More Better Pies Cream

Unexpected computer issues (as compared to the expected kind? 🤨) delayed finalizing my cartoon (yes, unexpectedly) for a bit, but I think I may finally be ready to ink the finished tracing. I still need to check with a graph overlay at my epi to see what pixelation will do to my curves and angles, but finally I have a loom of the dressed variety, a drawing I think I can live with, and a tracing I hope I can weave with.

I’m planning on weaving this as a multiselvedge piece so that my final postcard sized weaving will be ready to mount once it’s off the loom. The green section is waste yarn to make weaving the white warp easier; the cartoon to be woven sideways on the white section.

When I was dressing the loom a bit of a lightbulb moment went off. I’m pretty new to this particular way of dressing a four-selvedge piece, following instructions to be found on Susan Martin Maffei’s website. If I’m right, tell me if I’m right?, the wrapping to secure the lower loop of the actual warp just happens to also set the spacing for the actual warp and thus, using the same size securing yarn as will be the size of my weft bundle should yield two half-bundles between each (doubled but still thinner) warp. Since technically I want the space between warp threads to be a wee bit over the space the warp bundle will need (helped along by the finer grist of the warp I’m using and the expectation of an unavoidable bit of space between the “two half-bundles”), using the warp bundle to secure the warp should, I hope, end me up with exactly the number of ends per inch I need… Yes? No? Clear as mud? Magic?

The proof is in the pudding, as they say, or in this case, proof in the ice cream, rather. More to follow…

Question of the Day

QOTD: I have this thought that I am to weave as a postcard for the American Tapestry Alliance swap, focus had to be “food”. I started weaving the plain version but had a mishap and thus the opportunity to add to my cartoon before restarting. The updated version is definitely more interesting, but looking at it I think maybe it anchors it as a piece of pie on a plate and loses the optical illusion quality I was reaching for. Do you think? Should I stick with the plain one and embellish the background in a more background-ish fashion, hopefully keeping the “pies cream cone” quality?

New one:

Original:

So what do you think? I suspect I haven’t enough people stopping by to see it that I’ll get a collection of comments in time, but still, yes, I’d love to hear what you think…

Why yes…

 Clutter in the background is my middle name…

This evening: Edgewood Garden Studio roving in Norwegian Luster Wool, Four Horses colorway.

Daedalus Martin at the upper notch of the 3 setting and 4 count, usual grist, Z spun singles hopefully destined for tapestry weft.

SparrowSpin Exmoor Horn

 And work on a potential cartoon for the larger Hockett loom…

This is the third bobbin full, actually, and I have a bit more of the pound’s worth yet to spin.

Exmoor Horn combed top from Laughing Lamb Fibers, Z twist singles in my usual grist, 4-5 count at 50% on the Daedalus Sparrow, destined for tapestry weft as I have this persistent desire to spin my own tapestry yarns.

So, question of the day, does anyone know the difference between weaving with Z twist singles and S twist singles? Overall and in a vacuum, I’d assume they would end up mostly the same in a tapestry, especially since weaving goes to and fro and the unbalanced singles would thus technically balance themselves out. But then a little voice whispers to myself, “Yes, but the warp does not change direction like that…” So my warp is cotton, most often seine twine, and I assume (I should check to make sure) it is spun Z and plied S? And some warp yarns are cabled, so would that be Z singles, S cable units, Z ply? Need to check. Unless you might know? And unless you might know how the twist on the warp might interact with the weft? I know that for some techniques it matters. (Robbie LaFleur mentions that it matters in Frida Hansen’s transparency weaving technique, though that uses a wool warp and I don’t know much more about it than that… yet, maybe?) I’m sure that there are more reasons for playing with twist and directional-ness, something that is easier to experiment with if I’m spinning my own yarns along the way.

Sometimes I Get to Have a Little Class…

In general, I have a hard time being a daytime person. Usually this matters not, but events like doctor’s appointments and in-person/live classes and meetings can be difficult. Saturday's plans included the ATA / Kennita Tully Soumak Class - starting at noon and running until 7PM. Zoom, yes, but still, yikes, a long day and emphasis on the day time requirement. Turns out it was not even a bit of a problem - I really wanted to explore more about soumak going into the class and Kennita is an exellent, engaging teacher. We learned and wove, had an anecdote or few, and learned and wove some more and all of a sudden, "Wait, is that the time?!" Now my only problem following the class is whether to sign on for her Elements class. It does hove a bit of price to it and I'd had plans to do some topestry exploration on my own, but... 10/10 for the class I just took - I’d be psyched to continue learning in a Kennita class and it does appear that Elements has a lot of subject to matter...

