Garden Mystery in Woolwork

Do you know the Ricky Nelson song "Garden Party"?

I've been listening to oldies XM station and this song

popped into my head when I saw this stitch along in

wool.

"Went to a garden party to reminisce with my old friends

A chance to share old memories and play our songs again
When I got to the garden party, they all knew my name"

If you know that song, it can be an ear worm for you now!

Farmhouse Threads is hosting this SAL on their blog--

each Friday for several weeks, you can download a 

different pattern from each blog--

it's a chance to meet other woolmakers and see

their products.

Happy Stitching in a garden of wool!

February 2nd, Rhonda McCray, Farmhouse Threads

www.farmhousethreads.com

February 9th, Kathi Campbell, Heart to Hand

www.hearttohand.com

February 16th, Linda and Donna, My Red Door Designs

www.myreddoordesigns.com

February 23rd, Kathy and Taylor, The Cottage at Cardiff Farms

www.thecottogeatcardifffarms.com

March 2nd, Lisa Bongean, Primitive Gatherings

www.primitivegatherings.us

March 9th, Shawn York, The Rusty Crow

www.rustycrow.com

March 16th, Jeni Gaston, Woolen Willow Designs

www.woolenwillowdesigns.com

March 23rd, Debbie Busby, Wooden Spool Designs

www.woodenspooldesigns.com

March 30th, Joyce Weeks, Geoff’s Mom Pattern Co.

www.geoffsmompatterns.com

April 6th, Gloria, Vicky and Heather, Olde Green Cupboard

www.oldegreencupboard.com

April 13th, Laurel Arestad, Simply Put Plus

www.simplyputplus.com

April 20th, Joan Grenke, Bits and Pieces by Joan

www.bitsandpiecesbyjoan.com

April 27th, finishing instructions by Rhonda McCray, Farmhouse Threads

www.farmhousethreads.com

Towels-Towels-Towels--Handwoven!!

Our WOW (Way Out West) Weaver study group is continuing their year long study of

handwoven towels.

February we talked about Principles of design as we looked at each towel.

Barbara's shadow weave towels had balance and pattern

She does an excellent work with her  12 Harness weave structure

We can also see Repetition in the usage of stripes

Marion showed her "play" towel--this towel had

pattern and movement with the texture 

We have a new weaver, who had her rigid heddle towel

Her cottolin towel had a soft hand and used repetition in the weave.

Can you see the small skips in the warp?  

This cotton towel uses variety in the design

Gretchen wants to weave this towel again--

it has the hand and drape that one enjoys in a towel.

It is cottonlin with single linen as weft--

To me this is balance in the strip effect.

How about movement this handwoven!

Front and back keep your eye moving 

Love this one!  Not balanced but movement unifies 

the towel

Overshot gives this rhythm--I can just feel the

treadles as you walk through the design

Marion C enjoys this color selection.

Three towels from one warp!  Yes!

Variety is a factor here

Karen I used emphasis:  will make one area stand out by contrasting it with

other areas.  The area is different in size, color, texture and shape.

She enjoyed changing the sett to weave unique towels

Purple and yellow compliments each other--

Tracy used a hand-dyed yarn to add balance to the strips

Here is another Karen towel--emphasis on color

Karen plays with color combinations by wrapping her

yarns on cards--this way you can see if the colors

'play' right with each other

Karen used thick and thin method in M's and O's weave.

What design principle does this cover?  

Balance, emphasis, movement, pattern, repetition,

proportion, rhythm, variety, unity?

Gerry used 16/2 cotton for this interesting weave--

how cool is this?

Scharine had two "Spots and Dashes" towels--

Lisa's towels are well loved--these are some of the

first towels she wove--

We also talked about the recent linen workshop with

 Jetta Vandermeiden

Each warp used different linen yarn--this one used

16/2 linen in lace weave--which gives long floats

on the reverse side

This warp was 35/2 linen

Barbara had a shawl to show--12H advancing twill in Tencel

lovely, shimmering hand with nice drape!

This is so much to learn about design principles--

Sew Something Patriotic!

Alycia Quilts offers a free Mystery QAL (quilt along).

Alycia is the Colorado Quilt of Valor co-ordinator.

