debor048

I decided to utilize ALL the shuttles I had on hand, which added up to be 13.  I divided it almost in half of dark and light yarn and then I have been randomly using rotating through the darks and lights.  I think it looks better with more colors!  There are more pinwheels popping out. I tried following the colors in a specific order, starting at the right but it didn't seem to make a difference one way or another.  I think the thing that makes it look better is the amount of colors available to rotate through.  I still want to try the original pattern that my friend used though.  I'll get this part long enough to call it a towel after it's been washed and then I will re-tie up the treadles.  Or maybe I'll aim for more of the half way point because I do like what I'm seeing now!  Here's the other pattern I want to try: This other pattern allows less "plain weave" in-between the pinwheels that exist in the pattern I'm using now.  I think that ...

 Good news!  The more I weave, the more I like these towels! They play tricks on your eyes.  Sometimes you can't always see a pinwheel, but if you look at it differently, like closer or further away, you can see them.  They kind of pop out after awhile!  It's pretty neat.  And colorful!  I have to admit, I like the original pattern I saw more, but this isn't bad for just using what I had on hand.  I'm not one to go out and buy a bunch of yarns for a project... right now anyway.  Maybe someday! Also, it's good to note that the original design was woven in a slightly different pinwheel pattern.  Once I finish this particular pattern, I might try the same pattern my friend tried.  It might make all the difference and I might be even closer to matching it.  Also, the original design weft followed the same warp color order.... which also might make a difference, but that's an awful lot of thought to put towards it. I'm kind...

So far, I'm not putting much thought into the color rotations, mainly because the baby has sucked my brains dry right now, and I just don't want to put a lot of thought into it anyway.  I just like the whole free-range weaving theory... just let it go.  "Light, dark, light, dark" is all I'm working about right now!  It's summer-time weaving... my favorite season!  Although I'm not sure I told you the good news yet!  I'm going back part-time next school year.  I am going to job share with another teacher who also had a son 6 days before me, and she too named her son David!  What a small world!  We also went to the exact same university at the exact same time!  She's also from Arizona, and her mom and my mom have the same first names.  I'm sure there's more, but we'll have to discover it as we go along.  Anyway, I will work 2 days, and she'll work 2 days.  It will be WONDERFUL!  I can already tell by my stress levels being s...

This is from the Sept/Oct 2014 Handwoven magazine!  I love getting articles in it! It's on pg 20 and 21!  Enjoy!

One thing I learned right away when utilizing nap time is this: always put chores first and then fun second.  And when putting chores first, that means washing all the dirty bottles before doing any other chore to get them ready for the next feeding... because it could be any second!  And at this age, it seems as if it's hourly during the day.  So bottles first, then other chores, THEN the fun! And we're having some fun today!  I am at the jumping off point... that fun point right at the beginning where you're not quite sure if this is going to work or not, where you're hoping for the best, but bracing yourself for the worst, and also that point where you are so excited you don't have a single ounce of being tired of the project yet!  That's where I am right now...  And now for some more fun time! We love reading time with David!  We try to do this every single day, no matter what.  So far, we have accomplished doing this almost every day!  ...

You know me, I love colors!!! I'm a color mixer!  I have a hard time settling for just a few! Speaking of colors, we had fun with the RGB LEDs and the arduino prototype the other day during tummy time... however, I learned REAL quick that tummy time and electronics may not mix too well!

A friend of mine contacted me and asked me if I wanted some of her baby things from her baby boy.  She was done having kids and her son is now 3.  I said sure!  She came over and filled my living room with goodies!  I have clothes for little David from now until he is 3 years old!  And all the clothes are in such great condition and look hardly worn.  She also brought toys and little jumpers and walkers for David to sit in!  It was like Christmas in summer!  To think my friend, I wanted to make her some dishtowels and I knew that she liked colors, but she told me that she absolutely, positively, without a shadow of doubt hates, despises, and avoids the color pink and any shade of pink what-so-ever in every situation.  Well, it was a good thing I asked because I almost gave her that pink scarf I just made that has all those shades of pink in them!!  Awhile back, a friend on ravelry posted this project on ravelry.  When I saw it, I w...

Today's color is... BLUE! Look at all those blues!  I also finished crocheting another kitty... one in BLUE and one in green!     Now we have a family of 4 kitties! They really do multiply fast! Wait a minute... one of these things is not quite like the other... Mr. Gnome, how did you get there?

