tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62240958926258201742024-03-14T02:14:14.055-04:00Dear Alice, Postcards from the fringesNancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-56459358570661494122009-09-15T21:04:00.011-04:002009-09-15T22:12:03.541-04:00September<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39z4ctLQojDQxskFUJP7LS5CUU-RSNYcE6f6NAQaFdSjs5d1qCyBnXpNjVsMbUFd90baWhmg3seQaGhIK6OhkGC0xqE8W6hnkbN5raz4YXZhq38_I79NZKTLnjylHFxRD8iUDKqk-cMMs/s1600-h/Kaffe+Fassett+sweater+1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39z4ctLQojDQxskFUJP7LS5CUU-RSNYcE6f6NAQaFdSjs5d1qCyBnXpNjVsMbUFd90baWhmg3seQaGhIK6OhkGC0xqE8W6hnkbN5raz4YXZhq38_I79NZKTLnjylHFxRD8iUDKqk-cMMs/s400/Kaffe+Fassett+sweater+1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381881505824389058" /></a>
<br />Dear Alice,
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<br />I wrote this in my 'Morning Pages' (see Julia Cameron's <a href="http://www.theartistsway.com/">The Artist's Way</a>) in 1993 when I had committed to morning pages work. Last night, at the <a href="http://annarborfiberarts.org/index.php?loc=home">AAFG</a> meeting, Kathy Zasuwa talked of the many, many books out there for artists who are "Clearing a Path: Making a Creative Commitment", the lecture she presented last night. I had not read this entry in years...but remembered the colors I saw, the change in the atmosphere, and my yearly September commitment to new goals. So here it is:
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<br />"1 September 1993. The signs are there—the movement more and more often of the honking geese, the erratic, drunken, slow movement of first one, then another Monarch Butterfly. Pricks of brilliant red now and again in the green of the Shining Sumac making it look like early warning signs of...yes, Christmas. Somber, heavy heads of sunflowers bowing their heads in prayer. And fields gone wild claim their triumph with an unabashed display of regal gold...no other plant can compete...Goldenrod has won! Patches here and there this morning attest to the chill that settled in overnight, fog on little cat feet. And the moon. The moon shone so BRILLIANTLY that I was wakened by it at 2, or 3. What a sight! The Blue moon, it was, last night. Not another until 1996 they say, though I have noted so many now that <span style="font-style:italic;">that</span> seems hard to believe. And this morning it directed my way as I headed westward 'til the sun glazed everything with a brilliant, shining orange. The grasses in the nursery I passed looked like angel hair because of the mists caught there. Such a delicate, lovely sight!"
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<br />Alice, there is a sweater that has been waiting to make its debut every Autumn since then. Really. Since 1993. That was the Autumn that Suzy and I took the Spinning and Natural Dyeing class from Beth Pennington. (I can only remember that it was 1993 because that was the address on here mailbox! Silly, but true.) Suzy was in 8th grade, and it would be the perfect science project for the Science Fair, so we did it, together.
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<br />Ahhh, the sweater. I should say THE SWEATER. It is Kaffe Fassett's zigzag design. After getting started with this sweater, I found that the little 5 yard samples that I had dyed were no where near enough, and so I embarked on another summer of dyeing after that initial Fall, and I can share the result of that adventure in another epistle. For now, let me just say that I learned after knitting Kaffe Fassett's 'House' vest for DH, and working at this sweater for, well, now the effort is 16 years old, I vowed somewhere along the way to never knit another of his patterns unless they indicated only 2 (two), let me repeat TWO colors, in one row of knitting. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf4E-7deWsOgK0ojk2QuIuTenmO4_uz1KKbYy9T_R4ux3KBx9sB5BaHyyCPUT8K9G9eQlN3Mjz1tSV3Zm21lojzntgJtUqDqyACEFOEj0WI84pXItU1tHGRmE2p8jqtM-T3vmTzrJ4A0jd/s1600-h/Kaffee+Fassett+sweater+3.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf4E-7deWsOgK0ojk2QuIuTenmO4_uz1KKbYy9T_R4ux3KBx9sB5BaHyyCPUT8K9G9eQlN3Mjz1tSV3Zm21lojzntgJtUqDqyACEFOEj0WI84pXItU1tHGRmE2p8jqtM-T3vmTzrJ4A0jd/s320/Kaffee+Fassett+sweater+3.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381881802668305650" /></a>
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<br />This Autumn, Alice, I endeavor to finish it. I would like to become part of, to be lost in those brilliant colors that we experience in September in Michigan. You be the judge. There are so many ends to weave in, and I am getting really close. And, methinks, too, that I shall leave the little tags inside. Suzy's initials are on them, mine too. Maybe someday she will want the sweater from—let's just say—the sweater from Michigan.
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<br />Love to you, and we miss you,
<br />Nancy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1m9Xi1F-q3FHl1sHjRipSAKmeamGUt2NFjzPPguUUu6XkWS4evyBPDf7V-Hase_A51V5ebWn8NHO21-yfIpHgIuL2cnwm_eY2Yn-sjLk_x4qPvZU05H84k1ExFIfc_lHYdQIrFRooBVDt/s1600-h/Kaffe+Fassett+sweter+2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1m9Xi1F-q3FHl1sHjRipSAKmeamGUt2NFjzPPguUUu6XkWS4evyBPDf7V-Hase_A51V5ebWn8NHO21-yfIpHgIuL2cnwm_eY2Yn-sjLk_x4qPvZU05H84k1ExFIfc_lHYdQIrFRooBVDt/s320/Kaffe+Fassett+sweter+2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381880405899821410" />
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<br />Nancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-4897796576164500242009-07-19T06:34:00.007-04:002009-09-15T22:21:29.354-04:00Threads of Friendship<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEituY63ncWDdnOKfjwhWdlZRt1Mumf-hhACrDAg8BWhKim55u7z2hYA_pnb1Uwd7RrtafFDqFR3itp1ZIg1ODXrKB02J-asYnYTa26t2l1sMqUWCLFkECXG02umuM8eCQJpy72kUeedjJlP/s1600-h/Alice's+stash+sale.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEituY63ncWDdnOKfjwhWdlZRt1Mumf-hhACrDAg8BWhKim55u7z2hYA_pnb1Uwd7RrtafFDqFR3itp1ZIg1ODXrKB02J-asYnYTa26t2l1sMqUWCLFkECXG02umuM8eCQJpy72kUeedjJlP/s400/Alice's+stash+sale.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381884687049226674" /></a><br />Dear Alice,<br /><br />As you well know, George is holding the sale of all sales yesterday and today, and then again next weekend in an attempt to disperse your huge yarn stash. My gosh, Alice. I knew you had a nice stash, but there are things that we Chicks had never seen. <br /><br />Mary, Ellen and I helped out yesterday (well, yes, both by reducing your stash and helping with customers) and I came home with several cones of beautiful cashmere and cashmere blends, wool, silks, cotton, linen, ramie, and some fun novelty yarns. One of the yarns I am anticipating using the most is that wool cashmere blend. Big cones...two of them...and almost 4 pounds each. Yummm. You had some linen that will make some placemats that will go nicely with our Mason <a href="http://www.rubylane.com/shops/potterhill/item/328">'Pink Vista'</a> dishes! I have put that task off for too long a time. <br /><br />It will be back to East Lansing next weekend to help again. We had put the word out to <a href="http://www.mlhguild.org/">Michigan League of Handweavers</a> and as many guilds as we could. We had good traffic, but there is a lot more to disperse, so I hope that folks who couldn't come this weekend will make time next weekend.<br /><br />One of our customers was a volunteer spinner and knitter at <a href="http://www.thehenryford.org/village/index.aspx">Greenfield Village</a>, who promptly put in a call to Chris and Richard Jeryan, the restorers of the jacquard loom at the Village. They made it at the end of the day, but since we three were tired and had loaded our yarns, we left before Chris and Richard checked out. George had some cards for them. Richard was looking for some 40/2 linen, which was gone. Some very nice heavier linen is still there. (I wish I had seen that the new <a href="http://www.weavezine.com/audio">Weavecast</a> audio features Richard and Chris before I had gone to Lansing yesterday!)<br /><br />One of the nicest comments we heard was from the woman who works at <a href="http://www.16handsgallery.com/store/home.php?xid=0c116dccce25f42620ae5307fd78a166">16 Hands</a>. A friend of hers said this when her mother had passed away and she asked all her mother's friends to come and take her mother's art materials with them as her gift. It was as if everything was going out into the world to be seen and appreciated, just as her mother had intended. <br /><br />Alice, your legacy is infusing the world in many ways. I hope that there will be a nice recoup so that it will help to preserve your wonderful collection of books, papers, samples, and fabrics that are going to MSU's <a href="http://museum.msu.edu/GeneralInformation/Hours/">Museum</a>.