Majacraft camp

Just spent a very relaxing but busy weekend in Rotorua at the Majacraft camp.  This is an annual event organised by Glynis and Owen; they looked so relaxed but I'm sure it took a lot of work behind the scenes to keep it flowing.  Several participants from USA and about 8 from Australia joined us.  Tutors were excellent including Flore Vallery Radot from Paris/Sydney, Heather Dunn and Mandie Chandler from Australia, and from NZ we had Jessicah Win, Heather Kearins and Genny Stevens.  There were a lot of "art yarns" floating around the campus in various stages of drying or being worn as neck warmers etc.  It was very free and if you didn't feel like going to a workshop you could sit on the deck in the sun and spin or walk around the shores of Lake Rotorua.

I have one of the early Majacraft Suzie wheels and Andrew was kind enough to give it some TLC so that the wheel doesn't wobble.  I was told my bobbins rattle cause they're more than 20 years old and the bearings are wearing.  I must give it a wax so that it doesn't look so neglected.

I cut it off!

Well, I went back to the cashmere scarf, threw the shuttle twice and broke two warp threads so out came the scissors and its gone.  Tied on some black merino in 110/2 TEX and have woven a scarf 2.2 metres long with not a problem.
Last post I also mentioned keeping knitting records.  Went to the knitting machine to repeat a project I'd made about 4 years ago, found the page in my work book with a few bits of information like tension, stitches and rows per inch but did I keep a record of colours - no - did I keep a record of the actual stitch pattern - no.  Nothing like making work for myself.
Have had a muddly week dyeing yarn for this, working on patterns for that, deciding which sample is best for this.  Now I have guests coming to stay so will have to return all the overflow from the studio back to its home and squeeze it in.  Enjoy your week.

Its been a while

It seems I'm still being plagued by the virus bug from Christmas time.  Appears it has probably left a residue in the middle ear causing what amounts to sea sickness (this has a name which I can't spell).  So no fun sitting at the loom or washing dishes, cleaning oven, etc.

Finally finished this little number with envelop neck in bamboo 4 ply.  The way the little chap is growing it will be too short soon so when I saw a ball of the same yarn in a "throw out" bin for $1.50 instead of $10 I grabbed it.  Figure I can take the rib off the bottom and knit downwards.

 This next might be a bit heavy for delicate ears!  When I finished the Poutama blankets I thought it would be
good to use the same threading for a new set of placemats for myself.  I raised all the odd numbered shafts using a tabby shed and slipped the lower layer out of the reed.  Then I put in two rows of tabby behind the reed and resleyed to the correct threads per inch, the tabby making it easy to find the correct threads.  With two rows of tabby inserted in front of the reed I then tied on the white cotton warp and pulled it through the reed and heddles.  I then went to the back of the loom and cut off the old warp, knotted groups of new warp ends and tied to the back apron.  Roll the warp onto back beam, tie to front apron and ready to go - when new dobby chains are made.  Six mats and one long runner later I did the same thing again to reduce the tpi for a scarf.  Met my waterloo this time though.  I used a 74/2 (48 wraps per inch) cashmere for the warp but after weaving 50 cm the threads started breaking.  I pushed ahead for another 50 cm but oh dear, an awful lot of broken threads.  Do I keep going for another 50 cm and a short scarf or cut it off and run?


I have read recently on a couple of blogs about keeping knitting journals or records of projects.  I keep a weaving work book and could pretty much repeat anything I've ever made but with knitting projects I've always delved into the waste bin and grabbed an old envelop - very elegant as you see above.  I had this rosey journal on the shelf for many years so thought I'd put it to use.  How long will this last?

My "baby" celebrated her 30th recently with a Zombie themed party so we had to join the fun in Auckland.  I contributed eyeball biscuits with a stuffed olive placed into biscuit flavoured with paprika and tasty cheese.  Also made fingers with baby carrots with the end slivered off and used a dot of cream cheese to attach an almond sliver then carved a couple of lines for knuckles.  After bbq and salad Rind served cup cakes that looked like brains. 

Proud parents! click to embigen.

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.