On the Loom, Fall is Here

 As it starts to get colder, I am more drawn to my loom. This is the smaller loom and it ended up in my bedroom the last time that I had company. Since the end of March, if I remember correctly. I got sick of tying on the warp because the cotton kept getting tangled. When it started showing up in my dreams this past week and I was seeing what some other weavers were doing, I ruthlessly cut the rest of the warp off and decided to weave what was already on. This photo was taken Saturday morning. I have about 40 inches on it now and will finish it today or tomorrow. The green yarns that I had originally planned on using have long since sold in the shop! Had to spin a fresh batch.

 I am now working my way through the adult angora goats. This is Barbara's daughter and she was very stoic about the whole shearing things. She has been tossed on her back, lain on her side and been on the stand in the past. I do most of the shearing on the stand and then have my husband Marc hold them while I shear the legs and belly. The advantage to doing the shearing myself is that I can handle the animal and the fleece and throw out the felted and crummier parts of the fleece as I go and NOT cut off a teat!

 A close up of Barbara's fleece. It is for sale at $3/oz raw or $40 a pound. Long and nice enough to be doll hair.

 Marc is luring the goats to the hayfield which we plan to fence.

 Breeding season makes for strange bedfellows. Missed the shot of where Rosemary was doing some cuddling and kissing.

Last pumpkin of the season might not ripen, but chickens will not care!

Spinartiste, TKGA, Supercoils

 I am offering the above as a giveaway through Spinartiste's website. Check out the article (on me!) and see, if you do not learn something new.

 A photo of my booth from the Knit and Crochet Show in Indianapolis. Made new friends (check out Nancy George who will be designing using my yarns) and got lots of spinning in!

 Got home to find out that my garden was overflowing. Have to admit my ignorance. Not featured in this photo are some spaghetti squash that I had been picking thinking that they were summer squash. Only figured it out because the squash got too big to be summer squash.

Here are some of the yarns that I spun in Indianapolis. I spun the thick and then and then coiled here at home. Let me know, if you see one that you want and I can send specifics.

Textile Museum, New Yarns and Dairy Goats

My presentation at the Washington, DC, Textile Museum on "Fiber Connections: The Art and Science of Weaving" went really well. I had a very enthusiastic audience who plied me questions, so I know they were interested. Above is one of the three shawls that I used as a basis for my talk. I loved how the supercoils created the look of a bouquet by just draping it a certain way. It and the more traditional (but still with art yarn) shawl will be for sale at my Chantilly show this coming weekend. I rarely do all white, so will dye them, if they do not sell in the next six months.

This was the third piece that came off the loom.  It was dyed at the Greater Baltimore Weavers' Guild meeting in October. It is not quite long enough to be a shawl or scarf, so I am looking at it as a piece of material that will become something one day.

A friend wanted a picture of what my studio currently looks like. Two weeks ago it was very tidy because I taught an art yarn class. You can see that as I get busy and inspired, piles start to accumulate. I am getting more Internet orders, which makes me happy. Repeat customers always become friends.

I di not include a picture of the Gaithersburg boot, because it would be a case of find the changes. I am using a set way of setting up, so I can save time and find things easier. The Gaithersburg show was really worth doing. I like art shows because people are looking for all sorts of things - and usually the unusual. My yarn scarves are selling well here, so I think the move from Tucson will be worth it.

 I am busy spinning yarns for Chantilly. Since the supercoils and elastic yarns are doing so well, I am spinning one of each in each colorway. I am currently spinning a "Monet" green with ivory beads. I hope to have time to spin one freeform yarn.

And, as if that is not enough, Marc and I went to pick up Rosemary (on the left) from the East Rivendell Farm in Damascus, Maryland. Last year I spent more money on powdered milk replacer for the babies, that I had to bottlefeed, than it would have cost me to buy a dairy goat. Notice in the picture that there are two goats? The younger one, who I have still not named, was an afterthought. While I was cleaning out stalls in preparation for her arrival, I remembered how loud the Nubian goats are and that all goats do not speak the same language. Marc agreed to let me get a second one. I am going to breed her to an angora buck. She is over 6 months old and larger than a lot of my adult angoras. I let Marc pick her out. She is super friendly - but she sure is loud!