<br /><br />Hopefully,<br />Nancy<br /><br />ps Anyone out there who lives in or is vacationing in the lower peninsula of Michigan and needs more information on the sale of Alice's yarns, please be in touch with me for the location, dates and time of the sale.Nancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-89579506979554339752009-07-13T20:51:00.003-04:002009-07-13T21:19:42.125-04:00NEWSDear Alice,<br /><br />It has been so long since my last postcard, and I have felt so guilty because I haven't written, that I think I will just dive in. 'Just start over, Nancy' I told myself when I alighted back in Ann Arbor this afternoon. So, here goes....<br /><br />Mary, Ellen and I arrived home safely at 3 p.m. +/- this afternoon after our 12 hour drive from the <a href="http://www.newenglandweaversseminar.com/~l/p-contactlist.php#At%20Large">NEWS Conference</a> at Smith College. We started out at as soon as I finished up <a href="http://www.daryllancaster.com/index.html">Daryl</a>'s Fast Warping class yesterday and drove as far as a bit east of Syracuse, arose at 5 this morning and continued the journey at 6:30 a.m. What a wonderful time we had! This was my first NEWS (not to mention my very first trip ever to Massachusetts!!), so I took advantage of every possible class I could. I signed up for every slot. There was so much to see, so much to do, vendors to check out, weavers to talk with, people with whom I was acquainted via internet to meet in person, architecture to see, the gardens (which I missed), Elm trees the likes of which I haven't seen in the USA (the one at <a href="http://www.linnaeus.uu.se/LTeng.html">Carl Linneus's garden</a> is pretty impressive) <a href="http://www.hancockshakervillage.org/page.php?PageID=319">Hancock Shaker Village</a>, Fashion Show, Gallery Show, Instructors' Show...I was exhausted! I was so wound up I couldn't sleep. The inspiration I gained at NEWS will carry me a long way for the next year. <br /><br />Thank you for introducing the Chicks to NEWS. This was Ellen's third, and I think this was actually Mary's fourth (she went with you, Sonja and Lois the first time. Remember that Hot Fudge Sunday in bed?) <br /><br />I'll try to get some photos posted over the next few days. However, remember that tomorrow night is a Board of Trustees meeting, tomorrow morning I am taking Steve & Courtney to Detroit Metro at 5:30, Wednesday evening I am cashier for the <a href="http://annarborfiberarts.org/index.php?loc=home">AAFG</a> booth at the <a href="http://www.artfair.org/">Art Fair</a>, I have a few details to wrap up on the "It's Spring Alice!" jacket, and then Saturday is the beginning day of the sale of your incredible stash (for which I have volunteered to help George out). <br /><br />Chelsea, Scott and Stew are all glad to see me. And, of course, there is no place like home.<br /><br />Love to you, nNancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-7136786716850066532009-02-11T19:48:00.008-05:002009-02-16T21:02:16.750-05:00Programs, Workshops, and Learning—Oh My!Dear Alice,<br /><br />This has been a crazy/busy month, and this morning I decided that "the honeymoon is over". People have learned that I am there, and that there is someone who listens to their complaints (and more positively, their suggestions as to how their local government can run more smoothly and better). <br /><br />And in the midst of all this new experience, I am plugging away at getting things underway for the <a href="http://annarborfiberarts.org/index.php?loc=home">Guild</a>'s next season. The theme for our 2009-2010 Season is "Say <span style="font-style:italic;">YES<span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span> to Michigan!" The past year has been a difficult time economically in Michigan, so my thought was to do what we can to stimulate the economy locally. We have some very talented, skillful, brilliant, knock-your-sox-off creative people in Michigan, so I knew I could come up with some really great workshops and speakers, and keep costs down for our own members.<br /><br />Because our guild is composed of approximately 115 members who are all over the map in terms of what their interests and skills are, we try to offer a variety of workshops. But, I also limit the number of workshops to three for the season—usually one in October, one in March, and if we have someone local, one in January (due to unpredictability of weather). At the beginning of my term as V.P in charge of Programs and Workshops, I sent out a questionaire with the monthly newsletter. One of those questions was "What workshop topics interest you? (check all that apply)" The choices were Weaving, Surface Design, Dying, Silk Painting, Design, Stitching--free hand embroidery, Beading, Quilting, Clothing, Mixed media, Basketry, Paper making, Felting, and Other. Yes, Alice, every choice was checked, and just about equal interest on every topic. Our Guild started out as a weaving guild and over the years became focused on all manner of fiber art, so I can't offer only weaving workshops (believe me, I hear about it if I do!)<br /><br />Back to the theme. Say <span style="font-style:italic;">YES<span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span> to Michigan! I am thrilled with the line-up so far for 2009-2010. In September, the kick-off program for the year will be with Kathy Zasuwa, a talented weaver from Milford, Michigan. Her lecture will be "Clearing a Path: Creative Commitment". Isn't that a stunner for a start to the season? <br /><br />In October, we will have Ann Arbor's own <a href="http://www.hollanders.com/workshops/BrowseSubcategory.aspx?CategoryID=398edd40-a9c8-4ec3-aad8-15a4539f11e7&mode=search&fields=MONTH,CATEGORY,INSTRUCTOR&MONTH=&INSTRUCTOR=Karen O'Neal">Karen O'Neal</a> giving a paper-making workshop one weekend, and the following weekend teaching a workshop on creating your own book from your hand-made paper! (A good thing to have done before the Holiday season, no?) <br /><br />November is always Member Showcase...one of my favorite programs because there are always beautiful pieces that come to be shown and shared. December is easy...no meeting...just a delightful party that one of our members hosts, a gigantic potluck, and lovely clothing (but remember to be casual if you want). <br /><br />Usually January is the other member Showcase meeting, but in January 2010 we are going to have the talented <a href="http://www.chelsearivergallery.com/mainpages/moranimages.htm">Susan Moran</a> teaching a workshop on shibori and dye-baths on Day 1 and shaped resists on Day 2. Enticing to us weavers, isn't it? <br /><br />In February I have scheduled Diane Little from suburban Detroit area to give a program on textile conservation, and to talk to us about all the chemicals we may be using on our fabrics as well. Diane worked with textiles that were retrieved from The Titanic. How cool is that?<br /><br />In March <a href="http://www.folkschool.org/index.php?instructor_id=149§ion=instructor_detail">Charlie Patricolo</a>, another of our members, is giving a two weekend doll-making workshop. Charlie lived in this area for many years, flew away to North Carolina to live and teach, and is back with us.<br /><br />And so, finally in April we will have Member Showcase for the second half of the alphabet. That should give members plenty of time to wrap up what they have been inspired to do, especially since the Fiber Feast is always in April. Now all I have left to visualize is a program for May, and then get contracts out to each workshop leader and program lecturer, and procure/confirm workshop spaces. <br /><br />This year's line-up is coming to a close (for <span style="font-weight:bold;">this</span> job anyway), and here is where you can see the whole list of <a href="http://annarborfiberarts.org/index.php?loc=programs">programs</a> and <a href="http://annarborfiberarts.org/index.php?loc=workshops">workshops</a>. Delightfully, the theme for 2008-20009 was all about color. We had two workshops with <a href="http://www.loisbryantstudio.com/">Lois Bryant</a> on Magical, Marvelous Color, and <a href="http://www.weaversew.com/">Daryl</a> talked about color inspiration in her October lecture. This past Monday evening we had <a href="http://www.victoriasilksdesignstudio.net/">Victoria Silks</a> give her lecture on "Color Energy: Reflection of our Inner Life". It was fascinating!<br /><br />So, tell me...would you sign up for this line-up? <br /><br />Hugs,<br />Nancy<br /><br />ps. Oh, GOSH! Alice. I almost forgot the best thing that happened today! I was asked to serve on the Endowment Committee for your collection of books, articles, textiles, and notebooks that you left to the <a href="http://museum.msu.edu/">Museum at MSU</a>. I am <span style="font-style:italic;">so</span> honored.Nancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-5426200160351674292009-02-03T19:29:00.009-05:002009-02-06T06:21:56.653-05:00The Design GameDear Alice,<br /><br />I had been thinking about making up Ann Sutton's Design Game for over a year. Mary's birthday was fast approaching, and finally I got in gear to 'make' the game. I gathered different colored card-stocks, decided upon making a largish envelope rather than a box, dug out my inspiration for the envelope, and made a trip down to <a href="http://www.hollanders.com/">Hollander's</a>. Oh, yummm. Dangerous place to visit! The papers, cards, and other enticements are hard to resist. I caught a glimpse of the fun thank-you note that Jean had sent last November and thought 'Ahhh...I can stitch that heavy paper.' I took a scrap of leather that is part of another project and created a closure. All in all, it was fun to do, the cards are colorful, and after cake on Saturday, we played our first round of The Design Game!