New model

Who could resist those eyes and grin (not toothless).
Modelling the Owl Vest at 8 months.  The hat does fit nicely with a turned up brim.

Its happened again

Earlier this month I entered two scarves in the National Exhibition of Creative Fibre Society.  This will be held in Hamilton in association with a huge Quilt and craft show.

It was a performance getting the entry in on time as I missed the Rural Post on the designated Friday.  No problem, I thought, I'd do it online.  Mucked up my bank account pin and three working days before anyone would help me so that led me to the decision to go to the Loominus weaving meeting on Monday and deliver the forms etc in person.  I've come to the conclusion I should never travel alone.  Got lost finding Margaret's place for the meeting (I've been there many times before) then got completely bamboozled finding my way around Cambridge.  Ended up in Lemmington which is completely the wrong side of town I needed to be.  Mission finally accomplished I drove home.

I've had word that both scarves have been accepted and that I should come to the opening, please!  The opening doesn't start until 7pm so, say presentations at 8 and, then a two hour drive home.  I'm showing my age by hesitating.  When I went to the opening of the Bay of Plenty exhibition I realised how important it is to go if at all possible because volunteers work very hard to put on an enjoyable show and it is disappointing if the award recipient isn't there.

NZ Bush

NZ Bush close up

Kaimai

Kaimai close up

Opening is 7 September so we'll all have to wait till then.

NZ Bush is an echo weave with two warps space dyed and then interleaved.  Kaimai shows the hazy blues of the hills with a twill back ground and a seperate twill resist pattern.  One side shows blue with green and the other dark green with blue highlights. other

Knitting finished, start next weaving project

I seem to have waffled my way through the last couple of weeks not achieving anything much.  I did manage to knit this vest with cabled owls on the front for Jack before the families visit last weekend.  I've included this picture to show my row marker; an old earring with a closed ring fixture rather than a hook.  Works quite well most of the time.

Owls in Pohutukawa tree

 Now on to the next weaving project.  Can you guess which bird these represent?  Of course, the kotare.

Pounamu

A (sort of) log cabin knit blanket using the thrums left over from a series of woven Pounamu (greenstone) blankets surrounded by white.  All garter stitch, the only rules were that all green knots went to one side and each square had the equivalent of 50 stitches and/or rows.  The squares were crocheted together.

Kereru

Kereru, New Zealand pigeon.

A masterpiece blanket in the making.  Below is the mohair weft drying in the morning sun.

23 different colours in the wool warp chains.

570 warp threads tied on and ready to beam on.

All on, smooth and ready to weave.  Woven double layer, silver, wine, pink on one layer with teals, greens on the other.  A mind bender keeping that flowing while tying on.

Weaving started.

Two blankets off the loom and waiting to have their tassels twiddled.

This is not a pretty sight.  Under that pile of .. um .. stash is the guest bed and you can't see what's behind the wardrobe door or out the passage.  I had to empty the cupboard to remove a TV aerial wire which was threaded behind the shelves.  Now it needs sorting and dealing to before family comes to visit next weekend.  I found bags of thread I'd forgotten about, bags I'd tried to find and given up on and bags of little bits left over from other projects.  What to do with it all?

And just so you'll forget the above scene I'll leave you with last nights walk on the beach. 

Evening blush.