Somtimes productivity creeps up on you and then all of a sudden you realize how much you've gotten done. A week where you finished a couple of projects, made some nice dinners, did some needed cleaning and never felt rushed in the process.
And then there are times when the productivity comes like a mac truck and wham! You are run over with all of the things you've done or had to do and the negative time you managed to get it all done in. That for the past week or two has been my weekend, and this weekend was no different.
Iolanthe is going up at the end of the month, and I'm working on costumes (though not the sewn portions, because I'm not the best with a needle). I've had 4 or 5 rehearsals a week, running, massive amounts of exercise though I did take this morning off in that regard, and a huge amount of food made at least by the tupperware in the fridge.
Saturday I finished this:
A closer look? Sure!
This is my first scarf woven on my Kromski Harp. Unwashed, unblocked and with a bit of finishing to do. The yarn is the 3/2 cotton from Halcyon Yarns and it is a simple 10/10 warp in white and blue. The scarves don't have to be long, and are generously fringed, so they will work for the guys who have to be dressed for winter at the beginning of May. I'd say poor guys, but the women's costumes might have less fabric, but we do more dancing and running about.
I warped the Kromski using the method in Creative Weaving (bad idea - it really is more convoluted than it needs to be) Thursday night after dinner and finished the scarf Saturday morning before leaving for rehearsal. Not bad for my first attempt!
Of course, that wasn't the only thing I did. I have started a knitted version of this scarf in the other set of colors, because I didn't buy the loom bag. Not my brightest thought, but the loom doesn't fit in my largest tote bag. I wanted to get to use the gaps in the sitzprobe to continue the scarf making, so knitting won the day. No pictures, but the first knitted scarf is almost done.
Sunday, I was out almost all morning, and when I came home I started another scarf. I had a bit of a meltdown, because I just couldn't figure out how I was supposed to clamp the warping peg to anything for the direct warping method. Eventually I just gave that idea up and used a chair that had a bit of a post as my warping peg. Not ideal, but better than worrying or getting grumpy (ier).
This morning, because I woke up before the cows, I had this:
This scarf was made with a combination of the yarn from Halcyon Yarns and my first ever order of yarn from Webs (and why have I waited all this time?!). I placed an order with Webs when I got an email from Halcyon Yarns that the blue yarn was backordered and would arrive in 2-4 weeks. Aaack!
Well, that ended up not being an issue. The yarn from Webs arrived on Tuesday or Wednesday and the yarn from Halcyon arrived within 24 hours of that. Very quick for a backorder!
I love how this one came out, because the two slightly different shaes of blue really make the look more robust (in person anyway... pictures by the dark window sill at oh dark hundred don't really say that much). I can see that even a single project makes a big difference in the finished project and this one looks more professional than my first attempt.
I have another 6 scarves that need to be made, but I am winding off balls of yarn and providing instructions to some of the other cast members to get some of them knitted up. The weaving is a blast and while these projects are a little thin (I probably would have been better off with something slightly thicker than the 3/2 for my 10-dent reed) that isn't an issue for on stage! While I am working on these scarves, I keep thinking of ideas for some of the partial skeins and single skeins I have in my stash. I keep wondering if the ideas in my head are even possible to translate to the rigid heddle or if I am really trying something that is better for tapestry or some other method.
Either way, I hope that my interest in weaving lasts longer than my short-lived tatting phase!
