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.

Laying Down a Heavy Load

 This is Bruce, my husband and the love of my life..... and as of last week, now cancer free!   Well, they removed the tumour and had it tested. It was cancer but very early stages and they feel they got it all.  The cells were 'native' to where it was found so not a metastasized cancer.    They do want to take a CT scan to ensure it didn't develop from something higher up, like the kidney.    Since they had blasted kidney stones in one kidney and not seen anything there,  its just to be safe.   They will also do a recheck every 3, 6 and 12 months to ensure the tumour doesn't regrow back.

It was supposed to have been  a day surgery but he end up staying three days, two nights due to developing an infection and high fever.  Seems there are bacteria released when they laser the stones.  I was happy to leave him there as they had all measures to hand to take good care of him.  I drove to and fro between Campbell River and Courtenay, and managed our home, dog and all the emails and texts to friends and family.   I was rather tired as you can imagine..... and NO weaving (again)

He responded well to the IV antibiotics and soon was on his way home to relax in his jammies.... but still passing kidney stones.    That will continue for a time until they clear away the loose stuff.   There are still more they couldn't reach, plus, a whole 'nuther kidney to do!   This is an ongoing process and he says (direct quote and please add sarcastic tone) "I'm so excited"  😳

So once he has his energy levels back up, he's free to be his usual self again.....

"helping" at a spinning  day 2000

Making bread with no recipe.

'washing' the laundry room floor

Being a real Dapper Dan  (see movie " O' Brother where art Thou?")