Prepping for the county fair

Sometimes I think I get a bit overly enthusiastic when presented with a new opportunity to do something. Last year I submitted a modest five items to the county fair; this year it is approaching ten. Is that too much? I don't know how many of my fellow spinners, knitters, and weavers are going to join in the fun, so I'd rather there be *something* to display rather than nothing.

A partial pile of projects

Knitting: I finished the Habitation throw! Separate post to follow.
Spinning: All the Shetland yarn that has been spun and 3-plied is now also labeled; I record length, weight, how spun, how plied, etc. There is more yarn to ply, including some heftier singles I spun a while ago.
Weaving: Today I warped the large frame loom, but am still contemplating just what I am going to weave on it. Something with soumak.

And that was the week that was. The landscaping is 100% complete, so now I can focus on other things, like fiber.

And a bit more organized

It's been a busy week, so not much fiber work happened. My primary focus has been on updated landscape, which you can read about here. Now that the yard is all pretty, I can't stop looking at it. This motivated me to rearrange the den a bit so that I can see most of the backyard and birdfeeders from my recliner.

I have a 24" Ashford rigid heddle loom in the den, along with a Joy 2 spinning wheel. Both of those were shifted over, once I made some room by moving the vertical wire shelving from its corner and making it horizontal. The shelf space is now doubled.

From last week's Art in the Park, I brought home a lidded container woven from sweetgrass and plastic, which now holds afghans. I was tired of leaving them draped over the back of furniture where the cats would bed down, covering them with fur and snagging them with claws.


Knitting: I am nearing the finish line for the Habitation throw! It should be completed this week.

The spinning guild had it's annual picnic last Tuesday. We don't conduct much business at the picnic, but Parks and Rec sent two emissaries to discuss the Fiber Festival. They want to eliminate the spring version and combine it with the Fall Festival. About 300 people a day went through the Fiber Fest this year; the Fall Festival attracts over 6000. So it doesn't make much sense to put a lot of effort into the former when the latter would not only raise our profile in the community, but also provide the vendors with an audience in the mood to buy. (Both guilds I belong to not only demonstrate their craft, but also sell items to raise money.) I contacted the weaving guild about this information. Parks and Rec wants to test out the change *this* September, so we don't have much time to prepare.

A little more organized

In my last post, I bemoaned my lack of organization regarding fiber and everything associated with it. However, I was able to easily locate the silk scarves and art tissue. That was because all of the aborted craft projects my granddaughter started are in one place. That is the secret - put everything in one place. And I started to do that.

One of the double closets in my bedroom is now the roving and commercial yarn stash, and it is FULL. It's rather shocking, as I have enough fiber to last me the rest of my life - and yet I buy more! A cupboard in the "studio" contains all my handspun, and the closet in the same room contains all the fiber I've dyed. There is more organizing to do, especially regarding little tools, but this is a great start.

Knitting: I actually feel like I am in the homestretch regarding the Habitation throw. It's knit on the bias, and the decreasing rows are getting shorter and shorter.
Spinning: I finished 3-plying all the Shetland. There is still a bit of roving left, so I have been trying to spin very thin singles with the plan of 2-plying it, then joining the plied yarn into "bundles" for tapestry weaving. We'll see how that works out.
Weaving: I advanced a bit on the skyline tapestry on the pocket loom.

The Three Rivers Festival started this weekend. The one event I always attend is called Art in the Park. My observation from today's visit was there are a lot of new vendors, which is exciting. I made a few purchases, like this weaving. It is three coaster-sized works done on the same warp. This will be a good example to take to the tapestry workshop in August.
July is also the month for the Allen County Fair. I'm gathering candidates for my entries. Last year I didn't have much competition, but hopefully some of my fiber friends will join in the fun.

Disorganized

I discovered late in life that I suffer from ADHD. Although not officially diagnosed, I found that learning how ADHD differs in females and males provided some enlightenment about how I live my life. For one thing, I've always struggled with tasks that I find "boring". For another, the more I structure my time, the better I do. For example, I hate housework, but to keep myself from living in squalor, I "schedule" cleaning days. Hey, it works for me.

I wish I could be a bit more structured keeping track of my fiber and what I am working on. This blog helps. Ravelry helps. But sometimes I can't find a particular yarn, tool, book, and it drives me a little bonkers. Periodically, I rearrange things, but so far it hasn't helped a lot. If anyone has any helpful tips to pass along, please leave them in the comments!

