November, 2009

Thanksgiving, 2009 was spent in Pensacola, FL with my son, Dean, and his lovely wife, Ede, and their two kids, James and Eden. Emet, Ede’s mother, drove to my house and we commenced the seven hour drive to the Panhandle of Florida. It gets longer each time I go… It can’t be that I’m getting older!!

We went to a small park near the house. The kids rode their bikes – Dean and James rode a bicycle built for two! Eden rode her bike and I drove myself in the car. James picked wildflowers and arranged them in leaves for his Mother and both Grandmothers. I loved mine and put it in a frame to hang in the living room when I got home. We did have to be careful of the bugs however as quite a few seem to make their home in wildflowers. Eden had fun in the park playing on the playsets.

Thanksgiving was wonderful as always. James cooked the turkey in the Big Green Egg this year and he did a fantastic job! Emet’s pancit was wonderful – way too much work but so good! And I made fresh bread daily and my famous salad. We were fat and happy when we finished gorging ourselves!

Ede and the kids have taken up Karate. I went to watch two practices and I was very impressed with their prowess! I hope they go on to achieve black belts! It is certainly good exercise and fun too.

October, 2009

In October I took a rug weaving class from Tom Knisely of The Mannings Studio in PA. I had never seen much less woven any rugs so it was quite the experience for me! And it was my very first weaving workshop with the guild. There were a number of drafts given and every workshop participant had a different draft. My particular draft involved twisting five yarns together and alternating that with the rags that I had cut from the fabric that I purchased. I bought very bright, tropical fabrics as I was hoping to end up with a small runner type rug for the living room. There was almost $100 in fabrics so it was quite the investment. I learned to not do that for a workshop and to not count on having anything that you can use when you are finished… Other than that I learned a lot and enjoyed the companionship of the other weavers so it was a good 3 days experience for me. Here is my loom loaded with my two tone warp – it was supposed to be all one color – but it turned out very nice.

I made 17 samples. I keep trying to figure out what to do with all of the samples I received from the other weavers. They are so pretty!

Also in October I finished the Mystery Stole! I believe I am the only knitter in Orlando to have finished it! It was really worth all the blood, sweat and tears. A really lovely stole.

I had to call my ex-husband, Tom, one night in September and ask him to come over because there was a SNAKE in my house and he had gotten under the stove. Tom turned the oven on – I really didn’t think this would bother the snake at all but out he came and Tom was able to catch him and release him in the side yard. I wouldn’t have done it quite like that… but Tom is a kind hearted soul.

Lynne Vogel Color Spinning Workshop

I just returned from a two day color spinning workshop with Lynne Vogel. The workshop took place at Lowe Mill in Huntsville, AL http://www.lowemill.net/ . Lowe Mill is a three story artist colony and on Saturday the artists come and try to sell their wares. Our meeting area was on the second floor. It was a long way up with the spinning wheel! Lynne was very good and very helpful. She advocated knitting energized singles to bypass the mud that sometimes results from plying. If you knit the singles straight off the wheel she says they will retain their energy and not go all whopper jawed when you get them wet. She also said you could steam the singles and that would make them easier to use and keep them from going boing once they became wet... Singles produce a lovely fluffy material. I learned how to Navajo ply. The Navajo plying does reduce the colors co-mingling when you ply and makes a nice yarn but it sure uses up a lot of yarn since it is 3 ply instead of 2 ply. I also learned how to Andean ply. But that does not reduce the co-mingling of colors you can get when you ply. We made little itty motifs with our energized singles. I threw some roving into my motif and she absolutely loved it. She and most of the other women were very impressed with my laceweight spinning. Of course that is all I know how to do. She tried to get me to spin thicker but we weren't that successful... You have to use more fiber and who wants to do that?? It was interesting anyway. Saturday we ate lunch at the Happy Tummy http://www.mmmhappytummy.com/ , an eatery attached to the Lowe Mill. It was very good and reasonably priced. Saturday’s dinner was at Macaroni Grill. I was very nervous about finding my way around in the dark but I managed to get back to my hotel. I stayed at the Radisson and was practically the only one there. My room had a microwave, a kitchen type sink and a small refrigerator along with a separate sitting area and a sleep number bed! There was a free breakfast every morning. I ate dinner at the restaurant Friday night and I was the only person there! It was a very nice hotel and the staff was very friendly.

