Cotton pickin weavin fun

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Originally uploaded by teaheadme

Have been working on Weavette squares for the Square Deal Weave-Along. I'm really glad this group started. I need a swatch size loom to learn on. It is a lot quicker to whip out one of these squares than to set up the 32" loom.
Also, I got just a tiny bit of cotton at an auction yesterday. Just one bag full....HA! It has been ginned, but needs a bit of cleaning. Have no idea how old it is or where it came from. The white in the blue and white square is from my auction cotton. The last (blue) layer was really hard to weave, next time I would use a few less plies of cotton. There are only 13 lbs. of cotton in the sack, so I will have to really conserve....hah!! The best cotton I have had so far is definitely some I released from some plants that really wanted to be picked. And that's all I will say about that. Now I want my own cotton, or at least to find a friendly farmer who would love for me to come lighten up just a little of his cotton when it's ready to pick. Gotta go try to be sleepy. Should go sit down in front of the tv. Lately, that is all it takes. Take Care.

New Post! Astounding!

We have been having problems with a raccoon trying to sneak up during the night to eat the dog food I leave out. I know, 'don't leave it out', I agree. However, the other morning the cat was making a strange noise like cats do and this is what I saw. Poor raccoon, trapped !! I guess the dog finally got tired and his friend escaped. It hasn't been back since so maybe getting caught up in a tree was for the best. He looked at me like he felt SO helpless.

These carp were at a local boat dock. Fish food was the cause of all this commotion. A catfish or two even made an appearance.

Wish I could report that the lovely new deck is all finished and the house power washed and both of them stained. Can't say that though.....sigh....may be Christmas at this rate.

Have been spinning more cotton. And now Penny on the Spindler/Charkha list is responsible for my having to learn how to make double decrease squares to make a cotton top. Her pictures are so lovely. I had not thought I was much interested in small sections of knitting joined together. Most of the entrelac things don't do much for me. Guess I just needed for the right picture of the right fabric in a garment that captured my attention to come up. So, Penny has caused me to print out bunches of mitre pages and to not get anything done on projects I need to finish first. It seems so difficult to just stay with one thing till it's finished. So much more entertaining to go with whatever grabs my attention. That's the fun of it!

I want to apologize for not responding to the comments that were already sent on previous posts. Keep forgetting to go to check out yahoo mail messages. I appreciate getting comments so much. Thanks!! good nite

Help! Have Been Captured By Charkha

My attention has been kept by my charkha and watching twist enter cotton the last couple of days. Sounds exciting, I know....right. Here are pics of said charka and cotton:

We are in the process of getting a new deck built. The old boards are so gone. Here is where I have had so many enjoyable times:

Hopefully, sometime next week it will look better than I have ever seen it. Have blocked the back door so we don't forget and get a real let-down.



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Never leave a fearless cat with a very tall ladder

More painting stuff going on today. Should get it finished up tomorrow! We told the guys last night just to leave the stuff in place, no need to put everything up just to get it out this morning. Gateway appreciated that! At least, on the way UP:

• I had to get him down twice (from a 12 foot ladder). The second time, we did take the ladder down.

Spun up some lovely silk outside on the deck today. It is 'Sunset' color from the Spinning Bunny. Bought this on ebay. This is a warning: If you are a spinner you will have to have some of this dreamy stuff. Wish I could wear a little handspun silk everyday...sigh... and handspun cotton too. Am just learning to spin on the box charkha. All this fiber stuff is just too much...I can't stop!

I have a bit of cabin fever the last couple of days. We have basically just stayed here the last few days with all the painting prep going on. It will be so great to finally have the shack painted. Might even have to get floors fixed, outside painting, deck refurbished, hey! I will have to do more housework then, I'll be so happy and proud. Maybe we should call off all this nonsense..in a pig's eye....huh? What a silly expression.

Have just finished reading some Orson Scott Card stuff. A book with the original "Ender's Game" and 3 other stories. Really enjoyed it. Wonder if my Sweet Son (don't tell him I said that) remembers reading that. May have to send him this book. Have also been wondering if my Grandson (18 mos.) might want my collection of Harry Potter books when he's older. That would be neat. They may be just too too whatever it is then to be worthy of reading.

We are all SO much alike, all of us here on earth. A big huge scramble of family. Some feel superior to others. Some have so little sense of worthiness. God/Allah/Great Spirit/Our Father/Mother/Aliveness Awakener/ bless and love us all and help us to do the same.