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRrbWAS9CBY72xgg0oMBxDQL5D9NfDvONXdFO86Oi6_io_xghQJ-FFkek302n55CvNbUnS1-88Ct0Bx2uNzfaRs3HahNyHppyC3Cz7JbhEXuKYmL6vKR9_zKj8JCslKU5f0RpgZyzQGmMf/s1600-h/IMG_3228.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRrbWAS9CBY72xgg0oMBxDQL5D9NfDvONXdFO86Oi6_io_xghQJ-FFkek302n55CvNbUnS1-88Ct0Bx2uNzfaRs3HahNyHppyC3Cz7JbhEXuKYmL6vKR9_zKj8JCslKU5f0RpgZyzQGmMf/s320/IMG_3228.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299642339609243634" /></a><br /><br />What is the Design Game? Ann Sutton describes it in her book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-media/product-gallery/0934026424/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_1?ie=UTF8&index=1">Ideas in Weaving</a>. She says: <br /><br />"The Design Game is played like an open game of Pontoon (Twenty-Ones, Vingt-et-Un, Blackjack). Each card in the pack (at least 50) contains an element of design found in a woven cloth. A player is dealt two cards and is asked to read them aloud. If the elements conflict irredeemably, the dealer moves on to the next player who might have two cards which are more amenable, and feels that a third element could be incorporated into the cloth (the vision of which builds up differently in the minds of all in the group). A fourth card could then be accepted, and even a fifth. Each should be read out and considered, with solutions suggested by the group for any ‘impossibilities’. If the player accepts a card which counteracts a previous one and makes the fabric truly impossible, then the dealer declares him ‘bust’ and moves on to the next player.<br /><br />"The purpose of the game is to produce, by chance, unexpected combinations of technique, weave, color, finishing, etc., and to create a problem-solving attitude to design challenges. It has usually been found to be a mind-stretching experience enjoyed by weavers of all abilities. <br /><br />"The cards should be similar to playing cards in size, and all of exactly the same size for easy shuffling. These cards include a list of suggested elements. It will be found that a near even quantity in each of the seven categories will give the best results but the cards should be mixed together and not dealt from the separate lists."<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNE8if8MMlvTjztqJQuztxuLTy2t4ZP7LrlaCpi32hfXzVxOCNRAzG_-BVZjNvgZQQJsmfC54_HIV7bRdbbLoK7w2bxwexVoGDx1W6e8_YwdNq0TPYsuE80OMcHF1Ia-mOg8JLuXy-KPj3/s1600-h/IMG_3205.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNE8if8MMlvTjztqJQuztxuLTy2t4ZP7LrlaCpi32hfXzVxOCNRAzG_-BVZjNvgZQQJsmfC54_HIV7bRdbbLoK7w2bxwexVoGDx1W6e8_YwdNq0TPYsuE80OMcHF1Ia-mOg8JLuXy-KPj3/s320/IMG_3205.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299642650357379698" /></a><br /><br />The categories are Technique, Color, Yarn, Fiber, Finishing, General Design, and Weave, and each category has several descriptions of possibilities. Using chance to design a new cloth. Great fun! We felt you peeking over our shoulders as we described the fantasy cloths in our imaginations. <br /><br />I hope it is warmer where you are. We are getting tired of single-digit temperatures. <br /><br />Yours on the road to discovery,<br />Nancy<br /> * Today's photos by Mary.Nancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-44315492386143070652009-01-20T21:16:00.016-05:002009-01-22T18:51:44.705-05:00Long Overdue PostcardDear Alice,<br /><br />When we went to Illinois to visit Mom at Thanksgiving, Scott and I decided that we would really like to visit <a href="http://www.bishophill.com/index.php">Bishop Hill</a> again. It had been many years since we had gone there the day after Thanksgiving with the children...it is always fun to try to catch the Julbuck <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRnejJHLY1BY9um_WgAuZftI6lM5MdKRpBZjq_xjsZyBsRDpIytX3BI7uzqH-8QH_P33Cc_tyQQTFZwrw_OEeDOY6dStxweLifi7HxGNVeFSUI-UakWr4C8-X1VucN6TZnMtLUuWnXSPj/s1600-h/Julbock.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRnejJHLY1BY9um_WgAuZftI6lM5MdKRpBZjq_xjsZyBsRDpIytX3BI7uzqH-8QH_P33Cc_tyQQTFZwrw_OEeDOY6dStxweLifi7HxGNVeFSUI-UakWr4C8-X1VucN6TZnMtLUuWnXSPj/s320/Julbock.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293579612445868882" /></a>playing tricks on people. We also needed to stock up on some Kalle's caviar.<br /><br />Bishop Hill was an early Swedish settlement on the Illinois prairie.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGxwH4m_Hq0LMSpDWcYMLSRa-DNcdErs2cVGJjBlcrxyKFM-pJyvvh21QiB0DYGKwI7lFDLFnOaROzu5HbPcMPkh7caJxiEs38AxcPopo3jpw_TzOP2iPC2jXZPgqL9MmHlDBadv9nbxFK/s1600-h/Clock+Tower+2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGxwH4m_Hq0LMSpDWcYMLSRa-DNcdErs2cVGJjBlcrxyKFM-pJyvvh21QiB0DYGKwI7lFDLFnOaROzu5HbPcMPkh7caJxiEs38AxcPopo3jpw_TzOP2iPC2jXZPgqL9MmHlDBadv9nbxFK/s320/Clock+Tower+2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293579930537451218" /></a> I remember studying it in the 70's when working on my BLA, and wrote a paper for my urban planning class at the time. Back then the buildings were in terrible disrepair. By the late 80's the settlement had been restored somewhat as a historic site by the state government,<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNFWx7-WIPCBeCFznOtaGJcBZPtGHPaieR_ZHL3Yk1tWRYDb93VidPOW__Je9WRnVj6IFFmdpU4WrpZfzpP-1kFepROGSJmQAql4LcullhSI4_ZQFcauTlCUwya-p6_GEhaJbgE1sb0nu/s1600-h/Clock+Tower.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNFWx7-WIPCBeCFznOtaGJcBZPtGHPaieR_ZHL3Yk1tWRYDb93VidPOW__Je9WRnVj6IFFmdpU4WrpZfzpP-1kFepROGSJmQAql4LcullhSI4_ZQFcauTlCUwya-p6_GEhaJbgE1sb0nu/s320/Clock+Tower.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293580269477456418" /></a> and sadly, the most recent governor pulled any supporting funds from important historic places like Bishop Hill and <a href="http://www.blackhawkpark.org/sauk.htm">Black Hawk State Park</a>.<br /><br />There is a wonderful spinning guild that serves much of the western Illinois community, the <a href="http://www.bishophillfiberguild.org/">Bishop Hill Fiber Guild</a>. Many of those who are members have work in the <a href="http://www.bishophillartscouncil.com/Shops/Prairie_Arts_Center/">Prairie Arts Center</a>, a lovely shop that we visited. They have really grown since the last time we were there! On the 28th of November, there was a lovely lady demonstrating weaving--weaving rag rugs with sock loopers.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkq80-7mDNuVvrM3WlIpZxG8bt-MoU1DOryvn6OHZd15zXypWMKzj8JGK75EJE-2eSLh7EXAKqAkaLbfNaB7barX8lTB3MH_DnU0Do3nS6YUMu0KCpvAYTXQeED-Ocmd2OZJWLmK1j_lO/s1600-h/Prairie+Arts+Center.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkq80-7mDNuVvrM3WlIpZxG8bt-MoU1DOryvn6OHZd15zXypWMKzj8JGK75EJE-2eSLh7EXAKqAkaLbfNaB7barX8lTB3MH_DnU0Do3nS6YUMu0KCpvAYTXQeED-Ocmd2OZJWLmK1j_lO/s320/Prairie+Arts+Center.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293578157488961170" /></a> In fact there were four looms set up that day, but only one weaver at the time we visited.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBy99xqZb0XqigyL6ZlqfavVdMHoEQUYt6ok9hTrBW27fcRmUFZ6xe5chJ9dVazMVg3wVt218-KstPlntac4hPpv9jYLnrz5kG_eZoN46K2fHUfvmBTctNCENKbKVIdiwDpy2ljmStjaaA/s1600-h/Loom+2.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBy99xqZb0XqigyL6ZlqfavVdMHoEQUYt6ok9hTrBW27fcRmUFZ6xe5chJ9dVazMVg3wVt218-KstPlntac4hPpv9jYLnrz5kG_eZoN46K2fHUfvmBTctNCENKbKVIdiwDpy2ljmStjaaA/s200/Loom+2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293580701124003554" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJBNeXFcvfqX6qHOnoysR8OqoCYiG_hKxKtMrmIsA-iLTDRekcNYzcxgPUqYu2DsWBfiRbxiEB8VZO2d4iB-5lhTXEOyiCneMALjSPBg5FNqioPu8k0Arl_yCB8D7ijElSGoyKJdOGtFtK/s1600-h/Loom+3.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJBNeXFcvfqX6qHOnoysR8OqoCYiG_hKxKtMrmIsA-iLTDRekcNYzcxgPUqYu2DsWBfiRbxiEB8VZO2d4iB-5lhTXEOyiCneMALjSPBg5FNqioPu8k0Arl_yCB8D7ijElSGoyKJdOGtFtK/s200/Loom+3.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293580875326079634" /></a><br /><br />There are wonderful treasures in some of the other historic buildings,<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzqOg6IJwMiMDaXl01vsYoM319POREfRpRpEkrh8BgOS_Z4k9s0SouPzcf62ifNprHRIjsJGBhZM78n8dW_lJXC2g1VdlbgfFPpKdvZPY6-oBjw_JuyU2ztygiSJZW9grKEMjBYVsglHfc/s1600-h/BH+Coverlet.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzqOg6IJwMiMDaXl01vsYoM319POREfRpRpEkrh8BgOS_Z4k9s0SouPzcf62ifNprHRIjsJGBhZM78n8dW_lJXC2g1VdlbgfFPpKdvZPY6-oBjw_JuyU2ztygiSJZW9grKEMjBYVsglHfc/s400/BH+Coverlet.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293581152794895042" /></a> things that unfortunately will be hidden away now that they have lost funding, so some of the State-owned buildings will not be open to the public.