Chocolate 'n Cherries

Chocolate and cherries make a fine pairing for dessert. I still recall my first Black Forest cake when I was a kid.  My mother's Viennese born neighbour and best friend could make them like a pro! Then, in the 1960's  there was those large chocolates that were filled with a maraschino cherry called Cherry Blossoms.

So when I spotted a painted warp at Iridescent Fibers called Dark Chocolate, it appealed to me.

Now this wasn't in the range of my normal 'go to" colours and quite daring. After it arrived I liked it and then it hung with some other warps while I pondered what to do with it and ... what the heck would I use as a weft colour?? (That's a thought that should have run through my mind before I bought truthfully....)

Its black that works best.  I had nothing in my tencel or even silks that looked decent.  Black makes the colours really pop and somehow really intensifies them.  I framed the painted warp with black and a touch of olive green. Its the same draft as my previous scarf warp that were done in deep midnight shades.   So we are talking same 12 shaft point twill, same tie up, same 24 epi..... just a change in colours.   I get more from the same tie up and that is helpful since I have to lift my loom up to change it.  Here's the draft.... with an arbitrary colour in the centre to denote the painted warp portion.

We had a fine breeze blowing as I took these pictures!  I had to strike a balance between getting good light, but not bleaching out any of the colours, or being in the shade and having everything too dark. I settled for later afternoon natural light but not in direct sunshine.  I was pleased with the results and the colours (depending on your monitor) look fairly accurate.

The scarves are 9 1/2 inches wide by 76 inches long.

...and while I had no control over where the colour placements would be, it happened the cherry blush  occurred in roughly the middle where the extra loop around the neck would go.  Sweet!

Its quite a warm rosy glow and as you see below, the milk chocolate has a gentle run through.

In the picture below, you get a glimpse of the back side.... where the black is more dominant. I prefer the brighter colour side out...

Then there's the second dessert course....   🍒

As you can see a change in the treadling makes a big change in the pattern.  This is why I like playing with my Fiberworks program so you can see what will happen if you changed a few details. Check the float length, and view the back side etc.  Can you imagine trying this with expensive yarns and the time involved?  Well, it sure is more fun this way.

This portion of the warp had dark chocolate sections that were, well, darker! It still works as the pattern disappears and rises up out of the, well, darker section of the warp.   Geesh.   😳

These two are very alike except for the lighting..... and the real colour is somewhere in-between the two of them.

Here's a few that get closer to see the details better...

My model's name is Judy and she did a fine job in a stiff breeze. Very steady on her feet, never complained or needed a break. (She also doesn't mind partial nude shots either... )

The colour changes happen where they happen.... and it makes for some interesting fringe!

🍒

Couple of notes to share.

Its been just under two weeks since Calli died and we are feeling a bit better day by day. We still have our moments of course, like reaching for a box of her favourite cookies at Costco and then having a quiet cry in the back aisles before soldiering on.  We are adjusting to a very quiet house and the night sounds weren't Calli trying to remake her bed at 3 am but a raccoon on the roof instead.  

Calli, taken by F. Waterfield

 We have our name down to get a new dog... a terrier of course, and that will happen either later this fall or next spring. Depends on the litters, and the length of the line up ahead of us.    

This tangle is a young, goofy Irish terrier.... (not ours!)

and then there's hubby Bruce:   He had a standard CT scan to look for other potential tumours in parts of his urinary system the doctors didn't get to check at his procedure in May. Its called due diligence. The doctor who reported on the scan found a 'shadow' and so this meant going back in for another look to see if the cancer had started to grow back.  So for some weeks we have had this hanging over our heads yet again.  The recheck was done this past Tuesday and with many apologies from the doctor for the scare, he was declared free of anything new!    (now he still has to have rechecks periodically, but at further and further time intervals).   Kidney stones? well they are using fresh lemon juice 🍋 and a special medication taken daily to soften and dissolve the stones (based on their composition). That's far better than surgery!   So good news  and we can get back to enjoying our summer.

