Spring-y motivation

It's hard to believe what a few days of warm weather can do to my mood and motivation.  I've been spending some of each day outside.  Today I raked sticks into piles in the yard.  This may sound like an obsessive-compulsive thing, but believe me it's not.  The ice storm damage is in a huge pile waiting to be burned or chipped, but the smaller branches were still on the ground and in some cases, thrust into the ground as deep as a foot.  That's the stuff I raked into piles this morning.  Then it was up to the weaving room for an hour, then back outside to load the lawnmower up and take it to the repair shop for it's getting-ready-to-mow-grass checkup.  That project fought me the whole way, from a flat tire on the trailer to a pinched finger, but it was accompished.  A friend came over after lunch and we pruned the Concord grape vines.  By the looks of them, it had been several years since a pruning, and they look bare but happy now.  Back to the weaving room to work on a rug, with an evening break to load the trailer again, this time with a utility vehicle.  I did get the rug finished after supper!

I have about a yard and  half left to weave on the blanket, and am anxious to get that  finished and off the loom.  The end feed shuttle is  now my favorite friend.  I went back to the standard shuttle for one, yes, only one, bobbin worth of thread this week.  It was quickly clear that the end feed shuttle is much easier to use.  I'm starting to get some speed up on it, too, which is nice.

The current rug warp is light gray stripes with smaller red stripes throughout.  I'm weaving mostly Pendleton worms on it.  Every one of them is beautiful.  I love seeing the design develop as I weave.  I'm sewing worms together in the evening for the next day's rug(s).  Every time I go to the pile of worms and selvege, I see a new combo.  I love this stuff!
We're due for some rain and cooler (not cold) weather this weekend.  That will be fine.  This week, with temps in the low 60s, has been wonderful, but cooler seasonal weather will be nice, too.

T

New shuttle

My new end feed shuttle is in and works well.  I like the weight of it, and it really does feed the yarn at a nice even pace.  I am still learning the rhythm of it, and it will take me a bit to get my speed back up, but I like it.  I'm halfway through my weft thread for the blanket, so I hope I'm at least halfway through the warp, and won't have to order more thread.  The blanket colors are really nice.

I've been rolling out the rugs, too.  I'm ready to put another warp on tomorrow.  I'm averaging about 6 rugs every 8 days.  Not bad for part-time.  I've been weaving worms lately,and as much as I put off starting on them, they are making beautiful rugs.  Once I get into the swing of designing, then sewing them together at the machine, and weaving, it goes pretty quickly.  I'll have to post a photo soon - as soon as we get a nice sunny day with enough warmth to be out with a camera!  It's up to 30 degrees tonight after another few days of zero and below zero wind chill.  30 feels great, even with the wind.

I've also been winding warp for my next painted warp.  It should be warm enough in a couple weeks to paint one.  I'm not sure yet what colors I'll use.  I've been looking through my seed catalogs at flower photos for inspiration - the color gradations in blooms is just amazing - and some of the veggie photos are pretty nice, too.  A set of mixed summer squash caught my eye with it's greens and yellows.  I know this next warp will be interesting and fun!

Of blankets and rugs

My new 8/2 weft is in and is looking fine in the blanket.  It's showing the painted colors in a nicely toned down way.  I'm enjoying having it to work on.  Today I ordered an end feed shuttle, which is supposed to make weaving on a wider piece much easier, and make the selveges look nicer, too.  It's fairly pricey, so I'm definitely hoping it lives up to its reputation.

I just finished a warp on the rug loom and wound more tonight.  I'll put that on tomorrow, and keep whittling down my pile of Pendleton.  I made a worm runner on the last warp that's really pretty, and I think I'll plan another one into this set of rugs, too.

Yesterday it warmed up to the low 60s and spring didn't seem so far away.  Then it fell to 12 overnight and today barely reached 30 with a wicked north wind.  I carried in more wood, a daily chore when the temps are so low, and kept the wood stove stoked.