Best Effort

I am calling this good. Bear and blanket will get shipped off tomorrow. Gary is waving goodbye. (for now)

Tomorrow I will present was is going on Gary the loom, who has not been idle for a minute.

Gary Visits Gary

The Great Gary Grr Bear has flown up from Arizona to do a photo shoot. Before I could turn around, Gary the Bear had leaped up on Gary the Loom. I decided to wait until daylight to attempt to take some enticing pictures.

The picture below is NOT one of those pictures, but it is a good example of The Fudge Factor. (and it makes me smile) Notice how the blanket hangs. (not flat). Since the blanket will not be hanging on a wall, I don't fret about such things.
This was my best effort for the day, although I don't think this is the best I can do. I will give it another try tomorrow. Now that I look at it, I think I will chop off the bottom inch.

I don't think I see enough of the blanket in this one, and the white border is very distracting.

Bear Hunt

Now that the baby blanket is all ready to ship to Cotton Clouds (except for creating an enticing picture of blanket with teddy bear). Who has a teddy bear? It turns out that my neighbor down the hall has one, although this adorable bear just isn't right. The perfect bear is flying up from Arizona, however, so further photo shoots will be put on hold.


Bear is posing with my new pastel rainbow palette. Over the weekend I will be working out the yardage needed more exactly, So when you purchase a Bonnie Tarses Astrological Baby Blanket Kit from Cotton Clouds, you will be sure to get the right amount of yarn for your project.

Warp width: 36" Sett 20 epi
Warp length: 3 yds

Blanket dimensions: Before laundering 35 1/4" x 72"
After laundering (warm, medium wash---medium temp dry) 31" x 62"

Another Great Place to Be

More to follow...

Floating Selvedges

For the first 20 years, I never added a floating selvedge. I don't remember what finally got me to give it a try. Once I did, though, I have never looked back---although I have tried several different variations on the theme. Currently, this is what I do, but this is not to say that my method is set in stone.

I won't go into all the different variations, but now I wind an end that is the same yarn as the warp and double it. The color I select is the color I will use for my weft (if I know what color that will be). If I don't know what color I am going to use for the weft, then I match to the warp (especially if the warp is a different color on each edge). I wrap the double end around any handy cone of yarn (leaving a couple yards), and place the cone on the floor in the appropriate place. I take the loose end, bring it through the loom next to the last (or first) warp end (but not putting it through a heddle. You can see in the picture below, I skip one dent (I have skipped 2 dents in the past, but currently I am playing around with a single skipped dent), and tie the end onto the bar with the other warp ends.


Once the floating selvedge is secured in the front, I clip weights (which are easy to adjust as I weave) to selvedge thread in the back. The red weight is 6 oz. The orange one weighs less, so I added the ever popular film can with pennies to equal 6 oz.


Presto, you are ready to go!

Jury duty is over.

You can see that I am already weaving. Pictures will arrive later.

A Wonderful Place to Be

I do love being at this point in a project---on the verge---so full of possibilities.

I have jury duty tomorrow morning (very early), so I have to retire early now and not weave tomorrow day.

Wound Back and Through the Heddles

I'll get some pictures with better light so you can see the lovely pastel BAMBU 7.


I can't wait to see what the wide planet stripes look like woven.


I am actually through the reed, but I will wait until daylight to take anymore pictures.

The Start of An Exciting New Kit

Irene, of Cotton Clouds, suggested a Color Horoscope Weaving Baby Blanket Kit in a soft pastel palette, so I decided to give it try.

After much back and forth we settled on these colors:

R #919 carnation

RO #493 coral

O #159 conch

YO #048 honey

Y #875 buttercup

YG #300 willow

G #883 cilantro

T #106 aruba

B #799 sky

I #199 light lavender

P #444 crocus

RP #620 raspberry

I think we substituted something else close for "sky", but I can't put my hands on that just now.

The next question I had to answer is how to make a horoscope weaving that would equal 18" sett at 20 epi (and 15" sett at 24 epi) to come out to be 36" wide. The obvious answer would be to go around the horoscope twice, but Irene asked for another solution. I decided to try making each of the 10 planets a 1" stripe (making the width 28"). Then I will add a 4" solid colored (well, in this case "pearl") border making 36" on the loom.

I am really curious to see how this is going to look.

Amazing Memphis

I am sure this was my best Color Horoscope Weaving workshop ever. I know I say that every time, but they just keep getting better. I believe having students come to class with their looms all warped and ready to go is the best way. Since the workshop was postponed at the last minute from November (when I got the flu), it really gave everyone plenty of time to get ready.

I don't know why I didn't take pictures of the students at work. I just took a close-up picture of their weaving. When I returned home, I had to play around with the images and came up with this---a virtual Memphis class quilt.


