Thursday, March 26, 2009

Big Sigh of Relief

Last week I found a really ugly small growth on Miss Bea's right rear leg. Irregular in shape and rather angry looking. I was sure this had to go and very worried that it could be cancerous. She's of an age when these things start, at about 12. An appointment made for Tuesday and I had planned to leave her for what I thought was imminent surgery.
Dr. Beth takes a good look, scraps around and looks at me and states it's a wart. A WART!!!! No need to remove it unless it starts to bother her or we have her in and under for something else. Needless to say, I bundled my little blonde bombshell back into the car for the ride home faster than you can say "How much do we owe you?" She got a big late breakfast and Gene has dubbed her with a new nick name, Bumpy Bea!
 The monks belt curtains are in progress. I got a lot done yesterday. About 30-40 inches with the one run of decorative pattern which will be a few inches above the bottom hem. I had to measure the window, decide where I wanted the pattern to sit, add hem lengths etc. My easy way of doing it is to take a string measured to length and knot where the elements go, pin it in to the selvage edge and start weaving. I just slip the big pin out and stick it back in at the start of the second panel and so forth. I like the pattern very much, but I have used an open & rather sleazy sett on this and the floats on the monks belt are rather long. For this application it will work fine but if I wanted pillows or something that will get far more abrasion and use than just hanging around, I would go to a MUCH tighter sett. I could see the possibilities of this border pattern on some pillow cases, using something in 30/2 range. 
The saddle blanket has languished a bit. I do have some wonderful wool coming for more blankets and the process of acquisition is quite wonderful and unique. When it gets here I'll explain more and offer some pics!
Lastly, it has done nothing but rain here. Just awful weather. The paddock is now a sea of mud. The horses are getting their hay delivered by hand up the hill so they don't have to stand ankle deep in the muck. We are all feeling a bit moldy and housebound.
Thank heavens for weaving and knitting ( and Miss Bea's wart) because riding is out for a while yet.

4 comments:

Jennifer said...

I'm glad to hear Miss Bea is fine! We have an older dog also and never know what we are looking at! Thanks for the string for measurement tip - how practical! I've gotten to the point on dropping a string between the warps where I want to change color. I sometime get in the trance weaving and just run on by.
It's raining here too - but we so need it I'll take the mud!

Anonymous said...

what a relief the news about Miss Bea must have been! Glad to hear it was nothing worrisome.

The pattern on the curtains is very pretty! But I do see what you mean about how the fabric is a bit open. It should tighten up at least some in whatever finishing process you use for it though, right?

Leigh said...

That's a relief about Miss Bea.

The monks belt looks really good and I really like the idea of weaving curtains!

Theresa said...

RD, they will be washed and dried and there will be a fair amount of shrinkage, so the weaving will not be as open at all. I did 12epi on the last curtains and lost a lot of the openness. These curtains won't close, but be more decorative panels for the sides of the windows.

Thanks all for the kind words on Bea. We are very relieved.

Jennifer, looks like all the rain is heading east, maybe you'll get it! I know the south has had very hard few years rain wise.