Calli : our Girl has gone

Calli: April 11th, 2010 - June 23rd, 2018

Calli was doing just fine. She was enjoying the back yard and would ask to go out and lay in the sun. There were birds to chase, deer to keep an eye out for and someone would come and throw the ball. She loved the new home and yard!   

She had experienced some digestive issues with diarrhea but we had a treatment plan / diet all worked out with our vet. Then there was the soft mass tumour that was successfully removed last July.   At eight years old, she was sleeping a bit more and sometimes a bit slower to get up.... but she was energetic when it came to a ball game, playing chase or going out in the car.   

This past week she wouldn't eat her dinner and had diarrhea. So we weren't too concerned as this has happened before. She was drinking large amounts of fresh water and active.  We rest her for a day and then re-introduce foods (rice and chicken).... but she continued to refuse food.  

Then she quit drinking water. We tried her with everything she loved to eat but no luck.   Now Calli had Cushings disease which is a form of  hyper aldosteronism so we were worried it had progressed, or the cancerous tumour had come back somewhere in her body.   The extensive lab tests came back and no cancer,  Cushings Disease had progressed a bit but nothing serious..... but her creatinine levels were right off the charts in the red.  So high that they had to dilute the urine sample so the machine could read the results!  The diagnosis of end stage kidney failure caught all of us by surprise.   Sadly it was too far advanced for treatment, so we made a hard decision that was in her best interests.

Our house is so still and quiet without her. We gathered all her toys and beds but there are still little surprises we find and  that start the tears all over again.    She was a very gentle soul and simply loved to be with us where ever we went.  She loved car rides.   She also loved us both equally and spent time each day with both of us.  With me, she'd have her afternoon nap near my loom as I wove. 

This is going to take a long time......

Calli at age 10 months with her cute helicopter tail 

Also at age 10-11 months: its a very Airedale thing to cross their feet like this.

Always ready with a toy.

She loved to sleep on her back.....

And she loved to play in the snow. Great fun!

At our last home and property she loved to wander the acreage and sometimes walk in the creek (a bath always followed that trick)

After we moved in 2016 she found this spot at the front door while we unpacked and its was a daily favourite to watch the neighbours, paperboy, school kids and dog walkers going by.

Wearing her onesie after her cancer surgery last July.

Ready to play again two weeks after surgery!

She'd run out ahead of us onto the lawn and get ready with her latest favourite ball!

Playing in the snow this past December...

Car rides....

yes, I know I'm in your seat.... so?

Father's day card June 2018

I'll close with this picture my late father made of Calli using a picture he took of her and applied an art filter to create a painted effect.    She was our treasure and we miss her terribly.....

Edit: June 25th 2018

Bruce and I want to share a special comment that came from a new friend. Tal was at our home just before we had to leave for the vets this past Saturday morning. He met Calli briefly as we lifted her into the car. He wrote to us after learning she had passed away. With his permission I share his message to us: 

I am so sad to hear about your loss. I lost my dearest friend when I was twenty, he was a Labrador Retriever cross with White Wolf dog, and had been with me ever since I was five years old, so I understand how much this hurts. I was struck by Calli, she looked so strong, so full of joy and life, despite having not been eating and drinking for so long, so I can only imagine what a pleasure and sheer force of Life she was for this family. The only solace we can find when we face such loss is in knowing that we have done our best, and that being small, finite humans, sometimes even our best is not enough to save those whom we love. Yet still, I believe that in knowing that we have given them our everything while we could, there is peace to be found, and even beauty in the midst of such pain. I hope that when the time will be right, when this grief will have run its course, you will make another dog very happy, and he or she you--for as I am sure that you and Susan know, we need our dog friends much more than they need us. They remind us of this primal Life that we human beings with our decorum, moralities, and stories so easily forget; they remind us that there is a truth to love and togetherness that a hundred million dollars could never replace; and most importantly, they remind us that despite all of our human madness, that despite all this strange complications that we introduce into our world, Life is profoundly simple.

2017: A Year in Review

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!

