Q2'26 3/8

Oh look, it's Latvija!

I was kicking myself for not getting much done this quarter, but I suppose my excuse for it is that I was travelling for 6 of 13 weeks, and injured for two more.  The trips have been lovely but I'm hoping to get back to some semblance of normalcy and get some shit done.

I'm realizing I still haven't photographed the pieces I did in Greece, but they are two of the three items I finished this quarter. The Poncho felt like a big accomplishment!

So it's:

1. Little mat
2. Big mat
3. Poncho

As far as Q3 goes, my doctor has told me I am losing 20 lbs (and given me a coach to work with) so I'll be spending time on that and also on the exercise to support it. And I'm in WA for a week at a weaving class. 

Things that feel like low hanging fruit:

1. The Alabama Channin bandana is about 2/3 done. Beads take time! It's fun in small chunks.
2. The headband still just needs ends sewn in.
3. 4 napkins need hemming. <Yawn>
4. The baby blankets are nearly weavable. Slowest Project Ever.
5. Slightly more progress on the table substrate has been made.
6. The panels for the last rice bag are done and the bag just needs sewing together.
7. Finish the basket from Ashland.

The knitted T-shirt is idiot knitting but I should actually finish it in Q3 or Q4; 

The table and the two baby blankets are a priority. I'll poke through the rest of the list later and see what else I want to add to it. 

End of May, forward motion...

Age of Aquarius Poncho, headless

Greece was awesome. I decided not to blog about it at the time which I think was the right call. I did made a tiny-eensy mat learning kilim techniques, and a smallish (20x15cm?) piece as well. More on that at some point. 

I did somehow manage to pinch a nerve in my neck and was asked by the doctor to limit the extreme weaving. I've been away from the loom and taking things carefully. So:

No further much progress on the baby blanket.

The poncho got completed in Ashland! Somehow the beads I bought in Athens are a perfect match. The headless photo is because the sun was bright and I was squinting and my face was uncooperative.   

I'm working on the knitted T-shirt, already a few inches past the armhole.  I'm hoping it'll fit when it's done. Yes, I realize I could have tried it on when I got to the armhole but I didn't so now I'm just going to go with it.

Stenciled, lined, ready to go

I started the rose T Shirt; I printed the stencil and cut some strips. I've started a rose on the back but haven't gotten very far. I used a shirt pattern I've used before but I suspect something is off and I many have to trim it to fit when I go to sew it together.

I didn't do anything with the french terry top (other than move it from one side of the table to the other), and I didn't work on the knitted skirt or the table. 

I did spend some time beading on the Sonia kerchief from the School of Making; it's the project from the beading class I took a while back.

I'm not sure I'll have time to update this (or if there will be anything to update it with) before the next adventure... 

Heading out, saving state for when I return....

I'm heading out on a trip (where am I going? here's a hint)

and want to make a few notes on where I am on projects and what I want to be doing when I get back.

I checked threading and wound the baby blankets on to the loom. There's one mistake that's marked and needs fixing.  I need to check the denting in the reed (there are some empty slots, then I'm ready to tie up, tie on, and start weaving. This should go pretty fast at this point since the thing that was blocking me (big tangled ugly mess) is fixed.

Before I go to Ashland, I'd like to finish the poncho; that involves sewing the shoulder seams, then picking up and knitting on the edge. Current knitting project (T shirt) will be with me.

Before Ashland I'd also like to start the rose T shirt. That'll mean printing out the rose pattern and  copying to something I can stencil with. Also getting a T pattern (I have the one from The School of Making), checking fit, cutting it out and stenciling. Also cutting the strips for the roses. This is probably 1/2 day of work.

I have the material and traced pattern for the french terry top, would be nice to start on that too; I think it'll go pretty fast. 

I'd like to replace the top of the knitted skirt so I can start wearing it again. Maybe to Ashland.

And I need to start working on the table; I'd like to evaluate the glass I got from C. and finish prepping the substrate.

Q1'26 Finshed list (5)

Zig's belly spot

The studio is not at this minute my happy place, and I'm not sure why. I need to reflect on this and figure out how to fix it. I think it involves less time on my phone. This is reflected in the very few completed projects from this Q1'26.

What else has been going on? A little travel. End of life care for a beloved cat. Lots of German study.

If I've kept accurate notes, this is what's done. I reserve the right to come back and add anything I remember later.

1. Coffee mug postcards
2. An Andean pickup band
3. Card woven band (plus I taught a class in it)
4. A basket
5. Some prepped fiber

Yep, not much, but I have a lot of things that really wouldn't take much time to complete: 

1. The Alabama Channin bandana is about 1/2 done. Beads take time!
2. The headband still just needs ends sewn in.
3. 4 napkins need hemming. <Yawn>
4. The Age of Aquarius poncho panels are complete; it needs sewing together and a band knitted on the sleeves. 
5. The baby blankets are almost wound on. Slowest Project Ever.
6. There some small progress on the table substrate.
7. The panels for the last rice bag are done and the bag just needs sewing together.

I also started a knitted t-shirt for travel knitting. More on that in a later post.

