Running Fast Again - Weaving Soothes the Way

It is time for that last minute rush toward Arts and Sciences weekend. As mentioned before I am in charge of this large event with 100 classes, 8 competitions, 12+ demos, plus entertainment and a whole lot more this coming weekend in Monterey California. We expect over 300 people and lots of hoopa. We borrow a moving van to get all the pavilions, tables and stuff to the site. Spend all of Friday setting up for it and the first wave of people with pavilions for classrooms and and and... Then Saturday 8 am is class registration and 9 am starts the classes.

I am teaching as well. Yes I'm crazy!!! The class is one I've done before on shading, but will be lots better since I've done a class with Linn since then. We will do a bit with split, long and short, and couching. Talk about defining edges with split stitch or back stitch under and stem stitch and couching over. We will talk about angle and flow to accent. Then if we have time we may experiment with multiple threads - twisting 2 together to make one of an in between color.

Spent the weekend making new garb. Husband wants to do some early period stuff so I was making a Viking outfit and he was making his "colors". He is part of a war unit and one of the members will be elevated to the highest arts level (Laurel). The unit willl be standing guard during the lady's vigil and all the unit members will be in their colors. He only has a ratty over tunic for his armor so... he made himself a nice tunic for the event (yes he sews :)

As mentioned I've been doing some inkle weaving to relieve the stress of doing all the mind numbing detail work to make the event happen. I've woven 4 - approximately 3 yard pieces so far - black, green, cream for a new wool Viking for me, blue & red for husband's new early period tunic, blue & gold -- my first piece, but too yellow for what I had in mind so will need to do another (sigh) in a more goldy tone, and wine, peach, cream for my new linen Viking.



Will spend most of the rest of the week attending to details and juggling all the little last minute bits that make for a super event. Hope I remember everthing. It seems people like my events - "they are well planned, run well, people have handouts so they know what to expect - where & when, and they are fun". So now I have a reputation to live up too (drat!!! :)

Next week collapse and catch up on embroidery.

You know you are addicted when...

You know you are addicted when, you spend over $100 on fiber - in 10 minutes.
You know you are addicted when, you would rather weave/embroider than do anything else, including eating chocolate.
Okay -- getting real, you postpone the chocolate until you have a break in the weaving/stitching, then eat the chocolate, clean you hands and return to weaving/stitching.
You know you are addicted when, you can't wait to get back to weaving/stitching and you've just had the best.....

I'm having fun with the new addiction, inkle weaving. It takes as long to warp the loom as it takes to weave the piece. Of course the piece is only 1" wide approximately. Finished the piece I warped at the war. Warped another pattern for the husband -- trim for his new outfit. Finished it. Now that is pressure. He has to make the garb now :) Will warp the loom again tonight for trim for my new outfit. It is also a practice thing. The more I do, the more even the weaving. Fortunately the patterns and yarns are forgiving.

Actually with all the prep for my big event (html - blech!, phone calls to suppliers, confirmation letters, emails, etc.) the weaving has been a big relief - it is soothing and doesn't stress the brain cells which are already really tired from attending to all the details.

Yes pics soon of all the trims. Then on to learn the brocaded patterns. Yes it really is an addiction.

Tired but happy

The war went well. Not too hot, not too windy, not too cold (most of the time), not too many mosquitos, ...and no injuries. Our group fielded 10 on the war field - 8 heavy and 2 lights (archers). The event was about 1000 strong with lots of merchants (very dangerous). We ate very well - (d) fresh caught Pacific salmon baked on the grill, (b) breakfast burritos, (d) Guiness Stew, (b) pancakes, sausage, bacon, (d) 4th July b'que with all trimmings, (b) fresh baked goods. My classes had students that were really turned on to learning blackwork and surface embroidery. Most of the other classes went well as well. The competitions worked and we had a fair number of entrants.

I took a class in inkle weaving. While weaving on an inkle loom is 18-19th C rather than medieval, the method of weaving in the same. You can do card weaving on an inkle and get a better tension. I've been wanting to learn inkle weaving for years, just never had the time, the loom, and interest all at the same time. The instructor was very good and by the end of the class I was warped and weaving. Spend part of the last 2 nights doing some weaving and am finally finding my rhythm. Being a thread control freak, I keep going back and tightening the weft thread, until I'm satisfied, but the patterning is getting even.

Sigh - another addiction.