Two Baby Blankets

The two baby blankets are finished! They've been off the loom for a couple of weeks but I've been pissed at them so finally hemmed them last night.

I usually don't weave with thick cotton (knitting DK weight)... I started the first one (with brown, no blue) and just happily used my normal heavy beat and happily wove along until I was about 1/2 way through and realized I was beating WAY too hard; so that one is a little heavier, and a little weft dominant. 

The one with the blue, I decided I better beat lighter, but I didn't beat heavy enough so it's on the edge of being sleazy (I've linked to it's weaving meaning, so go on and take a look). So it's lighter and a little warp dominant. I suspect the threads will eventually snag and pull a bit and it won't be as durable as the other blanket, but it's cuddlier...

If I'd put enough warp on for 3 blankets, the third one would be the Baby Bear blanket, Just Right.

Papa Bear and Mama Bear Blankets; 
I'll replace this with a better photo!

The other thing I don't like about the blankets is where I had to add more weft yarns. I was taught to overlap by 2-3 inches and just keep weaving. This works well with wool yarns, and thinner cotton yarns (I've had no issues with doing that to 8/2 and even 8/4 cotton). The DK weight knitting yarn is MUCH thicker and it interrupts the look of the weave and I don't think it's as stable. I asked about the best way to do this (albeit with thinner yarn) at MvdH's class and was told the best place to do this is always near the selvedge. I thought about this while doing blanket #2 but by that time it was too late to make it consistent.

Would I make blankets from this yarn again? No.  But overall, I'm happy with the blankets and very glad I made them. I like the way I chose to put the 4 different warp colors (scarlett, fuschia, light pink, and bright yellow), and I like my weft choices (brown and white, and blue and white). I had to buy the blue, and some white yarn to accomplish this but worked mostly from stash. 

Inspired by finishing something, I went looking for the other two towels that I wove in 2021. I cannot find them. So I sat down to finish spinning the 3 ply goat, and one of the footman on the wheel broke! I'd replaced the other footman late last year, and had a spare somewhere in the studio... After 30 minutes of searching I gave up but then found it after dinner. I should be able to finish up the plying this week, after my wheel Wrench replaces the footman for me.

CringeWorthy

I'm stuck on the stepping stone, and was debating whether to go on (it's just a stepping stone) or remake the part I don't like (circled in red). It's a plant. I'm unhappy enough with the red circled area to where I cringe when I look at it, so I'll be reworking that area. It's just a stepping stone, but it's MY stepping stone, and I want it right. I'll rework the design for the 2nd one.

Churning, and Cat Echo

I'm at a bit of a standstill... I think I've hit the point where I have too many hobbies and I'm context switching too much. It's been Studio time (weaving, spinning, sewing), some mosaic, piano, Greek language, and hiking plus some social time. I feel like I'm churning.

The two Baby Blankets are finished weeks ago and waiting for hemming... I'd like to finish them this week.  Incidentally the rest of the cotton classic will be great for some stashbuster Summer and Winter baby blankets!

The double huck class is coming along slowly; it's complicated; and I got stuck by thinking I had a threading error but it was really a treadling error. I think I'm going to do 4 repeats of each of her patterns for a sampler then work out something fun to do for the rest of the warp; hoping to start on that tomorrow.

I've been knitting on the Shiny sweater and am finally done with the body! I tried it on and it fits, though I'd like a longer band... we'll see what's left when I finish the sweaters. I have 2 balls and they're wound and I started one sleeve already.  Honestly am thrilled that it fits... 

I also did some work on one of the mosaic stepping stones but I don't like the result I'm debating whether to let it be a learning experience and go on to the next one or rework the area I don't like.

I need to add Christmas towels to my todo list. I have green, red, and white cotton and some excellent star patterns here and here. And maybe some mittens as Christmas presents.

I have a 2024 goal of getting all the fiber from the surfaces into the cabinets (or made into objects).  So I fluffed my yarn and established some order... And not only got more yarn back into the cabinets, but it's orderly; especially on the weaving side. My Housekeeper has noticed the studio is in better shape.

The cats... Echo or Shadow?

Here is a photo of the cats to distract me from being productive.

Here's an incomplete list of what is still homeless. Really, this is progress.

• A sweater's quantity of dark blue cashmere in a box under the desk.
• A random selection of mostly 18/2 wool as well as some linen and an interesting bulky yarn in a box under the desk.
• The 18/2 wool and Zephyr currently living on the shelves across from the laundry room.
• The big basket of yarn that wants to be fabric on the desk.
• The goat that I need to finish plying, then store all together, on the wheel and the cat tree.
• Some random piles of fabrics or yarns or fibers here and there. 
• There's wool in the garage...
• Oh yeah, and there's the collection of 8/2 cotton on top of the cabinet looking decorative.

It's probably worthwhile making a list of things I can finish quickly and get out of the studio: the baby blankets, the goat yarn, the sheep shirt, and there are two hand towels that wanted to be hemmed 3 years ago. Let's get these done!!

Project update...

The baby blankets are flying off the loom... I didn't get them finished during today's massive storm but they'll be done this week.. I also beamed the warp for the Double Huck class and have started winding a sample for yardage in Bronson lace (pine green 20/2 cotton).  On the Shiny sweater, I'm working through endless rounds of stockinette and am honestly not enjoying it a bit. 

Close up of blanket #2

It's time to start thinking of the OTHER neglected crafts for a bit. Just not sure what my plan of attack is.

Meanwhile, I cooked the other half of the 18 pound Thanksgiving Turkey that's been in the freezer since November... I got in my head that the turkey would benefit from the same spices as Peruvian roast chicken with cilantro sauce. It certainly worked but I think that chicken is the right bird for those flavors. Still, it was good; we had sauteed spinach and roasted potatoes with it.

DH was dead set on a red; so I brought out a Brouilly, which was pretty light but still red. Turns out he thought the cilantro sauce would be a red sauce. We think a lively white (Sauvignon Blanc? Albarino? Grüner?) would have been a better choice...

I also have my eye on this drop dead recipe for baked apple roses; I'm waiting to see if I can find wheat I can get along with for ruff puff; I have some (oddly enough) Turkey Red wheat flour coming later this week.

One thing that was bugging me that I finished was a large printing job for the Guild Library. It was a larger task than I thought it would be!