Sunflower

Sunflower

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Ummmm......

  " Lemme esplain. No, there is too much. Lemme sum up."
   Since August I have moved, had kids start school (3 of them in high school), had a nasty flare up of my gastroparesis, been diagnosed with advanced degenerative disc disease in my neck, and had changes in my duties and partner at my day job. I have not had much time to weave except for the little purses, which I can do at work during my lunch time. Once I finished my beach mat (yeah, I got it done. I haven't taken any pics yet), I had to leave my loom naked so we could move.
   But now things are a little less crazy. The chiropractor working on my neck made the gastroparesis go away, we are happy and (mostly) unpacked in our apartment, and I'm getting used to the new work partner. Oh, and I have warp for some viking twill linen towels tied on to the loom and ready for weaving.
   Let's see if I can post again this month, with pictures this time! Cross you fingers, but don't hold your breath!
   P.S.-Can you name the movie I quoted at the beginning?

Friday, August 12, 2011

Too cute not to share

Warning: This blog has nothing to do with weaving. If you don't like that, tough noogies. This is my blog and I'll put on it what I want.
   I was getting ready for work this past week, brushing my waist-length hair in the bathroom, when I noticed Baby Girl was actually up before noon. (Bedtimes pretty much go bye-bye during the summer at my house.) She asked if she could braid my hair for me. She had to stand on the toilet so she could reach! It was really cute, and she did a pretty good job too.
   Baby Girl is my youngest, my 10-year-old, the child I was pregnant with when my world fell apart and I found out what betrayal feels like. My last baby. She will probably be the last to leave the nest, and that day can take forever coming.
   If she wants to send me to work with 20 pony tails in my hair, I will probably let her.  Before I know it she will be too old, in her mind, to play with Momma's hair.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

I have a new toy!

  The Husband and I were at Goodwill last Sunday, looking for a computer desk for him.  I was looking at some exercise pants and he wanders off.  When he comes back, he says he found something I would love.  He was right.

  So far as I can tell, this Singer was made in Italy, some time after 1934.  This sucker is all metal, comes in its own cabinet, and WORKS.  I had to buy a pin to hold to the thread spool since it is missing, but is otherwise in excellent shape. I can't wait to use it!
   Ga-head, ask me how much. Ga-head.
  $30!
  Goodwill is an awesome place.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

I'm not at work, nyah, nyah, nyah!!

  I am off today and tomorrow, so I am actually able to get some weaving done.  I haven't been able to do a whole lot lately, and not just because of work stuff.  Depression is a bit of a problem in my family and I've been having a round of it lately.  I am getting better, though, as shown by the fact that I have gotten some weaving done and have started some new things!
    Isn't that just the cutest little thing?!  I got it from http://ruthsweavingprojects.blogspot.com/2011/06/little-bags.html, but she weaves hers around cardboard. I didn't know how that would work with the pins you have to use so I thought to use this:

.....which I got from.....
It's a little cooler that they deliver IV meds in at work.  I saw it and thought, "That'll work", took it home, and went after it with a pocketknife.  I didn't do a bad job at sewing the zipper in either.
   I also FINALLY finished my sampler band.
    The big loom is in a slow process of being warped with a 30 epi project that is the complete width of my loom, 32 inches, i.e. lots of yarn.  Lots and lots of yarn ends.  I ran out of heddles.  Can you hear the reluctance to work on this project?  Warping a loom is the least favorite part of weaving for me, so I will be very glad when I am done with it and can just WEAVE.
    I can't quite believe it but I have been weaving more than I've been reading.  And I read A LOT.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

It's a Textural Thing

  I was thinking on my drive home the other day about how much of a place texture has in my life.  And I don't mean just the weaving thing, although I do go for the softer yarns, like wool and alpaca, but also food and what I wear. 
   When I was a little one, I had a blankie with a silk edge that I liked to rub on when I was going to sleep.  Then the blankie was taken away, and I started playing with my hair. I twirl it, I twist it, I rub on it when my hands aren't doing anything else.  And I have a lot of hair to play with.  With which to play. Whatever.
   One lady at work calls me Twiddles. Because I still do it.
  Also, there are foods I won't eat because of their texture. Coconut, for example, and shrimp. There is just something about how it feels in my mouth that makes me refuse to eat it. 
  Now, I know it's not just me that is like this. What won't you eat because it feels icky?  What do you like or do because it makes your fingertips happy?

Saturday, March 19, 2011

I was in Heaven today


  Otherwise known as the Arts and Crafts Festival of Fairhope, Alabama. I love when Artsfest rolls around!  They have everything and anything you can think of there.  Including lots of people, from all over the country.  I saw a couple of weavers, one was busy with a customer so I didn't talk to her, but the other is Vickie Vipperman of Kingston Springs, Tennessee.   Her website is here,  She had some very lovely things.
   Another person I talked to was an oil painter by the name of Harry Jarman, and this painting blew me away.