Good night, nancy

Hot day/ finished spinning some " grab-bag " wool

I spent most of the afternoon on the deck, finishing spinning up the rest of my grab bag wool from Carol at the Sheep Shed. It's fun to get grab bags, never know what you will get to play with! And it is all good Brown Sheep wool. On the table in the picture is the majority of my grab bag. Plus what I finished up with today - a large skein of that dark grey. Have been trying to spin it up long draw, keeping it nice and soft. There's lots to spin in my stash, and it is all like treasures to me. Fiberholic, yeah, yeah.
We have had mudding, taping, prep for painting all the ceilings, etc. going on. A good time to have something I can get outside and do. What a mess! But all in the name of finally getting a little face lift done on the place.

These 2 pictures are of my little Milton Bradley loom again. Am still amazed I wound up with something useable, playing with my Homespun (Lion Brand) scrappy stuff. Next weave time will be back on my Kromski Rigid Heddle 32".

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This little rug (or fug, as I keep typing it) has already been claimed for a cat bed.

Now I am thinking about the Kauni sweater that is so talked about. I love love love the colors of that yarn. You can see it at http://www.ruths.dk/

I am excited to be a Ravelry member now. Haven't done anything with it yet, but get caught wandering around there for hours. How fascinating. What a resource. What will it all mean?? Too late to imagine..good night. O!, if you are a cat person, you gotta see www.icanhascheezburger.com SO many cute cats. Check it out. Night, nancy - and the rest of you also. ahem.....grin

MS 3 finished and blocked ! Cat Trouble ! Last Post Previewed and Not Saved! Starting Over!!

My title explains why I am kinda seethy right now. I love computers. OK :

Last night was a mess. I was too tired to block. Did anyway, just couldn't wait! Gateway cat couldn't wait either. Was totally insistent he was going to help - actively! Pouncing, full of cat glee, which everyone knows is a sure fire recipe for trouble. Finally I had to discipline him, did what usually works - held him down by the scruff of his irritating little neck and talked fiercely to him. Only this time he only got mad! Finally had to put him outside so I wouldn't have to stick pins in him and stake him out to block. Picture of stole is here somewhere.

I am SO grateful to so many kind people who wrote, helping me in my hour of stole desperation! Fiber folk are definitely the most generous people around. Imagine having a wonderful Norwegian ( hi, AnneB ) writing out line by line instructions for me! With that and a lot of other help, I got it done. Thank you all . Now, I am not saying the mistake area looks just like all the rest, but it is close enough I don't think anyone who didn't know about it would see it. In fixing it, I redid it about 3 or 4 times. Can't say enough about that wonderful Zephyr yarn, holding up to my re-re-re tinking it.

This picture shows where my mistake is. The bead straight down from the letter'p' in picture is it. See, not too bad at all.

Here is a picture of my little harvest of yesterday. Kinda pretty, but it is on a regular sized saucer. Not the biggest tomato! Was very tasty though.


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Gateway thinks tomatoes are small potatoes next to pics of him. Also had to put up the family of turkeys outside the computer room window the other day. Must have had something very tasty in that grass.

Hey guess what. Go ahead. Ok, I got my Ravelry invite tonight. All I can say is Wow! If I had a problem using up too much time on the computer before......there is So Much great stuff on Ravelry! And that led me to cold -brewing coffee, a really cool video about making wrist warmers and knitted shoes and making shrinky dink type jewelry and you get the idea. I am definitely in trouble now.

MS 3 was such a satisfying knit. Now I have a Rob Roy shawl, my box charka to get going on, a Peace Fleece sweater I just have to put together ( for me). an afghan I meant to have ready for my step dil last Christmas, spinning on the wheel. I have to use up some stash, yarn and fiber. I just can't justify getting more. But then, who wants to go around justifying everything anyway...... hope you are having a good time too!

O MY! Mystery Stole Problems - clue 6 row 133!

Well, here it is! Was just trying to finish that 'last couple of rows before going to bed'..and here is what happened. I saw that I appeared to have an extra stitch or something on the left side of this (was) beaded feather stitch. Now I have a mess, and today is the day I was going to enjoy the last few rows before Clue 7 tomorrow. Help! Melanie! Anyone!
Any advice from MS 3 folks is Greatly Appreciated. I thought I could just pick up my stitches, very methodically and simply and calmly (HA) and now I just cannot figure out what to do. The really sad thing is that I have not used any lifelines in the wing portion. Used them every 10 rows up till this clue. So, I am afraid to rip out about 8 rows because, looking at the knitting I'm just not sure I can get everything picked up properly, even trying to run an afterthought lifeline.
Will try to make more frequent entries. Am very good at waiting until after midnight to think about it, then deciding I'm too tired......