Waste Not Want Not

 I was given quite a few cones of very fine cotton yarn for weaving cloth.  Since I don’t anticipate getting a multi heddle loom any time soon. I decided to try an experiment with the yarn for my warp threads.  Instead of threading every other slot on the heddle I put a double thread through the slots and holes.  It does take longer to thread. However once the threads are all through, I just roll everything on to the back roll.  Then tie everything down and start weaving   

The first scarf I tried this with was on a 5 dent heddle.  I wove this with a combination of hand spun yarn and yarn that had a hand spun look. That was taken off the loom tonight and still needs finishing work.  Tonight’s warp is on a 10 dent heddle that will be woven with sock yarn recovered from last night’s Bye Bye project.  I think I will have enough sock yarn to weave at least 3 scarves.  

At this point if you are a weaver and are offended by this, sorry not sorry.  If I were not meant to experiment like this, the cones of yarn would not have been donated to a Knitting Guild.  Also you might just like the way the weave turns out.  It is not textbook weaving, but it does create a nice scarf with a pretty texture. So give it a try before you start making the comments that I am doing it wrong.  Just weaving outside the box. 

Saying Goodbye

 

I started this project when the kids were much younger, maybe 15 or so years ago.  As a unique one of a kind shawl for me. Made with my hand spun yarn and samples of different yarns. I made the decision a few minutes ago that this was never going to get finished. Also wouldn’t all the colorful bits of yarn make happy children’s scarves?  So the bag is going to be emptied and sorted tonight. The center piece will not be salvaged and put into a dog pillow. The bag below will be emptied and sorted tonight and a basket will come off the floor. 

Life is Unfair

 Nothing in my book says life is unfair more than having to donate a white shirt to charity because I shrunk out of it.  Those that know me well, know that I have a very bad habit of staining white shirts beyond use.  It just seems so wrong.  

Found

 My reading glasses were found neatly tucked in bed under the covers last night.  I must have been in a hurry while making my bed up yesterday morning.  The remote control for the fan was found underneath what was a very big pile of paperwork.  I think I need to be more mindful about things.  

In much better news, I have lost another 2 inches around my rib cage.  I predict smaller summer dresses in my future.  Unfortunately I might have to drive a bit to find some new summer dresses. Tucson Mall had nothing that I liked.  It is nice to be able to be picky about things like new outfits, instead of just buying what fits.  

Missing

 So far today I have lost one pair of reading glasses and one Dyson fan remote control.  I think I will call it a day before I lose anything else.  

A Roller Coaster of a Day

 Life seems to be about taking 2 steps forward and 4 steps backward today.  The hand strengthening exercises, well, I wasn’t quite ready for those. So here we are are at almost the beginning again.  I am back to just mild stretching exercises once a day. 

So for now it will be just spinning and weaving.  At least with weaving, I am using up yarn faster than I am spinning it.  I have 2 scarfs completed ready for pictures.  The scarf that I started in January will have to wait a bit longer for those final rows.  Sighs! 

Since I could not sleep this morning, I spent 3 hours cleaning house before breakfast.  The results are 1 bag of trash and 2 bags of recycling out. Two loads of laundry completed. Five dog pillows finished and ready for delivery this weekend.  With lots of stuff going to their proper places.  Also 1 mile walked.  Did I mention that I also managed to fill one box for Goodwill too?

Making Progress

 Today I finished plying 3 mini skeins of hand spun yarn.  I used the drop spindle instead of the spinning wheel because it gives me a better yarn. By this I mean a more balanced twist.  It is so much easier to control the twist.  

I also made a concerted effort to catch up on my back log of making dog pillows.  I made 6 cases. I stuffed 5 and pinned them.  I left 1 by my squirrel cage for all the little bits and pieces I get when caking yarn.  I also cut the fabric for 2 more pillows.  

After all that hand work my hands were just too tired to knit tonight.  Sometimes I feel like a beginner in knitting were projects took months instead of days.  I have about 2 more ounces to knit.  I hope to be finished by Mother’s Day.  I am really ready for my hands to be better.