Mosaics of Ravenna

A while back Peter called me to his computer and asked what do you think of this, want to go visit.  It was a whole page of pictures of Ravenna, a city in Northern Italy and steeped in history and art.  You bet I want to visit.

At the same time I was gob-smacked.  It was just what was on my computer screen (sort of) in Fiberworks (for the uninitiated  fiberworks is weaving software) and I was threading the loom with a navy and turquoise cotton warp sett at 40 epi.  The pattern is a 4 colour double weave with blue and an apricot in the weft.  Treadled as the warp threading with weft threads pretty much the same thickness as the warp to square the pattern.  I thought I was pretty clever with that allowing for shrinkage at different rates in warp and weft.  Don't fall off your chairs, for once I did sample.

I'm really smitten with this pattern, there is so much going on.  Are they square tiles or diamond shaped?  The patterns within the tiles are fun and where the diamond tiles meet there is another circle event happening.  The straight draw border brings it all together.

And here is the reverse side with a whole lot of more fun.

The ghastly labels are not mine but this has been entered in the Bay of Plenty Area Exhibition and one must follow the rules.  Selection was last weekend so think I'm safe publishing this.

Its a bit odd photographing a table runner on the deck but someone was filling ink cartridges for a photographic printer and had an ooopsy!  Our table is not the best now.

The second runner on the same warp with the same weft colours is designed using an altered tie up similar to what Marian Stubenitsky shows in her wonderful book "Weaving with Echo and Iris".  Its still four colour double weave but I've altered one half of the tie up.

Have now tied another warp on, this time orange and white.  I just love it when the knots all line up nicely.

These are still on the loom and again, lots of little pattern areas to make me excited.  Again woven with an altered tie up on 16 shafts in 5 end advancing twill.  This time the weft threads are slightly thinner than the warp giving the warp more emphasis.

Love these echoing hearts.

Can't wait to get these mats off the loom.

There has been knitting ...

Last year sometime my daughter in law asked if I could make matching jumpers for her and her now 4 year old daughter.  Of course I could, it just takes time, a lot of it.

This pattern, Little Miss Myra's Sweater designed by Laura Simonson of Knot Enuf Knitting, seemed like a good bet but it only comes in children sizes up to 10 years.  I figured D I L would be about a size 12 and both girls are very long!  With this pattern you start with the cable band around the shoulders, then work up and then down and lastly work the sleeves.  First thing I realised was that the cable would be small on an adult so sat with pen and paper and quickly worked out a bigger, but matching, cable.  Then I'd knit some on the small garment, then switch to the bigger to do the same.  I did take the cable to the bottom of the garment including it in the rib band.

Then, of course, buttons became a problem as the nearest habby shop is an hours drive away.  A quick fossic in Granny's button box found some old glass buttons.

Then the jumpers were in the post, too late for winter I thought, but goodness have we had some cold days lately.  

Clean up and blankets

It finally happened.  I couldn't stand my studio any more.  Boxes and mess everywhere.

The only thing I could think of to try and make room was to remove all the boxes to the guest bathroom and start sorting from there.  Shower cubicle filled and the bath and then the floor.  It is  (or was) winter here so not expecting visitors.  Of course, best laid plans .. etc. a friend decided he would call in so with a couple of weeks notice I set to.

I did have some "before" photos but seem to have deleted them (probably just as well).  With throw outs and a box of "give aways" I had three rows of shelves completely full and one row empty, just enough space to take the boxes of cotton I bought earlier in the year.

I'm slowly catching up on blanket orders.  These Kakapo blankets have gone to Pauanesia.  Glorious green shades of olive, moss, chartreuse and more.

And everyone's favourite, Pohutukawa.  

Jenny will love to show you this one at Inspirit Gallery.