My SIL Rochelle sent me these greeting cards - does she know me or what? Please note the slumbering orange tabby. Ian and I have been Wii bowling best two out of three after dinner but last night I bested him with an impressive 235. Tonight he asked me if I'd like to watch a movie. Coincidence?
When I bought this computer, I also purchased a USB cable that was specifically designated to transfer data from an XP to a Vista computer. All the photos arrived but without any indexing. I have been unable to locate and move them, and only on occasion have I bumped into them. Lorrie, my computer nerd friend even tried to help me at Christmas. I bumped into them yesterday and decided that I needed to set everything aside and get my photos tagged and into folders. Between yesterday and today, I've spent close to 12 hours - it's worse than having a job. Somewhere mid-morning I located the bulk of the nearly 5,000 photos lumped into a folder that said 9/13/2009. It makes no sense, but tonight the contents of that folder are in identifiable folders and the original folder is no more. Those were all the photos I took in 2006 and 2007 - precious. It was overwhelming. So far I've gained 14 GB of disc space and it will probably be over 20 by the time I'm done.
The inception of this project was my morning walks. Noting the magnificent subtle colors of our landscape, I started thinking that it would be cool if I could print up some photos, order some UKI cotton and then weave dishtowels of the Nevada landscape. I knew that I had captured some pretty dramatic colors, but I also knew that I couldn't find them.
I'm so excited to finally locate my photos. I had them in my head but that wasn't helping me pick out yarn colors - and yeah, that's Eleanor tucked in there at the bend. She's my best friend car ever; I'm afraid to wash her and bring on a storm. She's so dirty, you'd think I don't like her but you would be wrong.
This is some of the red rocks of Red Rock Valley. I'm thinking about printing photos of my color inspiration and providing a photo with each towel that the photo inspired. I have two more years of photos that need to be sorted and put in folders. I'd like to get the whole organization thing completed, and then I'll weave. I'm half way there!Meanwhile, my question for you - if you weave dishtowels, what yarn do you prefer? I've been using 8/2 cotton but my friend Jo likes 5/2 and I know others favor 10/2. I have no idea how they are different and why I should use one over the other. Obi Wan?
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11 comments:
And then the other part of the question--mercerized or not? I'm currently using mercerized 5/2, & it's too early to tell, since none are finished. I previously used 8/2 unmercerized, & I like the way they feel after washing & using.
I use 8/2.....get it from Maurice Brassard in Quebec, or from Halcyon Yarn in Maine....their catalog is delish.
I also throw in 6/2 if I have it in the color I want.
Your pictures are phenomenal!!!!
You want unmercerized.....so they soften with washing, and they absorb better.
The nicest tea towels I made were mainly 2/10 cotton however I normally use 2/8 simply because it's easier to get around here. I use unmercerized cotton as well, usually because there is a major price difference. I've used both however and they both work out nicely.
The colours in your scenery are gorgeous. Makes me long for a road trip.
I like a finer towel, one that is not so bulky, I like 8/2 or 10/2 unmercierized for actually using in the kitchen, for looks and not quite so absorbent I have done towels with an 8/2 unmercierized warp and used 5/2 Pearl cotton as the weft. My red towel in process is like that.
Basically, use what you have or is the most cost effective to get. If money is no object (haha) go linen.
Wonderful stuff.
Wow, that's a lot of photos to deal with. But, I don't blame you for wanting to find them and get them to where you could access them again! I didn't have the luxury of a cable transfer and had to rely on CD transfer. A lot didn't get transferred. Grr.
I've always used 8/2s for dishtowels too, but know others do different. Why don't you do some experimenting and report back to us. :)
I generally use 8/2 unmerc but have also used 10/2, 4/2 and 6/2 depending on what I'm in the mood for and what I've got in the stash.....but 8/2 is my favorite.
There's always a debate on unmerc or merc, I've never found the merc, no matter how many times washed, to be as absorbent. It makes a pretty towel but I want mine to be serviceable too. That's my two cents for what it's worth.....about two cents!
The photo's are lovely and great color inspiration. A couple of those remind me of Wally Stegner book jackets. But wow, that is a lot of organizing!
I usually use 2/8's and 2/10's unmerc. cotton for my kitchen towels. Also have some 2/12's organic cotton that makes lovely towels.
Once I made the mistake of weaving towels from a huge cone of 5/2's natural unmerc. cotton as warp. Those towels would not dry anything. They just did not absorb moisture. After they became the family joke,(as in: "That towel don't dry"..instead of "That dog don't hunt") I went back and checked the inside of the cone. The yarn was "waxed" cotton. So beware....(would you like a cone of 5/2's waxed cotton?...giggle) The towels absorb moisture now, after they have been washed a gazillion times. But still...IMO 5/2's is a little heavy for kitchen towels, esp. if you have glassware to dry.
OTOH, Joann Bacheldor who teaches great classes on towels and diaper weaves loves 2/10 and 2/20's merc. cotton for towels.
Ultimately the desired weight of kitchen towels is personal preference....and perhaps weave structure.
Sorting photos is such an enormous undertaking! My favourite tea towel, hand towel yarn is 22/2 cottolin for warp and depending on the draft and effect I want, I vary the weft using anything from slubby cotton, 6/2 cotton, 8/2 cotton,16/2 cotton, 16/1 linen, 22/2 cottolin. I would use 10/2 as well, but one doesn't see it much in Canada. I use mercerized sometimes as well, but only for table runners - not as much absorbtion in my opinion.
I have to admit I love weaving towels with 8/2 unmercerized cotton. But I like 10/2 nearly as much.
I love your idea of weaving towels based on the colors in nature in your area. Sounds like a great theme for a towel exchange.
I'm going to be the odd man out here and confess to loving my towels made from 20/2 unmercerized cotton that I got from Webs. At first I thought they would be too thin but they dry my hands and dishes well, and dry quick afterwards. My 8/2 towels don't get used near as much after I started using the 20/2 ones.
22/2 cotolin, best yarn for distowels ever!
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