Dyeing: My granddaughter and I dyed some silk scarves using art tissue. This is such a fun and easy craft, even she didn't get bored with it. And the fact I was able to locate the scarves and art tissue was a minor miracle.

Knitting: I've been mentally calculating how long it is going to take me to finish the Habitation throw. Too long. But I knit a few rows every day. Slow and steady wins the race.
Spinning: I have filled three bobbins with singles of Shetland, am now in the tedious part of plying. I fill a bobbin, let it rest, then wind it onto a niddy noddy. Wash, rinse, repeat. This will take a while.
Weaving: I've had this idea about weaving a skyline, as either a scarf (using clasped weft) or a tapestry. To test this idea, I started a sample on my pocket loom, weaving sideways.

Back

Front

I have an ulterior motive for starting a small tapestry: the Super Saturday on tapestry I inadvertantly volunteered to help with. I need to brush up on tapestry techniques before then. I'm also wondering if the others leading this workshop do things the same way I do, and how we are going to resolve our differences when it comes to teaching newbies. This is definitely outside my comfort zone!

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.

Volunteeritis

I'm not one to volunteer very often, and when I do, it usually does not work well. But this year, I volunteered at the Salomon Farm Fiber Fest for the spinning guild - that was fun. And now it seems I am the unofficial "outreach coordinator" for the weaving guild. We've lost dues-paying members over the course of the pandemic and are running low on funds. So I've been searching for ways to raise our profile, attract new members, and earn some money.

Then, at a recent Zoom meeting with the board, the audio cut out at one point and I inadvertantly volunteered to help with a "super Saturday" in August, on tapestry weaving. At least no one asked me to become an officer. At least, I don't think so.

Knitting: Yes, still hacking away at the Habitation throw. Since I need a portable project, I started another 100% That Cowl.
Spinning: Still spinning the Shetland top. On spool #2.
Weaving: I'm almost done with towel #1 - just need to weave the hem at the end. And I warped my big frame loom for a wall hanging and started weaving. (The photo makes the yarn look like shades of brown when it is really shades of gray.)

Usually I avoid politics and religion in this blog, but in the wake of the recent tragedy in Texas, I feel compelled to put in my two cents worth. I am wondering if firearms could be treated like tobacco: sales of firearms and ammo highly taxed (and the proceeds could be used to fund mental health services), elimination of all advertising on all media, "gun-free" zones like we have "smoke-free" zones, age limits on purchases, etc. This action would sidestep second amendment issues while addressing some of the contributing factors of this senseless violence. I've contacted all my legislators, both state and federal, but frankly, I feel very hopeless and helpless.

Fiber in Iceland

A tapestry artist I follow, Rebecca Mezoff, just completed a month in Iceland, experimenting with the local fiber and yarns. She wrote about her experience in her blog. While she was abroad, I read a book called Names for the Sea: Strangers in Iceland, by Sarah Moss. Moss and her family spent a year in Iceland about ten years ago, where she discovered (among many other things) that knitting is endemic in Iceland. The Icelanders think it strange that we have a Knit in Public day because many of them knit in public on a regular basis and no one thinks it odd. Fun fact: the iconic Iceland sweater came into being shortly after World War II, which makes it a relatively new "tradition".

Knitting: Back to the Habitation throw; I've finally decreased to less than 200 stitches per row.
Spinning: I'm still spinning the Shetland top, decided to just finish it all in one go.
Weaving: I'm about halfway through the first waffle weave towel; this project seems to require a lot of "tools".

And I finished hemming the plain weave sage-colored towels (again), this time by hand.

Despite being vaccinated, my granddaughter came down with Covid, presumably Omicron. Fortunately, she did not get very ill. Unfortunately, they were out and about the two days before her positive test, thinking her runny nose and headache were from seasonal allergies. It wasn't until she developed a fever that they thought to give her a home test. I too have seasonal allergies and have tested myself several times, just in case, especially if I was going to be among people. So far, so good. (Knock on wood.)

100% That Cowl

I needed a small, portable knitting project, but not socks. This cowl was the perfect solution as it is stockinette bordered by 2x2 ribbing. Very simple.

