Making Progress

I finally got the 3 silk gebrochene shawls fringed – almost 8 hours of solid fringe twisting! Then I washed, dried, & pressed.

I tried to show the 3 shawls, but their wefts were so close that the camera couldn’t really pick up the difference. One had a light silver-gray weft, one a bleached white weft, and one the very palest of blue-greens for a weft. Since there wasn’t a visible difference in the shawls in the photos, you’re just seeing one – “front” & “back.” Personally I prefer the darker side.

I’m always interested in learning new things – new patterns, new fibers, new methods for doing the same things that are more efficient, effective, or better for your body. I recently bought Kati Reeder Meek‘s book, “Warp With a Trapeze & Dance with Your Loom.” I already use a warping valet, thanks to Laura Fry, & a Trapeze is another version of a valet, so I didn’t buy the book for that. I wanted to read about and try her ‘live weight’ method of tensioning the loom. I had to buy some cord before I could try it successfully so I can’t report on it yet, but I’ve already used two other tips from this little book with great success.

For those gebrochene shawls I used a black warp – the hardest color to see & work with. Kati’s simple ‘white screen’ suggestion definitely sped up the threading. Then her quick method to tie on with consistent tension – what a brilliantly simple process! I don’t want to steal Kati’s thunder, so if you’re intrigued by those ideas, spend a few bucks and buy Kati’s book. It’s well worth it!

In addition to fringing and weaving those huck checkerboard scarves (almost done) I’ve been working in the garden. It did take me another hour and another wheelbarrow full (total of 4 of each) to finish that large section of white Siberian iris. Then I cut the stalks on half of my major peony bed – quick & easy compared to the iris. That row is relatively flat (nothing in my yard is really flat) and narrow enough that I can reach both sides easily and eliminate both uneven feet and over-reaching back.

I moved on to the purple Siberian iris. I could have cut the whole bed in a hour – and had 1 wheelbarrow full of leaves. The bed is much smaller, but the real reason is that the iris are much less dense, so lots fewer leaves to cut & move. That’s the good news and the bad news. The fact that the iris are less dense means that it’s easier for quack grass, the bane of some of my gardens, to move in. I got about 1/2 the grass dug out in that first attack & plan to finish the bed tomorrow. Today I spread 6 bags of mulch on the white iris bed & mowed part of the lawn. I’ve now got another 6 bags in my car. I’m sooooo glad our weather forecast is so beautiful for the next several days!

I also got a haircut, went grocery shopping, and very enjoyably, had a 3-hour lunch with a friend and a terrific massage. What a week!