Handwoven Towel Exchange

My weaving class is having a handwoven towel exchange. We have to weave three towels - two to exchange and one to keep and write up a project page with attached samples. Since this will be our first towel project, we are not expected to be perfect. But I have had problems way above and beyond and I thought I would document them for future struggles...



The above picture shows where one of the threads behind the heddles either broke or loosened from the tie on to the point where I had to attach an "S" hook to weight it otherwise I was constantly fighting loops on the front of the fabric...

The next photo shows the tangled mess behind the heddles that I was ALWAYS getting up and going behind the loom and combing...





This photo shows the list of shots necessary for my Swedish
Rose Twill pattern. There were 78 shots for one pattern
repeat!










The next two pictures show the front of the loom with the towels on it.














Despite the struggles, I love weaving and it was a lot of fun
watching the fabric emerge! I sure would like a new loom
though :) Maybe if I write Santa a nice note...

Saturday, December 13, 2008 I went to the Weaver’s of Orlando luncheon at Antonio’s Italian Restaurant in Maitland, FL. It was a lovely luncheon with great food and even better company. The meal started with a lovely salad of baby greens with a light dressing. You had your choice of two dishes: chicken stuffed with Fontina cheese and prosciutto or a pasta dish. My friend, Joy, told me that the chicken would be the less caloric of the two so I believed her and ordered that. I have now eaten all of my allotted calories until Wednesday of next week… Then we had trays of candy for dessert. The weavers also had a raffle so I bought 6 tickets for $5. I, who never win anything, won TWICE!! I gave away my second win so someone else could have a chance. I did get some lovely yarn – camel in a very pretty warm, natural brown shade and a nubby cotton/linen in an unbleached shade. I’m sure I can use them both. Then we had a gift exchange. It had to be something hand-made. I gave away a flat basket that I had made many moons ago. I got two knitted dishcloths made by Thelma who is in our weaving class. These dishcloths will never see a dish – they are suitable for washing the queen only!

I was very pleased and the recipient of the basket seemed pleased too! I sat across from Gloria and Jim and they were fascinating. Both in their 80s and still going strong. He does blacksmithing at Barberville where there is a craft village of life in olden times. I had gone there many moons ago with my father and I would love to go again. One of these days... Anyway, I had a wonderful time and sure won't miss another one!

Then I went on to Georgia's house. She was having a knitting get together. I picked up some flowers - carnations but they had been dyed a pretty salmon color - and some cookies and off I went. We had a lovely time. Most of the women from the Knit or Knot knitting guild were there and conversation was lively as it always is with those ladies J I got there around 3:00 and we all left around 4:30. Very nice.

I have made a mistake with MS4. Apparently I only moved ONE side of the pattern marker and did not move the other side. No telling when I made this error… So I am going to have to rip or tink. I think if I put in a lifeline about 4 rows down I should be able to rip down to that. I don’t know if I can put in a lifeline after the fact but it seems logical.

I am currently working on the Ann McCauley square on the GAAA. I love those baubles! They are such fun to knit! I finished the Janet Martin square. These squares are certainly challenging but a lot of fun.

Thanksgiving 2008

Thanksgiving was a wonderful holiday filled with family and friends. The drive to Pensacola on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving was very pleasant and traffic was surprisingly not too bad. Ede’s mother and her friend were already there and it was nice getting reacquainted. Poor James had a cold but he was sure being a brave little soldier. Wednesday night we went to church and Eden was an acolyte! She did a wonderful job but putting out the candles was a tough job especially when they were so high!

I played Cranium with Dean and the kids on Thanksgiving. Dean cooked the turkey in the Big Green Egg. It was delicious! I made a salad, dressing and gravy and Dean made the sweet potato casserole. Ede’s mother made Puncit, a Filipino dish akin to lo mein with rice noodles, pork, chicken, shrimp and vegetables. I wrote down the recipe once – I think it took two legal pages – and determined that I was never making that!! James played the piano for us. He really has a lot of talent.

Friday was the day for putting up the Christmas tree and decorating the house. We tried to go to Bellingrath in Alabama to see the gardens and the lights (http://www.bellingrath.org/) but it was raining. So we went to Felix's Restaurant on Mobile bay instead (http://www.felixsfishcamp.com/). Their crab soup is to die for! And I enjoyed the crab cakes too. They were on fried green tomatoes. I had never had those before and am now addicted and make them at home… And we went to Barnes & Noble. The Pensacola store is very nice and bigger than the ones in Orlando.

Dean took me to work out every day… I would get a small – very small – breakfast and then we’d go work out. After working out we’d come back and have a delicious protein shake. YUM!! In other news along this same line, I’ve hired a personal trainer and joined a gym. Little Andrea works my TAIL off! I may have lost two pounds. I am getting stronger – I can actually lift 50 pounds AND run up and down steps!!! I’ve still got a long way to go but it’s a start.

The drive home was horrendous with the FL/FL state football gamers (GO GATORS) AND the Thanksgiving people… It took 10 hours instead of the usual 7. And I never saw an accident...