If anyone that happens to read this has taken/is taking the Elements class, I’d love to hear what you think...

Progress so far on my sample from
the Soumak Class…

(PS: Please forgive my yucky camera angle. The selvedges are straighter than they appear, I promise. How does one choose between comera/iPad shadow or skewed angles for in-progress shots, I wonder?)

I Move Slowly

No matter how careful I am with my calculations, it always amazes me when my selvedge threads line up in the reed with my edge width marker tape!

This warp is designated for one of my dear daughters and will hopefully resemble a wild-ish set backing for the tank my… ahem… grand-lizard, would that be???… lives in. At the very least, it should give me some practice with greenery and the soumack I hope to learn more about in Kennita Tully’s upcoming class.

I do move slowly but I hope to tie onto the cloth beam tomorrow. (Note to the wiser than me, also, avoid this season’s norovirus at all costs — it is nothing like the yarn and takes one’s “I move slowly” to an extreme…)

Baby has a New Sweater

 24.XI.19.Th Baby has a New Sweater

Most of my knitting past has been pretty much sock focused - thin yarn and tiny needles are the norm. I took a break from knitting altogether for a couple of years to let my joints recover (that old kniting injury of mine 😬) and am now just dipping my toe in the proverbial pattern pool again, focusing on projects that yield necessaries for knitworthy folks. It just happens to turn out that these projects tend to be knit on larger needles - makes my slow knitting feel so speedy and accomplished if I don't think about it too hard.

So my current necessary is for my knitworthy dog baby - here is Tara with her brand new shield against the cold:

I am quite pleased with how it turned out (aside from the renegade Tara tongue trying to energetically blep its way from the photo). I followed the design as you knit school of pattern-making and I'm particularly pleased with how well it fits. And isn’t she a beautiful lady?

Another More Looming Post

 

Ruthie and Ruthie Again

24.XI.10.Su

Ruthie and Ruthie Again

So we built the first Ruthie.  Then we disassembled the first Ruthie. It turns out that both looms are not the same - I thought they were both 48" but the first one we built was the 60" version instead and I would prefer to have the larger in the attic workspace and the smaller in the living room. Correcting the oversight does seem a long way to go though and I'm a bit embarrassed - how does one misjudge such a major aspect of the loom when purchasing it? Still, it does end up being kinda nice that the two are one each of both sizes and I will be much happier with how the smaller one will fit the downstairs space.

24.XI.12·Th More Ruthie and Then a Change of Plans

Addendum: So much for that, it is to be another change of plans. The last loom (as in I'm out of space already but can I keep this loom it followed me home and how could I turn another Cantilever down?) arrived yesterday morning and I really think it is the one that needs to live in the living room (and besides, it will be easier to shuttle the Ruthie's sticks up to the attic shop than would be the nearly assembled Cantilever, so musical looms and Ruthie disassembly it is.

In No Particular Order

 

-

100 Day Project, Day… Um… One?

My apologies, I had intended to be better about posting, right up until we got sick. Not “a bit under the weather” sick. Not quite on par with the first round of Covid where we tried for the fever temp survival world record either, but still, we slept through much of the last few weeks. Better now, if still revisiting what I recall as that hangover long Covid thing I remember from last time, and perhaps with one or two fewer spoons at my disposal (do people still count spoons?)

Hiccup: I wrote this for Day 1 of the 100 Day Project (though admittedly I plan to follow my own path) but am only actually posting now, on Day 3. I’m still calling it a go, for writing and intent and actually getting this set up and posted, but case, point, and unneeded explanations — this embodies the why of the challenge thing.

