Bazaar or Bust

This weekend was a hand-crafter's bazaar here in town. I like to set up a display, just because it's local.

Attendance was low this year, but there were some good conversations and lots of interesting art connections!

Thanks to all who came out!

Kumihimo Stand

After a presentation on kumihimo (a Japanese form of braiding) at the Wabash Weaver's guild this morning, I came home and made my own stand. My nine-year-old daughter 's hand is in the picture. She's holding the cardboard "disk" that we practiced the technique on. The raisin box is my stand. The finished braid is pulled through the hole by some clamps that are acting as weights.

The stand was much faster than the card!

Thanks, Ryoko, for introducing us to this craft!

Feast of the Hunters' Moon 2009

Here I am in my "Feast" costume. The Feast of the Hunters' Moon celebrates the fall trading periods of the 1700's in this part of Indiana. My weaving guild has had a booth at the Feast for over twenty years.

This was my third year participating. I have typically demonstrated weaving on the guild's loom--weaving and talking to those who stop to see what we are doing. Last year I wove all morning and into the afternoon before I had to stop to get to another meeting.

This year I wove and wove, and talked and talked....I love being at the loom and talking to people! We had a range of interest--everything from the guy who wanted to see how the heddles were attached to this loom (because he is refinishing one), to the gal who is opening her own fibercraft business, to those who were hoping to take their first weaving lessons soon, to those who knew nothing about the craft!

At some point I realized that I really ought to give up the loom and go home. I didn't want to leave, but I had stayed much longer than originally planned. One of the other gals was walking towards the bus line, so I packed up my things and headed off with her. If it weren't for her, I might still be weaving at the Feast!

Many, many thanks to the hardworking guild members who make it possible for us to participate in the Feast. It's work, and stress (especially with all the rain on Thursday & Friday!), but it turned out so well!

Roving Rugs

I switched gears for a bit...instead of bags, I'm making RUGS!

This idea came to me Sunday morning and I had to get out of bed and take notes on it (before I went back to sleep and forgot it!). The warp is 4/2 cotton, doubled and set at 6 epi per doubled thread. The weft is some of my hand-dyed rovings that have been sitting in a box waiting, and waiting and waiting their turn to be spun.

Bwa-ha-ha-ha! Their turn will never come! Their purpose in life has changed!




This yellow roving shows off the point twill (rosepath variation) weave structure really well. I made another rug with a variegated roving and it's harder to see the diamond patterns. Unfortunately, when I wove this rug I didn't pay close enough attention to the note on the draft (this is #164 from A Weaver's Book of 8-Shaft Patterns, ed. by Strickler) to "use tabby". Check out the floats on the reverse!







I'm not sure what I'll do with the floats yet. One thought is to cut them, knot them together and call it done. Another option is to leave them and cover them with a non-skid pad. Option number two is more likely to happen at this point!

Now I have to decide how to finish these rugs. Any thoughts?

Plethora of Products?

1. Overshot Bag, 2. black on grey, 3. Merino twill, 4. "babysling" bag, 5. Bird's Eye Bag, 6. Wine bottle bag, 7. sachet, 8. blue twill, 9. overshot towel, 10. twill lunch bag, 11. dolls, 12. sachet, 13. Stuff to do