Monday I drove to Pensacola, FL to stay with my son, Dean, and his family. I got to Pensacola around 2:00 PM. Ede wanted to go out to lunch at Tu-Do. I hadn’t eaten yet so that’s what we did. Tu-Do’s is always great. I had steamed rice with various meats. I gave the kids their presents – an etching and origami book for James and a wooden whale and a rug hooking kit for Eden. Nana always comes baring gifts! Monday was also Eden’s Tai Kwondo lesson. Tuesday was James’ soccer game and he even got to play! Here's a picture of a soccer mom in action!

Wednesday we celebrated my birthday a day early since Dean had work to do Thursday. We went to Veterans Memorial Park and saw all of the monuments to the soldiers in our wars. There was even a copy of the Vietnam Wall called the Wall South. Then we went to dinner at Crabs http://www.crabswegotem.com/. Crabs is a wonderful place and their crabs are fantastic! We had a wonderful time. Eden made me a beautiful birthday card and James made me an origami picture frame with his picture. Dean gave me Bamboo Fun which is a digital scrapbooking program. I’ll have fun with that!

I finished the Ginger Smith block of the GAAA. It was really a lot of fun to do. Now I’m working on the Barbara Selesnick block. The more of these you knit the more fun they are and the easier they become. I’ve finished 9 blocks so far.

The black and white large herringbone scarf is off the loom. Pictures to follow once I have washed, dried, ironed and twisted the fringes. WOW! Sounds like the weaving was the easy part!

Next month I am taking a class on weaving rag rugs with Tom Knisely from the Mannings School in PA. I am really excited about the class. I’ve purchased my cotton fabric which will be torn into strips. I also bought a ski shuttle, rug warp and a 12 dent reed. I can no longer afford to feed myself but I’ll be a weaver extraordinaire!!

Weaving Placemats and Twill Gamp

I haven’t posted here in ages. Mainly because my big project – a set of four handwoven placemats for my friend, Jody’s, wedding could not appear on the net. She may actually be following my blog (grin). I gave them to her last week at her wedding shower and she seemed very pleased so here they are:

This was the project from Dante’s inferno. It was the first time I warped the loom all by myself. First I didn’t have a metal bar to lash on to so I lashed on directly to the back beam. Then I got the warp on the loom backwards so the brake wouldn’t hold and I couldn’t get any tension. To fix that I had to get the lease sticks back in and wind the whole warp onto the forward beam then wind it back onto the back beam; all the while keeping some tension going. I finally got it on the loom properly but all this winding here, there and everywhere messed up the tension and I was forever fiddling with it and struggling mightily. There was enough warp for six placemats but the tension became so bogged down after four that I quit. I didn’t save the warp – I threw it all away!! I was SO discouraged! But I was pleased with the end result.

In May I was involved in a three car pile up on I-4. Luckily I wasn’t the sandwich but the top slice. I was following 5:00 o'clock traffic on westbound I-4 around the 408 exit. We were starting to pick up speed and were going around 40 when KABOOM!! Then I felt another tap. I think the girl behind me hit me and then her friend hit her. I, safe driver that I am, did NOT hit the person in front of me because I was a safe distance behind them. We were in the middle lane and a policeman came up to me fairly fast and told me to move to the shoulder. I told him I'd love to but I was scared. He said he'd block the traffic for me so I went onto the GRASS and the girls followed me. Neither one of these children came up to me and asked me if I was OK. There was NO squealing of brakes because the children didn't BRAKE!!! The policeman estimated $1,000 damage and it was a royal pain but I finally got the car fixed better than new. All of the little scratches and dents that I put on her are all gone.

