5 October Hands

For today's topic I chose hands, which made me think of our last Weavers' Group meeting, I was watching my friend Jan making a "walking" braid with her fingers . . . and her feet as well!

 

4 October Plants

On a whim I had collected a handful of the small bulblets (or whatever they're called) from the stems of some lilies in my garden last year. I think every one of them must have grown. They were looking crowded in the two 6-part pots I had planted them in so this is the day I separated them out - all 60+ of them. Anyone want any lilies? (White ones I think/hope)

 

3 October Something Old

Staying with the Rock and Mineral show for the moment, here are two "something olds" - but that's OK because "something old" was on both of my lists.  I didn't ask how old these ammonite fossils are but I'm sure they fit the brief by several centuries. Below are fossilized sharks' teeth.

 

 

 

2 October Unexpected Colour

Unexpected Colour

Today I went to the National Rock and Mineral show, mainly because I had a free ticket for allowing them to put a promotional sign on my fence. I remembered that "unexpected colour" was one of the topics on my photo-a-day list so I jumped at the chance to take a pic of this petrified wood from Arizona. It really did stand out.

A Change of Focus - for a while

I haven't forgotten about my blog, and I haven't forgotten about weaving either, I'm just not doing much of it at the moment. I'm concentrating on learning lacemaking this year and really enjoying it, but my efforts are not worthy of publication yet. I'll be doing samples for some time before I start any projects.

I thought, in the meantime, I could use the blog for "a photo a day". I have acquired two lists of suggestions for topics and may or may not stick to one or other of them - I won't be doing them in order of the list, but will choose something appropriate for the day. And I may not put up a photo taken on that day but I will use a recent one.

Here are a couple from September to start with, and one for today. I will try to put up a photo a day for the whole of October. :)

29 September "Out My Window"

30 September "Spring"

1 October "Childhood Memory"

 

Chain Reaction Challenge

As with most weaving projects, the plotting and planning and anticipation for my part of the Chain Reaction took longer than the actual weaving.  Only a small length is required and the yarn supply is limited, so this is one of the smallest warps I have put on. The weaving was over and done in no time, so now it is "hurry up and wait" until the rest of the chain get their yarns. We are told we are about two thirds of the way through the list so it will be a few weeks yet. Here is my piece. I'm looking forward to seeing what the colour combinations on either side of it will look like.

CLOAK - Variations on a Theme

FINALLY, the Professional Weavers' Network Exhibition is seeing the light of day. It has been "under wraps" for at least a couple of years but is now open at Pataka Gallery in Porirua.  It was a fun project to do but I am not a fan of stretching work out over such a long period and the waiting has been tedious. However, I can now publish some photos. I was really fortunate to have, quite by chance (friend of a friend . . .) a photoshoot with a gorgeous model and her talented photographer sister. I am so pleased with the pics I have been dying to show people. Here are just a few.

I called this one a minstrel's cloak and named it "A Thing of Shreds and Patches." I had planned for more embellishments of a musical nature but that didn't happen, so I suppose I could have called it something else, but I'm quite happy with the result.

Towards the end of the long wait, when it looked as though some planned entries were not going to make it, I decided to put in another entry. I used fabric already woven and had a dressmaker do the basic sewing so I didn't have to do too much except make the hanging bead fringes on the shoulders. The whole thing took more like two weeks than two years. I forget now what I called it but the inspiration for the fabric was the Buller River - that's right - "Snow Melt" is the title. Flecks of black and white in the fabric are reminiscent of splashes over the black-looking wet river stones.

I'm looking forward now to seeing the exhibition and all the other entries. Also the catalogue which I believe is stunning.