One Never Knows.....

Our booth for the day

East Poultney Day was a lot of fun.  The weather was perfect for that kind of day--partly cloudy and warm without being too hot.  There were a fair amount of people about.  Not as packed as it has been some years.  The focus of the day is undergoing change.  It used to be a huge flea market affair on the green, with a few people dressed in "colonial" garb leading tours, or acting as hosts, for the three museums that border the green.  Now it is given over to artisans, handcrafters and locally produced items.  Antiques, as opposed to yard sale stuff.  This year they erected a tent so that there could be continual programing--things like short lectures on the history of the town and demonstrations of different crafts.  The band played at some point, as did a local folk group.  All seeming to be the quintessential Vermont summer experience. 

The book

I got to talk to lots of folks about spinning and weaving.  There was one gentlemen who, a weaver himself, was very willing to chat about the art.  He suggested a book that he said was invaluable for patterns.  Because he couldn't remember the title exactly, he took my card so that he could email the info.  I was so happy when he actually followed through.  He raved about this out of print book, saying it would be worth it for me at any cost.  So I immediately started to search online for it.  Found an image of it and something went "bing" in the back of my brain.  I ran upstairs and lo and behold, I already own it!!!!!! How bizarre is that??? This was one of a couple books acquired in the usual way  ("here, found this, thought you might like it") and I had not really looked at it since.  It is old, it is in black and white.  Well, now that I know what a treasure it is, I am anxious to read it and give it some attention.  A quick glance let me see it is as the gentleman said.  I think it will become my source of inspiration for a long time.  I'm wearing my happy face!
Which just goes to show, you just never know what can happen at these outings. 
P.S. And I did sell a hat.

All Ready

Back of shawlette

I feel like I am just about all ready for East Poultney Day now.   I finished my little shawlette.   It came out just as I wanted it, being lightweight warmth for the shoulders.  Sometimes a person only wants to keep the draft from a fan or air conditioner off them, not really needing a sweater or heavy shawl.  Or perhaps just a touch of color, as this has the pretty ribbon in it.  I also got my scarf off the loom, but that was much harder as the warp keep breaking.  Most of my time was spent fixing instead of happily weaving.  It was the fault of my spinning the fleece too softly.  The warp really needs to have a firm twist to it.  The overall scarf is fine, it was the weaving experience itself that suffered.   Now the rest of the morning is going to be spent making sure I have everything labeled, the inventory list is accurate, etc and so forth.
It is a gorgeous day today, much like yesterday.  Sunny, cool--only in the 70's--with a little breeze going on.  My perfect kind of summer weather.  Not sure if the sudden change from "sweating a bucket a minute"  to "ahh, almost need a sweater" has the girls flummoxed or what, but there was not one egg to be seen yesterday.  Nary a broken shell or, what I call, soft egg. (Those are the ones that fall out before the shell hardens, for various reasons).  Maybe it was a chicken holiday.  Hope they make up for it today.

Brisco, Daisy Mae and Roscoe

We read a letter in one of our magazines which told how the author tames her unruly roosters by picking them up every day and cuddling them.  She claimed that it was a foolproof way to keep them from getting mean.  So every night I have been trying that with the three Littles.  Brisco hardly struggles, but Daisy Mae and Roscoe fight like mad.  They are going to take a lot of taming.  The two boys spend part of every day sparring.  I think that Roscoe is getting to be the top guy.  Maybe he will have to go into the pot when they are no longer cockerels, as we can only have one rooster.  The gentle one! 

Off the Loom

Blocked and drying

Close up of colors

Well, I did get the shawl off the loom and I still can't decide if I like the colors or not!  It is nice and snuggy warm, which was my intent on that account.  It is a good 6 feet long, so plenty to cuddle up with.  I am just not so sure about the pattern.  Regardless, I am happy to be done.  Now I want to make one the same size in all natural shades of alpaca, in a planned and definite plaid pattern.  The problem with this piece was I was in arrears with the weft and had to replace my idea of the weft with a new design to accommodate my insufficient quantity of  colors.

Some of Gloria's alpacas

Today I am going off to the north to visit Glo as I need to get her the last fleece I washed.  Soon it will be time for shearing!  Hard to believe. It is a beautiful day after the storms of yesterday.  The drive up is just lovely as I have to go by several lakes.  We will spend time spinning and visiting, then she will feed me lunch.  Glo is one of the most generous, hospitable people I know.  So, off I go to have fun!

