Spinning Spinning

Finished two bobbins of Michigan wool on the columbine wheel. These Bobbins hold about three times what my regular wheels bobbins hold. Amazing. I will definitely use this wheel for plying from now on. The wool isn't the greatest, rug quality for sure but it is spinning up nicely. Needed to get the bobbins empties for the two spinning activities this weekend! Roc Day or St. Distaffs day on Saturday and spin meeting on Sunday afternoon.

Wikipedia says"  7 January, the day after the feast of the Epiphany. It is also known as Saint Distaff's Day, since it was not really a holiday at all. In many European cultural traditions, women resumed their household work after the twelve days of Christmas. The distaff, or rock, used in spinning was the medieval symbol of women's work. Often the men and women would play pranks on each other during this day, as was written by Robert Herrick in his poem "Saint Distaffs day, or the Morrow After Twelfth Day" which appears in his Hesperides"

Spinning is so relaxing. My good wheels are here in NC so I tend to do more of it when we are here for the winter. I do have a wheel up North but it needs repairs, Whoops two wheels up north, one is for sale in a local Antique store. Wheels and looms tend to multiply or breed. I had four with no intentions of getting more when a girlfriend moved and had no room for her Green columbine off course I'll store it for her! LOL Reminds me of John Deere Tractors but I see they now come in pretty colors at Royal Fibers.  Filled my Niddy Noody three times! Wonder if she will sell it to me?? Well back to winding skeins.

ArtFire and misc

Dec NC snowstorm

Haven't much to show for myself. Been suffering with misc rashes and doped on Benedryl.  Plan to weave a little today despite it! We are in a winter wonder? land?  It is 52 and sunny today so it shouldn't  be around too much longer.

 Well I took the jump and went Pro in ArtFire. They had a promotion and it was higher than the last deal but I thought I'd better do it before it goes up anymore. Did a collection called Warm and Wooly that got high marks and I've already been in Handmade news. Have to keep promotion up so that I get some visits.

Off to weave!

Christmas will soon be here

These Christmas stockings in Overshot are still available in my ArtFire shop.

Or for the Wine lovers out there. These padded wine totes woven in Bedford cord

 in White and black or purple and turquoise. 

Polar bear project done!

As much as I tried they didn't come out at all the same they are all individual bears! Which is good they don't go in groups in nature only to raise baby polar bears then it is just mom and baby.They were interesting to make. If I were to make more of these critters or others in the book I would use velveteen for the feet and ears.The leather was difficult to work with on a sewing machine or by hand. And I would use a larger size chenille even doubled this was a bit on the skinny side but I got it for a dollar a pound so I can't complain. On to spinning fiber for the next project.  I am glad I had a rug loom to weave this on it really needed the heavy beat.

Polar bear construction, sewing fun

First Polar Bear!

I've been sewing! The first one resembles a polar bear! lol. I'm sure they will all have their own personalities. The fabric was woven over the summer on my rug loom as it needed a heavy beat to weave. The most fun part is attaching the leather feet and ears! The construction was like a puzzle to figure out. The last two bears are put together better than the first. Now to finish sewing the feet, stuffing and embroidering the faces.

This is the sewing machine raiser my DH, sweetie that he is, made. It sits on an old antique school sewing desk. That our late friend Pee Wee LaRue had and gave to us.  An OT suggested it to decrease my neck and back pain. It works great! Another great tool I found is to cut that clear tubing they have a Lowes or Home Depot, put a slit in the cut piece and it fits around your sewing bobbins. It keeps those ends from tangling with all the others and becoming a mess. Are those threads trying to mate or what??

Percolated art work

Took a Surface Design Class back in 2008. Had some subtly designed fabric from wallyworld, that I dyed using  stamps and silk screening. I took the darkest dyed piece, probably the first and used that as the center. Then cut all the rest in four,  to piece around it. Now the fun starts, I need to go thru my beads and threads and find what I can use. Found three embroidery threads that work well with it. The class was with Suzanne Gernandt and it was wonderfully freeing. I would definitely recommend her classes.

Funny how art works sometimes, it has to simmer or percolate for awhile. I've been thinking about this since I made the cloth but loved them and didn't want to cut them in 2008. Then they were lost up north for awhile and since I found them this summer I couldn't wait to cut and piece them. 

This one I did in 2008 in class; there is stitching, rust dye, stamps, painted dye and  hand embroidery on it. Both of these were just junk pieces of material. I found the above at Habitat for Humanity in Asheville it is upholstery fabric. I used junk material because I had no idea how any of this would turn out. I had done a color wheel warp quite awhile ago and found purple and orange were an interesting combination. The piece that I will be working on next is purple, yellow, orange and some red tinges. Guess is was a phase I was going thru!   This one I can take my time on and really embellish to my hearts content! The next piece is cotton material and will be easier to work on besides.

Powerless sewing

I am not much of a seamstress I will admit it. I would almost rather do any other weaving function than finish or sew my handwoven. Was hoping that lessons at college would help but instead it just reinforced the fact that I don't like to sew. Even with a good machine, We bought a baby lock sewing machine when our first one died after DH made tents on it.  Sewing today and yesterday on the place mats that I wove over the summer. Thank goodness tomorrow I can return to the loom or the warping mill.
     Purchased two neat books.  The first is called Devore by Anne Fields. Just what I wanted, I get the concept but just needed more information pertaining to weaving fabric that you burn or Devour with chemicals! Looking forward to trying it when I am able to get the chemicals.   The second is a monograph by Robyn Spady on Handwoven Decorative Trim. There was an article in handwoven years ago on Passementerie trims that fascinated me and this looks so interesting! This one I can start right away as I have the warp and some cords that I can use and a naked loom.

       I have a new weaving helper named Lovey, she is a calico about 8 months old. Into everything!


          

Yarn, Thread, whatever

Bringing back to NC  a couple of yummy yarns. A nice blue mercerized cotton, a puke green I needed for another zoo animal and all the zoo "polar Bear" yarns. Also some polar bear fabric, table runner fabric and two rugs .  Productive summer!  Now to start sewing, The polar bear will be a real challenge to sew for me anyway! The place mats will be easy in comparison.