Slow progress

Life has been, um, interesting of late. Family has needed my attention, and since I moved to Rochester to be closer to them, I’m happy to be able to offer my assistance.

I have, however, not been able to weave much. Or dye much. Fortunately, that’s all okay. I was well prepared in advance of my July show, hoping to be ready for my late August show in Buffalo as well. And I am.

I just really wanted to make 1-2 more mobis. I got a red gradient tencel warp on the loom. Using the truism that black intensifies color, I wove the first length with a black tencel warp. Meh. That’s my reaction to the piece.

I definitely wanted to brighten it up for the second piece. I didn’t have enough a decent red in tencel, so went with a mercerized cotton. I also changed the tie up and treadling for this wrap. I really like it. This one is a bit heavier than the black because of the cotton, but that’s okay with me.

Some national magazine that I don’t get but occasionally see at a doctor’s office or similar has what I think is a regular feature called something like, ‘who wears it better?’ So here are Dolly (on the left) and Lady Jane (on the right). Who wears it better? In my head it’s not a fair contest since I am so much fonder of the red mobi, but maybe you won’t feel the same.

FYI – because I know you all want to know every detail of my business (LOL) – Lady Jane won’t be invited to any future outdoor shows. She was a bit of a problem at Chautauqua in July. It didn’t take much of a breeze for her to wobble and threaten to crash to the ground. I could, theoretically, put a bunch of weight on her base, but I won’t; at least not in August. In addition to the breeze issue, she takes up a lot of room in the booth. And since I can bring my shibori-dyed socks and scarves, I’ll have plenty of things to display beyond my handwoven items. On Monday I tagged and labelled all my dyed socks, including those ice-dyed socks I did last winter. Unbelievably I have 39 pairs of socks. 39 pairs! Certainly a sufficiency of socks. I have some display ideas in my head, but won’t know how it’ll actually work till I’m at the Elmwood Avenue Arts Festival on August 24 & 25.