Moving Along

No pictures today, just words.

As I get closer to leaving on my teaching trip (Thursday), I start a second list. It's a boring sort of list, so I won't give you the long version. It's the "what to pack" list with things like back up batteries for the camera, travel clock, scissors---you know, the things you must have with you.

As for the other list, I've been checking things off right and left. The bambu 7/cashmere test scarf came off the loom today. I will wash it tomorrow and show you. It is always amazing to me how adjusting the sett a couple of ends makes such a difference in the cloth. I finished the 2 horoscope necklaces and shipped them off. I also shipped the Woven Words shawl. The essential oil blends are made and delivered. I put together both of the slide shows, one for the lecture and one for the workshop. I have put together both "show & tells" as well. I haven't packed them up, but I will do that tomorrow. I am always nervous about checking my luggage with my samples. I try to put all of my samples in my carry-on piece since most of my samples could never be reproduced (or at least I will never take the time to do that since it represents weaving going back to the early 70's)

So I am telling you today what I will be imaging tomorrow.

Happy Experiment

It wasn't until 7PM this evening that I got to sit down at the loom. I had made some noise yesterday about how much I was enjoying my test scarf of Bambu 7 warp and triple strands of unknitted cashmere weft. As I was taking this picture, Sharon was sending a comment asking to see the weft, so here it is.

The cashmere combines better with the Bambu 7 than the Bambu 12 (doubled). The sett for Bambu 7 is 20 epi and the doubled Bambu 12 is 24 epi. At any rate, the balance seems better somehow. Of course, we will have to wait and see what happens in the laundering for the true test. You can't see navy cashmere I began with. I thought the contrast was too great and settled for some nice lavender, pink, gray, and a blend on those darker stripes (shades of purple).

Happily and joyously I have mailed off the invitations to the NWDC New Members Luncheon. I have printed most of the handouts (I forgot to bring everything, so I will have to make a second trip to the print place.) Now I am going to play with the oils a bit. By Sunday I will have completed everything not directly related to my workshop and subsequent trip to the East Coast and will be focused 100% on Color Horoscope Weaving.

If you have never seen this, you are in for a treat!

http://www.utubevideoclip.com/videos/Arts/500_Years_Of_Woman_Art

Today I received some absolutely gorgeous natural dyed silk yarn samples from Aurora Silks. They took my breath away. Imagine 120 colors!

Behind the Scenes Workshop

So I had to ask myself, am I the kind of person who always makes lists?! After careful consideration I realize I am a person who makes lists when I am getting ready to take my "dog and pony show" on the road. For those of you who are currently teaching or who have taught workshops in the past, this post may seem all too familiar.

I know some of you out there are thinking about teaching a fiber related workshop, and most of you have attended a fiber related workshop. This is what I do to prepare for a 2-day (6 hours each day) workshop on Color Horoscope Weaving and a 1-1 1/2 hour lecture called "Exploring Not So Plain Weave".

I leave in a week, well now it is six days, but who's counting. Making the list was the first step. See original list here. I haven't figured out how to draw lines through completed tasks, and maybe I just don't want to know. But I have completed 9 items on the list. 11 items I am able to postpone until I return (Whew!) One item I had already done. One item I decided to cancel (The High Tech Low Tech show) And there are 2 new items added to the list. (supplies for trip and apply to a future show)

The following items are in process and will be the focus of the next 24 hours:
Address and mail invitations to NWDC Luncheon (don't even ask!)
Finish editing "Selecting the perfect Fiber & Colors"(for workshop)
Print all handouts for the workshop
Print greeting card backs.
Prepare the 3rd batch of oil (2 completed)
Weave some more Bambu 7/cashmere test scarf (It's coming out so well!)
Horoscope necklaces (Actually I will work on this on Saturday)

Remember I got a flu shot on Tuesday? Well today I feel like I am getting the flu. Now I am focusing all of my energy into not getting sick, so it's off to bed with no pictures.

Promised Pics

I guess whining about not getting feedback gets some feedback. I'm glad my list was helpful, but I didn't get much crossed off today. The one thing I can cross off the list, however, is something that has been looming (pardon the expression) over me for months: to write a piece called Selecting the Perfect Fibers and Colors for Color Horoscope Weaving.

Not a bad title for the picture above. I had hoped to get a better picture of the entire piece all laundered and lustrous, but I just couldn't get the lighting right. It doesn't look any different than the pictures I took before it was laundered. Sigh. (10/2 tencel)

Today just wasn't a great day with the camera. Part of the problem (or perhaps a great deal of the problem) is these weavings depend so much on being able to touch them and wrap them around yourself. (Bambu 12 and unknitted cashmere sweaters)


Maybe you can get an idea of the drape. I used gray cashmere which gives the shawl an ancient look.


Yes, a bad camera day. Towel warp draped across my bed.(8/2 cotton). I did get my flu shot today, so maybe that's why I am a little off.

Confession: I didn't weave today. It is the first day I have missed since the first of August.

