Peach of a Rose ~ Garden Shawls

 This post has been a while coming and the shawls shown here today mark the end of 16 years of  imagining, planning, weaving and finishing  scores of projects on my Spring Loom.   In all that time, she was never empty and always had something on the go.  A delight to weave on and frankly, hard to let go.   

Truth be told, it was time as my health has undergone some changes in the past 2 -3 years and it's time to weave less  and be under less pressure to keep two looms going and an Etsy shop full.  I don't know how weavers with multiple looms do it as there is only one weaver to keep all the balls in the air!

I still have my Megado and will still weave but my back tells me when its okay... when and how much.  Its Boss.   Simple as that...

So this first shawl has an undyed 10/2 tencel warp.  I bought some back when Webs used to carry it as it's a great staple to have on hand.   I used a 28 epi sett and my new 14 dent reed I got for Christmas in 2023 and it had patiently waited in its plastic sleeve.   

I find that setts where its 2 threads per dent show reed marks less. If you double or triple them up then it's going to show up.  Not all reed marks will wash out either.  So, an investment in a new reed was a good idea when I checked my stash and saw how much 10/2 cottons I have on hand 😳

The weft is a rose fiber yarn that I bought from Hilary at Crazy as a Loom (she may have more?)  Technically it's 'natural' but it does have a slight peachy hint of colour.  Neutral but something is going on there....   I like it!

The draft is an 8 shaft huck lace which always looks better with 'tone on tone' colours.   The tie up stayed in place and the looms new owner wove a scarf or two. It gave her time to get to know the loom before she had to tackle changing a CM tie up.   Which she did with her next project and quite well too. 

I wanted to try my hand at some fancy smancy borders and thought to give Danish Medallions a try.   I pulled them tight to for the ovals and didn't like what it did to the overall light-weight cloth. So I  just snugged them into place and they appear as an interesting feature as you can see from the picture above.  They are a slow hand manipulation  but very pretty and I'll try them again soon.  

Above you can see the drape and trust me, it's a light weave with a very soft touch.  Rose yarn is lovely to work with.   Below you can really see the peachy tint.  🍑 🌹

... and now for another garden extract..... Dandelion!  

When the time came to start the second shawl, I dug into the stash cupboard and found something interesting choices.  I had a cashmere blend but it was much too fine. Then I found mint fiber which was soft but while neutral, it still looked a greyed white.   I opted for a cone of dandelion fiber yarn instead as it had the right colour and silky look and feel to it I was looking for.  { I bought it at an Etsy shop called "YarnItaly" and they carry an ever changing inventory of exotic yarns }

Your can see the results as it looks like a white ivory and where there are weft floats there is a lovely sheen that catches the light.   I might keep this one for me.   Or maybe not since we need a new heat pump. 

Again lovely drape and you can see how light the fabric is. It would be like wearing a cloud!  ☁️

The border treatment this time was to mix up the huck treadling and create a band of pattern.   It was certainly faster than Danish Medallions. 

I tried taking the pictures outside but the huck lace vanished in the sunshine. Inside was much better but my flash unit wouldn't work so I had to brighten these on the computer.  Technology to the rescue...

So let me sow some seeds for thought:  You may be really keen to weave but please think about your overall posture at the loom, getting the right sized loom for you, and the right bench height.   Your elbow should be at a right angle and rest comfortably on the breast beam when you sit.  

Then think on time management: only fill 1-2 bobbins so you have to get up and move, stretch.   Take rest breaks. Don't weave if a body part is hurting. It's time to stop.  Maybe shift to another studio job instead.

One thing I have never done in all my 30 years of weaving, is to weave at night.  Daytime only.   I will use lights to brighten a dark day but never weave at night when your eyes are tired and straining.

Dark colours, such as all black are only woven on a bright summer day when you can see! 

Some years ago, on a dark winter day,  I wove a black on black lace table runner and couldn't see if I had made an error. I had to call out the treadling order verbally to myself thought out the 50-60 inches and only after it came off and was washed could I see if I got it right.  I did get it right fortunately as linen is too expensive to make that kind of mistake with!    

If you think all  these steps thoughtfully, then you will weave longer and be a healthier you.  💕

Finding the Sweet Spot

 So what the heck does that title mean?   

Well, I started weaving again. I wove short 10- 15 minute sessions and then waited to see how my back responded to the motion.   Sometimes I had to take a day or two off, and then I'd try again.   It seemed to be going well overall and the inches were slowly adding up on the loom.   

Progress. 

Then I added more repeats and a bit more time.... and waited.   Soon I was weaving a full 20-30 minutes with rest breaks and some days an Advil and a day or two off.   

Feeling better about how things were going!

Then the 8 yard warp of 8/2 Venne cotton and linen wefts was all done and  cut off the loom!   All 2 1/2 pounds of it!

I had another warp all prepared and so got to work beaming it.   I took my time and slowly wound on with frequent rest breaks.  But there is bending to depress the brake peddle and movement back and forth between the back and front to shift my weights. 

Once it was beamed I stopped for the day.  That night my back grumbled and let me know it was unhappy, so I knew the next few days would be 'rest days'.   Then I woke to a very unhappy lower back and now I'm on an enforced healing / rest time period once again. 