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhIrJ2k52dio88ROnrN5ASpFpWpt0xsZLr5wVpXgfVnKqsemfj4XtX3OIiefpBnQrqQK2zdSJ62qk-NKRpWf21WEqTSoboPcyaNFGftqIoWRcCiP-BKs5rN35xw2ItKc_Bh8HZe_ur9OTt/s1600-h/BH+Loom.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhIrJ2k52dio88ROnrN5ASpFpWpt0xsZLr5wVpXgfVnKqsemfj4XtX3OIiefpBnQrqQK2zdSJ62qk-NKRpWf21WEqTSoboPcyaNFGftqIoWRcCiP-BKs5rN35xw2ItKc_Bh8HZe_ur9OTt/s400/BH+Loom.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293581399111258034" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPviGEtUWGOK-KbzizWlNnEchZNXeR0JddgABPtvm00c9whnHgb7dwsW6Bsf5MSfRugefulAUJn_AoTofbN8jJmNSgnodtuVoqgzpXGDm0tfd-Jma4TAzZGwQYf9apy61YnpThjfDvNfia/s1600-h/BH+Spinning+Wheel.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 305px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPviGEtUWGOK-KbzizWlNnEchZNXeR0JddgABPtvm00c9whnHgb7dwsW6Bsf5MSfRugefulAUJn_AoTofbN8jJmNSgnodtuVoqgzpXGDm0tfd-Jma4TAzZGwQYf9apy61YnpThjfDvNfia/s320/BH+Spinning+Wheel.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293581642767756370" /></a>Do not hesitate to visit Bishop Hill, though! The architecture is fascinating, and there are some great little privately owned shops and restaurants.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ckkzWhp-gwpX6NYNYes-3TP8Wig_1m1-a4ZHbX2FCYBqXnF8BvzKd9BSv4bXHe8UBEZXa5AfGP0aUOT4Y8jaSb_sNrMLoXcCLG1TMGqBM-9RQ5kQHcPOHV5W5U94UfzP0H1UjL1cV5q2/s1600-h/BH+Bakery.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ckkzWhp-gwpX6NYNYes-3TP8Wig_1m1-a4ZHbX2FCYBqXnF8BvzKd9BSv4bXHe8UBEZXa5AfGP0aUOT4Y8jaSb_sNrMLoXcCLG1TMGqBM-9RQ5kQHcPOHV5W5U94UfzP0H1UjL1cV5q2/s320/BH+Bakery.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293581815335041010" /></a><br /><br /><br />I'm sorry it took so long to get this in the mail to you,<br />NancyNancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-69584858614931390822009-01-18T18:14:00.009-05:002009-01-23T18:28:50.004-05:00A Little Like Pennies from HeavenDear Alice,<br /> Last Monday we had 'Member Showcase' at our regular <a href="http://annarborfiberarts.org/index.php?loc=home">Guild</a> meeting. At first I thought I would be lucky to find something that I had done in the past year, since often I give things away before that meeting rolls around for me. I had sent Caiden's newly finished sweater off the week before, <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPrWa4Z_aIr6nfL5kXO1MK0CNGyP1dDdZ8TP5c_L6GBWT8ONz0d61n2v4UfW4XaIPRHSbIPpJDqk-KW5IWDoWkfmOkUPYZSGjYgInDZ841lsgUDsXg1dHCJjegLcO_FQLdaM_vJzfCCkYI/s1600-h/IMG00026.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPrWa4Z_aIr6nfL5kXO1MK0CNGyP1dDdZ8TP5c_L6GBWT8ONz0d61n2v4UfW4XaIPRHSbIPpJDqk-KW5IWDoWkfmOkUPYZSGjYgInDZ841lsgUDsXg1dHCJjegLcO_FQLdaM_vJzfCCkYI/s320/IMG00026.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292781750002702002" /></a> I had finished Penny's sox shortly after New Year's Day (but not yet delivered them),<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKeOmj0HfZ4BgvXocWLvobyc3iZSmP6k7o5vYLewRCEuBzlvRRDz3T4uxqtGVi6-pSiFK95fAKDshm9NLVeS_hfvEie63Q1L9twgYB9expewt5OlhDM4yBNrsvpgilVQg3y5hmNf_9W-f1/s1600-h/Penny+Sox.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKeOmj0HfZ4BgvXocWLvobyc3iZSmP6k7o5vYLewRCEuBzlvRRDz3T4uxqtGVi6-pSiFK95fAKDshm9NLVeS_hfvEie63Q1L9twgYB9expewt5OlhDM4yBNrsvpgilVQg3y5hmNf_9W-f1/s320/Penny+Sox.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293117366026817074" /></a> I had just finished weaving my first-ever rag rug, and not yet hemmed the ends, and I had finished weaving the Big Bluestem project, but not yet finished the ends and sides as I have envisioned. So...nothing to show? I decided that I could take the "It's Spring Alice!" fabric--after all, it was finished! I carefully unrolled it from the tube I had rolled it on, packed it up and took it along to the meeting. Tuesday morning, when I decided that it should be rolled back on the tube (so as not to become creased where I had folded it) I tipped the tube as I was about to put it on and lo! a roll of paper fell out. "What's this?" thought I. Indeed. Notes from Heaven. Alice, it was the instruction sheet for your crackle weave blanket gamp. Thank you...it made me smile, and it made my day!<br /><br />In the meantime, I have hemmed the first-ever rag rug. It was merely an experiment. I used <a href="http://www.weaversfriend.com/page5/page5.html">Janet Meany's Rag Rug Handbook</a> instructions to get an interesting pattern. Rather than use wool, though, I used cottons, a cotton/linen blend, and even a velveteen (OK, yes, it's too thick with the other fabrics, but it was the right color), and I used quarter-inch seams. Of course those are little bumps all over the rug. That day, though, I tossed perfectionism to the wind and recalled Jean's words as I did it. One of the cards I tossed into the fire on New Year's Eve said 'perfectionism'. I really just wanted to play with the rag rug warp since I had never done one before. Jean had said the day before: "I'm always a bit anxious about trying something new like this, but I keep reminding myself that it's only a bunch of thread, and if it gets too ugly, there's always the wood stove." Don't you love it?<br /><br />Thanks for the serendipity!<br />NancyNancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-11472367554241633102009-01-01T19:15:00.004-05:002009-01-01T19:43:48.741-05:00Best Wishes for a Wonder-filled 2009!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXDPjDdMxApCaHjjmhA72MiNXp_5rIJM6ssoelULRl5h3cYvWQpbH8NrT_hyjME_7OOTXzxoFH6_ChbDDwjxfL9xQ5VXXExrt5Crpcgb9xJ0livmaPMUoBB7JmcQ_7dIRUrpSwbN_L8zp/s1600-h/HoneyCreek2008-.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 112px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXDPjDdMxApCaHjjmhA72MiNXp_5rIJM6ssoelULRl5h3cYvWQpbH8NrT_hyjME_7OOTXzxoFH6_ChbDDwjxfL9xQ5VXXExrt5Crpcgb9xJ0livmaPMUoBB7JmcQ_7dIRUrpSwbN_L8zp/s400/HoneyCreek2008-.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286485460378858834" /></a><br />Dear Alice,<br /><br />Last night I wrote out my most important weaving goal for 2009. If I post it here, there are a lot of folks who will hold my feet to the fire. <br /><br />I will have every 'Apprenticeship' requirement finished by the end of 2009 so that I can send my submission to the <a href="http://www.weaversguildofboston.org/">Weavers' Guild of Boston<a href="http://www.weaversguildofboston.org/"></a></a> for judging at the beginning of 2010. <br /><br />There! I have committed fully to my goal.<br /><br />What is your most important weaving goal for 2009? <br /><br />Happy New Year!<br />Love,<br />NancyNancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-79621579608958135522008-12-31T17:55:00.005-05:002009-01-01T19:36:10.733-05:00Handwoven Dishtowels<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_FXhw_VcfzI5gqtNxHSoYVhp_B8x6KqCAls0cVcMRTgJ4bfXhC4OGqsi715pYXSqm2ahQlKd02abHrbT_TZhiGRYD4l6hfW7y9Y_6ohC-poXsNtIu6NGtCf1-PazBzCQm0kpGpNTLKdH/s1600-h/1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_FXhw_VcfzI5gqtNxHSoYVhp_B8x6KqCAls0cVcMRTgJ4bfXhC4OGqsi715pYXSqm2ahQlKd02abHrbT_TZhiGRYD4l6hfW7y9Y_6ohC-poXsNtIu6NGtCf1-PazBzCQm0kpGpNTLKdH/s400/1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286487520877278738" /></a><br />Alice, Dear,<br /><br />I was mangling table cloths, napkins, and dishtowels last weekend, draping every one gently over the drying rack as I went along to let them finish drying completely. Wow! I thought to myself. Quite a collection I am lucky to have! Ellen has contributed many to this cache...her lovely blues, and the most recent orange one with the red and yellow stripes which is sunshine in itself. Mary's is the organic cotton one, done in a diaper weave, and it has the most luscious hand. And there are yours...the multi-colored cotton stripes with a linen weft. Some I gave as gifts, but after your leaving us, I kept the last one for myself...I knew there would never be any more of those, and I like it so much. There is the one I wove myself with handspun cotton as weft. I decided that that particular one should go into the archives. It is really much too flimsy, though it does do a nice job on glasses. Maybe someday, 75 years from now, one granddaughter or another will pull it out of the archive and exclaim with joy about the handspun cotton weft. We can only hope....<br /><br />Lots of love,<br />NancyNancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-33237091361586055892008-12-28T17:57:00.004-05:002008-12-28T18:01:00.036-05:00APB<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjX84ffpsJmWksVUVda-dkbnBlcSM9GqhdOu12NaYFJc5xgtGBsIzQEtBL8fl_aaYHRhQYa1AO9HoFLhxpmaL0jPC_c8zq7wPy_DInMZanzr4jVd_x0kDNGXuFqWt2j3iSVUMl6X22pTs/s1600-h/Scio+Oath.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjX84ffpsJmWksVUVda-dkbnBlcSM9GqhdOu12NaYFJc5xgtGBsIzQEtBL8fl_aaYHRhQYa1AO9HoFLhxpmaL0jPC_c8zq7wPy_DInMZanzr4jVd_x0kDNGXuFqWt2j3iSVUMl6X22pTs/s400/Scio+Oath.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284979687666417826" /></a><br />Dear Alice,<br /><br />We have put out an APB. Nancy has gone missing from her looms and fiber equipment. We have nearly given up and have begun our siren songs.