Tuesday, February 10, 2009

I set up this blog in December 2006 and more or less forgot about it until today when I logged on to read my arborist's blog. So, there is a long gap.
I am recovering from a broken leg which has slowed my work to a crawl. I am feeling much better now and finally getting weaving again. The hardest thing has been snow removal which--using a cane in one hand--is just about impossible! My very, very busy friend, Teri Jo, has come to shovel several times which surely has given her a special place in Heaven.
I am working today on the third of three fabrics for an upcoming issue of Handwoven magazine. The assignment came to me late in the game so there isn't much time to waste to get it all done, written up and sent. I love designing new cloth so it has been more or less pure joy to have the chance to do it again and be paid--albeit meagerly--for my effort.
Today it is sunny between snow showers. Because Salt Lake City depends on a large amount of snow falling in the mountains for us to have water in the summer, each storm is welcome. They tell us that storms will continue intermittently for the rest of February which is good news.
The new warp is all measured out and ready to put on the loom. I am using white 20/2 silk which is a very manageable size yet fine enough to make a nice, supple cloth. Why do I like working with silk? Let me count the ways.... The yarn is smooth and strong, lustrous if given floats in the cloth, and very supple--all this while being low density so it is quite light, unlike rayon which is often used in place of it. (Big mistake in my opinion.)
Soon I will begin travelling to teach. The first trip takes me to a conference in S. California where I will teach three topics, two for a day each and one for three consecutive days.
Time to beam the gleaming, white warp so I can see if my idea for it works. I think it will!