Saturday, June 6, 2009

Savoring Sight

I finished my Rona shawl -here it is just off the needles at only a 36" diameter. I started this first Pi shawl project last June-ONE WHOLE YEAR AGO! I never take that long to knit something but I benched this several times when I got frustrated with it but with the encouragement of good friends, I perservered! This is a triumph for all of us!
Nyki approves the new..... cat mat but only got to enjoy it for a minute because she graced it with a wet mousie (fake one) within minutes, so the shawl went right into a basin for its warm water soak prior to blocking.
I put it in the dryer to spin out and then laid my cardboard sewing mat on the diningroom table, covered it with a plastic tablecloth and began to pin out the shawl. Think 48 repeats of seven loops on each and you get the idea-that is a lot of pins........it will be worth it! The shawl blocks out at 52"-quite impressive how the pattern blooms as you pull out the shawl. As the shawl lay drying, I turned my thoughts to conquering the warping of the new loom. Since I have learned that you have to be warped to weave, I just applied what I had learned on my rigid heddle loom and it worked! I used the simplest of 1,2,3,4 threading because I decided to follow my own teaching advice and start simple and get to know my new activity before I get too fancy(it is good to take your own advice whether you are trying knitting, sewing, quilting , spinning or dyeing!) Using some leftover cotton yarns, I began my plain weave tablerunner I told Matthew I would make for him. As with spinning, I found that I knew what to do quite instinctively----it is pure delight to treadle, throw the shuttle, release the treadle, beat the weft, change the treadle, throw the shuttle and so on.......the rhythm just flows!
I found that I didn't like the end feed shuttle like I thought I would, changed it to the Harrisville boat shuttle and wow, I could really fly! The nubby yarn I am using went through much better with this shuttle. I sat and watched the news while I hand wound 6 bobbins (pirns)-not as troublesome as I was afraid that would be either-I actually enjoyed each step of the process!

There is no lighting in the south addition where the loom now resides (temporarily) but as it is by the window I could weave until 8:00 pm which was pretty late for me anyway. Here is what I got done just this evening!
The medicinal drops for my eyes make my head ache, my sinuses run and leaves a general irritated feeling BUT I can see so much better so I keep myself distracted........what an adventure!

7 comments:

  1. Congratulations on finishing the shawl. It's beautiful! I haven't done a circle (yet), but I've heard they have some unique challenges.

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  2. You are SOOO productive! I would have rested my my laurels after blocking that beautiful shawl but not you...on to the new loom! UGH on all the side effects of the eye drops.

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  3. The shawl is beautiful.....and it was nice of you to share it with your cat for a few minutes!!

    That's great that you're weaving up a storm!! Isn't a floor loom wonderful?

    I recently borrowed a friend's end feed shuttle, and didn't like it at first, but after a while it felt like it was faster than my regular shuttle. (I was using smooth yarn though - I'm not sure what it would have done with nubby yarn!)

    Weave on!

    Sue

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  4. Victories all!!! I'm singing the "I'm proud of you" song! :)

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  5. I love the magic of blocking!

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  6. Your Rona shawl turned out beautiful. I've got that pattern myself somewhere...ought to give it a try. :)

    Weaving is such an amazing skill! It always looks so intimidating--weavers must be very determined people. :)

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  7. Ah, I see that you are a new weaver. Glad to have found you from your comment on my blog. Welcome! I also knit, but weaving is my primary fiber addiction.

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