Ripple

I know you remember that one. And MD 20/20 and Thunderbird. This is interesting.

I added a new button to the sidebar! When using the tag surfer I discovered a random group of crocheters who are making ripple afghans. I have a large bag of leftovers and am going to start one. I have been looking for a use for them and didn’t want to knit a log cabin blanket. So we will see how it goes. I recently purchased a book about ripple stitches as it was on a clearance pile at B&N for $5.

I did finish a cute little dishcloth, the garterlac dishcloth, pattern by Dave. There is no picture of the finished item because it went with the Hookah Engineer back to Blacksburg for her apartment. I am very happy that she wanted some hand made dishrags! Seriously. They make doing dishes that much better. And I like to wash dishes. Is that weird? Don’t answer.

I have been weaving and knitting. Lest you think I have been accomplishing nothing, here are some pictures.

First, I dyed some Finn roving that I had purchased at Montpelier last year. I threw in what dye I had which was a combo of Wild Raspberry, Clematis (blue purple), Daintree (acid green), and Wombat (rosy brown) . I think it’s safe to say I could have just used the raspberry.

Next I finished the Entrelac felted tote. I will use it for a while and see if I like these handles, then make the felted handles if I don’t like the bamboo. A good handle is hard to find. And I think they distort the shape of the bag too much. Live and learn.

And last but not least, in about 6 hours of quick knitting, I made a tiny little cropped sweater out of some leftover Magallanes and Nature Wool held together. Knit from the bottom up in one piece, size 11 needles, no finishing except a crocheted edge and weaving in ends!! Of course it is a small size so it went ultra quick. The pattern is a commercial pattern, Tahki I think.

Variety is the spice of life….Oh yeah.

Variety is an excellent thing. Especially in salad dressing.

There has been crafty action here at ladyoftheloom. On the knitting front, a couple days ago I finished the 1st of the Interlacements Tiny Toes socks of my own pattern. It uses a heel and toe available for free on the internet and a ribbing that is available in a published book but I put them together so I call it my pattern. It is blocking on the Loopy Ewe sock blocker.

Also, today, in between loads of laundry, I finished this:

As felted bags go, this was fun. Not boring at all. Although the colors are bright I think it will be OK and mute itself during the felting, which is occurring as I write. I plan to purchase handles for her as I don’t like using felted handles for a couple of reasons. They stretch, they dig into my shoulders and I don’t like the way that they look. So there.

I warped the 4 harness loom with some 8/4 carpet warp in peach and am weaving whatever this will be, towel or placemat, with the same thread in a different color for the weft.

I’m using a pattern from Marguerite Davidson called waffle weave, p 118. I plan also to do a couple more whatever-they-will-be’s in another weft yarn and treadling on this threading. I could change the tie up if I crawl under the loom again! Changing the tie up of the treadles is actually fun, many things are possible. Different harnesses are raised with different treadles.  This is really a learning process, so I am just practicing and playing around, carpet warp is inexpensive and I used a 6.5 yard warp so I’ll get plenty of practice.

Yesterday after a potential meltdown on both our parts, I rewarded Caroline for knowing how to use jumper cables, for helping to install a new battery in her car after leaving her lights on, and for learning that you can inexpensively ask a service station attendant to plug a hole caused by a nail in her new tire (whew) I took her to the Nordstrom Anniversary sale.  We bought shoes! How’s that for teaching your daughter the facts of life???? Oh yeah, we taught each other and figured it out without whining. We had no man to do it for us. He is still fishing in Canada. We were glad that there was no stress involved in all of this car crap like there might have been. (!!) And glad that we could accomplish all of this ourselves. Oh, and I had the car inspected.  She passed requiring only a new air conditioning belt.

And…I fixed our upstairs air conditioning with a stick.

I am a Tour de Fleece slacker. I should never join things.

Cheerio.

Pictureless Entry

My digital camera was taken to Canada by M. I wish I had it back. I have been enjoying taking pictures of everything. I’ll bet he doesn’t take one picture because that is just how he is.

Today I had lunch with an old friend. She isn’t old but has been my friend for a long time, that’s what I meant. Since 1990. That is 17 years! We used to live next door to each other when our kids were little. I remember fondly how we sat for hours on the front steps of her home watching our combined 5 children play in the front yard and draw with chalk on the sidewalk. Our kids were very close. I really miss those days. There are some little girls who draw in the street in my neighborhood now. They draw houses in plan and furnish the rooms with tables, chairs and beds drawn in section. But the people and pets are looking straight at you. They know what is important. I wish more kids were allowed to draw in the street with chalk. After a rain they start over.

I talked to Anne today. I love it when she calls even if I don’t have much to tell her, I like to hear her talk. She once said “talking is my hobby”. Her purse was recently stolen from her apartment and she will be moving soon. The move was planned before the purse went missing and I am sure it can’t come soon enough.

I put a new warp on the loom today. Some peach 8/2 cotton carpet warp. I think I am using it completely wrong for its intended use but, whatever, I am going to do a new weave, waffle weave and variations from the same threading. Some hand towels will hopefully result from this.

I bought some coffee and a new coffeemaker this afternoon. Three bags of “gourmet” coffee at TJMaxx: Blue Mountain, Organic Whole Bean Breakfast Blend, and Mocha Java. I don’t really believe that things imported from other countries can be truly organic. Who knows what they do there when no one is watching. For that matter, who knows what people are doing in the US when no one is watching. Coffeemakers are a crap shoot, but I am dependent so who cares, as long as the caffeine comes out of the beans. I should have bought the same kind that I had but I just can’t do that. I need something new. It’s like and adventure with new appliances. Which one will work? which one won’t? I must be little like Loni Anderson on WKRP. Without the blonde. Yeah. That’s it.

Caroline is at work tonight.

When will Barry blast Hank’s record? Who cares? LawyerK, that’s who. And he is in Canada with no TV, laptop, iPod, radio or other worldly appliance.

Happy Birthday Caroline~

Today is Caroline’s 18th birthday!!!!!! She made her own birthday cake yesterday. She made CIA Cream Scones for breakfast today. She has a summer job at a restaurant called The Fondue Fanatic where she is a cook. I think I will keep her!

M is preparing for his jaunt to the wilds of Canada. Well, I thought it was the wilds. It is very far north, on the western edge of Quebec on a lake where you have to travel by boat for a couple hours to get to the cabins. This is after about an 18 hour car ride. But the cabins are nice! Several manly friends are going with including one of my brothers, LawyerK. They will fish and apparently, eat. This is only a portion of the fishermen’s menu. Looks like mostly the liquid part. And an essential floatation device. In case one needs to float in a lake full of fish the size of a midsize sedan.

But…there is no TV.

There is weaving progress however. I am warping again.

Took long enough to get back to it didn’t it???