. I might work up a tiny example on my Swatchmaker if I am feeling particularly adventuresome or masochistic. (Photo from Clan.com.)

Knitting: I made a booboo on the Habitation throw this past week, so progress was slow while I recovered from that.
Weaving: I am halfway done with the second guest towel on the 24" loom.

My SO and I went to an actual movie theater last night, to see "Drive my Car". (Excellent film, by the way. but l-o-n-g.) Cinema Center is our local "art theater". Before the pandemic, they began actively targeting a younger crowd, so we let our membership lapse. I wasn't sure who would be in the audience last night, but it was the usual gray-haired seniors, socially distanced in pairs, so I felt safe enough to go maskless. There is an article in the NYTimes headlined as "I didn't want to go, but I'm glad I did." That seems to be my new motto.

Trying (this and that) week

Overshot is kicking my butt. I tried it on the SampleIt loom (which was already warped), but the warp is spaced too tightly (10 epi). So I shifted to the pocket loom (8 epi), but am still struggling. I must be doing something wrong because I can't seem to keep the warp covered, plus I think the result is supposed to be reversible, and mine isn't.

I have also been playing around with that super jumbo yarn I purchased at the Jay County Fiber Fest. I tried knitting it, but it requires larger knitting needles than I have. I tried braiding it, just for fun, but two of the colorways are too close in tone. Then I created a swatch on my Swatchmaker. So now I'm thinking wall hanging, woven on a frame loom. Maybe.


There are so many ideas for tapestry tumbling around in my head that I decided to purchase some stuff that will help me actually implement them. On the left, cotton seine twine in beige and black (I already have some in natural), on the right tapestry bobbins. All this came from the Yarn Barn in Kansas. They are the only place I usually buy from that offers the cotton seine twine in colors.


All of the above was happening in my so-called studio, a spare bedroom that tends to get junked up very easily. I rearranged things a couple of weeks ago, but found myself trying to do too much on too small a table. So I broke down and purchased what my SO calls a "potluck table", one of those folding tables that are used for backyard picnics and such. Now I have a little elbow room.

(The suitcases under the table hold family photos that need to be sorted and distributed. Not sure how I became the keeper of family memorabilia, but it happened.)

Knitting: Yes, I am on the decreasing half of the Habitation throw. Even though each row is still over 250 stitches, I find myself working on it a bit more because I want to hurry up and be done with it.
Weaving: I finished one of the plain weave guest towels that is on the 24" Ashford rigid heddle loom. I'm using a temple, so the selvages look better than usual.

And so it goes.

Indoor fun

When the weather is as crummy as it has been lately, I'm glad I have an assortment of indoor hobbies to protect me from cabin fever. My SO and I have also been visiting local art galleries while we can, before the next surge. One gallery displayed a piece made with "digital weaving". I'm guessing that involves a Jacquard loom?

Dyeing: I decided to use up the rest of the dye samples from the one-pot rainbow dyeing workshop, in a rather haphazard way. Not perfect results, but fun to do. Acid dyes are so much easier to work with than natural dyes.

Knitting: I know I have commented on how close I am getting to starting the decrease rows on the Habitation throw. Now I can announce that the very next row will actually be a decrease row. Huzzah!
Weaving: I finished weaving the leno curtains, freeing up the 24" Ashford rigid heddle loom. So I immediately rewarped it for some guest towels for the guest bathroom. It's completely plain weave, a relief after all that leno.

I purchased a weaving book called CrazyShot, by Myra Wood. It describes how to weave overshot on a rigid heddle loom. That will probably be the next sample I make on my SampleIt loom. Never stop learning.

One-pot rainbow dye workshop

Before setting my alarm clock the night before, I double checked the starting time for the one-pot rainbow dye workshop at the Jay County Fiber Fest. However, I neglected to check the list of things to bring. I remembered the $50 materials fee, but forgot to bring a pot, optional gloves, or an apron. I was not the only one in this predicament, and fortunately the instructor had a few extra pots, one of the other participants brought extra gloves, and I managed to keep the dye off my clothes. Whew!

Christinia Drennen Coghill is certified in the Redding Method of dyeing. She provided us with a handout of what the Redding Method entails, but for the purpose of the class, we just needed to do what she told us.

