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...

Christmas 2008

Dean, Ede, James and Eden arrived at my house to celebrate Christmas 2008 on Friday, December 26th around 2 P.M. They were starving so I fed them a huge lunch - ham, pineapple, glaze, my famous salad and my fresh homemade bread. It was all delicious! Then we opened presents.

I think Eden liked her bean bag chair and James liked his Star Wars Lego.

And Ede liked her hand knit scarf and Dean liked his crystal weight set.

Then the kids took poor long suffering Riley for a walk... By then it was time for them to eat again... Steak, salad and another loaf of fresh homemade bread... I had to use the dishwasher twice Friday - I don't have enough plates to feed 5 people twice a day!!

Saturday we went for a run/bike - I was on the bike... Good thing. I made omelets for breakfast... Then we went to play miniature golf at the Fantasia course at Disney.

We had a wonderful time but I still cannot pick up the ball – my knee will not allow me to get that far down. After golfing, we went to the Disney Marketplace and had a meal around 4:00 at the Rain Forest - very interesting place but you go for the ambiance not the food :) We got home around 7:00 and I was in bed at 8:00!!!

Sunday we took Riley up to the clubhouse and played shuffleboard.

Riley couldn't come into the fenced area so we tied him to the fence. He was not happy even though he could see us. Another round of omelets for breakfast... AND we didn't leave before it was time for lunch so we had another lunch of ham, pineapple, glaze, and my famous salad. Then we went to Gatorland and met Ede’s family there.

More walking on my knee :) Dean and James went back to Pensacola Sunday night and Ede and Eden went to Ede's sister for a few nights and then home to Pensacola. It was wonderful seeing them!

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.