Winter's Musings........Jan. 31, 2006

A shadow edge is never on the edge.
The time to contemplate the ending
is before the ending.
Deng Ming~Dao

Such quiet beauty in the monochromatic world after a snow storm.

Time to Weave?

I was so excited today when I went to the post office and found my new Handwoven magazine waiting for me.  This new issue is dedicated to making towels and learning a new weave with each one.  There is a nice mix of 4, 6 and 8 harness weaving, along with a very nice Rep Rug.

I am looking forward to life settling down a bit, so that I can dress my loom up again.  Unlike knitting or spinning, where you can just sit and spin or knit while watching TV, weaving is such a different process.  The  important part of weaving goes into the planning, the math and the threading.  Making sure the tension is just right and praying that you didn't cross any threads along the way.  I dress my loom from back to front, but a good friend and weaving teacher is going to teach me how she dresses the loom from front to back.  I am looking forward to the new challenge and dishtowels are one of my favorite things to weave, as they are a great quick gift.  Under the magazine is one of the towels that I wove last year to test drive my new to me loom.

Allison's Spindles
Now........as much as I love to spin on a wheel, there are a few out there who know how much I do not like spinning on a drop spindle.  For some reason, I have the hardest time drafting the roving with the right hand, which makes it awkward.  I think some of my problem goes back to my childhood days, when as a left handed child, I was forced to write right handed.  Many times I still want to use that left hand, but my brain thinks in a right handed way....believe me, my spindling is not pretty...LOL

However.......I am always a sucker for a good cause and I make no secret that a lovely piece of wood sucks me in every bit as much as a greasy fleece.  Last week I received an email from my friends Pam and Jim Childs of Hatchtown Farm.  A very dear friend of theirs, Allison, who had purchased many spindles from them in her short life, had recently passed away.  Allison's spindles were being sold with the donations being sent to Dr. Rowe's research fund.  You can read more about Allison's story on this page

I am honored to own this lovely spindle.  Somehow, I am going to conquer the drop spindle this time around, in honor of Allison ;-)

Puppies
I will leave you with this little puppy collage.  They are all doing well, in spite of being a bunch of noisy youngsters.

I think that Bliss enjoys her trips
outside into the cold air.  You can almost see her smiling.

Breeze had her xray today and she also has 4 pups, so hang on..same bat channel, same bat time for the next round ;-)

Comments

[vi]

ok, paint my room violet and cream.....I am coming to live by you...
puppies, bunnies a loom..... wheels
and new spindles?

vi

[Diane E.]

I have a loom to be dusted off. I love to buy the handwoven items offered by the woman at the NYS&W. I should really weave some myself. Love the puppy pictures. Been thinking of adding to the family , as I've mentioned in past posts. Hoping the second litter goes easy.

[Donna S.]

WE are having a mild winter. Allison was a great inspiration. Do you sell your towels or anything you weave?

[Mindy]

Can I come share your snow? It's been such a warm winter here (which is kinda nice too- I figure if its not going to snow it might as well be pleasant...) Off to check out Allison's story.

[Charleen]

What towels are you planning to put on the loom? You can never have too many handwoven towels. I like to wrap homemade goodies with them for a quick present. (well, it's quick if the towels are already woven up!)

[Lori]

The puppies are adorable, everyone at work loves them. One girl I work with is looking to get another for her little ruby colored to be pals.

[Lee Ann]

Good luck with the spindling...once you figure out which hand is more comfortable, it won't be long before you're actually getting relaxation out of it. Trust me :-)

[margene]

If I can do it so can you;-) However I haven't really 'done it' yet. The spindle will surely give you good spinning karma.
The puppies are darling!!

[wool winder]

I look forward to hearing more about your weaving adventures. Sounds like something I would enjoy, though I don't know much about it. I once bought a small woven throw rug from an Amish weaver, so much nicer than a mass produced one.

[christine]

Thanks for the link to Allison's story - very inspiring. Also, for the puppy pictures, and congratulations to little Bliss -

[amanda]

Living in southern Louisiana I miss winter in the biggest way -- thanks for the lovely apres-snow storm picture!

[naomi]

I second Cassie. If you have yet to try spindling with your other hand, you should give it a chance.

[Beth]

I love that spot on top of boy #1's head.

And I'll stay in the "Unable to spin with a spindle" group. Way, way, way too frustrating.

[Mary Beth]

Thanks for the winter picture - all this warm weather is so weird! Congrats on the new babes.

[Leslie]

I also draft with my left hand when spindling. I love working with a supported spindle, not so much with a drop.

The puppies look charming; Bliss must be proud! Hope all goes well with the next litter.

[Chris]

The right spindle for you makes a difference (for me, it's the Bosworth minis). I too struggled with spindling and would have ignored it completely were it not for the lovely spindles calling to me. I have now managed to spin one full spindle's worth and have another one about half full.

Love the puppy collage! Are boys 1 and 3 tri color?

[Carole]

I had to come back and leave another comment after reading Allison's story. I'm sitting here, crying, and amazed at how positive and happy Allison was in her emails, even with her debilitating illness. I guess we all need to think of 3 good things that happen every day. If Allison could find them than I know we all can, too.

[Carole]

Great puppy photos. And you will conquer spindle spinning, I'm sure. Especially with the incentive of having Allison's spindle.

[Laurie]

Thanks for the link to Allison's story. Her attitude is inspiring. So many of us complain when we have so many gifts to be thankful for.

That is the BEST puppy picture(s). Can't wait til they open their eyes. I'm looking at your snow, feeling bittersweet feelings about it. Wah.

[Cassie]

When I spindle, I draft with my left hand, and I'm right handed! Do it whichever way feels right, spindles are ambidextrous. Your new Hatchtown is beautiful, and the cause was well worth another try at spindling (they were all sold out when I finally looked, waaaa!).