Back to original post: I will (aim to) do a few things that would fit into the #100dayproject (#weaveeveryday / #draweveryday / #tapestrydiary — yes, you three, I’m looking at you…). And sometimes, often, much of the time, these are a challenge; they certainly will all show up regularly as part of the 100 day thing. But the behavior I’d really like to make a reliable part of my routine, the one that I find the most challenging to keep up with, is just this. I intend to post regularly, but when there is any sort of a hiccup in my systems, posting is the first thing to fall aside. 

So… If we’re gonna do this, let’s make some plans and rules.

• Blog post weekly: I had planned to post on Thursdays but for various and varying tidbits, that seems to be a rather rushed day these parts. Today is Wednesday and here I am posting, but I think I am going to run with Monday is Blogday instead as of next Monday* (note to self, learn how to link footnotes in Blogger…);
• IG/FB post daily — just a short check in and perhaps just for as long as we’re running with the project. Link to blog on Blogday;
• Start putting a blog roll together: so I can share, of course, but also so I can go back to checking the places I like to visit regularly myself;
• Remember to photo, photo, photo, draw: post in my other hashtag “everydays” and write regularly so the Blogday’s post is ready to schedule for Monday.

Are you 100 day-ing as well? It’s definitely easier to be accountable in numbers with others, so I figure I’ll be wandering around the hashtag to see what everyone else is up to. Let’s do the thing!

The Thing: Gratuitous color draw on for the day:

(Someday cartoony watercolor thing… )

* Sarah Swett publishes her own wonderful The Gusset on Tuesdays, and the temptation of Twosday Tooday monikers aside, I will choose to follow Sarah’s Tuesday writings with my own on Mondays going forward. Moonday it is!

It’s Been a Long Short While

 Tap tap tap… Is this thing on? 

I missed you. It has been a long while and I haven’t even the foggiest how to begin catching up. So, as someone once posted, we shall this time be condiment(ketchup)-less. 

Not, though, to say that I have nothing to “ketchup” about. I’m rarely knitting, complaining hands and all. I would like to be knitting and I’m told maybe trying something with bigger needles than socks prefer might help. But one must move forward, so enter the looming of the looms with their different hand motions.

No one told me most people don’t have to keep trying out new looms the way one tries out new needles, to find the very best suited… We may have a few more looms about than I often admit to, though the number is now intended to be decreasing as I think, I think, the stable is somewhat stabilized. (As of last week? Or is that next week?) 

Order of ketchup-ness (did you know that ketchup used to be white, not red… How is that possible, when were tomatoes not red? I digress…) State of the looms:

• There is a Toika (Eeva) upstairs waiting to be assembled. Well. Partially, as the frame has already been framed. Still waiting are: the brain (if it only had a…), shafts of 32-ish-ness and appropriate cordage for each, and sectional rails for two warp beams. Oh, and a test run, which means a warp would be handy;

• There is a Toika (Eeva) upstairs waiting to be assembled. Not seeing double. This was the loom that used to live where the loom in bullet the first is now residing. And this one really is disassembled — someday parts will come together, but for now this loom lives in the bedroom (gables) and the library room (sticks) and the living room (more sticks) and the studio (wedges and other small parts). Poor thing is probably quite confused;

• There is a Toika downstairs in the living room that is now mostly assembled. This one is a Maria. Have you heard of a Toika Maria? Nor had I, but now one lives with me. Admittedly, it is actually labeled Toijalan Kaidetehdas, but that is the moniker that ultimately became Toika, yes? This one is a rug/tapestry loom and I am so chuffed that it now lives here… 

Admittedly, it will probably be happier when the warp is warped and once I order springs with which to suspend the beater. (Chains, not yet shown, work for now, but the beater is effectively only functioning as a reed holder. Safe, but immovable.);

• The Fireside jack loom has been moved to its hopeful home space next to Maria. I am determined to run one more warp with it, towels probably, to test if it is more comfortable to weave with if I have a more appropriately arranged bench height. I expect that the Fireside bench with commuter seat and park bench top is too tall for me (perhaps that is why its previous owner rarely wove with it —remind me to tell you about that sometime, the loom has a cool history). This loom is so pretty, I want to like weaving with it, I want to so very much…;

