Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Weaving Apprentice

We have had company. Our San Francisco family, Little Sharon, Michael and grandson Noah spent three days with us. They arrived Sunday evening, having stopped at Squaw Valley on the way for Noah's ski lesson. Noah and Sammie became instant best friends - she loves any boy she can lick.

Noah loves loves loves the snow. He said, Grandma Sharon - I wish I could live with you. We had to drag him back in the house - more than once and more. The dogs love to be outside but even they begged to come in. Not Noah. He begged to go out.
Ian had to work yesterday and Mommy and Daddy wanted to shop for winter gear. Noah announced that he was staying with me. My surprise, and well, okay. He is the most verbal child I've ever experienced. He wakes up talking and doesn't stop until he falls asleep at night, a new experience for me. He said - Grandma Sharon. I'm so glad I stayed with you -it's just the two of us and it's quiet. I'm still chuckling at that. I was threading and sleying a warp and his chatter was welcome diversion. When I'd go downstairs to add another log on the fire, I would suddenly would have a wee hand in mine - my shadow. Such a boy - I miss him already.

I couldn't catch a picture of him not talking because he is always talking. It takes some getting used to, because it's a steady stream - serious. When I told Melissa about it lunch today, she said - didn't I tell about our son Kyle? He always talked and and everyone stopped listening. One morning he came upstairs talking like usual, and when we finally realized what he was saying and went downstairs, there was a fire!
Instead of winding my strips into balls, I decided to roll them into pin wheels and I have no idea where I got that idea - obviously not original. It's easier to keep track of for me, and I get an average weight of 3 ounces per wheel. I measured one as 4 1/2 inches of woven rug. In guestimation, I need six more wheels. Melissa and I went to Mill End Fabrics today and I bought supplementary cottons.
I have about half the rug done already, thanks to the Noah diversion, but now I am stopped until I can add in the new colors in the middle. Melissa said, it doesn't matter, they're random, right? Kinda, but mostly not, and actually no. Poor Noah - he was desperate to share my weaving bench but I was vigorous with the beater bar. It was a tad noisy.
This is the petticoats of weaving, the unfinished behind-the-scenes elements. So the red c-clamp holds my floating selvedge and the film canisters hold the ends for the warp that I whoops on. It was a winding error on the warp, and I'll end up treating it as a broken warp - whoops.
Charlie surprised everyone by bestowing his favors on Michael. Evening moments will change and grow with time but for now, they're in short supply with the wee young lad. Better than none at all, I say.

7 comments:

Marion B. said...

Sharon, this must have been a wonderful three days.
I imagine you miss them already.

Theresa said...

What a fun time, except for the fire. What's up with that. Was the Jackalope burning?

LA said...

When my great-niece was staying with me, she made-up a whole musical while riding in the back seat! It sure was quiet after she left!!! That rug is looking great...it doesn't seem so long ago that you made your first rug!!!

Jody said...

Noah is adorable Sharon :-)
My stepdaughter in Holland is pregnant with twins so I will become an Oma this year. I wish they lived closer :-(

Anonymous said...

I like the pinwheels - you can see the colours that are coming along in the series.

Hilary said...

I love your wheels!!!

Leigh said...

Good for Charlie! I love the rug. I actually bought a rag shuttle and I know it's somewhere. One of these days I'll weave my own rugs and curtains. Once the dust settles that is. Noah sounds like a lot of fun to have around. Glad you had a good time together.