We each worked on an individual burner with a selection of powdered dyes and fiber. There was roving, clean raw wool, and unclean raw wool. Christina wasn't sure about the breeds, but she had us add the different fibers in a certain order. I don't think it mattered much as I doubt I would dye such an eclectic bunch of samples at one time.

The dyes were Pro Chemical & Dye WashFast Acid dyes, in yellow, green, red, orange, blue.


One trick to this method is to not have too much water; otherwise, the dyes will migrate too far and you'll wind up with one muddy color. Another trick is to use a metal chopstick to keep the simmering water from bubbling too much in the center; otherwise, you'll end up with felt.

I've been to dyeing workshops where we add a "glug" of vinegar to the water to help set the colors, but this is the first one where we also added a "glug" of shampoo. The idea here is that you can clean and dye the fiber at the same time. It seemed to work just fine, but the fiber wasn't all that dirty to begin with.


Once the water and fiber reached an almost-too-hot-to-touch temperature, we added the colors in pie-shaped proportions, using wood or metal chopsticks. The technique is to add the powdered dye near the center but not at the center, then feather it toward the outside edge, being careful not to get each color too close to its neighbor. The order was important: yellow first, then blue, then red, then orange, then green. The red and blue are really dynamic and will take over the pot if you are not careful.

Once you are satisfied with your pie wedges, you work the colors toward the center and toward the edges, so that there is no white showing. Below, Christina's pot is on the left, another participant's is on the right, and my messy attempt at being "artistic" and "experimental" is in the center.


At this point, we turned off the burners and went shopping and ate lunch while the pots cooled. Once we could handle the fiber, another glug of shampoo was added and we repeatedly rinsed and spun the results, using salad spinners. And that was it. At home, I rinsed my fiber again before spreading it out to dry under a ceiling fan.

My initial impression was that I used too much water and not enough dye, as the colors looked more pastel than saturated. I ran the fiber through a drum carder, and it looks like green and orange dominate. I'm not too thrilled with this outcome as it reminds me of Kook Aid.

Since I still had some dye left over, I decided to repeat the process with yarn. Using Cascade 220 blanks, I soaked the yarn, heated it up, and added wedges of dye. (And it just occurred to me that I forgot the glug of vinegar.)

While I think the ratio of water to fiber was better this time, I didn't use enough dye to really saturate the yarn.


So I tried it again with better results.

And then I stopped because how much rainbow fiber does one need? Some day I will spin the fiber from the workshop and depending on the results, I may overdye it.

So what did I learn? Acid dyeing is really, really easy compared to dyeing with natural materials, and the colors can be more vibrant and less experimental. Roving and raw fiber are tricky to work with, so I think I will stick to dyeing yarn. And I don't really like the idea of cleaning the fiber and dyeing it at the same time, but that's just me.

Spring is sprung

My little cold went away and then seemed to return. I took an at-home Covid test to make sure it was not *that* (negative). Then it occurred to me that what was probably causing the sneezing and sniffling was tree pollen. I am pro-tree, but I suffer a bit for it.

Knitting: Still plugging away on the Habitation throw. I think I am going to start the decrease rows soon.
Weaving: I'm done with the leno pattern repeats on the curtains. All that is left is about 5" of plain weave for the pocket.

No progress on the SampleIt sample this week, nor the pocket loom sample. Instead, I tried to make the spare bedroom studio more welcoming. Some boxes were relocated and some tables shifted, so it is better now. The 24" rigid heddle loom is still in the den, where a certain feline thinks it is a cat hammock.

Jay County 2022

I think the last time I actually left town was last November, for the trip to the Wabash Woollen Works (which I have yet to blog about - bad fiber blogger!) The drive between here and Jay County is pretty boring - very flat farmland for the most part - but one is kept awake by the possible need to pass a slow moving Amish buggy. The marshland near Geneva usually smell like rotten eggs, but I didn't notice it this trip.

The primary activity at fiber fests after workshops is shopping. One doesn't need to go to a fiber fest to find these long needles, but I was there and so were they, so I grabbed the last of them from Copper Centaur Studios of Anderson.

