A Wonderful Gift

Dave from the Weaving Studio
sent me a very generous spinning care package and OMG can I just rave about him for the next few posts! Dave you totally rocked my spinning world to bits with your care package extraordinaire.
Loving packed was : In better detail :
100% Merino Wool Super Wash OH BOY, is this stuff soft and wonderful.
50% Silk 50% Merino, nice sheen, softer than a baby's butt.
Angelina Fiber - looks like this will be fun stuff.
Hemp - I've never seen it before so WOW interesting.
Black Merino Wool, also soft and gorgeous deep color.

Then I saw these, samples of Dave's awesome weaving and spinning skills, no doubt in his abilities to produce wonderful results from some fiber! Hand spun and woven samples with his hand spun.

This my dear friends was the Pièce de résistance, can I tell you I'm in love. This spindle is beautiful, and can it spin like a top on crack!

This is the top with a very nice laser burned tree of life motif

and the outer rim is brass filigree that is very decorative and simply gorgeous, reminds me of a Moroccan bracelet my SIL has.

I couldn't wait to spin, I took some of the 100% Merino and started the Spindle is great, spins rapid fast and I had a good run with it. My hand spun still looks lumpy and bumpy but I enjoyed this spin much more than with the other spindle. I want to try it with the alpaca and then decide if it's the fiber or the equipment, but really I know it's the operator LOL..

Surprise, Surprise!

Saturday when I went to the mail box I found this: Of course I got excited! Yay! mail from way down under and there were these most interesting brochures, about Potters, an Art Guide and a Wine Guide. The latter took me by surprise, wine, who knew, now I would like to sample some and pronto can we all say WINE TOUR! Of course the hubster asked how long a plane ride are we talking about, since he's afraid of flying, me thinks 24 hrs or so on a plane is not in his near future. But the wine tour may convince him otherwise. LOL

Although I loved the brochures my favorite piece was still inside the bag! This gorgeous tea towel, is it not the the cutest tea towel you've seen? I thought is was, even the hubby made a comment about it coming from a master weaver. (Poor thing he's only been exposed to my futile attempts so, this piece of art was eye opening for him). There was a little argument on why we couldn't use it, so I compromised and told him we wouldn't, it was just a display towel.

This is it's permantent home and everyone knows not to use it. And who was my surprise gift from? Meg you must visit her blog it's always inspiring and her gallery is full of wonderful handwoven pieces of art. Thank you Meg, we send hugs!

Knitting and Handmade Gifts

Since I've been knitting instead of weaving this past week I wanted to share some pics of the projects that are currently taking up my time and energy.The Knitted Ruana from Folk Shawls, I love the variation of colors, I'm not sure about the sage color it seems out of place, but it's growing on me. I may need to find a darker, forest green and put it in there for some extra balance, I haven't decided yet. I am enjoying the fact that I have to purposely think of the yarn choice before knitting the next row, it is an exploration in color sequencing and coordination, really an eye opener to the textures, colors and weights of the yarns.
My base is the beige color which has specks of blue I figured almost any color can be used, but the more I work on it the less that is evident, I don't want too many colors because I know I wouldn't use it and I really want to be able to wear it without feeling that it's clownish, so since earth tones are my game this one project won't be any different to much of the DH's dismay, he always wants me to wear bold colors, but I don't feel comfortable in them and so I levitate to Earth and Jewel tones, I have maybe one or two things in a shock color but not as overall wardrobe, just not me.

And last but not in the least less of a color experiment is the entrelac ghan, (see honey this has lots of color) it's grown seven rows since the last post, it didn't seem like much until I compared the photo 22 rows and counting. I figure I can do 36 rows, which according to this site should be 36 x 48 I don't know if that's right but it sounds large enough. My mom saw it the other day and thought it was beautiful, but she remarked what is it, once I answered, she stated that she wouldn't know what to do with it? (WHAT!!!???) I was defeated especially since I was going to give it to her for her birthday, but not after that comment, I've worked too hard on this one to gift it to another "gee thanks gift".

I try not to knit or weave for anyone for this reason, I'm always afraid I'll get the look, you know, the one that says gee thanks, but it's going into be re-gifted for a co worker I don't like, look (That's what I call the "gee thanks gift"). I use to make hand made gifts for Mother's Day or Birthdays, when I first started beading a few years ago, but since I always got the lukewarm thank you from certain family members, I figured I won't waste my time. I have five SIL's, two of which love everything I make, it could be poop on a stick and they would just love it, for these two I do still hand make gifts with enjoyment and pride, another one of them would have to be something really specific that she would have to hand pick yarn, project and such, for me to work on and that would ruin the surprise of gifting, never mind killing my creative mojo it's the equivalent to me of giving money or having to give from a bridal list and baby shower lists, I really hate those things, there's no creative thinking in it, no surprise. Then there are the other two, which are what the kids today call "Label Whores" if it's not designer it's not good enough, so for these two I don't do much and since I don't buy designer anything, I don't get them much other than house gifts, you know candles etc.. Which brings me back to, I now have a ghan that is without a giftee, DH has been hinting that he wanted one for the couch maybe that's who really deserves my knitting.