its just not normal

I put on my togs, wrapped a sarong to hide the cellulite and bulges, donned sun hat and jandels, and went to the surf for a swim.  Its just not normal for a human being to want to get into the cold Pacific.  I got wet to my knees and came home hotter than ever.

I've finished the blankets whose warps were on the loom January 1 (or heading that way).

Poutama (Stairway to Heaven)

 Lava, wool warp, mohair weft all hand dyed by me.  Both these are for Pauanesia, a lovely shop in Auckland with product celebrating New Zealand and the Pacific.

 This is some spinning I've been doing on and off over the past while.  It was a sliver of cria alpaca and 15% mulberry silk from the alpaca place in Hot Springs Road, Katikati.  Just lusciously devine.   That's a 20 cent coin to give an idea of how fine I was silly enough to spin it.  I'm thinking knitting it in a lace pattern for maybe a triangular shawl but maybe dyeing it a deep eggplant first.  Time will tell.

My mindless project I work on while travelling or too tired for anything else is "sort of" log cabin squares for a blanket.  These are warp ends or loom waste left over from a series of blankets in the Pounamu (green stone) range which I've knotted together.  There won't be enough on their own so each square will be edged with white or grey, whichever looks better.

Garden ramble

Well, I'm not doing too well with creating work to blog about.  I was sick for a month right through Christmas and New Year and still not a hundred per cent so just muddling along.  Have started weaving off the white summer and winter blanket warp but the body will only let me do about half a metre a day.  A blimming nuisance to be 4 weeks behind on what I have, need and want to do on the looms.

Collected my work from the Waihi Exhibition last Sunday with neither piece selling.  Saturday was the Festival Garden Ramble with an artist in each garden.  I new it wouldn't be very busy so I set up a display in my allotted garden and sat and talked to my hostess and host.  I did have my spinning wheel with me but did very little.  But surprise surprise, on a really hot sunny day I sold two scarves.

Just so this post isn't all misery here's some blooms from the garden.

Yesterday we had rain all day expecting a downgraded cyclone last night (actually two cyclones met and combined) but it wasn't as bad as some storms we get and today the sky is blue and the sun shining so think I better visit the dye pot before the cold front from the south hits tonight, meaning I can get the mohair weft for blankets dry.

Waihi Summer Festival Opening

or alternate heading ... smile, smile, smile two, yes two, merit awards

Last night, Friday here in the antipodes, was the opening of the Waihi Summer Festival at the Waihi S. F. Exhibition which has been running for 40 years straight.  I had two pieces of work exhibited, one in the fibre section and one in the retro section.  My husband also had two photos entered in the photographic section so when we got the call, "are you coming to the opening" we didn't know which of us it was for.

It was me!  I entered Sea Spray (from Low Tide exhibition at Inspirit) in the fibre section.  Woven doubleweave

with monofilament thread and angel wing shells inserted into pockets (wish I or the organisers had straightened the bottom edge).  Because we were only allowed one piece in each section I put Coromandel Waves into the Retro section and it received a merit as well.

  When we were travelling in Crete in 2009 I had time to draw and plan projects while Pete photographed old piles of rock ancient sites and I have in my notebook plans to make this project.  Imagine my surprise to get home and open a copy of Handwoven magazine and a similar project done using wood.  The judge's comment was, I''m told, why didn't she put the wave piece in the fibre section.  The judge was Pat Old and the standard joke for the evening was "pays to know the judge".

The organisers put a lot of time into a smooth running festival and I enter work to support them.  There can only be one winner but without entries there isn't a show.  I'm delighted with my merit awards.

Whats on the looms January 1 2011

White warp for next summer and winter blankets, just waiting for the warehouse to reopen on Jan. 5 to get the weft yarn. 

 This hand dyed warp in the colour of lava is ready to tie on to the Nitsckhe loom for more blankets.

And I really should be working on the table loom threading it with monofilament from this cone for an exhibition piece.

My fibre plan for the New Year is more experimenting, fine fabrics and garments.  Hope its an excellent one for you all.