In July I had another little episode of losing my mind and I purchased a knitting machine! Pictures to follow! I don’t even have possession of it yet. One of the women in my weaving class founded the machine knitting guild here in Orlando and she is going to teach me how to use my new toy.

I have also finished a twill gamp. A gamp is a woven sampler. In this case, I explored many twills. Joy came down and helped me warp the gamp onto the loom. We had a wonderful time. We had to wind the warp too since the week prior to this was month end close and I can’t do anything during that. I was able to get the warp threaded, sleyed and tied onto the front beam all by myself. The weaving of the gamp was lots of fun and I love the way it looks.

Next month I am going to Huntsville, AL to take a two day color spinning workshop with Lynne Vogel. This is put on by the Huntsville Fiber Guild members and looks like a lot of fun. I am trying to finish spinning what I’ve got on my bobbins so they will be free for the class. Since I can only spin laceweight this is slow going. More info on the class next month!

Home Renovations

I have been enjoying some home renovations. Actually they are necessary repairs left over from the leak. I decided to pull up the carpet – it was older than dirt anyway and had definitely seen better days – and replace it with tile. My ex said he would do the work for me. I went to Lowe’s and lo and behold they were having a sale on some beige tile that darn near matched what I have in the living/dining room. Tom picked it up in his van and pulled God only knows what lugging it onto the back porch. So he was down for a day or so. My friend, Barbara, came over one Sunday and we got all of the light things out of the room. Tom hired a helper and they moved the heavy stuff the next day. They did manage to find a place for everything but it was pretty tight. At least nothing had to live out in the garage. I couldn’t see sleeping on the futon for more than a night or two so Tom set up my bed in the dining room. I can’t say that I liked sleeping in the dining room. The noises were different and I kept waking up. I finally figured out that the battery run automatic air freshener was running out of its battery charge and making a spitting noise that was waking me up. Once that was taken care of sleeping in the dining room went much more smoothly. Riley didn’t care - as long as he could sleep beside me he was fine.

Notice the flashlight on the bed for reading in bed.














First Tom painted the room a very pretty light aqua green with white trim. Then the tiling began. After the tiling, Tom had to install the new baseboard. About two weeks later my beautiful room was finished. It really turned out nice. If you live in the Orlando area, I know a talented tile person who can make your room shine.

Here is my completed room. Isn't it beautiful?

My friend, Laura, was reading Craig’s List when she came upon a Dorset direct tie up floor loom for sale. I had been renting the Guild’s Dorset and weaving a table runner on it. Laura called me and I contacted the seller and picked up the loom the next evening in Casselberry. The loom looks like it is in perfect condition and I am really looking forward to weaving on it. My first

project is a gift for my friend, Jody’s, wedding.

I did finish the table runner and it looks wonderful on my table with my gold chairs.

I am still working on the GAAA and the Mystery Stole. My big project right now is a present for one of my accountants. She is pregnant and due the first of July so my little fingers have been flying. Stress in my crafts...

Florida Tropical Weaver's Guild Conference

I met L for breakfast at First Watch Saturday and then we traveled to Maitland for an estate sale. I picked up an open boat weaving shuttle for $5 - usually $45 so I was happy :) She got a niddy noddy and some wooden needles. Very cool stuff there but they were not priced very

friendly :) Then we went to the Florida Tropical Weavers Conference in Lake Yale ( http://www.flbaptist.org/Lake%20Yale%20Baptist%20Conference%20Center/about_us_mission_history.html ). We had a wonderful time. We were lost most of the time – I had no idea there were so many Route 44’s in the Eustis area - but other than ending up in a mobile home park we did finally make it there. It is a very nice facility with a full sized cafeteria and motel type rooms. There were only four or five vendors there and we helped each of them out... I got some coned unmercerized yarn - for towels - in dark green, olive green and cream from Serendipity Farms.

