Farm Show

Had fun last week representing the Butler Guild by doing a weaving

demonstration at the Butler Farm Show.

The spinners hand spun Linda's beautifully prepared wool rolags

into yarn for weaving. 

I warped enough for two scarves and wove the second one at home.

The weft for the second scarf was a miscalculated warp

from a demo last year.  Glad I hung onto it because I had just

enough to weave off the scarf!  

The medium blue weft really makes the colors pop..

One more demo to go.  Next stop...

Indiana County Fair

All about the process..

I have a soft spot for samples.

Mini collections make my heart sing.

A fellow guild member offered to let me borrow her 

set of vintage dye samples...

LOVE!!!

I've come to realize for me it is more 

about the process.

Samples for the next guild warp I am dyeing.

It will have a total of eleven custom colors.

A friend lovingly arranged them for me.

I took a photo that was perfect.  None of my

crazy dye tags attached and then I realized those

tags are a beautiful part of the process.

~

Woodland Warp..

Next up..

.. dyeing a woodland warp for the guild's 

sheep-to-shawl team heading to Waynesburg in May.

Planning on getting started on that tomorrow.  

Also hoping to finish the final master weaving project..

well.. at least weave another quarter of it!

~

Saxon Blue...

Being that I've never tried Saxon Blue natural dye, I thought it best

to try a few samples before attempting to dye the guild's

sheep-to-shawl warp.

A dear friend gave me this vintage dye book.  As I opened the front cover I noticed

it was autographed on the inside!  After posting the photo on Instagram I got a message from a friend in Montana ~ she went and dug her copy out and it was autographed too!

That little book was the only one that mentioned Saxon Blue.  

Not much information that I can find on the internet either.  

Following the instructions included in the package the first sample went in the pot.  

It was dyed first with a light fustic yellow in hope of getting a spring green.

MINT.

The bottom collection of samples were all Saxon Blue.

I pretty much tried everything:

different yellows

different depth of shade

different modifiers in the dye bath

.. but mostly the blue wouldn't strike.

The water would be a lovely green but when the yarn came out..yellow.

It was an interesting day and I'll continue to research, but 

today I am making an indigo vat to get the spring greens I need.

Couldn't resist a snap of the gorgeous moon last night as we sat

at the campfire.  

Now... back to the drawing board.

~

Grit

There is no doubt in my mind that weaving is a *skill that can take

a lifetime to learn.

Volunteering to weave for a demonstration is a good way to make 

an *effort in learning.

All I can say is .. good thing I started the sample early!

This hand dyed warp:

Shrunk, plumped, was mis-measured,

beamed twice, and turned into Gumby stretchy on the loom.

While the yarn is soft, it has made me

.. "GRITTY"..

I just started reading a book called:

'Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance'

by Angela Duckworth

She defines 'grit' as the combination of perseverance and passion.

For now I'll just keep on weaving.

With all the extra yardage from a measuring error, I'm going 

to be here for a while...but I won't be gritting my teeth..

*skill x *effort = achievement

: )

~

Out like a lion..

Savoring a bouquet of daffodils as the weather has turned cold again.

March seems to be going out like a lion.  Lots of wind and cold.  

Meet 'Sonora Blue'.. 

named after an early spring butterfly.

She's a new favorite.

Happy Monday everyone!!

~