<br /><br />Frantically,<br /><br />Jack N. LeClerc, Alice Macomber, Colleen LeClerc, and Spinny AshfordNancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-88279609060094207002008-11-24T22:18:00.007-05:002008-12-02T18:07:45.090-05:0039...AgainDear Alice,<br /><br />I have been trying really hard to follow in your footsteps, to age gracefully. I don't know that it will ever happen, since most of the time I am only 30 or so in my head. Maybe this is a good thing. I don't see any wrinkles on my forehead (at least not early in the morning, before I put my glasses on). There is not much more to say except that birthdays have always been a wonderful thing for me. Usually there is a turkey dinner associated with my day, and I get calls and emails from very dear friends, and from children scattered far and wide. That is the best part. Since Thanksgiving this year is late, Scott and I enjoyed a wonderful whitefish entrèe with dried cherries and shiitake mushrooms. Dessert was a flourless chocolate torte with raspberry coulis, something I would love to be able to share with you. <br /><br />What a perfectly lovely, snowy day! These ladies were wondering why I wasn't in my 'old' office today.<br />Nancy<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMjW4NzqccLXkavJS6Tn7-F0wPiOYbWaDu7437hyphenhyphenzKAG05niJTsJTWHDi6MI1ijfuwl_x0gsiQ8jl8CVxVMsOIgEEmqzN1LFg26-5jK4_UKv9jxmIC588slSrRG3pscKByzlZk4ZLr7Gbm/s1600-h/DSC06214_1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 277px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMjW4NzqccLXkavJS6Tn7-F0wPiOYbWaDu7437hyphenhyphenzKAG05niJTsJTWHDi6MI1ijfuwl_x0gsiQ8jl8CVxVMsOIgEEmqzN1LFg26-5jK4_UKv9jxmIC588slSrRG3pscKByzlZk4ZLr7Gbm/s400/DSC06214_1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272773428434295906" /></a>Nancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-75848044178039659902008-11-06T19:00:00.003-05:002008-11-06T19:19:27.880-05:00What Path?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPraizDIvA5S5waEfuxALt9nsWAHBf13nMXRpN2lb2zgBPR7mG0hyphenhyphen4opmjQrdRx0KOsHEAYXouvc7S2CInoK1LWg4RacbuBGmas6M62OU7rvOFgyVKP_XSw7kwDLbkQdHmY26vuASCZSi4/s1600-h/Fall+Fog.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 295px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPraizDIvA5S5waEfuxALt9nsWAHBf13nMXRpN2lb2zgBPR7mG0hyphenhyphen4opmjQrdRx0KOsHEAYXouvc7S2CInoK1LWg4RacbuBGmas6M62OU7rvOFgyVKP_XSw7kwDLbkQdHmY26vuASCZSi4/s400/Fall+Fog.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265703279704815538" /></a><br />Dear Friends,<br /><br />At first it was hard to know where to go after Alice's departure. I have decided to stay the course...Alice would have wanted it and Scott encouraged me with these words:<br /><br />Love lives on forever<br /><br />in each memory and thought...<br /><br />For, in our hearts,<br /><br />our loved ones are with us every day....<br /> <br /><br />And so, the next installment will be another postcard to Alice.<br /><br />Peace and love be with you all,<br />NancyNancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-83021346435058785482008-10-31T20:44:00.009-04:002008-11-26T17:51:14.222-05:00Dear Friends, A Sad Day....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkYObIUyotc1fHK9VPnfBLgJBzf5RmQBpHCnsMwl9uGkfB7sCZ9VfV6j2HAidbJMqBpKLFjqoWNliTXuWCWh7qFOYMnPuAAJGHiaY5woPhetehlAy2tEX0lCRzkSh0veEXEMt7AKBKw6rH/s1600-h/AliceG-300.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 294px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkYObIUyotc1fHK9VPnfBLgJBzf5RmQBpHCnsMwl9uGkfB7sCZ9VfV6j2HAidbJMqBpKLFjqoWNliTXuWCWh7qFOYMnPuAAJGHiaY5woPhetehlAy2tEX0lCRzkSh0veEXEMt7AKBKw6rH/s400/AliceG-300.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273102528023098658" /></a><br />Dear Friends,<br /><br />It is with a heavy heart that I write to tell you that Alice passed away yesterday afternoon at her home. I was at 35,000 feet somewhere over the Atlantic and I remember thinking of her, hoping that we would be able to visit with her today. <br /><br />It is so good to have the memories that we have of her while she still felt well. The last time the Chicks visited with her as a group was on our return trip from our Retreat Weekend. She loved seeing the samples we had to share with her, hearing all about our weekend, the food we ate, and asking each of about our next projects. <br /><br />The World has lost another Weaving Great. <br /><br />NancyNancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-27674713302218813222008-10-14T10:08:00.005-04:002008-10-14T15:39:51.531-04:00Crash Courses<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrzKTqm04wEYkKOZZoo_1J3FnW7-R0w68pn60-g6SR9P95G8Y8ibUtQhJOsFG6PRNlI8Z4IjjugrQf14UOniX0zK46HPZKroqOz34zMUMjYPQNck187E_mgUGz_61QFdPKL8ZEFghRLcDa/s1600-h/Daryl+%26+Nancy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrzKTqm04wEYkKOZZoo_1J3FnW7-R0w68pn60-g6SR9P95G8Y8ibUtQhJOsFG6PRNlI8Z4IjjugrQf14UOniX0zK46HPZKroqOz34zMUMjYPQNck187E_mgUGz_61QFdPKL8ZEFghRLcDa/s400/Daryl+%26+Nancy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257012777203152322" /></a><br />Dear Alice,<br /><br />When <a href="http://www.weaversew.com/">Daryl Lancaster</a> says 'Crash Course', you had better take he at her word! We had three intense, lecture-filled, practice-filled, garment-looking, study-filled, days. She gave 200% in her teaching to every one of us. I will catch up with you soon (all about it), since there are a few loose threads to wrap up here before Scott and I head to Scot-land!<br /><br />Love to you!<br />NancyNancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-59896418014632807642008-10-08T22:27:00.005-04:002008-10-08T22:42:06.972-04:00Not Gone....Dear Alice,<br /><br />It wasn't fair to entice you with that photo of my pressure canner, was it? I went to look for the little booklet that came with it, and alas! there is no publication date. I rather think it is from the 30's or 40's. The Kook-Kwick Handbook from Sears Roebuck & Company. It is a great little canner. I didn't meet my goal of 30 quarts of tomatoes, but there are 20 qts. and 4 pts. on the pantry shelf, and that half peck of tomatoes that were dried—those all fit into 2 quart jars and 1 pint jar! I used some of those today in the pistou mix that the turkey breast is marinating in tonight. <br /><br />So begins a week of craziness! Suzy and her family are due here yet tonight. Friday I pick up <a href="http://www.weaversew.com/">Daryl Lancaster</a> at Detroit Metro, and this weekend is our workshop with her. We also have to start our jurying process all over for the <a href="http://annarborfiberarts.org/index.php?loc=home">Guild</a>. <br /><br />I'll give you an update when things calm down a bit.<br /><br />For now, be well!<br />Nancy<br /><br />P.S. The scarves are finished!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQShwkZbat6fBoXvR2QlnWsZnAgXo0zS9UTb2IBhpFSZtgl9JQJp4c7EpGUK89yHZ08csUysOgmWvgaxxBgn75m0i49XBqn4WbtbYxw5grbWmyZOpN9NXtPIDyicOCm_5G22pjU3WgVH5/s1600-h/3+scarves.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQShwkZbat6fBoXvR2QlnWsZnAgXo0zS9UTb2IBhpFSZtgl9JQJp4c7EpGUK89yHZ08csUysOgmWvgaxxBgn75m0i49XBqn4WbtbYxw5grbWmyZOpN9NXtPIDyicOCm_5G22pjU3WgVH5/s320/3+scarves.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254978692782746482" /></a>Nancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-42597495429965581602008-09-30T21:38:00.012-04:002008-10-01T09:30:04.330-04:00Last Day of September<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbRy35U6W2SnkVCvFlxKIvCi9qwGVX0-MugB-VhKaGT-aebN0fEVru2gItTgKYm9j0ITTzdfHyTXbBjmm_HDqCqekXM21r_V4GUaRBqTByO_7tBcZYdv_BOaePJfW6d0pEpujeEITzqBt/s1600-h/LA.Autumn+Sunrise.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbRy35U6W2SnkVCvFlxKIvCi9qwGVX0-MugB-VhKaGT-aebN0fEVru2gItTgKYm9j0ITTzdfHyTXbBjmm_HDqCqekXM21r_V4GUaRBqTByO_7tBcZYdv_BOaePJfW6d0pEpujeEITzqBt/s400/LA.Autumn+Sunrise.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251996156229855346" /></a> Autumn Sunrise at LA<br /><br />Dear Alice,<br />The last day of September is Scott's birthday, so this evening we went for dinner at <a href="http://www.webersinn.com/restaurant/index.asp">Weber's</a>. He had a seafood combo (very nice for someone who loves all seafood) and I chose the scallops with sautéed vegetables, which included dried tomatoes. Delicious! <br /><br />Today I halved a half peck of tomatoes and put them in the dehydrator, so soon we will have our own stash again. 'Tis the Farmers' Market again tomorrow morning, so I will pick up another 1/2 bushel of tomatoes for canning. Did I ever show you my pressure canner? It is clearly an antique!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaoLmt1RmclcJtQYikDTFl9_cVpllphilwhNqq9K5vFF0j2lvhyphenhyphenShwftMgTtYtrxXAS_r5vy4gCJQYxafJKrtodG6j5ZFjKeh3Q2QBM91bIZCTatudeuyZeBQ4Lk9QuZIDld56A6eYnyDS/s1600-h/My+Pressure+Canner.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaoLmt1RmclcJtQYikDTFl9_cVpllphilwhNqq9K5vFF0j2lvhyphenhyphenShwftMgTtYtrxXAS_r5vy4gCJQYxafJKrtodG6j5ZFjKeh3Q2QBM91bIZCTatudeuyZeBQ4Lk9QuZIDld56A6eYnyDS/s320/My+Pressure+Canner.