I’m pregnant, I have a cold and Hannah has started school….I have LOTS of excuses!

But I don’t really care if anyone wants a reason for my silence, shit happens – and blogs aren’t top priority when you are throwing up every day, your 3-year-old has hit “toddler-dom”, school, wakeful nights and tantrums all at once…and recently I have a sinus head cold to make me feel like crap.
There have been a couple of other pregnancy related maladies to complain about but I’ll keep those to myself (those who can guess what I’m talking about, can chuckle or commiserate, as they see fit)

But I did manage to fit in some weaving! (HA!)

I may I had started the first of these warps, a scarf, 2 neck warmers and a shawl. They’re off the loom now and being finished as time allows (and as far as I can stay awake in the evenings).  I also bought some gorgeous buttons and silk / viscose lining to finish the neck warmers – luxury a go-go and warm taboot.

 

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Crochet Mad! (but especially to go with a woven shawl)

It has been a bit depressing, looking at all the beautiful things on Etsy and looking at the pile of scarves I need to get finished, the 2 baby blankets and all my shawl flower pins that have been carefully wrapped in plastic awaiting finishing – but, I’m getting there!

Hannah has been co-operating this weekend, and as well as making a beef and guinness stew for dinner I also got some pins finished – unfortunately it is taking me ages to get them on to Etsy, and further more has anyone else ever thought that Etsy is lacking a European grouping for shipping options? (I feel a twit now, I’ve just found they have put up a European Union option…ah well, you live and learn)

2-Teeth McCasey

wow, I really need to get my act together! How long!!??

Right, so updates (for anyone who still bothers to read this blog). Well, as usual, lots has happened, and nothing at the same time.  Hannah now has 2 teeth (see photo) and has been dubbed “Hannah-2-teeth-McCasey”:
I eventually got my warp tied on, have 6 place mats woven and am now working on the table runner:
I eventually got around to putting a sale up on my stock in Etsy:
I’ve started working out the threading plan for some baby blankets / Christening shawls…. So I’m considering this all to be progress…
I also discovered (a few weeks ago) a brilliant dyeing site. Yea, I know – the WHOLE WORLD knew about this lady before me, but still, I have to say something as I found this to be an excellent source of information. I usually rely on my friend Neki to tell me whats-what when it comes to dyeing, as she’s the guru – and in an attempt to find an easy way to dye some yarn that I had (as Neki gave me the hard way to do it), I did some googling and found this site. As it turns out Neki was right – there is only a hard way of doing this (sorry for doubting you), but at least I discovered this site. What I’ve not done yet is sort out the scarves that need to be photographed to go up for sale on Etsy (new ones). I’m hoping August brings more opportunities to get things tidied up- weaving-wise. Not to mention the fact that I plan to finish this warp this weekend, get it washed, cut and sewn and the new warp wound, beamed, threaded and weaving by the beginning of next week! (Amazing what delusions of productivity and grandeur you can have when your parents-in-law are staying and someone else can take care of H.)

Friday the 13th and a bit of brain fever

Anyone out there ever read any books (or listened to any radio) set in the Victorian / Edwardian era??? Anyone out there have any clue what the hell “Brain fever” actually is / was? Well, I kinda think I’ve got a bit of brain fever, as I’ve been itching to design some new things…This might sounds silly, or even simple, but I’m not very good at “down periods” so I try to keep something on my loom at all times.

A new warp for a table runner is about to go on, with a lovely new colour selection based on the southern Mediterranean…Think aqua blue sea and ceramic glazes; White villages (Santorini and Andalucia); terracota pots; green olives. But this is my “filler warp” while my brain gets into gear to come up with something else. Unfortunately for my husband this is always quite a messy process… you won’t be able to see the floor in the living room, and you can forget the idea of doing any housework this weekend!

OH, yes – and it’s been a pretty disastrous Friday the 13th…no chainsaw massacres but one of those days when just about everything that could go wrong, went wrong.

The Great Green-ness

My husband has just been commenting on the prevalence of green in my recent designs (scarves both on and off the loom)…mmm, this is true. But what can I say – “Green” is like air (as far as I’m concerned)! How do you exist without “GREEN”???
(Besides, green’s in the colour forecasts for autumn / winter 2008/2009 so I’ve got a good excuse as far as I’m concerned).

This is just about weaving!…And everything that surrounds it

I pestered my husband to help me come up with what I should call my blog (this is a big step for me), and after several suggestions, (“Weave Chimp” was one I discounted), he asked “so what will your blog be about?” – my response was “JUST WEAVING!”…hence, this is all this blog will be about – my weaving, and everything that relates to that in my daily life.
To be honest, this could generally include, felting, dyeing, making a mess in the living room, dyeing the cooker, dyeing the bathtub, asking my husband to make lunch, cook dinner, wash dishes and everything else I’ll avoid while foothering with my loom… you get the idea. I don’t think I’ll ever be a Domestic Goddess, but no one will ever be able to say I’ve lost my Inner Child, (provided you equate “Inner Child” with “Big Mess Maker”).
I don’t remember when I started weaving, I had a small ridged heddle loom from an early age, but discounting my adventures with that, I would say I’ve been weaving since 1991 when I was introduced to 16 shaft Harris table looms and some beautiful monster dobby looms at Winchester School of Art – Alas and Alac I am stuck now with only an 8 shaft loom, but one benefit is that it forces you to think harder about what you want to achieve and how you can go about doing it with only 8 shafts… (ohh, the perverse pleasures of weavers!)