Saturday, January 07, 2017

Kicking off 2017!

I started off 2017 by finishing the last couple of towels on this warp.  I can't think of a better way to start a new year than this.  Four of them have sold and been shipped.  I'm not the only one who liked them.
It is still snowing and everyone is doing their best to keep up with it.  School and libraries were closed last Thursday so there was no SMART program.  When I got to the school this week I found that they had implemented a Pilet Program, i.e., Pile it here, Pile it there!  Ian is out with the snowblower as I type.
The cap on our woodstove was clogged and we went 2 1/2 weeks without a fire until our stove guy could get to us.  He's going to change the cap when the snow melts and he can get on the roof but for now we have our fingers crossed and are enjoying the wonderful radiant heat that is so much more comfortable than heat from a forced-air furnace.  Sammie is content now that all is right with the world.  Her days are spent "holding it" as long as posssible and then doing her business as quickly as possible.  I am reminded of my grandmother's description of a spit bath - "I wash everything possible, and then I wash possible."

Since we're snowed in for the most part I planned a Snow Day project - four towels from four cones.  It's still turned taquete but I added an extra block in the middle to break up what would otherwise be two identical blocks.  The variegated yarn has interesting potential.  I have another cone of it that is slightly different and I'd like to try it again but with more robust colors.
I took this from my studio window.  The skylight is covered with snow and I need to use my Ott light in order to see anything.  I can only work until about noon which is when the heat from the wood stove becomes overwhelming.  Hot air rises after all.  It's pretty and cold - 13 degrees at 1:00!

Snow is in the forecast for the rest of the week.  Last year I felt pretty helpless.  I didn't have good snow boots and my footing was terrible.  Ian put his library reference skills to work and found that Keens are reputed to be the best.  Everyone else is clomping around in Sorrels and I can't believe how flexible my boots are and how good my footing is.  I'm passing that along in the event you're in the market for new boots.  My day-to-day shoes are Keens so why not ?!

3 comments:

weavinfool said...

I like the variagated yarn in the blocks.
Bend is a bit colder than I imagined.

LA said...

All that snow!!! Oh, my!!! I didn't realize that Keens even made boots, but I wear my Keens a lot. Your towels are amazing!!

Michelle said...

This is the first winter that I've used my Keen boots so often, and the first year in a long time that I've put my winter riding boots back into circulation, too! We may not need "real" winter gear often, but it sure is nice to have when we do!