At the loom

 

One of my favorite inspirations for weaving is "A Weaver's Book of 8-Shaft Patterns from The Friends of Handwoven" edited by Carol Strickler.  Lately I have been preparing gifts to take with me for my visit with family in Ireland.  Nothing could be as special as something handwoven from fiber dyed and spun by me.  With this in mind I chose from my stash of handspun some merino/tussah silk for the warp.  Since I didn't have enough handspun for the weft, I selected 8/2 tencel instead for the weft. I wound a warp of 3 yards and threaded my loom using a draft for a repeat twill, #412 designed by Andrea I.B. Anderson

 

I wanted a draft with some long floats that would show the strips in the handspun but also stabilize the fabric.  What appeared on my loom as I wove were cells of plain weave that looked almost like honeycomb.

Off the loom and finished, my weaving was a soft fluffy scarf that will keep my cousin very warm during the damp Irish winter.  I have enough fabric left from the end of my warp for a small wallet and enough yarn left for fingerless mittens.

Carol Strickler is the inspiration for my next weaving project.  I hope to get the warp on my loom and woven before I move my loom into my new studio.

Had some time yesterday to knit a small project.  I must have made over a dozen of these knitted, beaded bracelets.  I have even taught others to knit these fun projects.  All it takes is some graph paper to map out your design, some 6/0 seed beads and some yarn that will easily thread through your beads.

Well, off to make some potato salad for the fellows working on my studio.  We are headed for triple digit weather for the next few days.  We are in the middle of fire season, too.  A good friend was right in the middle of a fire started yesterday in our valley.  Fortunately she, her husband, dog and home are safe.  Stay cool!