 Here are the bloomers!  I used the big butt pants pattern made by Rae ... but I made them into shorts with elastic at the legs.  The back: When next to each other, the pants appear like they will be too big, but I'm not really sure how all this will fit as a set.  The dress was marked as 12 months while the pants are 6-12 months... so hopefully it will all work out ok.  If they stick out the bottom of the dress, that is ok.  Also, I know from experience that the diaper part takes up a lot of space and should pull the pant length up quite a bit... probably to the knees at least, but I'm not sure where the dress will fall. No matter how they fit together, they turned out so cute! I know for sure that they will be loved and worn, even if it's not together as a set!  :) In other news, David is babbling A LOT!  He loves talking to black kitty!  Here he is telling black kitty some elaborate story!

David's cousin, who is 5 months older, lives in Seattle and I have been making her clothing during David's nap time.  Usually I make things that I've already made for David and know the pattern really well, however, I really wanted to make her a little jumper so I had to find a new pattern.  This pattern came from here .  I'm using the 12 month pattern so it will definitely fit by the time I ship it! up close of front: I used music fabric for the top because her dad (Brian's brother) went to the University of Washington to study music.  Brian's mom and I have secretly been planning this project.  I couldn't find the fabric in this area, so she went shopping in Washington and shipped it to me! I still want to make some little bloomers in matching fabric to go underneath it!  I hope she likes them! And now, a little bit o' David!

Another kitty is done!  I made this one during several of David's nap times.  It is a black kitty made from Red Heart polyester yarn and an H crochet hook.  At first I was afraid the stuffing would show through horribly, but I didn't pack it tight and you can't see it!  I also sewed little pouches to hold the plastic beads that are in the hands, feet, and bottom of the kitty so they won't fall out the crochet holes and get eaten by a little guy!  Overall it made for a much better kitty than the pink one.  It's more flexible and soft.  I hope David will enjoy the crocheted kitties for many years to come!

Daily walks are included here!  Before this little guy was born, I would exercise anywhere form 4-6 miles daily.  And I never stopped!  I swear this is what made my recovery from the c-section go so well. Here are just a few of the things we need to survive a walk in the desert.  It's only 6:30 in the morning, but notice we have the umbrella for shade in this desert heat.  It is also wind-proof up to 55 miles an hour... which really is a concern here!  It's an amazing object and now that I've experienced it, I'm not sure how I did without it.  I have yet to try it out in the rain though! The pants and socks are to shade the baby's feet and legs from the sun... because really, I can't see his feet very easily to make sure they're covered all the time.  Also, we have a water pack that holds my 2 liters of water, plus a bottle for the baby and a bag of formula  and a diaper... because you never know when or where you will need those things....

 oooooh!  aaahhh!! The experiment of 2/2 twill hounds tooth woven in worsted weight polyester yarn worked out so well!  The weave is so incredibly stable! I think I will do it as a blanket in doubleweave...  in black and white! Now I just need to figure out the doubleweave pattern! And to go with that snazzy scarf, here is a new outfit for a great day out on the town! I made all of these things this week while the little guy napped!  I love sewing for him!  He's like a real live doll to play with!

I don't really know what the lure is of hounds tooth, but it is a really neat classic design!  I feel like I have definitely woven my share of it! Right now I am working on a 2/2 twill hounds tooth scarf in worsted weight yarn sett at 8 epi.  I am hoping to get a feel for what a doubleweave blanket would look like woven in similar yarn (maybe different colors...).  What I really like the most about this weave is how sturdy it feels compared to the 8-shaft version with floats that are 4 threads long.  The 8-shaft version feels so flimsy and the yarn can catch on rings, zippers, or other things.  As 2/2 twill, the longest floats are only 2 threads long, and I really like how solid it is weaving up.  And now, a word from our sponsor.... bubble boy!

Before the baby was born, I had several weaving jobs lining up, with more potential on the way.  Baby wraps were popular, woven stuffed animals, and people wanting dishtowels.  I have had a lot of random people contact me for work, and I used to take every job I could find and think I was pretty lucky for having it.  However, right before the baby was born, I became completely burned out on weaving.  Partly it was my hands going numb from the water weight, but it was also because all I was weaving were things for other people, and not from inside my own head and heart.  And the money was only somewhat enjoyable.  I have decided to weave only for myself now and limit the jobs I take on. Also, another change that I have noticed in myself lately is that my warps are a lot shorter.  When I would have put a 7-8 yard dishtowel warp on, now I'm choosing 3 yards and making fewer.  This is partly because my time is more limited, and also my attention span ...