I need more yarn like I need a dropped stitch, but I could not resist these "beehives" of wool, especially after the seller, Wayne Trace Farms, dropped the price by about 30%. They are from Blue Sky Fibers, called Woolstok Jumbo, and the colorways are Gray Stone, Arctic Cloud, and Snow Storm. They are crying to be made into a jumbo tapestry.

I have SO much rug yarn awaiting to be woven that I did not need this alpaca cotton core "skein" but I bought it anyway, just because I like the color combination. I didn't get the story behind it other than the fiber content.

I also do not need an apron, but I could not resist this handmade, reversible one made by Phia who owns the Little Shop of Spinning in Roanoke IN. Besides being cute, it is long enough to actually be practical for fiber prep. Also, her husband Mark was very persuasive.
I am really bad with names and faces, and managed to embarrass myself while at the Wayne Trace Farms booth. Wayne Trace is a street in Fort Wayne, so I asked if they were from here. Why, yes, yes they are. I then asked if they were familiar with the spinning guild. Why, yes, yes they are. In fact, one of them is a co-president of the guild. I think this is the first time I have seen Case without her mask, but one would think her long red hair should have clued me in.

Fest away

It's been two years since I last attended the Jay County Fiber Arts Fest in Portland IN. While the pandemic may not be 100% over, some activities are approaching "normal". So I headed south on US27 for a workshop and some shopping. I'll post separately on both.

Dyeing: Attended a workshop on a one-pot method for rainbow dyeing raw wool and roving. At home, I copied the technique on some yarn.
Knitting: Yes, still working on the Habitation throw. Too bad I am not a faster knitter.
Weaving: I fixed the big booboo on the leno curtains; if you think weaving leno is slow, try unweaving it. I'm still sampling on the SampleIt, this time Spanish lace with a thicker yarn and some clasped weft. I also started a sample on my Saffron pocket loom.

The trip to Portland and back exhausted me. I don't have the kind of energy I had even five years ago. It didn't help that once again I caught a little cold earlier in the week. I think this is cold number 4 for the season. Fortunately, they don't last long. Hope all is well with you and yours.

Eat the frog first

“If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first.” Mark Twain

This morning's toad was to file my taxes. (Note: I said file, not pay. The latter will occur later.) I still haven't picked up a tapestry loom despite my stated desire to do so; maybe that can be my reward for eating today's frog.

Knitting: More work on the Habitation throw. *yawn*
Weaving: I completed the initial plain weave on the leno curtains, and about eight repeats of the leno pattern. However, there are some huge mistakes in the last four repeats, so I will have to unweave some before continuing. Ugh. On the SampleIt loom, I tried some Spanish lace in an alternate color. I like the scribbly look.

Both the spinning guild and the weaving guild that I belong to participate in the Salomon Farm Fiber Fest, so the meetings for both are about preparing for that. I never commit to being there because it seems like things crop up at the last minute that prevent me from helping. But I am willing to contribute samples for the visitors' viewing pleasure. I just need to pick those out.

Itchy fingers

Lately I have been itching to get back to tapestry weaving. I don't have any specific projects in mind, but would like to pack some weft, probably on the Saffron pocket loom for starters. But maybe I should finish my other weaving projects first?

Knitting: Still working on the Habitation throw; not even half done yet. I can't wait to get to the decreases, as then it will zoom along. Or at least, feel like it.
Weaving: I have the second curtain panel warped and tied up on the loom, ready to be woven. On the SampleIt, I have continued sampling, in a spaced leno that didn't turn out like the photo in the book, and Spanish lace. I think the Danish medallions and Spanish lace would look better with wool yarn and a more appropriate sett.

Spaced leno and Spanish lace

Spanish lace, detail

Today I'm wearing these socks and this sweater; winter just doesn't want to go away. (If you follow the sweater link, you will find yourself on one of my old blogs, where I was experimenting with combining fiber and gardening and everything else in my life, but I discovered I did not have the personality for that.)

Detox at Grandma's

My granddaughter spent the night last weekend. She's 11, going on 18, all arms and legs and a little bit of acne. She has commented that it is very quiet at my house - no TV or music, no traffic noises, no loud neighbors - and her mom says she comes home calm and focused. Sometimes we play chess or Monopoly (she beats me every time), sometimes we go shopping, this last time we played with clay. She is very talented artistically, but I have never been able to interest her in crafts - too tedious, I guess. Still, we find things to do and she has a good time.

