Wednesday, November 03, 2010

Post Election Day

I have been sewing and have a project helper. While I sewed everything I wore for almost half my life and thought I could pick up where I left off, well - fabrics and threads have changed. This is just about the only fabric I bought from Mood that's 100% cotton. I went to my local fabric store and discovered that this green is not a thread color. I came home with the closest match and realized as I fought through the project that the thread is 100% polyester. Good thing this crone had her familiar. This was a bad gig.
I'm also still working on my rosepath sampler. I finished my 5" of this pattern and was thoroughly disappointed at how the pretty lavender was grayed out, so much so, that I took a picture of the bobbin with the weave. I was finished for the day and in reviewing Davison's book to see what I'd work on the next day, I noticed something.
The book is old, and I've found the illustra-
tions to be difficult to read. I had completely missed that she had inserted a change in tie-up. What she had intended is very interesting and not blah at all - these two are the same treadling, different tie-ups. It was a great unintended learning opportunity for me to see what a difference a tie-up can make.
The twisted bout is wreaking havoc on my right selvedge. Until I can under-
stand how I'm inserting this twist, I'm afraid I'll have to revert to front-to-back warping. I know that this isn't the optimum method, but since I don't have a genie and don't know how this happens, it's a case of - oh well.
I've had some really cool "aha" moments. I'm up to #13 of the 16 samples and can see why weaving samples is important. I know I should have done it years ago. I've never understood what the difference between warp-face and weft-face weaves is. I was just finishing here today when I realized that these are weft face. I think I get it.
I went over to Mim's after lunch today, just to visit and hang out in her "womb room." She has this wonderful space that's her fiber-woman cave. I need to visit every now and then. I put my stuff in the car afterward and we paid a visit to Simon, her new guard dog.
I know this is a weird picture, but we were trying to get a picture of the size of his feet. He's only six months old. I had asked her once if he was growing into his feet and she said no, his feet are still growing!
Check out the size of his leg - good grief. He's to be a 160 pounds at maturity. I've never met a guard dog like him. He's gentle and playful, happy to see you and yet doesn't display separation anxiety when you walk away. He differs from the traditional Great Pyrannies in that he doesn't have a desire to roam over large areas. I think she found a winner. Some Armenian breed - don't ask.
Mim was playing around with my camera and shot this. It's a peaceful picture and it was a peaceful kind of day.

6 comments:

Theresa said...

Oh those are big paws! Such a handsome dog too. Glad she found a good one. I see the little one in the background of one of the pictures too.
It all sounds like a perfect day, except for the thread part.
Oh, and the blanket pattern and yarn looks fantastic!
Have fun weaving it!

Valerie said...

Yep, I ran into the same thing when returning to sewing. Threads, interfacings, and even fabric are not what they used to be.

I did find that Sandra Betzina's book Fabric Savvy and it's successor More Fabric Savvy to be helpful to read through. Our library has copies.
More Fabric Savvy
(Amazon Link)

That dog is going to be HUGE!!

Kim said...

Wow! What paws! And since I work in a fabric store, I wish I could assure you there is everything out there, but I can't. If you have a special need for something though, I would be happy to look in our syore. We often have things others don't. Still, things have changed....

~~Sittin.n.Spinnin said...

I wish I could get myself interested in weaving, seems like there is always something else to do.
I can't wait to see Mim's dog, after all the pics I've seen of him, I still don't have a good idea of his size.

Benita said...

Nice picture with the pumpkins.

A fiber woman-cave - I could live there!!!

I love weaving samplers. They are lots of fun, and you can make patchwork pillows out of them too!

Jenny Bellairs said...

Hi Sharon,
I was wondering if you figured out why part of your warp was twisting. Do you chain your warp off the warping board? If you do, that can cause twisting. You might want to get Kati Meek's book, Warp with a Trapeze... Her method prevents any twisting.