Summer and Winter mats

First the boring stuff - trying to make head or tail of Professional Weavers accounts.  In the end daughter got me on the right road.  I owe you!

 Production of plum sauce and muslei -  I actually make 6 times the Alison Holst recipe for muslei as couldn't cope with making it every week.  Rinda, I will plant the hibiscus cuttings soon, they are just starting to show roots.

 Pete makes a great Thai green curry but won't do it without lemon grass so I found a plant and planted it in the same pot as lemon balm.  Went out to water it two days later and it was gone, roots and all.  We've decided a sea gull wanted lemon with its fish!

I've been dyeing hanks for a run of blankets.  Of course I did it the day "downgraded cyclone June" arrived.  (which means it was a low with lots of rain and wind)  What would I do without the stairway rail to dry things on.

 There has been weaving in the form of summer and winter mats.

 The reverse side (taken as the evening light faded).

 

 Personally, I don't like dealing with lots of mats but enjoy this runner arrangement and its even better if one has a long one through the centre of the table.  Should I make another for the centre?

 Close up

Looking back at production in 2013

Recently Martha at Thistle Rose Weaving posted a list of the highlights of her weaving year as has Susan at Thrums.  It was a really interesting exercise to look back as I had forgotten a lot of what I made earlier in the year.  Here is a selection.

Carolyn's blanket

A whole series of Starburst Snowflake articles including place mats and Zoe's blankets

Wedding party wraps

Wild raspberry wrap

A large number of blankets

Many articles in 4 colour double weave

Shadow weave wrap

Paua

Pounamu

Selectors display at Creative Fibre Experience

and then I went on holiday for five weeks and I wondered why I was completely exhausted!

Pam's wrap

Taniko blankets for Pauanesia

and the latest play with Summer and Winter.

I think I wove 45 pieces altogether but we haven't mentioned the knitting, spinning and sewing.

Change of colour

The latest set of blankets for Pauanesia, Kowhia.  

 I didn't have time to participate this year but for quite a few years now Meg has instigated a play of "What's on the looms" on New Years Day.  As I was expecting visitors on Jan 2 I was too busy cleaning and putting things away out of the reach of a 3 year old and 7 month old who just learnt to crawl.  I new my home was in a state but even I didn't know how bad; and guess where it all ended up.  Three looms, 4 knitting machines (including colour changers, knit leaders, intarsia carriages etc), warping reel, dummy, spinning wheel, vacuum cleaner, heater, ironing board (and the ironing), product for sale in suitcases, display props, stash and library.  

My first job this year is to find homes for some things, take others (2 knitting machines in particular) to the scrap metal merchant.  Just get rid of it! 

The only loom warped was the 8 shaft Nitschke with a third version of table mats.  I am enjoying the simplicity of these summer and winter diamonds.  We had Christmas dinner on version one.

Red version 2 were welcomed by recipient and look great on her black table.

For version 3, lime, I've rethreaded the outside warps to eliminate the triangles and make them all diamonds.  Having started weaving and had time to study them I would like a bar on each outside selvedge but adding more warp threads would make them too wide.  If I make a 4th version I might fiddle with the selvedges.

Bunny for Zoe

It's been hard keeping quiet about cute Bunnykins.

This is a commercial pattern from 30 odd years ago.  

But a good stash bust.  

The only thing I bought was the 20c pink nose.

I have to say Zoe was far more interested in the cellophane paper stitched into fabric.

Seasonal Red

I just looked back at the list on the last post and I've achieved all except the lose weight, in fact the scales might be going the other way what with cake, cookies and ice cream.  Oh dear!

Two more blankets have been woven on the warp I was tieing on and are waiting for finishing before photographing.  I thought these Rata ones deserved another shot.

 I've joined a group called "Fibre Artists" at the Cargo Shed in Tauranga.  The historic Cargo Shed is home to about 15 artists displaying their work for sale and an exhibition space for invited exhibitors.  It works out that I'll have to "man" the stand three days a month and yesterday was my first try.  Below shows part of the area of the Fibre Artists.

 There is also a table with knitting started for anyone to work on.  I was thrilled at the number of young folks who made a bee-line for the needles and knitted a few rows.

 Below is part of the runner I was working on.  Summer and winter, cotton warp and slub linen weft.  This is real stash busting.  When I first wove to sell at Whangamata, ooooh, 30 years ago I acquired a lot of yarns from Old Mrs Lloyd.  I never met Old Mrs Lloyd nor do I remember how I came by the yarns but I know many in my stash came from her.  I'm sure she would be pleased they are being used at last.

I'd like to wish you all the very best for the holiday season

and a really happy and creative 2014.

New blogs

So I got up this glorious summer morning thinking I was Super Woman
1.  Write Christmas cards  (didn't get this done last year)
2.  Make Christmas cake  (fruit is soaking - that's a start)
3.  Weave table runner  (to match mats already woven)
4.  Tie on blanket warp  (notice I didn't think I could weave them as well)
5.  Wind scarf warp  (lovely new merino to try)
6.  Wind wrap warp  (then I can dismantle reel and store it)
7.  Lose 10 kg  (see 2. above)

The following are links to two friends new-ish blogs and Alison's web site.  Do make a cup of coffee and take time out to read them and become followers.
http://alisonfrancisweaving.co.nz/

http://alisonfrancisweaving.co.nz/blog/

http://caroljo1.wordpress.com/

Edit:  Its 8.30pm and I'm stopping for the day.  
The cake has been declared a success by the cookie monster aka Mr Loomtalk.
25 cm to go on runner.
Tie on for blanket started.
Both warps wound, reel away ...and ... floor vacuumed.
OK I sampled the cake as well.
And three different visitors and a longish phone call!

Finished projects

Quercus cardigan from Knitty by Julie Turjoman

Knitted from recycled yarn as you can see it looks a bit stripey, especially on the back.  I think I'll enjoy wearing this regardless.

 Cotton/linen placemats

 and runner in Summer and Winter.

 Scarf using lots of novelty yarns.

 A peek at the next couple of blankets for Pauanesia.

 And the weft for more blankets.  Just waiting for dye powder to come or I wouldn't have time to be writing here.