Two things that are stalled and maybe gone:

• The Dissent sweater: I'm debating whether or not I like it enough to not frog it. The color work is not well done; the white is the wrong yarn.
• I mentioned a 2nd block I've carved. While I like it in theory I think I could do a better job, just haven't done it.

I also attended an Alabama Channin class with some amazing roses sewn onto fabric with beads... there was a tshirt online that had the roses on the yoke, and I must have it.  I have fabric for this and bought beads to do it as well. In addition, I'd like to make a t-shirt using their techniques but another graphic in the blue fabrics I have. I am aiming to do that this summer. 

Will Q2. be any better? Hmmm... I have 6 weeks of travel planned over the next 9 weeks. So we'll see if anything gets done!

2 classes, not much else.

 I took another embroidery  class from the Alabama Channin School of Making, this time using beads to and her other techniques to make a fancy bandana. I've been working my way slowly through it.

We were given a year free membership in the School of Making club, so I've downloaded the pattern for a modern styled top (the Fractal Top) and have the material; I just need to cut it out and get sewing! 

I took a drum carding class from Clemes and Clemes through Serendipity spinners, and we made a bunch of batts. I think it was fun but not sure I'd get a drum carder. We did some rolags but I have not spun them yet.

I am still threading Baby blankets but more than 1/2 way through; it hurts my back a bit. 

I'm still knitting on the Age of Aquarius poncho; it's pretty much my "idiot knitting" project right now. I also have everything ready to go for the next rice bag, just waiting for the right time to do the sewing!

AND one of the cats is sick. It's very distracting, which I think is keeping me from being productive.

Mid Feb status

Not bad, needs a redo

About a week ago, I got home from a 5 day knitting retreat with the usual suspects... It was great to spend time with everyone! Lots of knitting, lots of food, glorious weather... K and I did some inkle weaving. I finished my band and got her started on hers. We'll see if it's her thing or not.  I also got some good progress on my knitted poncho; it's not going to be the forever project I'd thought it might be. 

The weekend prior to that, I gave a clinic in warping for card weaving for 7 people. I don't think of myself as a good teacher, and some folks got it and others didn't. On the other hand, this happens in classes with good teachers as well.  We'll see if we have any new card weavers! Now I have 20 cards warped up in purple and white crochet cotton and am looking for a longer project. 

I also decided to recarve my leaves block; I don't care for the look of the empty spaces and I'd like to play more with the mechanics of carving. I need to start that this week.

The embroidery on the last rice bag is done! Now all I have to do is assemble it and I can retire that box. Looking forward to this. 

Foodwise, I cooked a lovely cod dish with mash potatoes and roasted fennel to go with a bottle of Trebbiano we bought in Florence. For dessert, cute little lemon cheese cakes. That was Valentine's Day :)

Mostly lino printing

Ich möchte gerne ein Kaffee bitte!

Here's my latest postcard.  I was playing with Chatgpt to generate the image, so the art is not my own. Here's my artistic critique:

What I like: 

I like the feel of the image, it reminds of that first sip of good coffee on a cold morning...  The brown, a mix of burnt sienna and black, is dark enough to work well as a print but feels much cozier to me.  I'm pleased with it and happy enough to send it out.  I also played with making less of a mess while printing so there's less ink on the backsides. Specifically I wiped my hands on a rag right before touching any paper...

Room for improvement:

I might have done a better job cleaning up the chatter marks in the border. I'm generally a big fan of chatter marks but they may be a bit distracting. 

Molly Hashimoto uses a T square to guide her border lines; that's probably a good idea. 

I never get tired of these

I'm still struggling with small cuts and this has a whole bunch of them. I had to recut a lot of the small spiky bits and they're still not clean. The very small cuts toward the right of the cup should be more parallel. 

A couple of things to mention... First, it would be good to check on my inventory of postcards before I start printing! I printed 9 and ran out.  Which is too bad because the ink had exactly the right consistancy and was printing super well. I'd mixed in a new (to me) ink thinner (burnt plate oil) and had gotten it just right. The second run of 9 today was not quite as successful and I fixed a couple of spots with a brush. 

I got tired of printing coffee cups and still had some ink left, so I printed 4 general purpose cards with an old image which used the last of the ink.  I've been needing some cards...

I also test printed a block I carved out while listening to a lecture. I wanted to try out this method for leaves.  I found it difficult to space the cuts correctly, and even to put the cuts exactly where I want them.  That's why this practice is a good idea. I think I'm going to print in black or dark green on a light green surface.

I still need to carve something for the Molly Hashimoto class; I have two ideas sketched up but haven't gotten to them yet. 

In the non-lino world, I'm still working on the last rice bag (almost done with 3rd side) and nearly done knitting the first of two panels for the Age of Aquarius poncho.  The Alabama Channin class got pushed out a month. I started an Andean Pickup Band and it's come back to me quickly, including how to work with a pickup cross. More on that in a later post.  I also started putting drywall tape on the edge of my mosaic substrate, which is annoying complex because it is round; I did about 1/4 of the table before giving up for the day.

I made this chicken and rice with carmelized lemons; it was tasty! But way too much rice. I think next time I would add more onion/shallot and garlic, more red pepper, more lemon, and 6 thighs, and maybe reduce the rice to 1.5 cups (and 3 cups of stock).