INSPIRED BY BONNIE

Hi Bonnie,

As a regular visitor of your weblog I’ld like to let you know that your information on weaving is very inspiring.

It’s very generous of you to share so much information.

I love the way you use colours and am very interested in your horoscope weaving and woven words.

I have woven a babyblanket for the expected baby of my daughter.

Although I had no colour-system what-so-ever weaving this blanket , you inspired me in using three threads of very thin wool for the weft. The warp was tencel.

Thanks to the use of these materials the blanket has got a lovely drape.

As far as the use of colours, I just put all the colours I liked together and started warping until a colour was finished or till my feeling said there was enough of that colour.

When the warp was finished all the material was used up. Just some yellow was left.

The photo added shows the result.

Yours,

Irma Spaargaren (The Netherlands

More Out of the Closet

I can hardly believe I had this huge ceder chest in my closet.

Here is the space I was moving the chest into.

I also can't believe I was muscling this furniture around by myself (and only sustained one small bruise)
It's starting to look normal.


The alpaca rug in the foreground was one of the treasures I unearthed from the ceder chest. I wove it back in the 70's.

Back to work....

In and Out of the Closet

I'm still mucking around in my closets, but I had to take an afternoon off and spend a little time in the studio.
This warp is 3 words--- (left to right) FAMILY, FRIENDS, GOOD HEALTH. These words were sent to me by an old friend who is a long term cancer survivor. I asked her to send me 3 words that sustain her. In the picture above the aqua stripe to the left replaces to turquoise (just to the left of the red stripe)
A pretty easy fix, but one that stopped me for longer than it should have. I am on the way forward though. I like to have a weaving to start as soon as I finish, so now I can finish up the scarf on Grace.

The studio will remain functional throughout this moving process. (at least that it my intention.

The Ultimate Warping Reel

Before regaling you with more exciting pictures of my closets and piles of trash, I just had to post these pictures. I had been searching for these for several years (another benefit of moving)

About 10 years ago I taught a Color Horoscope Weaving Workshop at the Redwood Empire Weavers. I have never seen (before or since) a warping reel like Ruth Perrault's. I hope Ruth doesn't mind my publishing this picture. Anyone reading this from the Redwood Empire Guild, please let Ruth know how inspirational she has been for me (and now for folks all over the world)
Her husband made it for her. Not only was it beautiful and compact, but she could wind a warp faster than anyone else in the class. I can't recall the wood, but it was so esthetically pleasing I couldn't take my eyes off of it.


I wish I had taken more pictures because I can't tell if there is a brake and if so where it is located. Anyway, those with clever husbands might take note. (or those who are clever with wood themselves. I , myself, sometimes have trouble just sticking push pins into the wall.)

Slides to Digital

In addition to moving, I am also getting ready to fly up to the Handweavers, Spinners & Dyers of Alberta Conference , May 9-11. I am giving the keynote address at the banquet: Traveler By Loom. I have to take a little time off from sorting to arrange the images for my talk in addition to putting the supplies together for my workshop: Wrapped Silk Brooch. Although I will have this talk be a slide presentation (I keep saying this will be my last slide-show), I am slowing testing the waters having my slides converted to digital. Boy, they look great! Below is a very early wrapped brooch (late 80's). I can tell because I used to paint gold each individual matte board shape.

I just discovered something interesting. Since I no longer make brooches for sale, I removed the Jewelry Gallery from my website. When I went to the HSDA website to see what they had to say about me, I found this link .
I don't really understand why or how it is possible to see this, but it makes me wonder about anything and everything ever put on the internet---kind of like plastic bags---they never really disappear.


Kaz had some truly delightful purses on her blog. It made me think of these little bags I made back in the mid-90's. I called them my low tech purses (draw-string) as opposed to the high tech purse (zipper)

Now I am just procrastinating as you can tell. Back to sorting and packing!

Next Steps

These pictures are all slightly out of focus, but then so am I.
For all of you who think my studio is so tidy, check out this closet. It really was much worse than this, but I have already hauled out stuff. A weaving friend came by yesterday and purchased ALL the remaining yarn I had for sale!

Yesterday I tackled the kitchen cupboards and the pantry. This is all the stuff I no longer need or want. I am about to post on freecycle.org, a new experience for me. Some of the more interesting stuff I will save for the yard sale. As soon as I complete emptying the storage unit, I will have room to store more stuff.

And Grace waits patiently for a little attention. (really out of focus)

And then to top it all off, I just received a package containing 10 cashmere sweaters! I am delighted---especially with the precious purple.


I plan to post other things besides sorting and packing, but if you see anything you can't live without, let me know. (grin)

Change is in the Air

Here is the extraneous sheets and blankets from the linen closet.

And here is the closet now. The pink basket on the left is my dirty laundry (full disclosure)
TMI!

Well, Valerie you asked. I'M MOVING

I must have read Sandra's blog too closely. And where are my weaving studio clones when I really need them? I have lived in this condo for 18 years and have gotten just a little too comfortable. I have spoken at length about dematerialization, so now I have a chance to put my words into action.

Where am I moving to, you might ask? I don't know is the current answer. I have a 5 year plan to find the place where I will live out my days. Moving now will give me the opportunity to get rid of a lot of "stuff", so it will be easier to make the "real" move. Once the energy gets stirred up, the next step will be revealed, at least that's what I am counting on. I plan to stay in the neighborhood for now, so I will continue to shop in the same stores and have the same phone number etc.

Now I am off to tackle the storage unit in the garage. It is packed to the gills with empty boxes and all the stuff that didn't sell at last year's yard sale. I am going to haul it off today and donate it (since I will have lots of new yard sale items)

I plan to weave a little everyday to keep me sane.