She makes sure that each veteran receives a patriotic

quilt as a tangible thank you for their service.

January 31 was the day she released the fabric 

requirements for the next mystery, which she is 

calling 'scrappy'!  Finds my stash just fine.

Maybe, you'll join along with me as we sew for our vets!

Fabric Requirements:

This quilt is a really scrappy quilt – so I am going to give you estimates of yardage. I grabbed from my scrap bins and used those first…

Reds:  1 ½ yards  Pick a variety

White: 2 ½ yards   I used a Variety, but one white will work as well

Dark Blues: 1 ½ yards Lots of them – the smallest piece you will be using is a 3 ½ inch square

Light Blues 1 ½ yards  ( ½ yard of 3 different lt blues)

Backing

Batting

Binding

Approximate Finished Size is 62 inches x 80 inches

If you prefer a pdf Head over to my Craftsy store and the PDF will be there for downloads -

Spin-in Treasures!

Sometimes at January spin-in, I have time to shop--

mostly before the participants arrive in the morning

or after they leave in the evening.

I did find this lovely 50/50 merino/silk blend

at Dicentra Designs booth--"Russian Puppet"--

love Lisa's names for her fibers!

This was a gift from my partner (the other half of my brain!)

Handspun natural color cotton!

And a Cowl--although, not purple--it suits me just fine!

Another pretty from Lisa @ Dicentra Designs is

this felted reversible shawl--soft and drapey,

I couldn't resist!

The front side combines many techniques

and textures--wool/silk roving on

silk backing

Yummy! Yummy--colors just like the Gulf of

Mexico waters on Destin beaches

I have three sets of HiYa Hiya interchangeable knitting needles

and love them--when talking with lace maker extraordinary Fran--

 one who knit this fabulous lace shawl.

She said she uses ChiaoGoo Needles 

I just had to try them!  Amazon here I come!

and the needles arrive within two days!

I rarely use needles above size 8--this set is perfect!  

So anxious to try them out on my lace knitting projects.

Time To Say Good-bye..............

Yelp, it's rolled around again--time to say goodbye to our wonderful spin-in friends.  Treasures have been bought, prizes received, nonsense skits, pleasures held, learning experiences gathered and lots of hugs and laughter!  Vendors shelves are little more bare.  Packing is bittersweet--  we'll meet again next January-- and as the carts roll out of the conference room, we say many good-byes.

Just a short time ago, the room was full with laughter,

spinning wheels, and energy!

And this is the way it looked after everyone packed up--

sigh, the energy has left the building along with 

all the beautiful colorful fibers and spinners..

We go away with thoughts of next year's challenge--

Purple Cowl 

I imagine there will be alot of happy people!

Such Creative Folks!

One Hundred and Twenty folks all have the same interest at heart!

Here we are sharing our talents, experiences, creativity and

nonsense.

If a newcomer enters, a circle will widen up to

open their arms to those who do not have a group.

Vendors are enjoying the captive shopping audience plus

we offer 'blue light' opportunities for those sale features.

This booth has their Saori looms warped and ready

to be woven on--maybe you want to take one home.

The vendor is ready and willing to assist you with

your purchase.

One of the challenges from 2017 was 'Green Fibers'

Here is one example of how to combine four different

fibers into a wearable scarf--spun, blended and plied--

all natural fibers.

What to do with an outstanding colorful skein of yarn?  Crochet

this lovely pattern--"Virus"  a free pattern on Ravelry.

We also have a money pig that collects funds for charity.

you add to the pig, name your charity with your name.

on the final day, we pull one name and you get to take

the pig money to your charity.

How about this for creativity?  Embroidery floss jacket!!

She knit this rainbow of embroidery floss--this is the warm side

This is the cool side--how does a mind work that this?

Short Rows!  Knitting with handspun wool using short rows

creates this wonderful lightweight jacket

And the scalloped edge adds additional interest

Talk about lace knitting!!  What a lovely silk shawl worn by

Fran

Beads and all helps with the theme--"Baubles, Bangles, Beads"

What do I work on?  Knitting on this jacket--three days of work=

maybe an inch for the ribbing...

I'm not working on exquisite lace or embroidery floss jacket--

I don't feel so creative...................