Life Lines

Sometimes I just get stuck on something. Yesterday was one of those times. I will admit here and now that when it comes to planning a warp, unless it is something terribly specific that has been requested I put pen to paper for not much more than warp calculations, making sure I have enough bouts for threading sequences and a rough guide of color changes should there be any. Most everything is either spontaneous or in my head as to what I want to do. So it was when I was warping

the current scarf now sitting on Hey Baby.

I know I wanted to do plain weave and point twill the whole length of the piece. In other words, as I treadled, both plain weave would happen in the white parts and point twill would be happening in the mocha parts. This seemed pretty easy, but when I went to look for an 8 shaft pattern that would allow that I was out of luck. Then I searched for a 4 shaft pattern and again, nothing. Magazines started flying, books starting coming off the shelves for review of patterns and still I was left with either treadling for the point twill and then treadling tabby. It drove home three very important things: 1. I am woefully bad at drafting by hand. 2. I really really need a computer program and 3. most important, I have very smart weaving friends. It was time to call in the dogs and piss on the fire. An e-mail went out to Nadine, my long suffering mentor. Think nice things for this wonderful lady, she taught me how to weave and I am sure it was a very trying time indeed!

And then a call went out to Cindie, since I was sure she had a computer program.

Cindie happily was home and after we both got ourselves kind of stumped on this problem of either 4 or 8 harnesses, got off the phone and went to work on my behalf for a draft. Nadine was also scanning her massive collections of stuff for something suitable. Gosh darn, it's so great to have resources and terribly nice ones too!

Cindie and her computer managed to come up with a draft ( and 3 variations) using 6 shafts and 4 treadles. I sent the drafts to Nadine, both so she wouldn't keep looking and also to have it on hand should some other confused soul have such a request.

I am so thrilled to have these drafts as I think plain weave and point twills just look great together. The warp itself was wound using two different setts. The white llama will be at 8 epi for the plain weave and the mocha at 10 epi for the twill. The weft will be all white. I honestly think this is one of the prettiest warps I've ever done, hence the overload of pictures of it! I just love the colors and textures together. I don't know if it will work, but regardless, these are two fibers I want to use again and again....

Thank you ladies, for being a life line and coming to this novice weavers rescue!

Now, on to farm news. We've been busy here, two fires on Monday, one in Ashland at 100 acres and one home lost and the second which broke out a couple hours later in Medford covering a little over 600 acres. Gene got the call from the State Fire Marshall to start setting up communications and the team on call was heading down from Eugene. I was in Ashland when the fire broke out there and got a first hand view. It was impressive indeed. Not to mention the multiple air tankers and helicopters working furiously overhead since about 400 homes where threatened. Of course, the day brought record temps and Santa Ana type winds, which are unusual for Southern Oregon. The fire fighters from all resources did a fantastic job and both fires were under containment by Tuesday morning.

Miss Bea continues to improve daily. She's walking quite well on that rear leg, incision is healing nicely and she's dropped off the pain meds. Her follow up appointment is next Tuesday. All in all she has been a very good patient and I remind her of that daily.

Bond did manage to skirt my fortifications, so more were in order. They have not been breached since Tuesday.

The guest room walls have their 3 coats of paint on and there is one coat of primer on the trim. Today or tomorrow I'll start painting it up and finally put this room in the done column and move on to the upstairs bathroom. It's been awfully hot, so I've tried to get started and done with that task in the morning.

Afternoons have been spent knitting, spinning and goofing with the horses and goats. Imp so enjoys getting hosed down, he now puts his face into the stream and drinks from it. The goats hate water and terrible shepherdess that I am sometimes I can't resist squirting one or two of them. They are sweet girls though most of the time and rarely hold a grudge.