Taken Dec 30th, 2017 by Bruce Harvey

2017 was a strange year for many reasons. The election of Donald Trump as the American President seemed to set off a surreal year as many, around the world, dealt with mixed emotions as they watched the daily debacle unfold. It has literally affected every person on the planet in some way.  It took some weeks and months before people resumed (sort of) normal lives after.

I found weaving was a great cure when you needed to de-stress. Even my weaving year was different as I took on more commissions and they in turn took me back to old drafts. These drafts are 'old friends' but my hopes of retiring them for a 'time out' was  not to happen this year.  The interesting detail about my weaving commissions is, that they were for other weavers ! A very flattering compliment.

We had a busy year working on projects to do with upgrading our home and so when I did weave, it was on the commission projects mainly. I was given plenty of time to complete them but I'm not a fan of deadline pressure and would prefer to be done well ahead and happy, then rushing to the end of the line and not doing my best.

Did I mention that they were for other weavers? People who know how to look at cloth and see the imperfections, and 'design elements'.   So the short story is, not much was woven for my Etsy shop and so if it wasn't for me downsizing my library and some yarns, it would be all but empty.

So, for 2018, I have decided to decline commissions for the time being. I also learned that I need more variety in both drafts and colours. Shorter warps?  Anyhow, I need to get back to what calls to me and throw in a dash of colour for 2018!   Speaking of colour....

The Pantone colour of the year is ultra violet so it will be interesting to dig out my Itten Colour Star and see what other colours work with this electric violet!


So lets review ... first up for the New Years day loom peek:  my looms have warps on them currently.... cotton for tea towels on the Megado and this bright linen on the Louet:

9/2 French linen "'brick", sett 24 epi, 8 shaft huck lace

Then  onto a review of what I was able to accomplish for 2017....

January / February:

I started the year with four table runners in a familiar twelve shaft twill I have used before.  10/2 mercerized cotton warp, 28 epi and I used 8/2 bamboo weft in cream, 10/2 mercerized cotton weft in grey, and 8/2 tencel in birch.  The cream one had a missed treadling error  so now graces my bedroom dresser and the others sold pretty much right away.

On a personal level we coped with the largest snowfall here in over 30 years.....

March:

I had seen a gorgeous Nordic sweater in a movie we were watching one evening during the snow events. I got the idea of trying to duplicate this but using weaving instead.

I turned to an old draft, also previously used by me, a twelve shaft "gebrochene hind und under" to get the complexity and the star shapes.  8/2 tencel had the colour ranges I was looking for and also the shine and drape for a dramatic shawl.  I actually wove two of them!  Both sold right away.

lovely pattern work that resembles the sweaters.

Personally, we both had head colds and I developed a tooth ache. This was the start of my summer and fall of getting to know my new dentist very well, and paying for his Australian Christmas holiday. 😳

April:

My slightly delayed birthday present to myself arrived! A Louet Victoria spinning wheel.  Weighing in at only 6.5 pounds, its travels well and is lightweight. I'm ready to join the other spinners in our guild and put some miles on her.

I was asked to weave a special shawl for a wedding commissioner  who was not only performing marriage ceremonies but attending some family ones as well.  The warp was a glossy white 10/2 tencel, sett 28 epi, and weft was a beautiful off white Bombyx silk, which came to me via Scotland and where from before that, I have no idea!

The twelve shaft draft that was chosen by the (weaver) client was another old favourite. It relies on a play of light to reveal the pattern and so would not over shadow any brides, and go with any outfits the client decided to wear.   I also beaded the edges with seed crystals and tiny fresh water pearls.

... and personally,  I had a root canal. 🙁

June:

There was warp enough for one more shawl, but only one pirn of the silk remained. I chose a fine silk yak blend in a natural silvery beige and started treadling, and treadling...   Being finer than the advertised 30/2 , it took more weaving to get an inch!   So it took a while to weave off.

I also beaded this one too

I must have been very generous with my warp length allowance because even after two 85 inch shawls and long fringes, I still had enough warp to weave a small table centre cloth of 22 by 37 inches!  No wonder it seemed to go on and on!

Personally.... I got my very first dental crown!