Pattern: 100% That Cowl, by Kris Rossi
Yarn: Colinette Cadenza in 'Tapis' colorway
Needles: US5 for body, larger needles for cast on and bind off
Modifications: I didn't follow the pattern regarding colors, as the only DK yarn I had was this hand-dyed one

I was a bit surprised that the yarn bled when I gave the cowl a bath.

The merino yarn is very soft, so no itchiness when worn next to the skin. The cowl is nice and stretchy, too, easy to pull on and take off.

I have enough of this yarn to make another cowl, albeit a bit shorter, so I plan to cast on again when I need another easy, portable knitting project.

I spun and spun and spun some more

Yesterday morning I worked my shift at the Salomon Farm Fiber Fest, for the spinning guild. I can't recall the last time I attended this fiber fest, so it felt a bit new to me, plus I think it was downsized? Anyway, I arrived early enough to help set up, then parked my butt in a very uncomfortable folding chair, and spun and spun and spun.

Natural dyeing display

Besides me and my wheel, there were several volunteers showing kids how to hand card fleece and spin it into yarn using a spindle. Since it was a Friday, the clientele was mostly home school kids of all ages, and their parents, although there were a few adults without children as well.

Sheep breeds and flax info

I didn't have a spiel prepared, but after a while I developed a patter about what I was doing. I also answered random questions about the displays. In the future I think it would be helpful to have a volunteer to "man" the displays, to answer questions and point out exactly what they are looking at (like the live silk worms).

We lost the F's somewhere along the way

At lunchtime, I quit for the day, but then had to visit the other displays. The weaving guild was there, as well as quilters, a flax demonstrator, a goose quill demonstrator, a knitting guild with various knitting machines, etc. Many of the demonstrators are involved in multiple guilds, which explains why it is so hard to find volunteers to work the festival. And it also explained why I was still there two hours later, because I had to talk to everybody.

Silk display, including live worms

Besides the demonstration area, there were vendors. I took a quick tour but managed to get out of there without buying any fiber. In fact, I got rid of two of the fleeces in the garage, as someone needs dirty fleeces to test some machinery that will turn waste wool into something for gardening? I didn't catch exactly what the purpose was, but was happy to provide some raw material for the effort. Those fleeces were free and have been weighing on my mind. I felt I should process them or have them processed, but the one free fleece I did clean and card turned out to be of poor quality. I didn't want to spend a lot of time and/or money on something that might be a disappointment. I still have a Jacob fleece to play with; I purchased it locally and trust the provider.

Knitting: I finished the cowl; separate post to follow. The Habitation throw is out of time-out; apparently, I just can't count.
Spinning: See above.
Weaving: I started warping the Ashford 24" rigid heddle for some waffle weave towels.

A common weaving problem is measuring one's work as one goes along; dressmaker measuring tapes are usually too short. One solution is to make one's own paper tapes, which I did last week. It was a bit tedious, but now I have a collection of tapes that are over 12 feet long.

I used some kraft paper that came as padding in a package, not realizing that there were perforations every 8 or 9 inches. So besides all the measuring and marking and cutting, there was Scotch taping as well. In the future, if I need to repeat this task, I'll buy some kraft paper.

A success

Sometimes I think the more experienced weavers at guild look down on my efforts (with good reason but still rude). So I was pleasantly surprised at the interest generated by the sari yarn runner that I brought for show-and-tell this past week. It's not often I get to impress those ladies. (And for the record, the sari yarn *is* silk, not polyester. I think I got it from Darn Good Yarn.)

Knitting: The Habitation throw is still in time-out. The cowl is nearly done, though.
Spinning: My wheel is set up and I started spinning some Shetland roving.

Weaving: The hemming on the sage towels looked so bad I ripped it out so I could do it by hand. I'm learning that one should weave the hems with a lighter yarn to reduce bulk. I will definitely do this in the future.

The presentation at the last weaving guild meeting was how to dye with "mud". It wasn't really mud but minerals derived from soil. Bengala dyes have been used historically to paint temples and shrines. It protects against termites and UV rays, so the colors don't fade in the sun. Unfortunately, it is rather expensive.

We played with it a bit, dyeing some handwoven fabric and yarns. The colors are subtle if the dyes are diluted with water, but used directly they are quite intense. I started by dipping my piece of cloth into different colors, to create subtle striping, then went overboard using the dyes directly. I also dyed a hank of what I think is hemp.


This is the simplest method I've come across for dyeing fabric and yarn, as it requires no heat, not much mixing, no special equipment. And it is very safe to use.