• Yet remaining is to clear space for the next addition. Just as we were planning out Maria assembly, a friend texted that there was a Fireside cantilever tapestry loom listed for sale. In spite of hunting and wishing and hoping (oh my…), I had not really expected to ever luck into having one, they move from sale to sold so very quickly. Steven also moved quickly in this case, and I’m very excited that this one is now sold and hopefully will be here in a little over a week. Crossed fingers that it makes it here soundly — we’ve had good luck with shipped looms so far, but waiting until is always such a worrying event;

• Which leaves the one that’s been partially assembled in the attic studio for about a year(?) now, the Ulla Cyrus (plus the two Cyrii<sp?> in stasis ahem-I-mean stick form and hiding in the storeroom). We are hoping to add electric, finish window frames and ceilings, and install a slop sink for dye space use in the attic, which will, I hope, allow the space to be used year round. (Attic is to have the dye space and fiber processing, as well as this Cyrus and the Toika that is awaiting reassembly.).

Coincidentally, end of year is traditionally when one recounts the updated list of looms on a few of the online weaving lists, so the timing of this post worked out fortuitously…. Also, on this list, an Ashford tapestry loom, Zeus Mirrix loom, and assorted small Mirrix or pipe looms. Yes, this past year has somehow become the year of tapestry…

Not yet mentioned, there are a few looms to be rehomed. Choice of several smaller ones has been offered to Steven’s son, who I’m excited also has an interest in weaving. But there is a 60” AVL 16 shaft manual dobby, with fly shuttle and older format cloth advance system that is wanting a new home, and also an 8 shaft Baby Wolf with its own dobby, a new and never installed AVL Baby Dobby. Not that I expect this post to have wide enough coverage that someone will see the loom they’ve been drooling over for sale here, but in the interest of end of year updated loom lists, one should be complete.

And now, if I can just re-figure-out how to assign tags and topics, we should be set to go!…

Sheepless Nights

My little girl has a blog of her own -- see her here: http://4joylove.blogspot.com/. I'm guessing this means I'll have to start up again, just to have a place for her to comment (it's only fair, if I get to bombard the Smidgereen's place with comments, she'll need something to comment on here as well, hmm?).

Lots has happened since I've last written, life changes, major adjustments; it's mind-boggling to me when I think about it, and I'm working on making some more big changes even still. I'm thinking that maybe it'll be better to add them in slowly and play catch up gradually. At any rate, nutshell version, Smidge and the Boy live elsewhere now and are heartily and heartbreakingly missed (until the summer, they come back for the summer!), I live elsewhere as well, with a wonderful elseone (a perfect knight for sheepy nights and days as well?) and am learning a lot about basilisks and stuff you might not expected to be relatively related. Are you confuzzled yet?

Oh, and it's March. March is full of mind-blowingly important dates, a Smidgen birthday and two related anniversaries. And a rush to complete a pair of socks, March's Madness lives through socks in these parts, and the first heat is up to just past the second heel. Must be finished by Friday. More to come, dates and data and dabbles, oh my...

You'd Think...

That having a collection of FO’s would offer sweet incentive to write a chattily witty post declaring them. You’d think… I’m not totally sure about the chatty (ask me again at the end of the post), but I’m pretty sure you’ll have to forego any inspired wittiness. There is a post – that’s one of the factors at least, right?

In no particular order:

Tall Tibetan Socks ala Cat Bordhi’s New Pathways For Sock Knitters -- second sock complete (finally!) Sadly, they still need blocking, so I’ve plugged the photos of sock 1 in for my FO shot (I promise, the second sock looks nearly identical to the first, with the exception that the spiral spirals in the opposite direction):



Kureyon Kozies: I wanted to make Knitty’s Kureyon Kozy for my MIL, but she keeps her house fairly cool and was concerned that the open spout would let her tea cool too quickly. We both agreed, though, that the sleeker Knitty cozy was quite the thing (doesn’t it sound more like I’m describing a racecar – really, when did I decide that a teapot cozy needed to be sleek?) and so compromised (Compromise? Waitaminit here…). I give you the Kureyon Kozy and the accompanying Kozy Cap. (For all my kvetching – MIL loves knit gifts, but has yet to accept one that she didn’t first redesign – the cozies were pleasantly quick and easy knits, quite enjoyed, and MIL is hip-hip-happy with them)



