Magic Mushrooms

Received confirmation that the three pieces I sent in for the CF National Exhibition have all been accepted - Yay!  As I don't have a photo of them to post I will show what has popped up in my garden during the weekend . . .

Never a dull moment!

Red Wrap

It has taken a while but I have finally finished the red wrap. I'm very happy with it and love the yarn - 70% alpaca, 30% silk.

If you wonder what the funny shapes are, it's because I draped it over the back of a chair to let the light through.

Next plan is to do some experimenting on a LONG white scarf warp that has been sitting around for years.  I have a new book, 'Magic Materials to Weave' and it has prompted me to use some shrinky/stretchy yarns to see what effects I can get. So here I go sampling.

Back to Something Like Normal

Whew!  My entries for the National Creative Fibre Exhibition are not only in the post, they have arrived in Wellington. I always forget what a long involved process it is to remember . . . and find . . . and use . . . the sew-in labels necessary and the form filling and packaging. This time I was clever enough to fill in the packing slips at the same time as the entry forms, but it's still a hassle and takes ages.  In the bustle I forgot to take a photo of the length of fabric I sent, but here is a look at the linen I finished recently. I sent 2 pieces - one very long white one and a shorter natural-colour in  linen and cotton.

The napkins are still haunting me. Four more to hem . . . and then what do you do  with a dozen or so napkins with a threading error!  I did sell a couple at the Co-op shop in Picton but I have now finished my association with that in the meantime. It was well worth being involved but I'm not prepared to participate during the winter.

Today I cut off a red alpaca/silk wrap which I wove with a delicate lace pattern (3 thread huck rather than 5 thread). I'm dying to see it washed but need to finish  the ends first and it's a slow process. It's a good excuse to make the most of the last lovely sunny Indian summer days we are enjoying while I sit and fiddle with the fringes.

April Spools Day

Thanks to friend Meg and her quirky ideas this is April Spools Day (much more fun than the alternative) where weavers get to show the spools and bobbins they use for weaving.  Mine go Way Back, starting with the bobbin winder made from an old sewing machine motor, adapted to take commercial fly-shuttle pirns, , , though I don't use a fly shuttle. For these I have 'custom built' end delivery shuttles of the rather robust variety.

I have two sizes of pirn; Quite Large and Even Bigger!  Here they are, with also a view of the end, hence the creative fitting on the motor.

Even though these pirns, have done sterling service over 30+  years, I now use for preference some plastic bobbins for a couple of very nice Le Clerc side delivery boat shuttles I acquired a couple of decades ago.  They don't quite fit the machine  but if I hold everything right I can manage quite well. This system has served me well and never broken down over the decades and I am counting on it to continue for many years yet.

Some years ago a lovely lady gave me a beautiful damask double shuttle.  I think it is intended to take paper pirns but I discovered a now obsolete sewing thread spool (Drima) fits it well and I keep my eyes open for them at garage sales and op shops.  I haven't used this shuttle nearly enough and this might be resolution time to make more use of it.  These little bobbins have a purpose made adapter to fit the bobbin winder. Half of it is used (somewhat drunkenly) for the bobbins above, but here it is as it was intended to be used. (There is a bit of willow stick protruding from the right hand end to bridge the gap.)

 And here is the lovely shuttle

Thank you Meg for prompting this discussion.