And I got some mercerized yarn - for anything not requiring absorbency - in white, black and grey from Lunatic Fringe. Also picked up some cotton fiber for spinning in natural green from Southwest Corner. Joan also gave me cotton seeds to grow my own green cotton!! She made the most beautiful top out of green cotton fiber that she spun on a Lendrum. Her website is here: http://www.cottonspinning.com/ We met up with Joy who was staying on the campus and taking classes and even had a very nice lunch - hamburger, salad, and cookie dessert. After leaving there we went to Mt. Dora where the yarn shop is having a sale because she's moving hopefully to Orlando. Finally got home around 4:30!! LONG day especially because I was so excited that I couldn't sleep and was wide awake at 3:00!!

I am renting the guild’s Dorset loom. It is beautiful and I am looking forward to getting a warp on it and weaving. I wound the warp for my table runner on Sunday. Note to self – do not pass over the same pegs more than once… Doing so really tangles the yarn… You would think that I could at least wind a warp… Ah, well. I think I just need to do it more often. And the warping reel is missing some essential pieces which doesn’t help.

I have started a baby blanket for one of the accountant’s at work. The baby is a boy and is due July 1. So of course the baby blanket is blue… Pictures to follow.

I also went back to Weight Watchers. Again. Maybe the third time is the charm… I really like the new Momentum plan and am looking forward to losing a few pounds!

Home Sweet Home - NOT!!

I have had joyous home repairs the last two months. My walk in closet was drenched in water Saturday, January 30 so John with Roto Rooter came out around noon. He found a small pinhole leak in one of the toilet lines and fixed it quickly and relatively cheaply. Then he mentioned the mold in the wall and how he had a restoration company that could come out and fix that. Mold is not a happening thing with my allergies so I said OK. The restoration company brought five or six fans, two dehumidifiers and a hepa filter! It was AWFUL!!! I couldn't even hear myself think.

There was NO way I could sleep in my own bed. Riley and I slept on the futon.

Dean came to stay overnight on Sunday and he saw and he conquered... I had forgotten that he had worked as a general manager for Munter's. Munter's is a large company that does restoration work. Dean was NOT impressed with what the shady outfit did at my house and he called them up at 5:00 on Sunday and fired them and told them to come and get their machines. I was renting WAY too many machines for the size of the leak. The way it works is they bill the insurance company but they overbill the deductible amount. That's called insurance fraud in my book but it seems to be an acceptable way of doing business since they are all listed in the phone book with bragging about how they work directly with your insurance company. Anyway, Dean put all of the machines outside on the front porch. We had to call this idiot THREE times before he came and got his stuff. Then he left me a waiver where HE signed my name!!! What a jerk! I have letters to my insurance company to NOT open a claim. This is going to be an ongoing mess for awhile. The bad part is they did not lift the carpet and put the fan under it to dry it. I bought a new toilet and it is finally installed. For a few days, my front porch was adorned by the old toilet with a plant in the bowl...

The house SMELLS like mold around the air conditioner which is behind the walk in closet. So Tom, my ex-husband, got under there and pulled all of the insulation out – it was still WET. And he pulled up the carpet in the hallway and cut off a big piece of it. I’m going out today to find some tile and I’ve got a heater aimed at the air conditioner box. What a mess!

Happily I did finish the Ann McCauley block.

It was a lot of fun! Now I’m working on the Ginger Smith block. Very interesting construction. It’s worked in strips and you pick up stitches in between the strips.

I also finished the baby kimono for my friend, Janette’s, granddaughter. It is cute and I hope they like it.

And I finished the woven towel for the towel exchange with my weaving class! They didn’t turn out like I expected! They’re GREEN!! I made them with 8/2 unmercerized cotton in blue and yellow. Green!! So I have learned something about color and weaving.

I am renting the guild’s Dorset floor loom. It is a beautiful piece – unfortunately a tad the worse for wear. I would like to give it a loving home should they ever decide to sell it. My weaving teacher thinks they would be willing to part with it for $500 which is a great price.

I’m off to look at tile for the master bedroom. Home sweet home - grin...