Thursday, April 23, 2009

Do you know what I just realized??

Hi!
Do you know what I just realized? This is a crafting blog and I spend most of my time talking about everything else!


So.....on to fiber news. I've been spinning alot lately. I still have to take pictures of some of my finished yarns from my wheel. I love my wheel! Single treadle, 2 speed. It spins lace weight like a dream. I've also made lots of sport and worsted. The wheel can handle every fiber I've thrown at it so far. I'm going to stain it a beautiful deep cherry.


I've amassed quite the collection of drop spindles. I have one I use for my neighbors alpaca. I plan on using it for making a lace collar for my granddaughters little dress. Meanwhile, my knitting machine has been sitting idle...poor baby.


I've been working on some fabric on the table loom. I don't know what I'm going to use it for yet, but I loved the pattern and the 3 colors I chose for warp n weft look really nice together.


Now the BIG news. My birthday is next weekend and I am driving up to Maine to pick up a new loom!!!!!!! Yes folks, I am finally getting a floor loom. I can't wait! It's a Harrisville 4 shaft 6 treadle with 36" weaving width! I love the Dorothy (above) but it's only 15" and with up to 36" I have lots of design options. I've made blankets and other large items on Dorothy, but that involves seams. I have been lusting after this loom for many years and now I'm getting it! Pictures will come next week. The best part is that it will fit in my car fully assembled and standing upright!

Something else I just realized. My liscense expires on my birthday. I hate DMV. Now I have to go.........argh

By the way, the Leclerc Dorothy 4 shaft is for sale. I am asking 300 but will consider any reasonable offer. I will not ship it, so pick up only or I can bring it to you if you are 100 miles away or less.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Spring might be here at last

Im not sure, but spring might finally be here in Vermont. Hard to say for sure, since it snowed on Easter! Anyway, it's been warm all week. Warm by my standards is 45 degrees, but it's been in the 50's here! I love it.
Check out the sunset from my porch the other evening!

In fiber news..... Im busting my hiney to create woven goodies, handspun yarns, needle felted animals and other things in time for the annual Jamacia Fiber Fest in Jamacia Vermont. I am hoping to have enough to be a vendor. For more information on the fiber festival, please go to http://www.margiesmuse.com/ Margie is an extremely talented fiber artist. A wiz on a weaving loom. Her shop is perfectly charming. If you are close enough to venture to this part of vermont you really should come for the fiber festival.

Boudica!!! It's hard to believe that she is already 5 months old!!! Not only that but she is a he. Regardless of what it is, it's loved. Boudica is starting to try to mimic some sounds and words. He's going to be a chatterbox. He loves to entertain and pose for the camera. Here are the most recent pics of my perfect fully grown up studmuffin.



Giving kisses Posing
Hoodie zipper attack!!!
Exploring the "back yard"

Now the snow is gone and all the ice has melted. It's time for exploration!! As you know from previous posts Im in the beautiful green mountains of Vermont. I have one in my "back yard" (see sunset pictures above). The first warm day I could, I got up the hill and took lots of great photos of streams, waterfalls and stone ledges. Because bears are on the move now, and the back yard is also the territory of a bobcat, I took my trusty sidekick Cricket for protection. (Ha! that's funny) Because it wouldn't be fair to leave her, I also took my daughters toy poodle. Fantastic protection against bears, huh? The poodle wouldn't be a bobcat mouthfull! Anyway, I took them both. They help find trails and fun. They also know where the good water is!! Yummy fresh water. Can't buy that in a bottle!! Here's what I saw. This is Aeolus Mountain.




Imagine what this will look like in May when the trees are all leafy!!