With a Little Help From Your Friends 🎶

 Some of you long time readers may recall my memorial for a friend Rev. Wayne Nicholson. He died tragically in June of 2019.  He was a friend to many, an active weaver and fibre enthusiast, and husband to Harry.   He touch a lot of lives, especially through his good works at his church.

His posts at Warped Weavers, a group of weavers that carved out a (large) niche at Ravelry endeared him to many all over the world.   One group, the Woven Dishtowels hold an annual towel swap in his memory, as Wayne loved to weave towels and gift them.  The rules are simple: advertise you would like a swap partner and someone teams up with you. Normally it's one towel but you could agree to swap more. Some swap with one other weaver, and this year I'm shaping one towel each with two weavers.  One of my towels has arrived in the mail, just in time to help cheer me up after our recent family events.

Wayne seated at my Woolhouse Tools loom  and having fun!

My towel swap partner, Jessica, in Vancouver BC sent me this lovely set of goodies and canvas weave towel.  Jessica says she has been weaving 5 years and I must say that her weaving is lovely!   Great choice in colours that all pair nicely.

 

The goodies?   Premium Earl Grey loose tea from the East Vancouver tea company.    Sachets of ginger tea and divine shortbread cookies from The Bench Bakehouse, half dipped in white milk chocolate to nibble on. They were yummy!

Jessica is taking classes from Jane Stafford's on- line weaving school, and given Jane's love of colour, Jessica has taken to it very well! I hear back from weavers world wide about the classes and they seem to really make a difference from being a newbie who is hesitant, to a more confident weaver who embraces colour and gets a good grasp on weaving theory.....all at your own pace if you follow the videos sequently.  I sure wish this had been there for my start back in the 1990's!  There was only in person classes, books and helpful friends then. The internet has opened weaving up to a much wider audience.  Take a look at the link and see if it's right for you.

A warm thank you to Jessica! Your towel will be along soon....  😁 🌺

🍑 A Real Georgia Peach..... of a Towel Exchange

 We're into the dog days of summer and about to hit yet another few days of a hot spell here. The bench and planter are tucked back in the shade by our front door.   I retreat to the cool of the house. 

I have been keeping busy but not pushing myself. It is summer after all.    I've been spinning quite a bit and also just completed three scarves.   They are waiting to be photographed  and will appear next post.    There's a new 8/2 cotton warp on the Spring loom for some baby blankets, one of which is a gift and the baby is already a month old. Better get busy!

There is threading happening on the Megado for two shawls which will happen in between everything else.  Baby blankets first remember?  😊 🍼

I have a much  more open look in the studio now as the Leclerc tapestry loom has gone to a new home on Cortez Island.  This past week one of my two mannequins  went to a new home and took my serger along as well.   I have another machine so I'm still serging when necessary.    I don't need two....  

I'm selling my Majacraft Rose spinning wheel as my arthritic feet really don't like the repetitive motion, no matter how smooth it is.   The Hansen e-spinner is working out very nicely.     The paring down will continue as I divest myself of  "things that no longer give me joy".   I'm not so sure about the joy or lack there of, but it sure feels so much better to be free of stuff I walked around and ignored. 

Changing subjects..... I agreed to participate in a towel exchange this summer. It was held in honour of the memory of this man. Reverend Wayne Nicholson who was a dear friend and avid weaver.  Wayne died tragically a few years ago in a car accident.   His enthusiasm for weaving touched many lives and so his friends on line at Ravelry decided to do a towel exchange in his name. 

Wayne would have *loved* it.....

I sent a towel to Cheryl in Union Point, Georgia.   It was one of the recent herring bone twill towels, along with some interesting loose teas for sipping.   Then after a glitch with USPS, I recently got my towel from Cheryl. She sent me two towels and some tea sachets to enjoy.

One is all cotton and bright and cheerful and now in service in my kitchen. The second is a lovely 100% all linen towel.   Both are so lovely.

Its so wonderful to have a connection with another weaver despite all the miles in between. We're all cut from the same cloth really. 

😎  ⛱ ☀️ Keep cool and enjoy the last of summer!   🍹 🍦