Knitting: Still plugging away on the Habitation throw. The pattern is for a square, knit on the diagonal, but I want it rectagular. I'm done with the increases and am now marching along on the straight bit, by increasing on one end, decreasing on the other.

Weaving: I haven't rewarped the 24" rigid heddle loom yet for the second leno curtain, but I did warp the SampleIt so I can make more samples. Right now I am experimenting with Danish medallions.

I hope I am done with medical visits for a while. Besides surgery last fall and the subsequent physical therapy sessions, I've been to the gynocologist, the optomitrist, the dentist, and most recently my GP for a diabetes checkup. The numbers look good, but I can tell I am struggling a bit with my eating plan - too many refined carbs leave me feeling like a bottomless pit. So I am back to avoiding flour, sugar, and processed foods. After a couple of days of that, I already feel better.

Tired of wearing wool

There comes a time, usually in February, when I am done with long pants, long sleeved shirts, heavy coats, and wool in general. It's still cold here, so I am glad I have a variety of wool garments to keep me warm. But I'm thinking my brother's MO of spending February in Florida is not a bad idea.

Knitting: Still working away at the Habitation throw. Each row is over 250 stitches now, so it is slow going. Soon I will be done with the increases.
Weaving: Today I finished the first panel of the bathroom curtains in leno.

I hope I don't suffer from second-panel syndrome. I avoid second sock syndrome by knitting both at the same time. I can't do that with weaving as I have only one 24" loom... although I *could* purchase a 32" loom... but my shoulders would never forgive me.

Waffle weave wash cloths

After my previous effort at waffle weave dish cloths, I decided to make some more (they are a fun weave) to try to fix the hourglass shape the previous ones ended up with. My strategy was to not edge them in plain weave, as it seemed to not shrink as much as the waffle weave. The hems were really bulky and difficult to sew, and they are still rather hourglass shapped. But no matter. Now I have more wash cloths to use and give away.

Weave structure: Waffle weave
Loom: Ashford Sampleit
Yarn: Elmore-Pisgah Peaches & Cream in 'Shaded Pastels'
EPI/PPI: 7.5/7.5
(I didn't take notes on the pre-wash/post-wash measurements.)

There is a pattern in one of the issues of Little Looms for waffle weave towels in a finer yarn. The corners of the towels in the photos look square, so maybe using a finer yarn works better for this weave structure. That pattern is on my to-do list.

Snow delay

I was expecting to receive my order from the Woolery yesterday, but we weren't even getting mail or newspapers for the past few days, thanks to the foot of snow that accumulated over two days. That shipment includes a new temple, which is holding up my weaving project, so no progress there. Maybe the package will arrive today.

Knitting: I've been diligently working on the Habitation throw.

Now that we seem to be on the downslope of Covid, there is the promise of fiber festivals in the air. The last one I attended was the Jay County Fiber Fest in Portland, IN, two years ago. Last year, they tried to hold it online - not sure how that went. Barring unforseen circumstances, the show will go on this year. I'm interested in an acid dye workshop. Also on the schedule is the Salomon Farm Fiber Fest, which occurs just up the road from me. I am definitely ready to enjoy some outings.

Infinity scarf

I received some unusual yarn at the spinning guild xmas party. Bamboo Bloom is made up of rayon from bamboo, wool, and acrylic. It is also a "thick and thin" yarn - skinny lengths interupted by untwisted chunks. I selected a one-skein pattern designed for this yarn. It's not my color nor my style, but I have been wearing it around the house, as it is quite warm and wards off the chill. The yarn has been discontinued, but one may still find it here and there.

Pattern: Bamboo Bloom Cowl and Infinity Scarf, by Stitch Supply Co.
Yarn: Bamboo Bloom in 'Spicy Mustard'
Needle: US10.5
Modifications: The pattern calls for knit stitch except for the fat bits, where one purls. I read a suggestion elsewhere to purl into the fat bits as well, so I did that. Not sure it made much difference.

This project made me aware that there are patterns written specifically for thick and thin yarn. Some of my homespun is just that (some on purpose, some not). Now I will have to reassess what I can do with it.