"It is well to remember that the entire population of the universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others." A.Holmes

Monday, December 29, 2008

Spot on Winter Weaving

~A while back I posted about dyeing and carding my wool. Here ( above ) is the drum carder I used to card ( comb) together my home grown and home dyed wool with some angora. Below is the result of carding the two together.
~I spun up some of the wool, the rest I plan on felting.~
~Here ( below) is a skein of 2 ply yarn spun from the Jacob / angora wool. Along side the yarn are shuttles of novelty yarns I have picked up here and there, and some of my other homespun yarns. I plan on weaving this yarn into fabric, which I have other plans for. ~Here is the loom where I can look out the window and see my flock of sheep,and listen to music or books on tape while I weave. The loom is on the landing of our stairs. Out of the way, but still convenient and comfortable. This area also allows me to hear the phone, or the animals, or check on any cooking and baking being done while I weave. The dogs and cats also have room to nap on the floor around me as I weave. ~ This is the threader I use to warp, or thread my loom. Threading the loom, in order to weave, is a long process and I do not answer my phone or the door when I am threading my loom. This is not me being rude, but me being unable to do a good job at the loom if I am distracted. Believe me, I know this from experience. ~Here you can see how the very flat and long hook easily goes through the reed to grasp the threads and pull them through to their proper placement in the reed. The reed is what the threader is in. The threads are pulled through this and then threaded into the many 'hettles'. ~Below you can see the hettles. They are long pieces of thin metal with eyes which the yarn is threaded through. For some reason, I find it relaxing to just concentrate on threading, and counting while I thread. You have to count out your threads.....and I get very irritated if the phone keeps ringing while I am threading my loom because I lose count and that causes problems that are frustrating to fix. ~Here the hettles are threaded and there is still more to do before I get the warp on ( loom threaded). So far things have gone smoothly and I am enjoying myself. ~I have combined 2 of my 2 ply handspun yarns with some funky yarns to use as my 'weft'. The weft is what you weave back and forth in your warp to make fabric. I like to be very creative with my weaving and have fun experimenting. My goal here is to make several different fabrics out of the very long warp, and create purses or bags from the fabric.
~This fabric has a lot of the handspun pink combined with some very nubby novelty yarns.~
~I rather enjoy making pretty purses and especially love weaving the wool I grow on my own flock of sheep. I still marvel at the yarn I can produce from my spotted , multi-horned sheep. The wool of each sheep is unique and speaks to me of their personalities, and the things that make each of my Jacob sheep unique!
~And the little purses are fun to make!~

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

What an interesting post Kathy. I love seeing where you have everything set up and can just imagine you surrounded by your beloved animals weaving away. The purses you make are lovely.

Flower said...

Thanks for sharing your corner for weaving and the beautiful fabric you turned out! This last week was a good one for time to do some quiet things! Our goats finally came outside yesterday! They ran for the fir limbs and nibbled them up! How does your yardscape look? Same here!! Lots of doggy mess to clean up, too!

Anonymous said...

I will say it again...you are amazingly talented and I love that purse. I love that pink too...working with that color would just brighten my day!

Lanny said...

Ahh Kathy, inspiring as usual!

Anonymous said...

I find sewing so relaxing for the same reason. I can just listen to music or audiobooks and while away hours of pleasant time. your weaving is so lovely, and so interesting!

Connie said...

What you can do with the wool from your sheep is so amazing to me, Kathy. Your little weaving nook looks like a wonderful cozy spot to spend your time. This was an interesting post to read. Your yarn you made is so pretty.:D

LindaSue said...

Interesting and beautiful post, and I'm fully convinced this is yet another thing I won't be doing - setting up the loom would be beyond my detail work limit - you are truly amazing. I love to cook because for the most part - it is barge in there and get 'er done! Your work is the kind of thing that speaks to a woman's heart - a purse but an object of art she can use.

Southern Comfort said...

You have learned a valuable, complicated and remarkable craft. I wish had something so beautiful to work on. It sounds like such a cozy, comforting work area also. This yarn is amazing.Thank you for asking about Mike's dad. He is back in the hospital with internal bleeding and still has an infection on his foot. His blood sugar still isn't stablized and he has been in intensive care. They did move him to a private room several days ago but is not able to return to the rehab center yet. That was sweet of you to inquire.

A. Joy said...

Rapunzel spun gold, you're spinning cotton candy!

KathyB. said...

Mildred, thank-you. There is something calming about weaving with the dogs and cats napping around my feet.

Flower,you are so right. The beautiful snow melts and leaves mud and doggie poo and all sorts of things that the snow washed white...

Noble Pig, thank-you! I imagine with boys in the house pink is not a color in favor there. I am not a 'pink' person, but when I work with pink wool or fabric it cheers me up and makes me happy.

Lanny...back at you!

Miss Linda, yes ! I even find myself so lost in my weaving or spinning that I no longer hear the music or stories and time flies by.

Daisy, the weaving nook is cozy. And I never cease to marvel at the miracle of wool, and it grows on sheep! How wonderful is that?

Linda Sue, I laughed at your description of cooking! I think you would be surprised and delighted if you tried weaving, with a good and kind instructor.

Southern Comfort, I am sorry to hear things are not so much better for your Father-in-law. Is his hospitalization requiring you and your family to be away from home much ?

A.Joy, that is exactly what I though as I was spinning the pink wool ! Cotton candy, and I love cotton candy, especially pink cotton candy!

Sandra @ Thistle Cove Farm said...

WOW! Some kinda beautiful wool! Love seeing what your roving and weaving.
Sandra @ Thistle Cove Farm
-because I'm signed in under a different e-mail...I think