There's no question that Pam Howard sets a tough example. Teaching, being a mom and wife, traveling, and still finding the time to spin, weave, dye and blog! Down here in deep South Texas time and people move a lot s-l-o-w-e-r (especially in the summer). I'm waiting for the lovely white wool that I will be making into a hat. Meantime, I have been knitting another hat and scarf that I hope will be off the needles by the time I get Pam's yarn. Just off my wheel is the last of a bag of grey alpaca I got from a friend who resurrected it from her stash box and gave to me.
Three hanks grey alpaca
I picked and carded it and then spun and two-plied. Since this wasn't anything "special" or expensive I did a little experiment. After winding off and hanking, I put each of the three hanks into net washing bags and ran them through the washer (horrors, you say!!) on delicate, then hung to dry. They came out a treat! Clean and fluffy. This is alpaca so minimal felting issues to worry about. Weaving-wise I have an empty loom.
Four completed towels (too pretty to use!)
Draped over the Bergman loom are four of the summer/winter towels from the May/June Handwoven. I gave a workshop for my guild/study group on warping b2f recently and warped up about 200 threads of pearl cotton for a scarf. I did an undulating twill that was really cool. Easy peasy to weave and gorgeous when done. It went as a gift to a weaving friend. I snagged a stash off-load at our guild house recently of a two ply knitting cotton, Cassino, which I am laboriously separating into singles and will weave into a plaid.
Two ply ready to be separated and re-wound.
And another stash add...I was in North Carolina in August and attended a fiber swap meet. I snagged a bunch of cones of cotton chenille in a cranberry red for a song. Do I sense a Christmas throw in the future???
Fantastic fiber snag at Fiber for All
Stash is like a savings account. Always there for the future. Finally, Patrick and I are hosting a dear friend who recently lost her husband. She has been here since May and will remain until she resettles in another state. She is a knitter, too, so we knit together alot and talk. I will miss her when she is gone. My house gathers dust, laundry is an afterthought, we eat out as much as in. When summer is over I will go outside and see what is left in the yard that hasn't washed away in the storms or burned up in the heat. I'm looking forward to the EAIA board meeting and Brown's auction in Harrisburg at the end of October. Can't wait to see a tree that changes color and experience temps below 90! Oh yeah, and see my fiber buddy, Pam Howard! Keep spinning! --Gwenn
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