TWILLS!!

I'm weaving on the Structo and I'm having a good time, see ma twills!! I'm playing around with lift plans and the general workings of the loom. I've managed to drop the 2nd harness twice off the hook, but have since remedied that problem I closed all the wires holding the harnesses and they are not coming off any more. I have to develop a method of releasing the levers so that they don't bang down. Other than that small snag, I'm really liking the results the fabric on the loom is 7 1/4" 120 ends and 15 dpi reed. I wrapped the yarn that was on the loom around a ruler and got 32 wraps, very thin stuff. I have #10 crochet cotton and that's what I'm using as weft.

Away too much stuff to talk about.

I have a ton of stuff swimming around in my head and my hands have been really busy. I won't yet discuss the loom because I need to play with it first, but you should know it's clean and ready to go, I just have to figure out how to dress it, so many little heddles.. I've been spoiled by my RH and inkle, the simpler looms only one hole and one slot to worry about.







I've has some time this weekend to play with my sewing. Mr. Deepend had inventory and worked late Friday and most of Saturday, which left me to my own devices, a very scary prospect, according to him, but I really love having devoted time to my projects.
These little buggers have been on my mind since last year when we went away in May to a B&B in Lake Wales. They were sitting in the bathroom and for sale at the gift shop. I didn't want to purchase one already made in China of course so I took mental notes and a few photos. I'd woven this fabric with not too much in mind but after it was finish, I had an inkling I would make the tissue holders. I started with my fabric ironed on some fusible webbing (thanks to my mom's magic closet) and started to sew. The first one was my tester and the second the real product. One side of the envelope is closed so the box can't side out the other is held together with Velcro, I used the small stick round ones and added some fabric glue to the backs to reinforce them.



I made tassels and macrame the the end strings with a bead. Then sewed them one to the opening.

This is the finished product and I really love the way they turned out. My daughter's already claimed she's going to put them on Etsy because they are worthy of that site, I don't know they were some work, especially since I'm not a seam tress much to my poor mom's chagrin, her only daughter and can't really sew past the easy bits. But hey, I got me some other talents, LOL. If you can't have everything, you make due with the gifts you do have. Final decorator shot on my nightstand.

I Just Got My Loom

Woohoo, just a week since I won and it's here!! It's an intriguing piece, I've taken it apart so that I can clean it and of course figure out how it all works. I found that the heddles that are on the bars are twisted and face sideways instead of forward. I'm a bit confused and having never had a loom with heddles is that normal? I don't really think so, but anyone?? Another question is how the heck do I know what size reed is in this thing? The spools have some string that isn't any thicker than sewing thread and there are 2o threads wrapped together per spool, 4 spools in total. Yeah, this is going to take some time to figure out. As soon as blogger cooperates I'll upload some pics.

Thoughtful Thursday

Humor is the only way to deal with aging.

Munchies

Since the Superbowl is around the corner and my hometown is hosting it, (hopefully we won't make asses of ourselves in the process) I thought I'd share with you some great munchies for the game.

Again not Cuban food, but definitely Latin inspired the Guacamole is a recipe I got from my favorite American Mexican restaurant Cisco's before they closed and tore the building down, that was a really sad day, since we were regulars and the kids favorite place when they were younger.

Guacamole

1- Ripe Avocado
1- Small Purple Onion
2- Tomato
1- Lime -Juiced
½- Bunch of Cilantro minced
2- Cloves of garlic minced
3- Tablespoon of Olive oil

Chili seasoning (which ever one you like I use McCormicks Chili Seasoning), hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste, since everyone's tolerance for spice is different.


Peel and pit avocado cut into pieces and put in a bowl. Smash with a fork leave lumpy.
Chop tomato into small pieces add to bowl
Add garlic, onion, cilantro and olive oil to bowl
Add chili seasoning (I add 1 teaspoon) hot sauce (I add 1 teaspoon) thensalt, pepper and lime juice.

Stir all the ingredients until mixed. Chill for 1 hour .

Salsa
4- Ripe Tomatoes
1– Medium Purple Onion
1- Cup of Olive Oil
2 – Limes

1/2 bunch of Cilantro, minced

Chop tomatoes and place in bowl
Finely chop onions add to bowl
Add olive oil, and juice of the 2 limes.
Chill for an hour

I sometimes take tortilla chips and melt Jack/Cheddar grated cheese on them and then serve it both dips. Don’t forget that these go great with a margarita on the rocks or a cold Corona with lime slice. "GO SAINTS"!

(sorry blogger crapped out before I could upload the rest of the pics, but you guys get the idea)

NEW LOOM!!!!!!

As of 1:30 pm EST, I am the proud owner of a new (to me) Structo 4 harness table loom. **HAPPY HAPPY DANCE** I'm so excited I can hardly stand it!! Lord knows I prayed on this one, I found it on ebay in the antiques section not in the weaving section and I was the only bidder. For a week I've checked everyday, expecting someone to outbid me, but it didn't happen, I got her for $ 125.64 including the shipping, can you believe it. I was so shocked it took me a full 30 seconds before I realized that I really had won it. Considering that I'd been beaten quite a few time over the last past month. Well good bye birthday cash, hello my little loom.

Isn't she a beauty, well a little rough around the edges but hey, so are diamonds. I just paid for her and they will be shipping to me soon, I can wait. Not that I know what to do when she gets here, but one step at a time. I think I'm in luuuuurve!

Now the fun part getting some kind of manual, instructions etc..

I've already put on hold some books at the library for 4 harness looms so, this should be fun!! I guess I should start hunting down some shuttles and reeds.

What do you guys think??

Thoughtful Thursday

The more a man knows, the more he forgives. - Catherine the Great

I finished the woven fabric and was contemplating what it would become. I like all three of the weaving effects I got from the different yarn and textures the center pic with the most texture is my favorite. I have to wash and dry it to see how it all reacts to each other and if it will soften out.