And Kaaren even finished her weaving in time for me to actually take one picture of a student.


Everything they say about Southern Hospitality is true. The biggest surprise for me was that the workshop actually took place in Mississippi. I would have gotten low marks in geography. It did make me feel a little better when everybody I asked in Seattle "What state borders Tennessee to the South?" nobody knew the right answer. (grin) I also liked the fact that when it rained, nobody blamed me as if I brought rain with me from the Northwest.

The only slight glitch is the baggage inspectors busted the zipper on my (used to be) trusty workshop suitcase. I won't be able to use it again. But everything else was perfect.

Under the Weather

Although I am feeling somewhat under the weather, I am not too sick to weave. I canceled everything else, however.

Unable to decide what color to make the weft, I decided to weave 3" of each of the 12 colors in the warp. The cloth will make a good color exercise to show the Memphis guild.


Or perhaps I am sicker than I think. I did spend most of the day in bed, drank lots of liquids, and vitamin C.

My plan: be in tip top shape by Friday, so back to bed.

So Do I Ever Get to Weave

I thought this was a very nice picture. I had laid out the Mary Meigs Atwater weaving on my table (to cut strips to include in my Color Horoscope Weaving Instructions Packets). I got carried away and started playing with my wrapped birthday blessing words.


Then I started playing around with draping some of my cloths. I finally finished weaving the turned weft ikat scarf in 18/2 Jaggerspun and un-knitted cashmere.

And then I decided to take inventory of my yet to be un-knitted cashmere. There are 43 sweaters on the table, but tonight a fellow brought me 20 more! I am cashmere rich!


I like to weave a piece before I head out to teach although I am not always able to do so. I thought I would weave my horoscope using the Lunatic Fringe yarn. I have never actually woven with it before. Many of my students have used it, so I thought I would give it a try.


I am using a sett of 30 epi.

It remains to be seen if I will actually be able to get it woven off before Friday.

Oh Did I Mention My Article in Handwoven?

The article features directions for weaving Mary Meigs Atwater's horoscope (pictured above on the loom). To purchase a copy of the magazine, click here.

For those of you who have ordered a draft of your own horoscope, I am currently awaiting the return of Mary's horoscope weaving from Interweave Press. Each order will include a 2" strip of this weaving.

For those of you who have yet to order your own horoscope weaving, you will also receive a 2" strip of the Mary Meigs Atwater weaving while the supply lasts.

For those of you who just want the 2" strip, the price is $15 and a stamped self addressed envelope.

St. Louis Recap

I finally understand what people mean when they say they are too busy to weave. I expect to find spider webs on my looms.

But the upside is the wonderful experience I had in St. Louis! What a great group! Of course I have this all backwards. I taught a 2 day workshop first, and then I gave a couple of lectures. Here is the guild from the Exploring Not So Plain Weave program waving to you. I had a lovely chat with Connie (lower left). She told me she had taken a class from Mary Meigs Atwater!


Oops, I just deleted a really important picture. I'll just have to do a another post tomorrow. Pretend you are seeing weavers weaving their horoscopes.

In addition to weaving, I presented several intriguing color exercises. The one below is about building your own palette and the subjective nature of color. (no mistakes, no wrong answers)


And Marti even finished her weaving. There is always one. And she hadn't woven in years.


Here we are at the end of the second day. Everyone agreed it was a life-changing experience. Surely you will soon see finished weavings in Inspired By Bonnie.


Jockey Hollow here I come.

Small Steps

Public Notice: If you leave a comment and I do not reply to you it is because the email came with "noreply" that means that you told blogger not to reveal your email. When this happens I go to the blog, but some of you don't have a profile either! So I am stuck without being able to reply!

Color Horoscope Weaving, what's it all about?
It's a long story that began in 1979 when I discovered the point intersection between weaving and astrology. It is a story I have yet to write, but I love to tell and teach it in seminars, workshops, and through my kits. Color Horoscope Weaving is an experiential color exercise. I never get tired of weaving my own horoscope because I continue to learn something new with every warp.


INSPIRED BY KAREN! When I taught Color Horoscope Weaving in Sacramento back in February, one of my students wondered what would happen if one put an ikat stripe on either side of the planet. What a great idea!! I couldn't wait to try it. Since Karen signed up for my upcoming workshop at the Golden Gate Fiber Institute, I thought it would be great to weave up this idea.


Instead of dyeing some real ikat, I got some variegated Bambu 7 from Cotton Clouds and created an ikat effect using the same winding technique I use in Turned Weft Ikat. I can't wait to see this piece off the loom.

