I could get used to this!

I'm really getting spoiled by my summer schedule!  I love it so much, but I know that at the end of this month I will have to return to work.  I could certainly get used to a relaxed summer schedule everyday!

Here is a new 16 second weaving clip I made to add to my original weaving movie.  I took a picture with my camera after every shot of weft.  It is 150 images consolidated into 15 seconds.  Pretty neat!

 

I worked through my rotations for tie-up #2, and I'm already onto tie-up #3!  I am just working my way through the twill section of the book A Weaver's Book of 8-shaft Patterns edited by Carol Strickler.  It's one of my favorite weaving books! Here is tie-up #3:

There are a few more tie-ups in this book to work though, then I have a few in my head, and maybe I'll also look around in some other books.  I really like tie-up 3 a lot!  I like how some of the threads group themselves together in the design.  Take a closer look!

It's almost like an really big outline and a small dash running through the center.  Fun, fun!  I'll keep weaving through my rotations and then try another one!

Back at the bookmark factory...

After making the first set of 100 bookmarks, I realized there were  a few things I could fix to make them look even better, even though the first round was already really good!

First, I am going to put some "garbage yarn" between each bookmark so I have more time to sew the edges when I take them off the loom, and then just cut out the "garbage yarn" after sewing the edges.  Second, I noticed the one inch work space was a bit small when I used 8-shaft patterns.  I can squeeze less than 2-4 repeats of a pattern in each bookmark.  I noticed the 4-shaft patterns I did use on a few of them looked really neat, so I am going to go with a few more of those, although I do plan to use the 8-shaft for most of them because it looks so neat!

Here is a really cool picture I received over email of how the bookmarks are being used: 

And a few progress pics... you might recognize these from my movie!  The movie was all about making these bookmarks.  I sent a movie link to the people I am weaving these bookmarks for and they loved it!!!

I am really thankful for this weaving job as well as all the other summer jobs I have been able to find.  We have been able to power through one credit card of debt from Brian having to go back to school, and now we just need to start paying off one last ENORMOUS flight loan and we will be free of debt, except for the house, of course!  Also, with all of this summer work, I have finally paid for my 8-shaft loom I bought last year!  It's officially mine!!!!!

My Weaving Video

My first online movie worked out just great!!!!  I'm so excited!!!  Here is the full 8 1/2 minute version:

Enjoy!!

Up close & Far away

The thing about any craft is you have to consider both the up close details and the far away big picture.  It's kind of cool that way!

 Details

 

 

The whole picture

This is weaving up so quickly!  Don't you just love the pink?!  I think it breathes lots of life into these napkins!  I'm hoping Aunt Katie in Seattle likes the combination, too!

I'm trying a video as an experiment.  In fact, I'm trying to make a whole weaving video that will be about 10 minutes!  This title is one of my favorite parts so far!!!  Sorry my head is cut off... I was trying to get the feet and the shafts, but just ran out of room for my big head.  Oh, and although you may believe I move this fast, I don't normally... the video has been sped up NINE times faster! 

 And now, I'll close with some garden updates:

Future Pumpkin pies

A random potato from last year

Random and unknown plants from compost seeds... ooops... mental note to self, remove the seeds

lettuce

More random and unknown plants

More future pumpkin pies

the apples, so far

the half living-half dead peach tree, so far