Morning Rose Scarf...

This one is for Nancy!  She wanted pinks and I put together just the softest pinks I could find.  No wool in this so it truly goes into summer.  Very delicate and light and airy.  I loved working on it...from winding the warp to weaving. 

The warp...I put in lots of my hand dyed rayon, a piece of silk ribbon, some 6-ply rayon and some novelty yarns whenever I felt like it!

I also used some 8/2 coral tencel which I wove with, too.  Brings out the pink instead of the blue and gives it a soft brightness and sheen.

And...finished!  YAY!  Now only two more to weave for Etsy...Though I think I am finding projects so that I don't have to walk in the snow...hmmm...

Enjoy! xo

Oh Look What I Did!

While I was wasting time working on Pinterest I came across this website http://www.pinkandpolkadot.blogspot.com/ .  So this person made a slipcover for a chair and used a painter's tarp which she got at Home Depot.  Big, cheap, right up my alley.   I kept looking at my chair in the kitchen/great room and realized that this chair was causing me stress.  This is one of the ugliest patterns I have ever seen.  Really angry tulips.

Home Depot here I come.  Spent $70 on two tarps 9 x 12.  Gary took them into town and washed and dried them (He is a sweetie like that).   The material  turned out much softer but still strong and a lovely off white color.  They have a seam down the middle but I ended up with plenty of material.  I probably used 1 1/2 tarps for the chair and ottoman--maybe a little less.

I also bought the "Lazy Girls Guide to Slipcovering" from the same website.  Not so much because I couldn't do without it but I needed the confidence boost. 

 Had to do some creative piecing in front of the arms but I figured that the seat cushion would hide it all.  Pinned and sewed, ripped out seams and resewed for 4 days!

Reused the zippers from the old cushions.

Arm covers so I can wash them without taking off the entire slipcover.

Ta Da!!!

 See?  Most of the crazy piecing is covered.

And after that the ottoman was so simple! 

I am thrilled I don't have to look at that angry fabric anymore!  YAY!  It's certainly not perfect.  I had made a run to Joanne's Fabrics for the piping ($60.00 for 17 yds plus a seam ripper which got a lot of use) and they didn't have enough so I had to make do.  The backs of the cushions don't have any and the back of the chair either.  But from here I love it!  And I'm eyeing the couch...

xo

Shimmer...

Another scarf in the making...I'm going to make a Sunshine scarf which will be similar to this one and I'll give my wonderful customer, Nancy, her choice...Then a pink one.  It's so nice to be feeling creative this whole winter!  So I will have three of these and one cuff.  Maybe I can finish before I leave tomorrow for my Mom's.  Just a short visit and I'll be back on Friday.  Hopefully the snow will hold off.

warp on the warping mill

the warp ready to tie up and move to the loom



Ready to weave



winding my bobbin with some lovely 8/2 copper tencel...yes I use an electric drill...Gary gave up on this issue and bought another one for himself.  Ha.



I love the way the bobbin shines...



weaving, weaving, weaving...

OK, the exercise program...too cold for the past two days to walk.  I've decided to join a gym which is nearby and even though I'm a little intimidated going alone I'm going to do it.  And I get a senior discount!  I want a stronger me going into the riding season and summer!!!!
xo




Walking Again!

OK.  Enough already.  30lbs, really?  Well, spring must be coming because I'm waking up wanting to walk.  Today is gorgeous!  I've been walking 1/2 hr for three days now.  Not much but a start at least.  Making soups, bread, weaving, dyeing, making some cuffs...very busy for some reason!  And I was supposed to take January off.  HA!  Well, that didn't happen.

Heading out through the field...even though it was almost warm, it was windy and there is a lot of ice still.

This, actually was yesterday in the woods...

The moss (lichen??) was soooo green.  I love it!

A big, ole porcupine up in a tree we call the "porcupine tree" cause there are usually 5 or 6 of them in it!

The "Porcupine Tree"



Here he is today...see the quills standing up???



Walking round the pond

Part of the pond looked quite wet so I didn't dare to go on it.  But would dearly love to ice skate!

Heading back through our field.  Way too much ice for a ride on Dom yet.

Hey Duke...How could someone have left a halter on him when he was growing.  Hard to believe.  And he is still the sweetest horse.

My main man...

 So a new routine...healthy food, walks.  I think I have been eating my fear instead of dealing with it.  I am a work in progress.
xo



Still Dyeing...

Well, still dyeing...five (or is it 6) days of it.  More than I usually do at one time but when I measured out the dye I made it very strong and then when I lightened each color in a cup for use I had to add more urea water and that made more, and more, and more...well, I still have more dye to use.  But I'm tired of making skeins.  I'm tired of standing for hours.  I'm tired of rinsing.  My hands are chapped. 

Tired of wringing out skeins.

But then, something always happens and I look at the rainbows I've created and

I fall in love all over again...

xo