Words with Images

It is difficult for me to write a post without accompanying images, but every time I tried to take some pictures today the phone would ring or it would be lunch time. I did manage to get this one. Although I am not happy with it, you get an idea of what is going on Gary--- a test scarf in Bambu 7 with an unknitted cashmere weft. I have only ever used the Bambu 12 with the cashmere, and I have a commission for a double wide horoscope shawl in Bambu 7 and cashmere. Sample, sample, sample! I will begin weaving this tomorrow. It is one of the items on my list.

I did get the cashmere sweaters shipped off to Baltimore to my unknitting factory (my mother:)) I also shipped off the wrapped jewelry supplies for my workshop. The NWDC New Members Luncheon invitation is completed (There are some glitches concerning the venue that have to be worked out tomorrow. That part wasn't on my original list) I cut the towel warp off the loom. I made the "Questionnaire" for the Color Horoscope Weaving Workshop.

All of the above is part of the "to do" list. Judging from the lack of comments, I gather my list isn't nearly as compelling to you as it is to me.

You'd rather see those juicy pictures as would I.
Tomorrow after I get my flu shot I will take pictures of the following:
1. Completed Woven Words bamboo/cashmere shawl.
2. Completed Just Our Yarn (10/2 tencel) Color Horoscope Weaving/Turned Weft Ikat Shawl
3. Just off the loom Turned Weft Ikat towels.
4. Weaving on the loom test bamboo/cashmere scarf

To Do, A Second Look

Upon Valerie's suggestion in her comment to my post yesterday, I reviewed my list and picked 5 items to work on:

1. Create invitation NWDC New Members' Lunch
Address and mail
Call hostess of lunch and get map to house to include in invitation
I emailed the hostess requesting a map and I created a document and started laying out the invitation. I didn't get as far as I had hoped, but I made a start.
2. Launder JOY tencel horoscope/ikat shawl
Done! I had been nervous about doing this, but it turned out so wonderful I can hardly believe it. I will have a picture soon. I am not happy with the one that I took this evening. To see a picture of this piece before washing click here.
3. Finish and launder Woven Words piece.
Done! I don't have a picture yet, but I am rather pleased with the outcome. I will post more about this piece at a later date.
4. Run test piece of Bambu 7/cashmere
Wind and weave
I wound the warp and got it threaded through the heddles.
5. Ship cashmere sweaters and supplies for Wrapped Silk Jewelry workshop
I excavated one of my closets looking for the right sized box which I found. Unfortunately the box was full of yarn, so I had to sort through the yarn. I found some yarn I had been looking for, so that was good. Tomorrow I will get the box packed up, and it will go out on Monday.

Over-achieving: I laundered panel #5 of the blanket while I was laundering the other pieces. I wove a little on my towel warp. I have been diligent about weaving everyday. I did a major grocery shopping as well.

Tomorrow I will capture a few images and review my list and find the next 2 items to move up into the top 5.

Also I have a new item to add to the main list:
The Association of Southern California Handweavers is calling for proposals for their 27th Biennial Conference "COLOR CONNECTS"
The Proposal is due November 30th, so I will have to take care of this before I leave.

To Do

Have you ever had so much to do that all you really want to do is work Sudoku puzzles?

One of the things I have noticed about myself when faced with any sort of deadline, I work a lot of Sudoku until I hear a little voice in my head that says: "If you don't start getting ready right this minute, you will not get done what you need/want to get done!"

So then I make a "to do" list. I write down everything I can think of that I have ever wanted to do and many things I know I have to do before I (in this case) leave to teach in Houston on November 8th. After the initial brain-storm, I look over the list and put it into order.

Here is my uncensored list which I wrote on my power bill envelope as I was eating Indian Buffet this afternoon.
1. Create invitation NWDC New Members' Lunch
Address and mail
2. Call hostess of lunch and get map to house to include in invitation
3. Write a piece called "Selecting the perfect Fiber & Colors (weight of yarn etc) for CWH
4. Write up questionnaire for workshop
5. Write promo piece for CHW for Indiana
Be thinking about Minneapolis
Also Connecticut
6. Buy folders
for Tall Pines
Make notebooks
Print images for covers
Print all handouts
7. Print greeting card backs
8. Launder JOY tencel horoscope/ikat shawl
9. Finish and launder Woven Words piece
10. Run test piece of Bambu 7/cashmere
wind and weave
11. Make scarf for Joe
scarves for people who have given me cashmere
Stephen
Roberta
Rich
12. Two towels for towel exchange
13. Get pieces ready for High Tech Low Tech show
14. Ship cashmere sweaters and supplies for Wrapped Silk Jewelry workshop on 11/18
15. Get piece ready for the Rags Show
16. Mail blog entries to Mom.
17 Prepare 3 weeks worth of essential oil blends
18. Outline for magazine article 12/31 deadline
19. Order Bambu 7 for commission
20. Plane reservation to California
21. Pack
22. Order airport shuttle for 11/8
23. Hostess gifts for workshop
24. Horoscope necklaces
Made and shipped
25. Update website
26. Clean up Outlook
27. External hard drive or Thumb drive?
28. Put together slide show for Nov. workshop
29. Put together show and tell for Nov. workshop.
30. Haircut

I wish the voice in my head had started talking sooner! I thought seeing this list in print would make me feel better, but I have to say Yikes!--although I did send the blog entries off to my mom today.

I'll keep you posted!