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251995790123295106" /></a>Tomatoes, potatoes...we picked up our order of 110 pounds of spuds at the <a href="http://www.ci.traverse-city.mi.us/Farmers_Market/">Traverse City Farmers' Market</a> on Saturday. 30# of Yukon Golds, 20# of Adirondack Blues, 20# of Red-skinned Whites, and 40# of Russets. Mr Westmaas also handed us a few of his new variety Adirondack Reds, which have a pink flesh.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfeLHq5TywuAboWPsnQcJnqCOkDLuknpxkMC9gvLB9p-m929DDwA1bBIpD_1yr6Ha1PrfmhUi6545JXARF8ShH3P9N8ARgghr4Jyd_J3XP1JqtcVxChLrsWzXUldzwOB18Z8VBgs-kO2m/s1600-h/110%23+spuds.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfeLHq5TywuAboWPsnQcJnqCOkDLuknpxkMC9gvLB9p-m929DDwA1bBIpD_1yr6Ha1PrfmhUi6545JXARF8ShH3P9N8ARgghr4Jyd_J3XP1JqtcVxChLrsWzXUldzwOB18Z8VBgs-kO2m/s320/110%23+spuds.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252176429240111458" /></a><br />I have almost finished the last of the three scarves that I have been working on since the painted warp group (see Sept. 20). Here is the last one which will be finished early tomorrow morning.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9AePjWiGmWegDYqsggU5BC_5buynuyy3qZ7C7idBZ6Fyz3eYhl8UwFWZibdQm00KrFrp3dYXZuYYGr1QG1v-jrXu-80KwxzPSGfjZELzQLZc1t8eW2O3j1_g0E6o8CNmXaWRrKQ_pvJF7/s1600-h/Wool&Silk.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9AePjWiGmWegDYqsggU5BC_5buynuyy3qZ7C7idBZ6Fyz3eYhl8UwFWZibdQm00KrFrp3dYXZuYYGr1QG1v-jrXu-80KwxzPSGfjZELzQLZc1t8eW2O3j1_g0E6o8CNmXaWRrKQ_pvJF7/s400/Wool&Silk.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251997000596083778" /></a><br /><br />I was really surprised to see the Hummingbird at the feeder again tonight. A new record? We haven't had any frost yet....<br /><br />NancyNancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-42157098114543357492008-09-23T19:59:00.013-04:002008-10-01T21:45:10.286-04:00Painted Women Oops! I Mean Painted WarpsAlice,<br />I finally took a few photos of the painted warp scarf, the painted warp too-short-to-be-a-scarf, and the unpainted warp scarf for you. In fact, I wore the Mint Chocolate Chip scarf this morning to a meeting. (I promised myself just before Retreat that I cannot leave the house without sporting something that I have made/designed/created. Yes, I was inspired by <a href="http://www.mefeedia.com/entry/3067983/">Anita Luvera Mayer</a>.) For this one I used UKI Boston Brown 20/2 as weft.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXKMS67LqMYawjxol0ngy5U1rzhJ6-78J5tAveccJ38Q58x5kvNJPSrvWAAgQEPYqem6trjMzpErB69_dXM9jemUp4l8oQ6dz-v6riSx6_OQ4HBi0Lb75XYhZ3TbERxohjw7t2YSdPCAwM/s1600-h/Mint+Choc+chip.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXKMS67LqMYawjxol0ngy5U1rzhJ6-78J5tAveccJ38Q58x5kvNJPSrvWAAgQEPYqem6trjMzpErB69_dXM9jemUp4l8oQ6dz-v6riSx6_OQ4HBi0Lb75XYhZ3TbERxohjw7t2YSdPCAwM/s320/Mint+Choc+chip.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249371947385263378" /></a><br /><br />I think the Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake piece is destined to become a bag of some sort. The weft here is a polyester (where on earth did I get that???) I considered a table runner, but honestly, it doesn't go with anything we set at the table. Maybe I should be more open-minded.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjieBc-9NP6nPD833q5ha7-qinY_h5ibH9RIuNQGsJ0rZE65ikgbYQjffIe49lrHfA26MkylEDKrjYUcTqQiek5IxBE6IOVDtGrZDYI85sf-zSF5zVg60afexzleFxgmdOA1-RP5BaJrXBQ/s1600-h/Choc.+Cherry+Cheesecake.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjieBc-9NP6nPD833q5ha7-qinY_h5ibH9RIuNQGsJ0rZE65ikgbYQjffIe49lrHfA26MkylEDKrjYUcTqQiek5IxBE6IOVDtGrZDYI85sf-zSF5zVg60afexzleFxgmdOA1-RP5BaJrXBQ/s320/Choc.+Cherry+Cheesecake.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249372449972245906" /></a><br /><br />The last scarf is one that I was particularly taken with when all was said and done. I still had warp that I didn't have time to paint (mostly because I was thinking too much and not playing enough), so there was enough un-painted warp to do one more scarf. I settled on a natural-colored silk noil weft. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_xJkdRyXsJA7XU8bB7Rxwe2ia4slz9Ftku89966Q9tKndvck8QILKD3W4epcdML7MmjLOMu3qXb5c1_tT4DTEWGEqxi0cZoTt4w_zEJs8FTeGwWku1pbefmEiGAw2IKueh4eByW43VwXK/s1600-h/White+on+White.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_xJkdRyXsJA7XU8bB7Rxwe2ia4slz9Ftku89966Q9tKndvck8QILKD3W4epcdML7MmjLOMu3qXb5c1_tT4DTEWGEqxi0cZoTt4w_zEJs8FTeGwWku1pbefmEiGAw2IKueh4eByW43VwXK/s320/White+on+White.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249374539404019442" /></a>When finished, the sheen from the rayon in the 20/2 cotton/rayon warp made it just lovely. I am ready to try more warps with that cotton/rayon thread. I do love white on white designs. You will see more soon...the cashwool/silk warp and weft is in process now. It is a little slower going than the plain wefts.<br /><br />Canned another 7 quarts of tomatoes today. It is so good to see the pantry filling up again.<br /><br />Enjoy this Indian Summer!<br />Nancy<br /><br />OH! P.S. I saw the hummingbird again this evening. Yesterday I thought maybe she realized that it was Equinox and headed south....Nancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-64713227109300052442008-09-20T12:48:00.006-04:002008-09-23T10:34:22.314-04:00New ScarvesAlice,<br />I do wish that you could give your input on the latest warp, a set of three new scarves that I am readying for jurying to put in the Holiday Sale for the <a href="http://annarborfiberarts.org/index.php?loc=home">Guild</a>. I thought I had a cashmere/wool blend yarn (which I used, along with some reeled silk in the warp), but after further investigative work discovered that <a href="http://www.jimmybeanswool.com/knitting/yarn/LaneBorgosesia/Cashwool.asp?gclid=CMqRlM_q6pUCFQuXGgodHDfafA">Lane Borgosesia</a>'s "Cashwool" is really a lovely, fine yarn that is 100% extra fine Merino. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Puh!</span> as min vän Mari-Ann would say. Well, even though I was into the idea of cashmere and silk scarves (OK I will let it go), the resulting samples, when wet-finished were absolutely divine. Mary and Ellen agreed when I asked for their opinions. It would be nice if I had your 'OK', too. <br /><br />We couldn't ask for more perfectly beautiful days and cool nights. It does make me wonder about global warming, though...the hummingbirds are still at the feeder every day. Did I tell you about the one that landed on me when DH and I were at the cottage in August? What an amazing experience!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihHv1PPBHhVmuUoTH_FotDwEDZ53-HgjLs18A0o-Z-3ds2TT-B7-iju-QcCbcnlnpiZr067JUJ5aIKVzWw9TTosBEuz38VIL4hvWqB7xZXDIdjJbesD6r7i1MhnmQPOe3Ifk4f1qFOhf8I/s1600-h/Hummer.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihHv1PPBHhVmuUoTH_FotDwEDZ53-HgjLs18A0o-Z-3ds2TT-B7-iju-QcCbcnlnpiZr067JUJ5aIKVzWw9TTosBEuz38VIL4hvWqB7xZXDIdjJbesD6r7i1MhnmQPOe3Ifk4f1qFOhf8I/s320/Hummer.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248149248650815778" /></a><br /><br />For now I will stop. I want to finish weaving the 2nd scarf today. (I still need to go to the Farmers' Market, mow the lawn [which has finally turned green and grown after our 6 inches of rain last weekend], and make the turkey sausage for pizza tonight.) Still deciding about the weft pattern on #3; Marty really liked the 'plaid-effect' of the silk and Merino wool in my sample. I really do too.<br /><br />Have a great weekend!<br />NancyNancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-69699587317639206632008-09-15T19:56:00.010-04:002008-09-23T20:28:08.948-04:00New GoalsHi Alice,<br /><br />We all delighted in visiting with you on the return trip from our Retreat! It was so great to see you (and it is so cool that you still worry about how you look!)<br /><br />We had a wonderful time together, and even though it rained every day, it was still beautiful. The meals were grand! Weavers sure know how to cook, and Ellen has encouraged me to share more recipes of some of the things we had. Our first breakfast, though was at LA Cafè, a part of the tradition.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN24GTWv7-27mUH9ZpkJMozswaNEMEy5r9iRU78B7NhwlNkexNzurfMK4SRc-LjWLQyLhQg77x_BSH1M_QPAWmc_a9gDmXwKvBHqkQM94hTaublNENb286auJHsQMBsFsRdajgocXUCQ10/s1600-h/Retreat+LA+Cafe.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN24GTWv7-27mUH9ZpkJMozswaNEMEy5r9iRU78B7NhwlNkexNzurfMK4SRc-LjWLQyLhQg77x_BSH1M_QPAWmc_a9gDmXwKvBHqkQM94hTaublNENb286auJHsQMBsFsRdajgocXUCQ10/s320/Retreat+LA+Cafe.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248469468830292546" /></a><br />Even though we were weavers retreating, there were only two loom there. It really is rather difficult to pack looms with the coolers, people and nap-sacks. Ellen brought her little table loom with a crackle weave gamp from a workshop, and made a little progress. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJF3DpGCFaZcMHHHNdtBx0VxFW28Evgjsx2w9ZlESHcufRobmzrywSUZ0E6oEs8N3n4DHtrQKSBHelG03u3Sc96DoV0iNZRwI7L_myvxcJ3uEEyatWb0iUj4P_2pGrklkIcCxhyphenhyphenPhzejt0/s1600-h/Retreat+Ellen,+loom.