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Crazy as a Loom

Monday, August 7, 2017

Forward, march.


It has been an interesting few weeks.

The thorn in my side.....isn't there always one????? has been my new Compudobby.

It started out to be stressful, taking all the mechanical dobby parts off my loom, putting the Compudobby on and getting it operational.  Then there was a short period of JOY, then it died.

I was understandably upset, disappointed, frustrated.
Eventually, AVL told me to send it back, so I retrieved the box that it came in, which I had thankfully stored in the attic, and shipped it back to California.

I knew, at that point, that it would probably be gone for 3-4 weeks, and I am in the middle of weaving an order.  So with MUCH trepidation, I got out the bag of pieces parts of the mechanical dobby I had taken off.  And NO, I did not think to take pictures of what it looked like with the mechanical dobby installed.  So, by the seat of my pants, which seems to be the way I have lived much of my life, I threw myself into putting it back on the loom.
This was after I took a couple of days to be depressed, miserable, and furious.
Then I calmed down, and took charge.

Amazingly, I got the whole mechanical set up back on the loom, and it works.



I was somewhat shocked at how easily that occurred, and it kind of took the edge off my being totally disgusted with the whole situation.


So I picked up the weaving right where I left it, muttering epithets under my breath, about computers and all that aggravation.


I said I wasn't going to make any pickles this year.  But my garden has been crazily pumping out cucumbers, so many that we can't keep up, even giving some away.  Must be all the rain.


I love them, but you can just eat so many.
 


So I made a few jars.  I am not processing them, I hate what it does to the pickle.  These are going right in the fridge, and if my kids want some, they can do the same.
Makes it so much easier all around.
And really, how many pickles can you eat????

I've also been dyeing some cotton hemp.
Mixing colors to get what I want.


I  love this whole process.  There's something about it that really moves me.


This was the view from the show we did yesterday.
Heart of the Park, in Long Lake, NY.
The Adirondacks, always stunning.


Three shows in three weeks, with L doing the first one without me.


We did well, and now we need to restock.........more towels, more möbius shawls, more scarves.
 MORE WEAVING.



This is a shirt I just recently put together, someone asked me if I used a pattern.
I wish I could say yes, that sounds so much smarter, but no, I didn't.
Flew by the seat of my pants once again.



I have, however, gotten my knitting out again, after months of not being interested.

And YES, I do use a pattern, this is the one I'm working on.


And no, my nails aren't yellow from smoking..........my fingernails change colors periodically, depending on what color dye I am using.





I bought myself a gift yesterday at the show........pottery with scenes of the mountains I love.
Sometimes it's good to buy yourself things.



It's been a busy summer, but I won't be sorry when August is over, I am not a fan of heat and humidity.  Give me sweater weather any old day.
I think sometimes, too, the constant struggle to keep the grass mowed, the weeds beat back, and the outside work done takes the fun out of it.
October is so much easier.  Pretty much things have stopped growing at a mad pace.

I am stuck on the premise that you can't live life backward, no matter how much you would like to revisit parts of it.
It can only be lived forward.
And fast forward is what it seems like a lot of the time.

I leave you with a picture of a cat.
What else.
Bubba Lee, apparently she missed me yesterday.






5 comments:

Deb said...

Aw- look at the wee foot. :) She did miss you. I'm with you, Hilary. Summer is too busy and I'm running around in circles some days. The garden here is pumping out cucs and zucs like there is no tomorrow. So I guess I can't send you any, right. lol I love the new dye. What a fabulous colour. Enjoy your day. Have a cucumber sandwich. ;-b Deb

Shuttle, Hook and Needle said...

I have a love/hate relationship with AVL looms. When they work okay but when they don't I hate them and wish I had never bought one. Mine is still packed away and boxed up. I can't come to a decision on whether to sell or put the darn thing back together. All I do know is it is taking up space, is too expensive a piece of equipment to keep packed away and is not being used. Really wish I had never bought it.

C Reeder PhxAz said...

Love the crock you purchased. Do you make the towels too? Tried to zoom up - love the colors. Just wondering what they are made of and perhaps buying them through snail mail system? (Paracletedesigns@gmail.com).

Linda said...

I like the colors of the dyed yarn. It makes me think of fall.

Daryl said...

i love the fall most of all .... if you ever do any more of those mohair throws, let me know i am in the market for another .. in the mocha/cafe au lait family

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