Sherwood Forest 🍁 🍂

 I fell for this rich painted warp from Blazing Shuttles a couple of years ago and bought it.   Then it sat in the stash to 'mature'  😉   I also wasn't sure how choose the right weft colour and decided that a rich burgundy would be nice.... and I'll defer  the other choice to later on...

The was was 7.5 yards in length and 400 ends.... and I used 397 of them!   Some spares for possible mishaps...

This picture shows the general idea of the colours but they are essentially a burgundy red, forest green, and a tawny gold.   It seems we fall in love with the rich jewel tones and then are faces with choices. 

Here's the warp loaded onto the Megado 110 and is ready for threading.  The Helping Hands really do work at making things feel more stable as you work. 

Then it was time to start weaving and I'm using my burgundy tencel.  It does blend into some parts but that's where a play of light will reveal the pattern.

Then it shifted to the green section and the burgundy sure tones down the red. They are opposite on the colour wheel

Then it shifted to the tawny gold.... which I really liked.

This is the 12 shaft draft I used from Handweaving.net. It's draft #55882

For the 8 shaft weavers out there.... here's the 8 shaft version.    I reduced this one down for a friend but there is an 8 shaft version at handweaving.net. Sorry I don't know the number off hand.

So all done and finally photographed  and the red version  (Dante's Garden) turned out quite nice!  Very rich looking.   The width is 12 inches and length is 74 inches. Soft to the touch and a touch of shine. 

So, no more deferring .... time to choose a weft colour for the second scarf.   I auditioned several choices, including a bronze gold silk and nothing seemed to work.   So I went with basic black.

It turned out quite nicely and very different from the first.  Rather than working in with the warp's colours, it made them stand out, much like leaves in the autumn, in varying degrees of change.      🍁🍂 🌲

This scarf end up being a bit shorter at 64 inches but we oldsters call that a 'coat scarf'.   In my parent's day, scarves went around your neck and  under your coat. This scarf is wide so it can be double folded and would look marvellous under a black wool winter coat.

 So an Autumn project being released on the equinox's eve..... and the funny thing is, I wove these last Spring.  Slightly ahead of my time I guess  😁🍁

Retail Therapy

I have a confession to make.....

I have indulged in some retail therapy in the past couple of months when in recovery mode.  I may not have been able to weave but I was indulging in some mental future plans! I had some Christmas money, and some sales at my Etsy store burning a hole in my "digital pocket".   Browsing, I found some nice deals on line..... and some pretty things

So here's some show and tell....

Here's a painted cotton and  rayon warp I got from Blazing Shuttles. I can see two delightful scarves coming from this!  Great colour combination, and the rayon shiny 'blips' will add some interest!

This is another one of Blazing Shuttle's painted warps called "Black Opal" and was based on an actual fire opal's intense colours. I see it paired with black and.... well, that's top secret for now!  Let's just say I have  big plans for this!  It's 10/2 rayon and so quite fine.

 So with that in mind, I went looking for my black weft. This is Bambu 12 and in colours Onyx, Truffle and China Red. The black is for the Black Opal project, the truffle beige I thought would be lovely paired with cream silks  and the China Red was an attempt to find a replacement for a lovely deep red shade I had in 10/2 tencel called Persian Red. They don't make it any longer and my searches for any residual stock somewhere have failed.  China Red bambu is lovely but its not the same as the Persian Red.   Bambu 12 is 6300 yards per pound.  The three colours together would make a lovely turned twill arrangement wouldn't it?  

Cotton Clouds also sent along a colour card for the various colours they carry. I can see a few colours I would like to get in the future..... and three I wish I had now!  

I love the three colours on the bottom right: willow, blue mist and blue mist.  The double asterisk means "available seasonally"..... but which season?    I'll be asking soon!

This was actually a "get well gift"!   Nice huh? Deep purple and a colour called Algae silk hand dyed by Dye For Yarn at Etsy. The algae is like a bronze and I think I will pair these colors together. The 20/2 skeins are 50 grams each so there's enough for warp and weft.  Silk is lovely to work with.

  Now this is my "new" old, gently used Royal 500 gram ball winder.  I found it on a sales page. I had another large wooden ball winder but the handle for turning was set horizontally and I found it hard to use with my arthritic hands. It was awkward on the wrist as well.  So I put it up for sale and it went to a new home to a happy new owner.  Then with the sale proceeds I bought this used winder that has a vertical handle, and even has a tension device to boot to give you a neatly shaped centre pull ball, up to 500 grams (or just over a pound).  I have a Royal ball winder for smaller amounts but if you are tempted to push it to its limits, the ball come flying off and goes across the room!  Well, I guess if I ever push this one to the limit, it might be spectacular!

So I've decided if equipment fails me in some way, then move it along and find one that works!  This swap came out dead even $$$ wise but I feel like its an improvement and so I'm happy!
(There was a couple of bits of equipment added to the sale page as well.)

Weaving: well,  I over did it one day last week and so had to take a few days off to rest and ice some tender muscles.  I'm happy to report that as of today I have finally finished the fine silks scarves on the Louet Spring.  I have to weave some samples for my files and then it will be cut off and finishing will begin. So I hope to have some actual finished weaving to show you next time!

I have some projects 'pre planned' on paper and the warp winding will be begin in earnest soon. Standing still in one spot for any length of time is a problem so I will have to do it in stages.  There will have to be a tie up change which will also be a step by step thing too.   I'm learning the limits of my new inner metal bits!

Since I last wrote, we have also had a fast trip to Vancouver as my father has been quite ill and it seemed touch and go for a time. Three hospital moves later and he's now in good hands at St Paul's in downtown Vancouver. BC's premier heart hospital.  Now we wait...

Speaking of waiting.... our daughter in law is due March 10th so not too long to wait.  We hope to go over soon, if not for the birth, then shortly after to meet the new addition to the family!

In the mean time, we continue to go through closets and our 'stuff' and downsize as we prepare to list the house for sale.

Nothing  like a quiet recovery huh?
Now you know why I indulged in some calming retail therapy.   :)

  Happy Valentine's Day!