    It's just some eggshells!!  But his use of light is AMAZING! One of his other paintings won Best of Show.  I bought a little copy of a painting he did of a half-peeled lemon. You can see it on his website here.
   I am going back tomorrow, too, with the kids. The first day I go by myself so I can see what I want to see.
   So, yeah, no weaving really done today. But I still have 6 more hours before I have to go to bed.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Life is busy


   So very busy!  I have almost finished weaving the rag rugs, and will need to start thinking about what to do next. I am thinking either cottolin towels for my kitchen (if the cottolin ever gets here!), or beach towels/mats for my Etsy site. I have not yet made either before.
  I have several bands I'd like to show y'all that I've made.

   These are some of my first inkle bands, so don't be too harsh.:) And here is my "sampler" band.
When I am done with it I'll take some more pictures so you can see the patterns clearly.
  Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone!

Saturday, March 5, 2011

And now you know

   Hello, my name is Nicole, and I am a procrastinator.
   And my camera appears to have died. It says the batteries are dead and THEY ARE BRAND NEW! Can you feel the frustration?
   That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
   So, anyway, I finished two rugs from that warp I mentioned before, and I still have a butt-load of warp to go. I may be able to make up to two more! I showed one to the doctor whose lab coats they were, and he thought it was neat.
   Now I just need to hem the rugs (I decided against fringe), and retie the warp so I can keep weaving.
   Also, I was added to a fiber cybershop, www.squidoo.com/fave-fiber-artists, where they have my eyelash shawl listed. Cool, huh?
   To all the southern states that celebrate it, Happy Mardi Gras (almost)! Laissez les bons temps rouler! Can't wait until it is over and downtown traffic in Mobile gets back to normal!

Thursday, February 3, 2011

The continuing saga of the rag rug


   So I finally got to do some work on my rag rug, beaming it onto the back beam. It took a while because its 94 inches or so. And I kept stopping to watch Sons of Guns on Discovery channel. I like when they blow stuff up.  Hee!
   Anyway, I was wrong about the colors I am using. Mahogany is in between the stripes and outer edges, one stripe is aqua and gold, the other is wine, pink, and slate gray.  Now I just need to tie it onto the front, make sure the tension is good, and start weaving. Once I get my ski shuttle I ordered. I won a football bet with Husband so I got money to get what I wanted. War Eagle!
   Here is what my first rug looks like, the one in my kitchen (obviously).
   Yeah, its a little dirty. Fortunately I can just toss it in the washer and its good.
    Now it is time for all good little girls to get their butts to bed so they can get up again in 6 hours and have a "fun" day at work. (Did you hear the sarcasm? I don't think it translates very well on here.) G'night!
    Next time, some of the rug will be woven ( I hope) and maybe I'll show you my inkle bands.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Ok, here we go!

So, I have finally given in and decided to blog. What the hey, so many others are, why not me? Here we go!
    Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Nicole Neal. I am a wife, mom of four, weaver, spinner, among other things.   My Eldest Son is almost 18 <shudder>, Eldest Daughter is 14, Second Daughter is also 14 (stepdaughter), and Baby Girl is 10. I have been weaving for about 9 years or so. My husband and I have been married 5 years. I will endeavor to keep this blog on topic, which would be my weaving, but don't be surprised if I go off on numerous tangents. I am, by no means, a master weaver, but what I learn I would like to share with you. I may occasionally say something funny. Let me rephrase, that others will find funny.
    Right now I am working on a rag rug for my side door that my husband has been asking me to make for a while.  I already have one in front of our stove that I made from a Handwoven article. This time I have made it up myself and kinda overcounted in my planning, but it will be okay.  The cotton carpet warp is in groups of aqua and gold, slate gray, rose, and maroon, and a rich brown in between the groups and at the edges.  The rag will be strips I tore up from lab coats one of the doctors I work for was discarding. (I was rather amused by the multiple ink stains at the bottom  of the pockets!) I have a 32" 4 harness Ashford table loom with the treadle stand that the rug is on, and I also have an inkle loom that I am weaving a sample band of pickup. I am much better with the big loom than the inkle, but I am working on it.
    That's a picture of my loom in the family room.  I let the Kids stay up as late as they want on Friday nights in the hope that they will sleep late and let me have the family room to myself on Saturday mornings!  Sometimes it works, sometimes ....
    Well, until next time, readers!  I gotta get to bed. I will try to blog every couple of days, or at least once a week.  Next time, pictures of my rag rug started! Pinky swear!