FlickaDot’s birthday socks – Lykkefanten’s Go Gryffindor Socks. They’ve been done for a while, but I was afraid to post them earlier as Dumpling still drops in here occasionally. Her birthday party was last Sunday (how many girls can boast that the Easter bunny visited them especially, for their birthday, and that their main party game was an Easter egg hunt?) and she’s already got them, so no secrecy needed anymore. And, yes, she loves them, and I believe she was saving them to wear to school today (hope she didn’t forget)…

Lykkefanten has also just released the Such A Slytherin version, yarn for which I’m currently hunting. I’d love Slytherin/Snape stuff even if only to hear how vehemently Flicka shrieks “But Maaaahm, how can you – he’s mean to Harry!” Boys are still icky, it’s not quite a Potteresque crush yet, but close – after all she’s a totally grown up nine years old now!...

Plain old no pattern traveling rib black scarf. I’m always griping about short scarves, so I finally got myself in gear and fixed the problem… It aimed to be 6’ long, grew a little more, and wraps and drapes and ties, you name it, all happily at the same time. And winter even hung around long enough for me to actually use it this year!


‘Nother plain old no pattern basic boy mittens. He needed them in a hurry, and there was some bulky handspun, but it was white. White for a little boy’s mitten set – I don’t think so. Carry along a strand of thin brownish stuff and voila!


One other… My first “Baby Surprise Jacket”. Teaser picture only as it’s a gift for a friend that stops in here sometimes and though it’s not a surprise, I’d like her to see it in her own hands first… Picture to follow eventually…


That’s all for now… The wait is on for Sock Madness 2 Round 2 and I’m having difficulty focusing on other things (I know, I did say it wouldn’t be all-consuming this year, and it totally isn’t, honest, truly!... Just, well, I need to swatch for the lace pattern, and I’m thinking about yarn, and I can’t wait to see the pattern for next round to pick the best match, and… Is it Tuesday yet? Should I start checking my In-Box?).

TTFN………………………………..

Z is for Z-Z-Z-Z-Zombie!

Sock Madness has begun again, so you’ll maybe understand and forgive any upcoming fits of babbling incoherence. I’ve promised myself I’d take it easier this year and knit for fun rather than for the sake of franticness, but, hmm… It feels much like we’ve picked up right where things paused last year (a lot of the same folks came back for more of the punishment… er… comeraderie… that is…) and I can already feel the adrenalin rush (even though the first round has been much more relaxed than what I remember from later on…)

Anyway, here are my Zombie Socks (a fab design, quite a fun knit) by blogless Emm1e (Ravelry link) as of March 14th bedtime:


And here they are at noon, March 17th:


Made it through Round 1 – phew!!!

Zombie also works for my other semi-along. 5 Element Knitter is hosting an Alphabet Soup Challenge, after proving on her own blog that it can be done... The goal is to title blog entries successively from A-Z without any miscellaneous in-between entries. She’s got prizes and all for the first to finish, but mainly I figure it’ll be a good way to get myself blogging regularly again, having the next letter as a challenge to figure in.

Me being me, inside out, left to right, and backwards, I’m starting from Z and working to A instead. I was debating doing it this way, just because, when the Zombie pattern was announced and “Z for Zombie” clinched ti. Not sure if my wrong-way-ed-ness will put me out of the contest, but it’ll be a fun challenge even if it does…

TTFN and TTTL…

Out of Hiding

I can’t quite figure how it’s been since August since I last posted. Ravelry happened (hey, it’s me, Sheepspyjamas there too), but I haven’t been all that active there either. There are a few projects and all, but I haven’t been writing here, there, anywhere. Burnout or some such – I love having posts to blog, but the writing isn’t as easy as it seems like it ought to be and I do have difficulty starting things that appear like they might be involved or discouraging of late (as anyone who has seen the state of my house and housework, or lack of, can totally attest to…)

Anyway, here’s another bit of ketchup (watch out, don’t get any on your clothes), and I’ll try to do better, promise:

Recently finished:




(Honestly, I did finish this for true, just needs a photo, but since Boy has already borrowed them from me, well...)



In the Works:



(I’m working my way through Cat Bordhi’s New Pathways for Sock Knitters, aiming to complete at least one of each “type”).



(Stalled Knitty's Hey Mickey... This will probably surface again when the dash to knit keep me warm stuff gives way to short skirt weather again...)


