Saturday, April 17, 2010

I Need A Bigger Plate


Because I certainly seem to be piling more stuff onto the one I got! Last week before the neck went south, I managed a quick drive by in town. I have been awfully inspired by Annie over at ASpinner Weaver and her inkle woven belts and sashes. In fact I was thinking how nifty it would be to make fancy bindings for my handwoven blankets and of course that lead to other ideas and uses for narrow bands. You all know how it goes down the slippery slope of fiber pursuits.


Needless to say, I was primed to just take a peek at Schachts Inkle loom when I stopped in the Web-sters. As DH would say, "Peek my a**!" It's like going to a shelter and leaving without a dog. It's just not happening. A few library additions were also made although not all on this particular trip.


Our time together was rudely interrupted, but I'm optimistic that I can manage some monkeying around on him before I go. And then there is the tapestry loom sitting up in the bedroom with a warp on just waiting for me to experiment.....

The neck and shoulder is feeling better. I'm being careful because it's at that stage when you know it's calming down but could easily be woken up again and it's best to let sleeping injuries lie! :-) It hasn't stopped me from gathering the stuff I need to make a raddle for Julia. I like to leave it as an insistent reminder in an obvious place to someone (who won't be named), that I need a couple of cuts done and some holes pre-drilled. Please! ;-)

I'm also going to mention that a cause VERY near and dear to my heart, Col. Potter Cairn Terrier Rescue, has been trying to win at least fourth place at the Animal Rescue
Site. It means $3000.00 for rescue and I know they could use it and they could also use a vote or two to get there. If you have a moment, click on this link and vote for them. You don't have to join or anything, just click and do their security thing and you're done. The contest ends tomorrow at midnight.

Along with the inkle loom, I'm itching to start Gene's sweater. This is the project I'll take on my trip and to that end I bought some of the newer Addi Lace needles.


I like these much better than the Knit Picks interchangeable ones. They are pointy without being too sharp. With luck I'll have the sweater done by the time the snow flies next November or so. And let me tell you, the snow better fly next year because this years meager offering was a bust as far as I'm concerned, even if I did run out of hay before May!

Leigh had questions about the art of hay buying. Obviously I'm not the one to answer them. Some years, I have left over, some I don't. A lot depends on weather, and of course, numbers. I've added horses after the yearly hay purchase has been made. That always makes for a fun spring hay search. If I was to run out any year, this was a good one in which to do it. There was lots of tonnage stored since so many people dumped horses with the bad economy and outrageously high hay prices the year before. I had options this year. My shortage is due in part to the really wet winter. A wet horse is not a happy horse and a horse that is wet on and off for the better part of three months really needs a lot of hay to generate heat. I fed generously even though the temps weren't terribly cold. That went for the goats too. Dry cold sunny weather is easier on everyone. They only have to stay warm, wet weather means they have to stay warm while being soaked. I am happy to report we had no rain rot or grease heel or any other malady that comes from being too wet for too long and for that I am grateful to the farm gods and all of my farm animals for being such a hardy bunch. So Leigh, in closing, just buy at least a third more than you think you'll need. ;-)

Lastly (but certainly not least), my heartfelt sympathies go out to Jill and her family both at Yarns in the Farms and home on the passing of Chaco on April 9th. You would have had to go really far and wide to find a sweeter shop dog. He always made my annual treks to the store especially delightful.

11 comments:

LA said...

We always seem to find projects that go on our list of "one day!" That's just what we creative folks do.

Valerie said...

Love the new banner photo, but glad it's at your house and not mine!

I have a friend who used to call stash acquisition investing in "yarn futures". Her reasoning was that you don't have the time to work on that project now, but you are investing in speculation of the time you will have in the future.

Of course...that was back in the 90's, long before our recent downturn. But I still have lots of things acquired back then that I haven't gotten to yet!

Hope the neck feels better soon!

bspinner said...

Thanks so much for the link to Annie. I love inkle weaving and have both a table and floor loom but haven't done it in years. She's very inspirational. I can't wait to see what you weave with yours!!!

Sure hope you're feeling better!!!

Leigh said...

Thanks for that advice! I'm sure I'll miscalculate more than once :)

I've toyed with the idea of an inkle loom, but have so far resisted that urge. Please don't go posting lots of colorful photos of gorgeous, creative, and inspiring inkle bands on your blog, or I will be in the market for a bigger plate as well.

And before I forget, I went over to the pet shelter site and voted!

R. Delight said...

Hi Theresa, it took me a few tries with google and getting spelling and state correct but I got my vote in! Hope you are healing well and taking it easy (as well as you can with all those critters to look after!)-Renee

Life Looms Large said...

Me too on the bigger plate please!!!

Great that you got an inkle loom. I've been wondering if I can use a warping board as an inkle loom.

I have seen some beautiful blankets with inkle-woven trim. Good luck and have fun!

Hope your neck and shoulder start feeling better soon!!

Sue

Theresa said...

Valerie, I like how your friend thinks! And what, you wouldn't want a lovely little red loom at your home? Or is it...the dog?!!! ;-)
LA, Yes, next time DH mentions something about spin off hobbies, I will mention that.
bspinner, Annie's site is so wonderful. Hope you pick up your little inkle loom again.
Leigh, never fear, I think you are safe for a while with pretty woven band pictures from me!
Renee and Sue, so glad to see you both stop in for a visit!
Thank you everyone who voted!

Sharon said...

I'm super behind on everything, including the computer so missed the vote, darnit. I had that inkle loom but gave it to a friend who teaches inkling. I figured if I never need one, I can borrow it back.

Funny about personal tastes - I'm thrilled with the Knit Picks needles, though I do like the Addis that I have.

Annie MacHale said...

Always glad to hear of another weaver interested in inkling! I think this is a great little loom which is largely overlooked. Start and finish a project all in an afternoon. Just think of all the dog collars you could weave!
Thanks for all those nice comments about my blog!
~Annie

Theresa said...

Annie,
That is one reason it so appealed to me. I see lovely bands and think they would be super sewn onto plain collars, leashes and halters really! I can do the colors I like too. Oh, the possibilities!
Thank you for the inspiration.
Sharon, do you have the metal KP needles? I do and while I love the slipperiness of them, the way I move stitches up is to put the point on my my right index finer and slide them up with my left hand. By the time I've knitted a bit my finger is quite sore. For lace it wouldn't be a problem really, but for grabby sweater wool, I am liking the lace addi's better althoughg they are not quite so slick as the regular addi's.

Jennifer said...

I look forward to hearing all about the inkle loom - I've had my eye occasionally drift that way. I've seen a woman who makes ribbons on her floor loom via tapestry and I wondered if it can't be done on an inkle loom....

Hey - if you work on your tapestry I'll work on mine!