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJF3DpGCFaZcMHHHNdtBx0VxFW28Evgjsx2w9ZlESHcufRobmzrywSUZ0E6oEs8N3n4DHtrQKSBHelG03u3Sc96DoV0iNZRwI7L_myvxcJ3uEEyatWb0iUj4P_2pGrklkIcCxhyphenhyphenPhzejt0/s320/Retreat+Ellen,+loom.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248468729701243426" /></a><br />Jean brought a tape loom, which was fun to see in operation (why have I never seen one before?)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJn2FcIIE6ZS9IXbUl1_Hboo2z3y8NSpirYVJXC4qzYz2m9EQ265cn687lL7R4m-EKjhHZxaLzz_7f1MzrSgWrwUJcfl0Ir1Lxdf42m2975UVT-soUxLXIy_ESzrn5ttlpCDFVFGTSQTg/s1600-h/Retreat+It+Takes+All+Kinds.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJn2FcIIE6ZS9IXbUl1_Hboo2z3y8NSpirYVJXC4qzYz2m9EQ265cn687lL7R4m-EKjhHZxaLzz_7f1MzrSgWrwUJcfl0Ir1Lxdf42m2975UVT-soUxLXIy_ESzrn5ttlpCDFVFGTSQTg/s320/Retreat+It+Takes+All+Kinds.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248468933219039394" /></a><br />Pat practiced making i-cord to that she can easily knit from the top down sweaters for the multitudes of nieces and nephews that keep showing up in her family!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNvuw6ntkqWemOLbCdi5xr5Q6s07yWNlVa7y4z3fmjLGk53mUrRHq5i4w14Nlt-4AtA7s5sjgBLgXBr87GtV6HJKKRPx2l-5GSiCtrp9t2HP6M42PoR_wteohSHRTlY1qNxDtBeOHtBrm/s1600-h/Retreat+Concentration.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNvuw6ntkqWemOLbCdi5xr5Q6s07yWNlVa7y4z3fmjLGk53mUrRHq5i4w14Nlt-4AtA7s5sjgBLgXBr87GtV6HJKKRPx2l-5GSiCtrp9t2HP6M42PoR_wteohSHRTlY1qNxDtBeOHtBrm/s320/Retreat+Concentration.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248472740817374274" /></a><br /><br />Mary was so intent on (and I quote) "burning through the basket of wool" roving that she brought, that she literally did melt the little plastic part on the whorl of her Ashford Traveler. She was spinning fast and furious to have everything ready for the <a href="http://www.spinnersflock.org/">Spinners' Flock</a> Sale on the 21st.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4apS-sHFmrxAMt_Q3NzJUK4aQXIHjmLCuvFoi1PLMQJiSxJkWCL6fRn1qHSelzYbiJ5RmeUw1zutSH-nlImp8f4ygAFdMzV4wVr2Veq_N48L6bo9KetVxdxTqvdHP_32u0aAeei42zfC/s1600-h/Retreat+Burning+thru+the+wheel.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4apS-sHFmrxAMt_Q3NzJUK4aQXIHjmLCuvFoi1PLMQJiSxJkWCL6fRn1qHSelzYbiJ5RmeUw1zutSH-nlImp8f4ygAFdMzV4wVr2Veq_N48L6bo9KetVxdxTqvdHP_32u0aAeei42zfC/s320/Retreat+Burning+thru+the+wheel.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248470232330699346" /></a><br /><br />We all worked on our individual visualizations of who we are and what we have accomplished by 2013...it was very cool! And we have all come home and dug right in and started to make those goals and dreams a reality!<br /><br />And moi? Oh, yeah, me. Well, I did make progress on starting a little sweater for dear Caiden. <br /><br />Jean and I actually went swimming Sunday morning before it started to rain again (and fortunately, before all the boaters in the bass fishing tournament took off). We deserved a pat on the back...the water was 68°F! Brrrrr. <br /><br />Ah, yes. And one of the other traditions is a reading before bedtime. This year it was <a href="http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780060847265/Woolbur/index.aspx">Woolbur</a>, a delightful children's story. OK, so we are a little crazy....<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGTwHUewyhTrG81f8ckUKXrG-XArVTRzusivkbZiHJMwC2IxmvBfjX3zzYoauhdMEduf7kddSK4GQx69BZ6Px1OYRXQFNqTxHQDhLKRyR3O2Yoc6xLUuvleSDCGr8vbohmL7iXt-AQ6d0M/s1600-h/Retreat+Bedtime+Story.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGTwHUewyhTrG81f8ckUKXrG-XArVTRzusivkbZiHJMwC2IxmvBfjX3zzYoauhdMEduf7kddSK4GQx69BZ6Px1OYRXQFNqTxHQDhLKRyR3O2Yoc6xLUuvleSDCGr8vbohmL7iXt-AQ6d0M/s320/Retreat+Bedtime+Story.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248474055917322082" /></a> <br /><br />Alice, we missed having you there with us, but Mary brought along a lovely photo of you which we moved to wherever we were working. You <span style="font-style:italic;">were</span> there in spirit!<br /><br />Now, back to the loom,<br />NancyNancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-64405258592195964272008-09-10T08:58:00.004-04:002008-09-18T19:12:00.949-04:00Painted Warp...Woven!...but not yet finished, Alice. Early this morning I finished the painted portion of the warp, the Chocolate Mint Ice Cream piece was finished days ago and the Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake piece was finished off this morning. I think I still have enough warp for a scarf; this end of the warp is unpainted since I ran out of time in Sarah Saulson's workshop. So, I have planned for a fringe, hemstitched, and started a white on white scarf that has a raw silk weft. It could be particularly lovely, and certainly a lightweight scarf...something for a California or Florida gal maybe.<br /><br />Now the rush is to try to cut everything off before Friday when we leave to retreat! I wish you could be there, too.<br />NancyNancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-74612270003704805742008-09-09T21:26:00.008-04:002008-09-10T14:29:15.628-04:00Starry, Starry Days<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSbp4J_cz4YSg9uZ9T-YsU9Vcz9jK6_Ydp1Phnjl3yLmapDtbV6j8D6uisopnlGqfB_m7SWcaCQECLVIiXK4oKEk6XfKjlCqCx4YmwrPvKBYilMt6bFuPp_WwaOJrxVHp5bW9t9flqKvqq/s1600-h/Clematis.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSbp4J_cz4YSg9uZ9T-YsU9Vcz9jK6_Ydp1Phnjl3yLmapDtbV6j8D6uisopnlGqfB_m7SWcaCQECLVIiXK4oKEk6XfKjlCqCx4YmwrPvKBYilMt6bFuPp_WwaOJrxVHp5bW9t9flqKvqq/s400/Clematis.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244461368047609794" /></a><br /><br />Dear Alice,<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Clematis terniflora</span>, Sweet Autumn Clematis, Old Man's Beard...one of my favorites that signals the end of Summer. Its little stars grace the fence screening our outdoor patio from the rest of the private drive. Its scent on a warm day draws my eye to find it. The honey bees, though decidedly few this year, are frequenting it.<br /><br />We finally got an inch of rain yesterday and last night. It has been horribly dry, down 3.5 inches of rain for August alone. The leaves from the trees are giving up, snapping free, relieving stress, collecting in the gutters, littering the ground plane....<br /><br />I always am saddened to see summer go. But I also welcome the fresh new start of Autumn, new goals, and the cooler nights.<br /><br />So welcome, Sweet Autumn Clematis, welcome to your starry beauty!<br /><br />Do you have one of these on your east fence, Alice?<br />NancyNancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-47854099461581179162008-09-04T19:49:00.014-04:002008-09-04T20:28:23.518-04:00An Invitation<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVztJkOzkL3cgCIcsDeh2xnGGiy8d4sU898ls7bNqqDkGooNijKNGpgTXQlNLfrCG8Okw9Qv9YCpZ7A5MwJYb5gaYgTtckan7FguOH1m2enpN_JNoVqP6BS5wQGyXkerSBypG1of-eaZd/s1600-h/WELCOME!.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVztJkOzkL3cgCIcsDeh2xnGGiy8d4sU898ls7bNqqDkGooNijKNGpgTXQlNLfrCG8Okw9Qv9YCpZ7A5MwJYb5gaYgTtckan7FguOH1m2enpN_JNoVqP6BS5wQGyXkerSBypG1of-eaZd/s400/WELCOME!.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242321708670268562" /></a><br />Dear Alice,<br /><br />I know that this is a little intimidating to all of us...this year's retreat invitation calls for each of us to "Come as You Will Be in 2013". I also know that you will be there in spirit with us as you have every year. Mary said after her last visit that you are having difficulty seeing from one of your eyes. What does Dr. Sugar say about that?<br /><br />Here are a few 'Invitation' photos for Hen and Chicks, something to remind us that it is to be a r-e-t-r-e-a-t and also a chance to stretch ourselves to try/do/be something new. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6orPiMNXxic0pNqAlwA_IpQ3gFi-EP6ncqvYSBWpDqsf7_IojsShtOfka4gkZw7SZVVzPkLWTshevUdrtRr9ccRz3uO_LY4KymebjoUSlipk_Bpeb9Wx0Dpb5bTL21DRfBXO0u-zmWvQ2/s1600-h/Morning+DockDeck.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6orPiMNXxic0pNqAlwA_IpQ3gFi-EP6ncqvYSBWpDqsf7_IojsShtOfka4gkZw7SZVVzPkLWTshevUdrtRr9ccRz3uO_LY4KymebjoUSlipk_Bpeb9Wx0Dpb5bTL21DRfBXO0u-zmWvQ2/s320/Morning+DockDeck.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242324098266285042" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4JcAgDbJmf4JFqNVt7Z3fnm9A8cMp6D27z5mbtRZ0FKzaGdadkAKHbEDr2g_yxQnuIoNKtViaSXX0DJyJoQFWA3aiy0UD0tYRa_cVc2mCT6iYfN9qaQUtZM_7uAUhRnA5KY6k-QT4IQ3N/s1600-h/Peace.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4JcAgDbJmf4JFqNVt7Z3fnm9A8cMp6D27z5mbtRZ0FKzaGdadkAKHbEDr2g_yxQnuIoNKtViaSXX0DJyJoQFWA3aiy0UD0tYRa_cVc2mCT6iYfN9qaQUtZM_7uAUhRnA5KY6k-QT4IQ3N/s320/Peace.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242324261648417330" /></a> <br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigXKPeCY9I-PsmaHpk19mg_-ydIFExSkww9I2qK5rUPEWBK7uw1dfWovv_iufum9zTzhFJHTX4EludM7hdkU6IcH9SQ-4JkePcWWSsLJ2E1enWLpLsJC-OOzNUtdupuUY5fpksBVlw7fPp/s1600-h/Snooze%3F.