(His and hers, both semi-stalled...)


(All but finished, blog later...)

And, pictureless, a simple ribbed black scarf for me, mindless project, in between the mad dash to mitten the kids.


Time, also for a little virtual housecleaning; I suspect I’ve broken many of my previous links/pictures. Please bear with me as I revamp the sidebar and do some “darning” in previous posts…

‘Nuff blather… it’s good to be back!

Ketchup

Updates from yesterday...

Socks, completed version:


Forgotten bag, completed version:

The bag works out to be the perfect size to hold a ball of yarn while wandering -- I'm so pleased with it!
Pattern: Mine Own
Yarn: My Handspun
I plan to have the pattern ready to offer soon -- as with the socks, I want to try it out one more time, just because...

Forgotten project, in forgotten bag:
Knitty's Hey Mickey! child's skirt (not that you can tell much about it from the pictures)...


And, not leastly, Knitty's Prickly Girl child's tank, now all but completed:

Is it me, or are armholes longer than the overall garment length perhaps a tad excessive? Has anyone else read this pattern and interpreted it differently than I? I ended up with 15" straps on the front and 15" straps on the back that were supposed to be grafted together to complete the armhole. I'll be tying them together to accommodate a somewhat shorter length. I'm also waiting for a girly try-on before I "frill" the neckline and bottom edge a bit, just in case I need to firm up any gapping or somesuch. Almost fini... And even with my armhole concerns, I adore how it's worked out so far...

More later, I'm off to write a prize email I managed to neglect last night.

Second Wind

What happened? Work happened (expanded job, learning curve, less downtime). Fish happened (sick seahorses, water changes, constant water testing = no evening me time). Hunny happened (his seahorses). Knit happened (I've been swatching, planning, ekeing out what little knitting time I can). Blog sorta got gypped along the way -- I'm sorry.

So I'm badgering Hunny for a notebook (I never knit in bed, but I sure could blog before bed) -- everybody say it winsomely together: "Hunny, a notebook for PJ, please?!". And I've been trying to figure out how to put a little more me time into the mix before the kids come back from camp and make all of this even more complicated. Me time is healthy, they tell me, right?

In the meantime (ha! Me time in the meantime...), here's what I have been doing, at least:

Green Socks:
Somehow I managed not to have the pictures I know I took of these on the sock blockers. They're done, but all I have to show for it is pictures from the past:

Take my word, though, they are among the "what little I've finished" set, and I'll manage pictures soon, promise. I even have another actual WIP version going, since I figured to offer the pattern to the BlogGods and wanted to make sure it actually worked first.

The "This Bag Was Made For Walking" [and knitting] Bag, made from the same handspun green as the socks. I managed to forget both the bag and the next project in line at home this morning, so they're both pictureless as well.

Knitty's Hey Mickey! skirt for Flicka-Dot. In progress, again, picture forthcoming.

Knitty's Prickly Girl tank, also for Flicka-Dot (first day of school, maybe?), blocked and ready to be joined to itself.


And a mystery shawl (no, not the mystery stole, a mystery shawl), to be discussed in more detail another day.

I've given up on Knews for now -- I just didn't find enough time, info, links (mostly time), and I'd rather not stress about whether or not I have something to offer today (online performance anxiety?), vicious cycle and all that. I do want to thank #1 Roving Reporter (get it? get it? Roving reporter?! Tee!) Golden Purl who singlehandedly came up with most of the links that did show. Bet she didn't even consider it a contest along the way, but there you have it. (Jean, I'll email you tonight and we'll see if I just perhaps can aid in your stash enhancement.) And, by the way, if you haven't already, hop on over to Golden Purl's blog -- she's having a contest of her own!

Ta for now, as I'd actually, finally, like to get this posted. Geez Loueeze, I missed you!...

On Your Marks...

Get set...


Waitaminnit... This feels dejavu-ish, somehow...

Today begins another pair -- Socktopia Clementine socks for one last sock-sprint, Knit Off Competition (@wave, @cheer to all the other Team Koigu members). I seem to recall promising myself no more sock races for a ...looong... time, yet somehow.....

Ready...

Set...


Go...


Happy Summer (of Socks) Solstice, everyone!