It would seem that moderate to severe arthritic changes to my lower spine, with stenosis (encroachment of the nerves exiting the spinal column) is my new Boss and is very clear about telling what I can and can't do.  😢    There are some positives to this situation:

• I didn't herniate a disc like last time
• rest will settle things down in time
• I will weave again
• I have towels to hand sew and play with finishing
• I can thread and sley slowly when the time is right and 'Boss' says I can 
• My Hansen e-spinner is nearby and doesn't hurt me! 

I'd like to add that my husband has been very good at pitching in when I need help and donning an apron and cooking when I can't.   We're coming up to 40 years next fall and I think it might be working out after all ! 💕 😉  

So it's all about finding balance and being content to listen to my body.  I don't plan to quit or sell this loom so I must be patient.  No doubt there will be more set backs and maybe not. 

Finding the sweet spot much like we do on our looms when weaving......

The Very Beginning

 

These are members of the Richmond Weavers and Spinners (of Richmond, BC) working away at their drop in....  

In the fall of 1995 I stood in front of these windows as a total newbie and looked in and admired the looms they have all arranged like bait I was 2 days late for their monthly meeting and 5 days later my Hub told me he was being transferred to the Okanagan.  By the spring of 1996 I was making a start on my weaving journey. All I knew was that I saw the looms and wanted to learn how to do that!

In the years since, I took to weaving, then spinning, then some dyeing.... you know how it goes, but the start of my marvelous journey was all their fault.... 

Thank you so much! 🌹

A New Year: a fresh start?

 Happy New Year to you!  🎉

I normally do a weaving year review, but I took 7 months off recovering from a spine and back injury and so my only effort has been two shawls and a lot of hand spun yarn.   I have yet to photograph them and present them here as yet.   When we finally get a decent sunny day, that is my goal!

I started weaving on a towel warp as shown previously but  nerve impingement in my right shoulder put a stop to weaving yet again.   Then we have been preoccupied with Christmas and trying to stay warm.    Stay warm?   well, our furnace quit on December 13th and we have been without furnace / heat pump heat since then. We are relying on space heater and a gas fire place to keep warm.   Sweaters, socks and fluffy housecoats are in vogue here. 

We called the heating company this morning to "put a fire under them" to see where our new furnace fan is out there. It's coming air freight from the USA. I'm thinking we should have got Amazon to ship it!    But it should be here soon. 🤞 Edit: as of today Jan 3rd  its apparently on back order and we're no closer to a solution.  😢

So what have I been up to?  Well spinning is a nice way to spend time, and I'm all up to date with Netflix, BritBox, Acorn and Primevideo.  I read *a lot* and love my Kindle.

I also spend time at handweaving.net and cruise the patterns.  They just released 4 shaft overshot miniatures:   Bertha G. Hayes Miniature Overshot Drafts

I've also been going through my weaving book collection and in particular " Janna Weaves" by Janna van Ledden- Valk.  A bit on the spendy side to acquire but I'm feeling inspired by the drafts.  Yes, there are drafts for high numbered shaft looms but there are 8 shaft and 16 shaft drafts too.

I'm also looking to do weavings based on themes.... and still working that out in my head for now.  For example, Pompeian art and mosaics.  Some examples....   some neat colours to work with in these.

I'll close for now with a draft I have been working on from "Janna Weaves".  Yes, the warp is wound  so that is encouraging.   (16 shafts/ 16 treadle)   Click on the image to enlarge.

Falling to Pieces

I was so happy to be finally returning to some normalcy.   Weaving again, even if for short periods and slower.    It takes me longer to weave an item and so I nibble away at the inches carefully. I was on towel number four of seven when I noticed an ache in my right shoulder that radiated to my top of my spine.    I stopped right away and used an ice pack and some advil. 

Next day I felt like a truck had run over my shoulder  and now the pain radiated down the outside of my bicep to my elbow and down into my wrist.

No, it's not frozen shoulder, but nerve impingement. I swear if I didn't have bad luck, I'd have none  at all! 

So for the past three weeks, I medicate, and apply ice packs and  no weaving or even spinning (as that's my dominant arm / hand).  I have been playing with drafts and designs.... and reading some of my weaving library. I figure that if I can't weave as much or as often, then when I do a new project, it should be something special.

Oh, and yes I'm feeling a tad bit depressed.  I already had a seven month holiday due to my lower back and stenosis so I thought I would be able to enjoy my life more again. 

NOPE!

I developed a ganglion cyst on my right instep and I can't even wear shoes. So waiting on a Doctor to deal with that and I'm certain it will involve needles and pain.  

Then my big toe on my left foot became infected and so I am dealing with that issue as well.

So.... yeah, depression is a thing.  😬

The blue gel icepacks are a life saver!  I rest one behind my shoulder and lay my elbow and arm on a second one and that's my evening in a nutshell. 

I do have two lace shawls to photograph but its been way too dark to photograph them properly so they wait patiently.

I had to pause my Etsy shop due to a nationwide postal strike..... so no joy there. Bah Humbug to all those concerned. 

I'm getting a lot of reading done and we have been enjoying the joys of streaming TV  .... with ice packs. 

For those of you who are weaving up a storm, throw one for me please!