1st Annual Ingram Arts and Crafts

I have mentioned the 1st Annual Ingram Arts and Crafts Show to be held in Tupelo, OK on September 22, 2012 on my other blog Fabric Follies Two.  I'm a little late getting it up over here and I apologize for that.  It's been a busy month.

I love to weave.  Whether it's with my own hand spun or not, there's just something soothing about the rhythm and the immediate gratification that comes with something that comes together so beautifully and quickly.  This is the beginning of an envelope purse that I put together a couple of weeks ago.

This is how it turned out.. ;o)

These beaded stilettos are an exceptional tool when doing hand sewing.  It was very useful when making the coin purse below.

This fabric for this coin purse was at one time a sheet on our bed.. ;o)  I tore the 1/2 inch strips and then wove them onto a pocket weaving board (see photo in header), embroidered the ribbon rose grouping, sewed the back onto it and then cut and mounted it into the coin purse frame.

 These are hand spun embroidery threads.. most of them hand dyed using kool aid as the dye agent.

 Hand spun yarns, hand felted fabric.  All hand dyed or natural fiber.

 This needle book is made using hand spun.. on a spindle.. yarn, hand woven, hand spun and dyed embroidery yarn, hand felted fabric inside.  The only part not hand made is the cotton lining and sewing machine thread used to sew it in.

 Yarn, yarn and more yarn.. ;o)

These hand spun yarns were Rit dyed.  This was my first foray into the acid dyes.

There will be much more at the Show..  My Uncle Bobby is the most amazing "whittler" you have ever seen... He will be showing his planes and guns..  My Aunt Betty is a wonderful artist.  There will be other art projects shown also.. If you are near .. we would love to have you!

This Day In My Life.... September 8, 2011

Today is: Thursday...  September 8, 2011

I got up this morning:  wondering why in the world I spent half the night dreaming about spinning cotton...!!  Could it be the Akha and Tahkli lessons (wonderful, by the way) that  Pat and I took at Apple Leef Farm?  If you ever have a chance you should absolutely stop by and visit with Leef and Les.  Look around the shop.. you'll be glad you did.

This is the Akha and Indian punis that I just love.  This has become my go-to project for taking with me almost everywhere I go.

As I look out my windows:  I am loving this respite from 2 months of upper 90s but mostly 100-111° days.  It's 63° out there right now and we are loving life..;o)  Grass fires all over the state have taken their toll, including several smaller ones around here. (One burned 1,000 acres .. another burned 3,000 acres).  I suppose this is not much when you consider that the fire around Bastrop, TX  killed 2 people, burned nearly 800 homes and blackened 45 square miles (33,000 acres).  NOAA says that in some areas of Texas it would take 20 inches of rain in one day to stop the drought.  ;o(  Surely this Long Hot Summer will end soon.

I am thinking:  that I have an almost free week coming up next week.  A very good time to get some arranging done around the house.  I'm thinking that would be a good thing.. ;o)

One thing I've learned over the past week:  is that if you keep a pad and pencil at hand beside you're chair when you're trying an original knitting pattern.... it's really easy to write it down row by row as you are doing it... instead of trying to go back and figure out what you did when you decide the pattern is one you want to keep... duh  ;o)

This is the pattern that taught me ..lol  These are wristlets that go with the Old Shale scarf I knitted.  The free pattern for these wristlets will be on Fabric Follies Two in a day or two.

Creatively:  this last month has been one of overwhelming thought processes...lol  A Tahkli, Akha, and Charkha class, a Card Weaving class, and an Intermediate Spinning Class all in one month..  wow... a lot to absorb.. ;o)   But fun.. thanks to Leef Bloomenstiel at Apple Leef Farm.   No more classes for a while.  Must spend some time practicing the 1/2 of what was taught that I actually remember.. lol  Thank goodness Leef gives lots of good handouts!   And nothing makes these more fun than going with a friend.. Thanks, Pat.

Things I am thankful for:  my sweet DH who supports all of my interests and never says a word.. ;o)  Except to really enjoy it with me... I love you, honey.

Plans for the rest of the week:  do NOT include more classes.. ;o)  Must get some things done around the house.  Sooo looking forward to visits from special friends this fall. ;o)

I'm hungry.. ;o)  Time to get around and fix some breakfast.  And... speakin' of... I'll put up my try at making granola in a couple of days.. turns out really good..;o)

Have a wonderful day... and don't forget that hugs will make you live longer...!!  ;o)

Yarn Preparation for Spinning

It seems as I continue to work with my spinning wheel that the yarn preparation for me right now takes about 2 times as much time as the actual spinning. I strip the roving, draft it into the bowl and then spin it.

The yarn skein has about 52 yards and the niddy noddy has 48 yards of Navajo triple plied yarn. With the spinning and the plying, each set took about an hour apiece. The prep work on the other hand about twice that long apiece. hmmm.... Do you suppose watching Midsomer Murders during the prep work had anything to do with that?

As I am still very new to this, I find it a bit amazing that the spot dyed roving in the upper pic can turn into this yarn that I am calling Old Fashioned Candy. It really looks like the Old Fashioned Candy sticks that can still be found in the big jars at Cracker Barrel restaurants..grin