Weaving Retro

Familiar to anyone?

This shawl I am working on reminds me of the sofas in the homes of my friends when I was but a young girl.  I think it is the tweedy look combined with the plaid factor.   Now, I don't think that it is a bad thing, just an observation on my part. At least it isn't in the colors of that time--orange, brown and tan! The overall effect is sort of gentle, if that is the right word.   I actually like this softer appearance.  It is not something that I expected.    For me, that is so much the fun and adventure of working with fiber---what will it look like when I am done? 

Hen aprons

The chickens are all dong well right now.  The other day I had an egg from every single hen.  That was nice!  The only  thing is, the rooster, in his amorous attentions, has made 4 of the hens very bald, right down to the skin, on their backs.  So, I have ordered, And Don't Laugh, 4 little hen "aprons" that will cover their bald spots until the feathers grow back. (Hen Saver) The thing is, if left bare, when he is, um, you-know-whating, he will inadvertently tear their skin at this point.  Then there is the chance of infection and if there is blood, the other hens will peck at the place.  Not Good.  I got them in brown as I thought that they would blend in with their coloring better.  If they work, then I will be able to make more as I will have a pattern to copy. I am toughening myself up for all the hilarity that I will have to endure because of this.  I think Some People will look askance at this venture.
The things I do for my chickens!

Sunny Day!

Crocus

Well, I guess I am tied to the sky after all--today is a lovely sunshiney day, and I am So Happy!  First of all, because my very smart and helpful daughter showed me how to do live links in my post ( of course, right there in front of me all the time, but needed her to point it out).  Secondly, I have started sleying the reed, so I am that much closer to being able to sit down and weave.  I am just so curious as to what this shawl is going to look like!  And lastly, I have the whole day ahead of me with no outside commitments, which leaves me free to work on the loom, put some of the seedlings into 6 pack containers, and take time to walk about the yard looking at the crocus that have come up.  Maybe go on a walk with the dog across the road to see if the ice is out on the beaver pond.

Beaver pond last fall

Yes, it is a lovely day, thank you God, and I am going to enjoy every bit of it!

Out of Sorts

Old Jelly Cupboard

I feel very Out of Sorts, today.  It is gray and rainy, and I am still tired.  But!!! Why I am tired, you should know, is because of a good thing.  Remember the photos on the Tidy Mind, Tidy Stitches day?  Well, all that disarray got me to thinking about how I wanted a big cupboard with a door (or two) on it to put in the dining room so that I would have a place to put everything fiber related.  That way, it would be handy yet out of sight.  As I fantasized about going furniture shopping at all the second hand places around, I realized that I could do this without spending anything at all!
There is, in our bedroom, a Very Old jelly cupboard that came from the farmhouse I grew up in, in New Hampshire.  It has been used as a linen closet for us the last 30 years, as we have always lived in houses that are extremely skimpy on closets.

The Baby at 25

In the tiny bedroom is a dresser I used for the babies.  Since this is our baby and she is now 25, it hasn't been used for anything but storing stuff I don't want to deal with!  So, with my loving husband's help, I took all the linens out of the jelly cupboard, all the junk out of the "baby" dresser,  and moved the honking huge and heavy cupboard down to the dining room.

Nearly cleared table

Neatly put away

Then I sorted through the linens and put them in the little dresser.  And then happily filled the jelly cupboard with all the stuff on the dining room table. It was a brilliant move, I think!  The only thing left is the junk I don't want to deal with, but it turned out to be mostly things that belong to Becca, the married daughter, so I can pawn them off on her.  And maybe 40 magazines that are old Spin Off and Threads (before Threads went to mostly sewing).  These I like to give to people who can use the info in them.  I thought they would be great references, (most are from the late 90's and early 2000) however, I never look at them, so off they go to other places.

Balls of weft

And if you look closely, on the other side of the table you can see that I am washing and sorting another fleece.  That is my task for the week.  I got the weft spun, and after I stop writing I am going to try to get the loom threaded so I can start on my weaving.
  Busy day, Mrs. Premise! Especially since all afternoon I will be out and about.

