C19 Tapestry

21.05.2020  Businesses are opening, spring has sprung and we are still safe and well.  It has been nice to get out for walks and bringing Gus along for a stop at Dairy Queen for Blizzards and a Pup Cup.

On April 16, I began the Explore Tapestry weave-along through Schacht Spindle Company.   The WAL came at the best possible time because I had not used my new tapestry loom and the colorful mini skeins of handspun yarn were the perfect choice for the project.   The course ran for five weeks, from warping the loom to finishing the weaving.  Each week at least two or more techniques were featured by Jane Patrick with written instructions, photos and videos.  Having only made small tapestries on a hand-held loom, I was ready to learn how to use my loom.  When I saw the Arras loom, I thought perhaps I should have waited, but the it was released after I purchased the 25-inch Schacht tapestry loom.  Once I got the hang of warping and using a spacer at the bottom to keep the weaving from slipping, the loom was easy to use.  It is lightweight and moveable, a plus!

Thank you Jane and Schacht Spindle Company for the Explore Tapestry weave-along!

I was pleased with the results using the colorful mini-skeins.

The Ghiordes knots got a trim before moving on to the extra sections.

Weaving the circle was a slow process and had quite a learning curve.
 The sun in the section below came out oval rather than circular. 

Once I finished the circle the weaving was done!

Cancelled, but still occupied

04.04.2020  Today is a lovely day.  The sun is shining, currently it is 22-degrees F and the high for today will be 48-degrees.  We are healthy and keeping busy.

Today would have been the first day of the two-day North Artists Studio Crawl, 2020.  This week the powers-that-be cancelled Shepherd's Harvest Festival.  The cancellations are a good idea given the continuing rise of cases locally.  Jim and I get outside for fresh air and venture into a store for groceries and other necessities if we are lucky enough to find what we need.  I have some  cotton masks ready to sew this morning.  The last time I went to Target the social/physical distancing seemed to be better amongst the customers and there were signs notifying patrons that the carts are regularly disinfected in addition to the wipes available as you walk into the store.  The state department of health has a website with news releases, updates and information, which I find more helpful than the national network news programs.

02.05.2020  Best laid plans, I certainly waited long enough to post.  There is quite a difference in the temperature, although it is another nice day--sunny and 72-degrees F.  Jim, Gus and I have been well.  I sewed masks for the local hospital and then last week sewed more for the neighborhood fire department to distribute to assisted living facilities and nursing homes.  Around the cities there were hundreds, if not thousands, delivered to those in need.

Zoom has been a way to connect with my fiber friends and my artist friends.  I host a knitting group on Thursdays and the Rum River Handweavers Guild once a month.  Otherwise, life goes on, we stay busy and enjoy life.  Below are scenes from the past month.  Stay well!

Early into the shut down, Mary and I helped during the spring shearing and were able to cuddle lambs.
This one was a day old.  It was freezing cold in the barn, but the little lambs were nice and warm.

This little girl is Olive.  Her mama, Molly is on the left with Olive's sibling.  She loved to be held and would sneak out of the penned area to follow us around the barn while we waited for the shearer.  She caught sight of me and was running up to get a cuddle.  It was a lovely afternoon!

I managed to finish spinning and plying 4-oz of Romeldale/silk from Ewespun Fiber Mill.

I was preparing for a Lopi sweater class at BeWoolen when everything shut down, and I plan to reschedule the class.  It was cold enough for a few days and I was able to wear my new sweater, which was so nice and warm.  After stash-diving, I came up with some more primary colors and made Katie's Kep, the Shetland Wool Week 2020 hat.  Gus enjoyed stealing the blue ball of yarn multiple times.  I was not amused.

The star on top of the hat is so pretty.  I lightly fulled the hat to improve the fabric and the fit.

Schacht Spindle Company is having an explore tapestry weave along.  It came at the perfect time--I warped the new loom!  There were a few challenges during the warping and initial weaving, but I learned and adapted during that learning curve.

Week 1 was worked to the red and green section (adding the spacer at the bottom before the twining kept the weaving from slipping), week 2 is the color blending/gradient, and week 3 are the rectangles and the shaping.  I used string markers, which made the triangle much easier to shape correctly.

Week 3 completed!  Tapestry slits, interlocking and shaping.