After finishing a piece either woven or knitted I always have a period of grieving. I know it sounds so damn trivial, but I always feel like I'm done, that it's finished. I take a day or so to plan out what I want to do next. Since I have no clue what I would like the fabric to be I'll let the thought simmer and work on something that was long overdue. I had warped my loom for a log cabin piece a few times, each with disastrous results, but last night my head was clear and I could visualize what I wanted and how it needed to be accomplished.

I warped my RH for a log cabin scarf, I love these colors together the coolness of the turquoise and the warmth of the chocolate brown.

I'm having some trouble keeping the shuttles organized and haven't developed a rhythm with it yet but I'm enjoying the results and watching the pattern come alive.

Woven Fabric Samples

(Blogger is posting pic sideways)

I started weaving this fabric and as I was going along my slubbies got stuck in the heddle holes, I guess I tugged to hard and my yarn decided to teach me a lesson and broke 4 warp ends. I was so annoyed, but I got over myself, cut off what I had and re-slayed, retied and reworked the ends.

This is a close up of the disaster I caused.

I really like the fabric and the way it's turning out. It has a great drape and soft to the touch.

I finished my cotton yarn and began to weave with the slub yarn btw the yarn is Tiney by Berger Du Nord, Belgium. (sorry for the blurry pic) I like the results of it as weft. Once I finish with this portion I plan on weaving the remainder with the Berocco linen. In this fabric I will have experimented with all three as weft and warp and will have a better idea what I would like to accomplish with the rest of the yarn. I'm thinking lightweight scarf or shawl so far.

Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Although not Cuban food, but Argentinian or Nicaraguan this is a family favorite and therefore will make it into the blog for food recipes the kids can't live without.

Skirt Steak with Chimichurri( Chimeechuree) Sauce

Ingredients:
1 pound of Skirt Steak (in our house it more like 3-4 lbs, so if your use more meat add to the ingredients per pound)
¼ Tsp of Salt
¼ Tsp of Pepper
¼ Tsp of Garlic Powder
¼ Tsp of Cumin
¼ Tsp of Onion Powder
Season steak with all the spices above and ¼ of the Chimichurri Sauce let them sit over night
Chimichurri Sauce
1 bunch of Parsley, Italian or Curly, we like the Italian finely chopped we use a mini chopper for this task works like a dream.

3 Cloves of minced Garlic
½ Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ Tsp of Salt
1/3 Cup of Balsamic Vinegar

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and reserve what you don’t use as a marinated for putting on before grill and before you eat.

Heat the grill on high (this requires some grunting noises from the men, some old ritual left over from the hunting tribe I don't understand what it is but open flames and meat just brings out the primal reactions from my men) and put the steaks on to sear we like ours medium, just cook them until your desired grade.
Doesn’t this look awesome, makes my mouth water.

I usually serve this with baked sweet potatoes and grilled mushrooms or asparagus.

Weaving Fabric

I dressed my loom, with some cotton and linen. The beige is Aunt Lydias 3, the Linen is Berroco and the flubby cotton is which I got on "rare, vintage, estate" sale on ebay as all the items as of late have become. All descriptions for anything remotely older has these adjectives thrown in for emphasis.

Some hemstitching , I've been toying with my camera and have found how to take close ups with out it being a blurry mess, I really like that it

I've been watching and bidding on some 4 harness table looms, but of course they go way above my meager bids, but I'm hopeful that I will find one and be able to buy it. I had found a Structo on Craigslist, but the gentleman that owns it wasn't willing to ship and I can't drive 6 hours round trip to get it, even if it's a great deal. Oh well, patience is a virtue, so I've been told.

Thoughtful Thursday

When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us. - Helen Keller

Picture was taken at Bok Tower, Lake Wales, Florida

New Knitting

I started the Harmony Shawl it's been a great easy knit so far, and one that I can do while at the chatty knit club meetings, I love those Wednesday nights they're so much fun. I cast on 108 stitches because I thought the 84 would have been to narrow and I like my shawls to cover my back and back side. I also like the color changes in the Sensations yarn, for being 100% acrylic it's been really nice to work with, soft and light weight besides that fact that it's marked as bulky yarn.

This is the stitch pattern close up kind of lacy without the actual work of lace knitting.

Losing Some Pounds

Benita of Basically Benita started a diet, she's doing the South Beach Diet, she asked for support, help and if anyone would join her. Well.....ummmm...I can join because I need to lose 30 - 40 pounds I'm 5'2" and weigh (I can't believe I'm going to write this here) 168# I gained some more over the holidays I started at 163# but okay now that they're over I just have to deal with it. She posted a pick of herself and I thought I should too that way I can post one a month about the progress. I'm planning to cut out a lot of carbs, eat more salads and protiens. I plan to start some kind of exer*cough*cise program but have not really gotten into more than walking 1 mile a day. (this is the part I really have serious trouble with and hate, yes I can use the word hate for exercise amongst more choice words but we'll keep it kid friendly) Well there you have it the pic the specs and my hate for working out, btw the handsome man in this pic is Mr. Deepend, his specs are 6'1" 212# and exercising everyday droped 25 pounds in 3 months, men they just lose it so fast I just dislike that part about him the rest is perfect.

New Year - New Weaving

My simple tabby weaving is finished, I got 3 place mats which is what I use for the island in the kitchen and a table runner. I guess I could have gotten about 5 mats in total with the warp I put on I'll have to adjust my measurements for the next one. I'm really happy with the results it was such an easy project I feel a renewed sense of accomplishment as if I can tackle some new weaving challenges. I also feel that way when I knit something simple and quick after being tied down to a long term project.