Your Knitting and Crochet Time 2KCBWDAY7

 
When is it that I knit?  Knitting time is almost always in the evening while Jeff watches TV. Sometimes it happens in the day if there is a project that needs wide awake attention.  And also, when there is a ride in the car.  I tend to sit at the spinning wheel during the day.  The loom is a daytime event.  Mostly I like to listen to audio books while spinning or weaving.  Once in a while I will watch a movie while I spin, but mostly I don't.  If I haven't a book to listen to I will have music on.  Classical, folk, Celtic, or sometimes soothing music from Soundings of the Planet.  In the summer, when the weather is fine, I like to spin outside.
And there we have it, folks!  A whole week's worth of a blog challenge.  It was fun.  Now I will have to get back to telling you what I have been doing in the meantime. Til then....enjoy the day!

Sunshine Tuesday

Sap buckets--sugaring has begun!

The sun is shining, the snow is melting, Jeff has set out 10 taps and the sap is flowing!  I am one happy person.  Nature can send whatever she likes now; it won't matter as I am starting seeds, having seen winter's grip broken.
The warp is hanging on the loom.  I won't finish threading and tie up until I get the weft spun.  There is too much temptation for one of the household cats to lay on a warp for me to leave it idle for too long.  Plus, I don't want to stretch it more than I have to.

A waiting warp

I've decided on a marled weft, as well.  Cotswold, plyed with the colors.  Since Cotswold is a fine wool, it should pair well with the alpaca.  At this point in time the idea floating around my brain is that it will be the same color pattern--purple, blue and on to the pink, in roughly the same widths, for a loose plaid effect.  Always subject to change.  Plain weave, so that the colors and pattern are the focus.  Loosely woven, also, to make a nice flowing material.

Saturday

Jesse, modeling for my Etsy shop

First off, I can't type anything without saying how distressed I am about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.  It is such a devastating event.  I cannot even comprehend the horror and helplessness.  Although prayer seems like a feeble thing to do in the face of such magnitude of loss, I know it is all I can do for the nation, and so I will keep the Japanese people in my thoughts and prayers.
Jesse did come through, and from far away in Madison was able to get my printer up and running.  I was so happy!  He is a wonderful son.

Warp, laying on table, in raddle

The warp is on the raddle, and now I am looking at it, wondering if I want to go through with this or not.  I knew I was short a great deal of yardage, but I went ahead and counted off what I had spun.  It is a 19" width right now, which should be adequate for a shawl.  But do I like the way the colors go?  I am thinking of the warp being either stripes of gray and cream, or stripes of the colors--any thoughts on the subject?   I really would love some input at this point!

Moonlight calcutations

Woke up in the middle of the night  to the moon shining in the window.  Just lovely, but then I was Awake.  So I worked on the numbers for the shawl I want to weave with this yarn I am making. Thinking about weaving or knitting in the night is so much better than thinking about The Children, or The Parents.  Besides, I find it rather soothing.
I think the shawl should be 24 inches wide, and about 84 inches long.  Big enough to wrap up in.  8 e.p.i. will make it nice and drapey. That translates into 24 x 8=192 x 3=576.  3 yards will be long enough on the warp to give me the 84 inches and some fringe. Spinning 576 yards of each of the alpaca and merino blend seems doable.  I hate it when I plan a project that takes so much spinning I get bored.  Not good!  I am watching  BBC's Middlemarch with this warp, so that keeps me entertained.  Although, so far, I am not connecting with any of the characters.  Wonder why?

Coffee break

Thought I would take a minute with a cup of coffee before I did an hour of spinning.  It's one of those gray winter days that make me feel like I should be hibernating.  Instead, I made myself go out and put the chickens in, got the mail and put the supper in the oven.  Now that chores are out of the way, I can indulge in a little me time.  Am hoping to get this roving spun soon so that I can work on my idea for the warp I have in mind.  I am going to spin a pre-dyed merino/silk roving and then ply the alpaca with it, thus creating color in the gray, but not by carding it in.  I am not sure what the weft will be yet.  One yarn at a time.  And I just agreed to be a spinning mentor to a college student for a class she has this semester.  I must be nuts.
Katy says "Everyone needs a little fiber in their diet".  I like that thought!