To Be Continued...

So after you have everything tied on and front tension fiddled about (you want each tied bundle to have the same tension), you are ready to weave.



I want to make sure I have enough yarn for fringe so I used some heavy cotton mop cord to weave a spacer. This is also a way to double check your tension. A straight line is a good sign.



Then I wove a half inch of plain weave (over one, under one - no fancy patterning) and then hem stitched the front edge, which in this case bundles every three threads so it won't unravel. I've added that note so when I get to the other end I can look back and match it in case my brain decides it wants to bundle four or something. It could happen.



Even though I'd checked and rechecked my threading order (through the four harnesses - one half of the equation when it comes to your weaving pattern), I always hold my breath for the first couple of inches pattern weaving. Whew - looks good - no mistakes.



These two little felted sheep crack me up. Doesn't the blue one look like she's looking over at the pattern chart while the other is watching the loom?



The woven fabric comes across the front beam and then rolls onto a round storage beam (?) - tempted to use "thingy" - someone jump in with the right term please.



12" woven so far. And again, you folks who know the right word for the "thingy" will also be wondering what the heck the brown threads are for, but that's another Sara-is-too-AR-to-trust-that-if-she-stops-at-the-end-of-the-treadling-sequence-it-really-does-pick-right-up-where-she-left-off.

Just humor me ;-).

It's About Time

Two years ago for the Tour de Fleece, I spun the first half of my Punkin yarn. Now, finally, it's on the loom and ready to weave.



I am a serviceable loom warper. I get the job done. It's sometimes not pretty and I've had to fuss with tensioning at the end of more than one large project - not so's you notice though since THIS LOOM HAS NOT BEEN USED ONE TIME SINCE IT MOVED TO THE WOOL HOUSE :-/.



This project is too special though, so I knew I needed to call in some expert assistance.

We counted, recounted, lined everything up, evened out loose threads, tied on, smoothed and fiddled a little more and began winding. It's nerve wracking (at least to me), but I LOVE to see a warp (the yarn that will go from front to back) start winding on.



Even though I wasn't warping sectionally, I prefer winding onto the sectional beam. Don't worry about what that all means - just for the real weavers out there who are wondering what the heck is she doing? You've got to remember who you are dealing with... ;-)



Click, click, click (ratchet).



Are you getting excited?



A sentinel.



Everything goes around the square beam, up over the back beam, through the metal heddles and reed, out to the front beam, where the weaving will start.



Another one. They're everywhere!

I love this late afternoon/evening light...only when the AC is cranking ;-).

Stay cool everyone. I'm headed back up to the wool house to weave a warm wool blanket :-D.

Tour de Wheels

So nobody gets their feelings hurt, I'm designating a project or part of a project to each wheel. A Tour de Wheels :-).



This is a sample of Jenny's sheep "Grandma" spun yesterday on Pam's beautiful Kromski wheel.



Grandma was a Karakul, her fleece a coarse wool comprised of locks of varying shades of gray. I carded some and combed some, trying to figure out a way to best show off the variegation.



In the end, carding left some colors, but too much fuzz, and combing, while more worsted and less prickly, blended the color too much. I was wanting to weave something using the yarn and some intact locks. This would be pretty muddy and boring.



BUT, if I use a black background and weave this lock looking overshot pattern... Stay tuned. I have 5 ounces ready to spin for Team My Favorite Sheep.



I got a lot done because it rained almost all day. Perfect for catching up on some inside chores.

Claire Bear and Comby got a lot done too.

It would have been a good day for a nap.

Stupid cats making me tired all day.

Every day...

The Rest Of The Story

So after a good bit of running around doing the silly sheep dance, Lila settled down to grazing and then she and some of her new buddies came over to check out what I was up to. I was parked over in the shade so I could keep an eye on everyone and decided to carry my wheel.

Hmmm - so this drive band makes everything turn.



And then the yarn comes out here.



Mmm - fresh spun yarn smells good.



Yeah, well, this seems like a lot of work to me. Why don't they just grow their own wool sweaters like we do?



This was actually Wednesday's spinning - Emerin.



And yesterday I plied all of Bluebell (pictures later).



But I know what you REALLY want to see is how the nails are faring. Still holding strong through barn chores, house chores (including opening metal cat food cans) and pool time :-D.

And Now For Something [A Little Bit] Different

And we all hear Ed say "Whew!" ;-).



And Lila say "Wheeeeee!"



Lila got some new buddies last night. She was very excited. She ran and leaped and ran and leaped and ran...



...and tried to get B. Willard to play with her.

"Can't you see I'm EATING!?!"



"Okay, wheeeeeee!" (pant, pant, pant)



Then she ran over to me. (boing, boing, boing)



And ran back. (boing, boing, boing)



And back to me. (boing, boing, boing)



And back. (boing, boing, boing)

And then she and Marcel did a little spinning while B. Willard picked fleece (that had already been processed into roving, thank you very little, Willard ;-).

More later...

Tour de Fleece Day Four Recap

Taking a break from Bluebell to check in with Team Jacob Junkies.



I separated Emerin's white and gray, let OVNF run the white and carded the gray myself. If you remember from the earlier picture, it was pretty mottled...but pretty. I tried to leave it mottled and spin it that way, but in the end just couldn't do it.

It probably would have been really neat, but as each batt was mottled a little bit differently, my 'everything has to be just so' brain couldn't handle it. I divided, paired up different grays and carded it two more times.

No one will ever accuse me of being too colorful :-/.



This is pretty too though.



I just love this basket. I picked it up a couple years ago and can't remember the maker's name or business. Does anyone recognize it?



An an ugly spindle shot just to record how far I'm going to come during the Tour. My goal is to be able to wind a spindle half as neatly as Michelle. We ain't there yet, but we are having fun and learning new things ;-).

Things You Learn In Workshops

You might be thinking I'm going to be talking about wool or learning to use my new Jenkins spindle.

Nope.



Check out my finger nails!

I've been very lucky in most of the workshops I've taken to end up seated next to people who have been a hoot to study with and several who've gone on to become good friends. In a class at the recent Midwest Fiber and Folk Art Fair I was seated next to a hilarious spinner with the most cool distracting ;-) finger nail polish. Red and white swirls.

How on earth did she do that?

I finally had to ask.

Stick on nail polish.

For real.



She brought me a set the next day and look, "Girl Flower" matches our porch flowers :-). Janbaby and I played beauty spa over the weekend and so far they are holding up great, even doing farm work. Too fun!

So, to update for the Tour:

Day 1 I did learn the basics for the Turkish spindle. I think by the time I get through the small ball of Miss Ewenice, I'll be much more fluent.

Day 2 I started spinning Bluebell on the miniSpinner using a technique I learned in the stick on finger nail polish workshop. See, I really was paying attention ;-).



Day 3 (so far) I finished the first full bobbin of Bluebell and a complete second bobbin as well. Those are big bobbins. I've put a good dent in that bag. I am very pleased.

I love to learn new things!