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigXKPeCY9I-PsmaHpk19mg_-ydIFExSkww9I2qK5rUPEWBK7uw1dfWovv_iufum9zTzhFJHTX4EludM7hdkU6IcH9SQ-4JkePcWWSsLJ2E1enWLpLsJC-OOzNUtdupuUY5fpksBVlw7fPp/s400/Snooze%3F.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242326639692828802" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYa9d-G8KmWdlAByM5blhjkKHP_yXpZAqTALdCAefVvoaxe02janLsbV7xnjVN7O6qwiz0BliD2eHY-Gu1hUf0ZMAeaTNay6k-qDRZhwW9a5W9wGbYsjWW9Thy5Z_-meL5euzHhLn9XmVF/s1600-h/You're+getting+Sleepy.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYa9d-G8KmWdlAByM5blhjkKHP_yXpZAqTALdCAefVvoaxe02janLsbV7xnjVN7O6qwiz0BliD2eHY-Gu1hUf0ZMAeaTNay6k-qDRZhwW9a5W9wGbYsjWW9Thy5Z_-meL5euzHhLn9XmVF/s320/You're+getting+Sleepy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242322314253831202" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnefkX3wmgXbbaRZHk9B-4RMbUQxsy0oK1-RVpuhMg614QqgX57gdE77Ah9g8MX-dRhCVXM5CZ9JpJ4Zfo3mgqoX_ICSaw8L8BzAK96-NORJ6_hYGsD6OmqlEDWIdRdJW5A9bo4r0gbcoY/s1600-h/Kick+%27em+off.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnefkX3wmgXbbaRZHk9B-4RMbUQxsy0oK1-RVpuhMg614QqgX57gdE77Ah9g8MX-dRhCVXM5CZ9JpJ4Zfo3mgqoX_ICSaw8L8BzAK96-NORJ6_hYGsD6OmqlEDWIdRdJW5A9bo4r0gbcoY/s320/Kick+%27em+off.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242322686228706578" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgeeQ5VTJYSBZw1N9xD8596q5EBIJ9_gpBcgp3g-ya2vk2_VVKnto9FVUnqERcucSRQYCPtmSFOKEB6en82F0JLmJJkT5fEVip5PsdCjzV0zDclDy0mAkqivO_ZffRe_sbjPszRcZmg3I/s1600-h/Breakfast%3F.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgeeQ5VTJYSBZw1N9xD8596q5EBIJ9_gpBcgp3g-ya2vk2_VVKnto9FVUnqERcucSRQYCPtmSFOKEB6en82F0JLmJJkT5fEVip5PsdCjzV0zDclDy0mAkqivO_ZffRe_sbjPszRcZmg3I/s320/Breakfast%3F.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242322997614026578" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Kick back, take off your shoes, enjoy the Peace, the Beauty, the sunshine, and the comraderie! <br /><br />Join us in spirit!<br />NancyNancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-28308188541880914312008-08-28T13:48:00.003-04:002008-08-28T17:19:27.447-04:00Last Visit...Lilies and Birches<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs5ScoFfv-7dKWa-js80dPUEO7TpQ8g_mjt2QUCvWDZ6vb5_-VNyL73HclnDwj5RUMakAp7TNt-Plb1hHDGi1FxOWeJRlAUuj2G4CMvPJWkoLQAs_0GFJAxLpay_EIjhHGxqLMEnqPjdvr/s1600-h/Lilies+%26+Birches.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs5ScoFfv-7dKWa-js80dPUEO7TpQ8g_mjt2QUCvWDZ6vb5_-VNyL73HclnDwj5RUMakAp7TNt-Plb1hHDGi1FxOWeJRlAUuj2G4CMvPJWkoLQAs_0GFJAxLpay_EIjhHGxqLMEnqPjdvr/s400/Lilies+%26+Birches.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239627235658663970" /></a>Nancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-13771630887930751862008-08-24T22:47:00.015-04:002008-09-04T21:24:17.085-04:00Painted Warps with Sarah Saulson<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizix_WftWH7Cmp7MZ9pqhwRVOe_XrlyMy337FvDAqlU29Qnp5XW0JGVBgY_MS8oVho8okXwh8fRcN6OW4obAKn7t8oSCn2tZblxLulxmQcZ10t5IcJ3Clhm8G2Fb7TbmrOAJ2xsEbl-Ypd/s1600-h/Sarah+Saulson.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizix_WftWH7Cmp7MZ9pqhwRVOe_XrlyMy337FvDAqlU29Qnp5XW0JGVBgY_MS8oVho8okXwh8fRcN6OW4obAKn7t8oSCn2tZblxLulxmQcZ10t5IcJ3Clhm8G2Fb7TbmrOAJ2xsEbl-Ypd/s320/Sarah+Saulson.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242306928335992882" /></a><br />Dear Alice,<br /><br />What fun we had yesterday and today! Today we finished up the workshop that the Warped Women/Weavers held with Sarah Saulson. Painted Warps. Very cool. I really can't wait to weave my warp...I tried two colorways, based upon using a cocoa brown that I mixed. It was a conglomeration of cool red, warm red, a touch of black, cool yellow,and aqua. I finally got a yummy color of cocoa. With this I painted a 'mint' green that I concocted; the other colorway is the cocoa combined with a blood red that Phyllis<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbAR7EBFXJokvtulQv8G85T_mctZOiPKD17gx8Al-58nz-DJFJeapGP8uxq8_yiGelVg_HaVqfKGkEQxnkvddW0OMTxRqISntui5tM4bpcn1Di9U4oms7xa2XKw88UL-FVdSIUHzxzuhcf/s1600-h/Phyllis.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbAR7EBFXJokvtulQv8G85T_mctZOiPKD17gx8Al-58nz-DJFJeapGP8uxq8_yiGelVg_HaVqfKGkEQxnkvddW0OMTxRqISntui5tM4bpcn1Di9U4oms7xa2XKw88UL-FVdSIUHzxzuhcf/s320/Phyllis.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242309629530306498" /></a> created, and the weft yarn that I tested on this section of warp was a red polyester that will make a really great table runner for Autumn. Phyllis dubbed them Chocolate Mint Ice Cream and Cherry Chocolate Pie.<br /><br />Here is what Fran did:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy6NZZs1oj9XdB7XkUvCuT2poYOpBIuogR2iY_ypBX0gKRJ_7H1kXmS1mJ75a6XSYvSmwdf4KdPs-YmHKEdR3l2Su-dVdjyeEte0i9NFgwmVKvDjn3RTWzlUjyXGxxvED5RuMNUROGWCNd/s1600-h/Fran's+paint.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy6NZZs1oj9XdB7XkUvCuT2poYOpBIuogR2iY_ypBX0gKRJ_7H1kXmS1mJ75a6XSYvSmwdf4KdPs-YmHKEdR3l2Su-dVdjyeEte0i9NFgwmVKvDjn3RTWzlUjyXGxxvED5RuMNUROGWCNd/s320/Fran's+paint.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242312630506471906" /></a> So apropos! A few days later I saw a sweater in the 'Designer Runway' section at T. J. Maxx that looked just like Fran's pretty warp! Here she is tightening her warp on her little workshop loom. She's too cute!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdWgRbAqT8eCWlW3T5Cc1AHLGkI1H58WeLL1j1VMx2K4aiji9AyXan48Un4flSW8Y4RnK744EFDvDgcB-Kl3oNGsi0LHqTIQttie4CFTzOVGQ5p1Myvtp5K0MKYEYLwuHL0pyDGP_cxOZ/s1600-h/Fran,+too+cute.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdWgRbAqT8eCWlW3T5Cc1AHLGkI1H58WeLL1j1VMx2K4aiji9AyXan48Un4flSW8Y4RnK744EFDvDgcB-Kl3oNGsi0LHqTIQttie4CFTzOVGQ5p1Myvtp5K0MKYEYLwuHL0pyDGP_cxOZ/s320/Fran,+too+cute.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242313569054347010" /></a><br />Ellen took a walk on the wild side and put some lime green with splashes of red and 'Ellen's blue'. She tested a very fine dark green weft that is going to make this piece stunning!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJhytEZrcoyxjlG4opvmOaH-L41nxn_-kR1c1zkM3yuba2sWdxjgk4JvKwFUxtBTDyh9LPzSCUiZea8ZSW1PQWRZ5xHEsF41f5nSVcD3lZQwqVTTrrS3LwgZzqC_EsTeJjVfUSzX7F5DXh/s1600-h/Ellen's+paint.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJhytEZrcoyxjlG4opvmOaH-L41nxn_-kR1c1zkM3yuba2sWdxjgk4JvKwFUxtBTDyh9LPzSCUiZea8ZSW1PQWRZ5xHEsF41f5nSVcD3lZQwqVTTrrS3LwgZzqC_EsTeJjVfUSzX7F5DXh/s400/Ellen's+paint.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242314214308525218" /></a><br /><br />Pat was a little worried about using her table loom, but all worked out, and she has a beautiful painted warp that I can't wait to see!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgusffUsKioyZeI7aJqarI9XRQNJYBR_S_w77ZxNZWBFQm3VVQubTw0uZhyphenhyphenImk4nAiiOJ1vfuacnjX_ntzoarn4wiaEBTJIp8VEnt7PChgcWkYWpmiGDdkn4yJBfL8b_4pCk1-durymQjWR/s1600-h/Pat.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgusffUsKioyZeI7aJqarI9XRQNJYBR_S_w77ZxNZWBFQm3VVQubTw0uZhyphenhyphenImk4nAiiOJ1vfuacnjX_ntzoarn4wiaEBTJIp8VEnt7PChgcWkYWpmiGDdkn4yJBfL8b_4pCk1-durymQjWR/s320/Pat.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242314795004743090" /></a><br /><br />Here's part of our engrossed class<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNE5bZWubv3S1dgq6pTxey-2RT6UDH_Zgz6hONYsastiVCP4TgZPPZOeVih6wDTZejchnNFImFlLAtfxd7shXd2-QXkkHwXKaqJqUG_hl73DkqVQPq72qkdENE1fNxcnH0fh1MW1La6eio/s1600-h/Class+group.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNE5bZWubv3S1dgq6pTxey-2RT6UDH_Zgz6hONYsastiVCP4TgZPPZOeVih6wDTZejchnNFImFlLAtfxd7shXd2-QXkkHwXKaqJqUG_hl73DkqVQPq72qkdENE1fNxcnH0fh1MW1La6eio/s320/Class+group.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242315169904051138" /></a><br /><br />I wish you could have come...Sarah is a really organized, thorough teacher! <br /><br />She sends her regards! Hugs from me too,<br />NancyNancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6224095892625820174.post-72990742219301496582008-08-14T11:00:00.001-04:002008-09-04T18:59:06.162-04:00The Envy of LAAlice, <br />It seems that this oldie but goodie is the envy of LA:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioQEEjRJ9goDmc2bkDJMQ-Uoc4VVwZxgSW0wJgqBNNh7ozj54LFurW9WG-oe_Seso9he7x_NiBfrFyIVYbjfnm57GicYY9NYZk9-JLsZb8bobtlgpeVbS5FrStNsE9pj_0tM-5S4oZzR4K/s1600-h/The+Grill.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioQEEjRJ9goDmc2bkDJMQ-Uoc4VVwZxgSW0wJgqBNNh7ozj54LFurW9WG-oe_Seso9he7x_NiBfrFyIVYbjfnm57GicYY9NYZk9-JLsZb8bobtlgpeVbS5FrStNsE9pj_0tM-5S4oZzR4K/s400/The+Grill.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242304338990687122" /></a><br /><br />This was one of the enticing elements of the place when we bought it 23 years ago. Now, with all the decorating shows featuring outdoor kitchens, this has become the most talked about outdoor piece as people pass by in their boats. We love it! We use it often, and when the weather is such as it is, we eat outdoors at every meal.<br /><br />I hope you have had a few moments outdoors in this beautiful summery weather,<br />NancyNancy JChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12318268517648605381noreply@blogger.com0