Back to the Blessing Blanket color wrappings.... ALL of the wrappings have arranged themselves into a Spirit Doll. This is still very much a work in progress, but I am amazed to discover it has turned into an art piece which will continue to evolve as the blanket progresses. One of my friends saw this picture and thought it looked like a totem. Dimensions: 6" x 26"


I am still waiting for some yarn, but I started to wind the blanket as much as I could. I don't expect to really get started on it until I get back from teaching, but it is good to make a start.

Monday I begin putting my workshop together for real!

Trifocals

Ah! It is off the loom! Now to solve the next little quandary. I wove enough for 2 scarves (one for the client and one to sell). The client wants 5" twisted fringe, but in order to get 2 scarves from the warp, only one of the scarves will be able to have twisted fringe. I am awaiting her decision, the right or the left. I like the motifs on the right a bit better, so if I don't hear back from her in the next 24 hours, I will assume she will like the one I like.

ACTUAL: TWO SCARVES
VIRTUAL: ONE SHAWL (grin)
My Color Horoscope Weaving is all threaded and ready to weave. Once I have gotten the weaving underway, I will point out the new idea.


WHAT TO DO WHILE WAITING FOR "aruba" TO ARRIVE. I can't seem to stop playing with the blessing words for the blanket. Here I have joined the 3 different colorways of each blessing word to create a colorful parade. They remind me of tiny little quilts.

A Word About Cashmere Dollars

What are Cashmere Dollars, you might ask? Every (imperfect) cashmere sweater a person sends me gives them a $50 credit towards a custom designed scarf/shawl up to 80% of the total cost of the weaving. Most weaving purchased with Cashmere Dollars becomes a Woven Words scarf, but Fran from Calgary decided on a Color Horoscope Weaving instead.


Fran favors sunset colors, so I selected an array of 12 such hues from my cashmere stash. I matched the coral thread I used for my floating selvedge. (my spell check doesn't agree with my spelling here, but I like it)

When I weave, I triple the weft and change one of the 3 strands at regular intervals creating an interesting shading effect. I pull the knotted tails out of the shed.


And then just trim them right off. The remaining 2 strands of weft are strong enough to not compromise the cloth. I am semi-haphazard in my shading, but it is possible to be extremely precise.

Cuttin' Up

I used to believe the best part of weaving was having woven. I couldn't wait for the moment my scissors would release the warp from the loom.


Don't get me wrong, I adore the thrill of seeing time stretched out in a colorful path and wallow in delight of accomplishment. But every step of the journey holds a particular joy for me.

This piece is Mary Meigs Atwater's horoscope in Bambu 7. I wove it to cut up for swatches included in my Color Horoscope Weaving Kits.

Now back to working on my Etsy Store. I am up to writing my bio.

INSPIRED BY BONNIE

Even if you only have a table loom and a terrible cold, you can still create a beautiful Color Horoscope Weaving.

"-I really enjoyed selecting my color pallet for Bonnie's horoscope workshop. I started my warp color choices with a copper scheme and then followed that by using a copper colored weft. I have been wanting to do a piece using copper colors, but couldn't decide how I wanted to start it. Bonnie's workshop was a wonderful catalyst. Thanks so much Bonnie, for getting me out of my "usual box".-

Thanks again Bonnie, it was great. "

Dona

Inadvertent Collaboration

Back when I was weaving a lot with rayon chenille, I was in the habit of saving all of my thrums, tying my thrums together, and then using them as weft. I asked one of my knitting friends to attempt knitting with the thrums. We decided the experiment was a failure, and I put the 3 knitting samples in a drawer where they have languished for several years.

Last night while I was searching for something I never did find, I came upon the knitted pieces and tacked them up on the wall. I was thinking about art quilts at the moment and how quilts need to be 3 layers, so I wonder if this fills the bill.

By the way, the dimensions are 16" x 29"

Below is the Mary Meigs Atwater Color Horoscope Weaving going on the loom. I have actually finished setting it up, but my camera battery needs to be recharged. I will have more pictures soon.

It looks a lot different without the ikat stripe between each section.

Getting Ready

I ran out of the sample swatches I put in every kit, so this is Mary Meigs Atwater's horoscope weaving warp chains. I will be weaving this to cut up into little strips. I am using Bambu 7.

Below is a Woven Words piece I am weaving in exchange for 10 cashmere sweaters. It has been such a long time since I wound this warp I can't remember what words I am weaving. The recipient selected her favorite colors, and I made the wrapping for her before I wound the warp. And I have the perfect color of cashmere to weave through. Of course I will experiment with some of my other colors---especially beige and gray.


HEALTHY HAPPY FAMILY are the words in the warp. I just had to look it up. I will have a nice picture of the PEACE scarf that I recently cut off the loom, but I am working on a better way to photograph a scarf.

JUST 6 MORE DAYS OF THE MARY MEIGS ATWATER SPECIAL!