July:

I had an idea to utilize the 12 shaft tie up once more and re-warp with some bright colours and try for iridescent scarves. Judging by the pictures, I think it worked!   8/2 tencel sett 24 epi, tencel weft.

Then I tried another more muted colour combination and it was a success too.  As you can imagine, I'm retiring this draft for some time....  I can thread, and treadle this one in my sleep now!

Then we found out our girl Calli had a pre- cancerous lump which had to come out.... so she had surgery. Here she is modelling her onesie. Very stylish!  It seemed like it was a long time before those stitches came out as we had to keep a close eye on her!

Personally.... I broke a tooth and had to get another crown made and fitted.  ☹️ 💲

August:

I had accepted another  commission back in late spring for two, all silk fine scarves as surprise gifts for Christmas 2017.   I had them all done in August and if the pattern looks familiar, it should, I used it to weave table runners at the start of the year! It was specially requested by my client.

The gentlemen's scarf is black 30/2 silk and a natural 30/2 silk weft, with a shorter twisted fringe.

The woman's scarf was the same warp but this time a deep cherry red 30/2 silk and a different treadling variation, longer scarf and twisted fringe. Beautiful colour!

The third scarf I used silk yak again (hey, I had pirns all pre-wound so it made sense to use them up). It could be uni-sex and had a lovely drape.

I held my breath as I mailed them away.... insured and trackable until they arrived at their destination. The client liked them so much she bought the silk yak one too.  The gift recipients apparently loved them!  They came as quite the surprise....

September:

We finally got a trip away for a few days to see our family and the grandkids. We arrived at their home on Friday evening and saw this on the sidewalk waiting for us....

It was a good thing Bruce took this picture when he did because the next morning it was raining and the chalk art was all gone!

Little Miss "Oo La La" showed us her ballet moves.

... and her brother showed us, for the first time ever, how still he can be when he's watching a movie about trains.

Once home again I got to work on some runners, again for the shop.  10/2 mercerized cotton, 28 epi, tencel weft,  and taking advantage of the tie- up in place for the previous scarves.  One for the shop... and...

I wove two cloths for the large night tables.... and another two cloths for the  small end tables. They had been waiting for years to get fitted out properly.  (I'm going to bury this draft!) 😜

On a personal note: I was eating something soft and I had yet another tooth fall apart and so this month saw me getting my third crown prep work being done. 💰💉

October:

My third commission for the year was three huck lace runners for a (yet another weaving) client who bought my original blue lace runners a couple of years ago. She loved the draft, the linen and the colour and wanted more runners.... two- 55 inch runners and one- 76 inch runner for her home. Naturally I wove another 55 inch one for the shop.  

So here's where I have to confess to you that I did not blog about them or even take pictures.  They needed to be off the loom and so I could empty out my studio and be ready for painting.  I hand sewed the hems them while sitting in the middle of the chaos I called home for nearly four weeks this fall.  Once the crew had gone home for the night, I washed them and hung them to dry.... then the next night I would find space and used the steam press to get them looking their best.
Wrapped in tissue paper in a sturdy box, they winged their way to their new home.

These are pictures taken from the first  blue runners woven a few years ago.

November / December:

We finally got our house back and then had a fair amount of deep cleaning work to do.  We still have pictures to hang and some drapes are out being cleaned, with Christmas fast approaching.

I started the brick coloured linen runners you saw at the top of the post and simply stopped weaving over Christmas. I didn't feel much like weaving to be truthful.  I didn't bake, we didn't bother with a tree and after rats ate some very expensive cables in our car, we didn't bother with exchanging gifts.

I had had x-rays of my achey feet done this fall and I'm being referred to an orthopaedic surgeon sometime this spring for a consultation (regarding mid foot fusion and a possible ankle replacement).  It would seem that my OA and Lupus hasn't stopped and is soldiering on.  I'll find my mojo again soon and today is a fresh clean slate.


Tally
scarves: 5
shawls: 4
runners: 14

and...
root canal: 1  
crowns: 3
.....and one very happy dog!

Calli playing in the snow

Our back yard after a midnight snow fall

Wishing you all good health, much happiness and prosperity in 2018!