Peggy Osterkamp Does it Again!

Whether you are a new weaver or an experienced weaver, a weaving student or a weaving teacher here is a must have new book for your library! WEAVING FOR BEGINNERS (an illustrated guide) by Peggy Osterkamp

I can't say enough positive things about Peggy's latest book. It tells absolutely everything all wonderfully organized, beautifully illustrated and clearly written. For anyone who wants to learn how to weave, get this book. Weaving for Beginners serves as the perfect text book for teachers. There are hundreds of permanent classroom demonstrations students can refer to at home.

I found myself (after 50 years of weaving) saying over and over as I turned the pages---"Oh, that's how you do it!"

I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks (grin)

Peggy will be signing books in the Cotton Clouds booth #417 and the Lone Star Room at Convergence.

Catching Up #1

The Georgia O'Keeffe Color Horoscope Weaving in Bambu 7 with "Almost Ikat" accents is finished and shipped off to Cotton Clouds---my almost last preparation for the booth at Convergence. Cotton Clouds has done an amazing job. Take a look at this. Many blessings to Irene for all of her efforts.

I couldn't find a model before I had to ship the shawl, so I had to content myself with a series of close-ups.





Tomorrow I will send an exciting book review and then a product review AND THEN the real excitement in my life.

Independence Day

Life continues to sail along at an amazing clip. When am I moving? The official date is August 31 to be out of this place. Where am I moving? ...yet to be determined. I am attempting to stay open to all possibilities and pray for the doors to open that should be opened, and the doors to close that should be closed.

Meanwhile, I glance around the apartment and notice many items I haven't touch since I moved here 2 years ago. Do I really want to move these things AGAIN?! I have this cedar chest (a wedding present when I got married in the early 60's. The chest has help up much better than the marriage, but the contents....as they say (Oi Vey!)

I have things in there that go back to before my marriage. I really don't need or want these "treasures" any longer.
So I decided to have an open house and invite my friends and neighbors. Some things I will sell, but many things have a combination of no value and priceless. It will give me great pleasure to know that someone who will love and cherish an items of mine will get it while I am still quite able to take joy in the giving.

I am having a blast arranging "things"

And hanging things on my main wall.
And moving things around.
One of the amazing aspects of this venture is that as I divest myself of stuff, I seem to be divesting myself of some extra pounds that have crept back onto me while I wasn't paying attention.

It turns out that the place I used to live in is having a yard sale next weekend, and they told me that I could be a part of it. (The things on the wall are not "yard sale" things. You should see the yard sale things.) If my last move was a Festival of Moving, this one is bound to be a Movapalooza.

In between sorting, tossing, shredding, boxing and gifting, I am finishing up the last things I need to send to Cotton Clouds for their Convergence Booth. I will have a picture for you before the last weavings are sent off.

Georgia on my Mind

Here is the 4th rendition of the Georgia O'Keeffe Horoscope Weaving for the Cotton Clouds booth at Convergence. Woven in Bambu 7, sett 20 epi. You will be amazed at the look at feel of the finished shawl.


I will be eternally grateful to Karen Driscoll, one of my students in the Sacramento Guild, for the idea of setting in variegated warp ends on either side of the planets. It lends a surprising painterly quality to the weaving.

And best, it helps me focus on what is exactly in front of me---one pick at a time.

Georgia O'Keeffe Horoscope Shawl

You will be able to see, feel and wear this scarf/shawl at the Cotton Clouds booth #417 at Convergence in a few short weeks.

I may not have mentioned that the weaving above is a rendition of Georgia O'Keeffe's horoscope in Bambu 12 with variegated accent stripes (my new favorite thing) bordering each planet. It looks and feels smashing! I particularly like the way I wove half the scarf in turquoise and then gamped the other half.

Oh yes, I almost forgot to mention my fabulous model Breanne who took time out from creating amazing comics and zines to wrap up and pose for me.


I still have time to put another Georgia O'Keeffe in Bambu 7 on the loom. When I use Bambu 12, I wind each warp end doubled and sett at 24 epi. When I use Bambu 7, I wind a single strand and sett at 20 epi.

This warp is 28" wide going on the loom---plenty of room to put this on Grace, my 32".

I find it hard to believe both the finished Bambu 12 scarf and this Bambu 7 warp are the exact same color sequence.

A Bag of Many Cats

So much has been going on in my life (or just about to go on) that I haven't known where to begin---so I have just reported my day to day weaving here. I happened to be glancing at the ArgoKnot blog: "Where will you weave this summer" and I couldn't resist replying. I had been planning to make a big announcement here on my blog first, but I have these other big things happening before my trip to Montana and the Garden of 1000 Buddhas. to weave the His Holiness the Dalai Lama's horoscope to donate to help raise money for the completion of the garden.

Notes to myself from working with life coach:
1. Know what you need
2. First things first (funny I put that second on the list)
3. Make a plan
4. Stay open and grateful
5. Acknowledge
6. Ask for help
7. Plant seeds
8. Honor yourself
9. Prayer and centering

INSTRUCTIONS FROM SPIRITUAL ADVISER:
Always focus on the thrill of the unknown, instead of the terror. If you can manage to keep 51% of your attention on the thrill, the 49% that may still be with the terror will be powerless to affect you in any way.

Shut up so that you can hear i.e. stay "out of your mind as much as possible". Then listen very carefully. Obey whatever messages you receive immediately, and without hesitation, no matter what.


I listened and heard the title of a book WOMEN, FOOD AND GOD by Geneen Roth . I read the book, and it has changed my life---what else can I say.

Another huge thing (and there will be more about this as well) is that I am working with Cotton Clouds who will be featuring Color Horoscope Weaving kits in the booth at Convergence in a month! Much more to follow on this!

Oh yes, and did I mention that I am moving? If I haven't said where, it is because I don't have any idea---yet.

When in Doubt...Weave

Sometimes it is impossible to see the beauty in what you are weaving until it is finished and worn.

When I am feeling overwhelmed by the unknown, the familiar sound of the loom, the knowing where to move my feet, and the comforting feel of the yarn as it slowly unwinds from the shuttle all tell me where I am.

I wanted to see what a turquoise weft would look like.

I sent the picture to a friend of mine, and her response was to change color. My reply was---too late, I've already woven half the piece. But then I thought---it's never too late to change direction.


Is this a metaphor for life? I wore the finished piece yesterday, and when the sun came out for a minute, the scarf was dazzling.
You just never know how things are going to turn out. I don't have a good finished picture yet, but one will follow.

No new home yet either.