Wrapping up Projects

I finished up the Anglo Saxon 6a test weave.  I hoped that this would be at least two yards long, but I only got it to about 1 3/4 yards before I ran out of length to work with.  It was a fun pattern and I'd like to try it again with a different layout of colors--more contrast between the background and the diamonds.  The lady who asked for help did hers with black background and red and yellow foreground patterns.  It's really striking.  While I like this color combination, I'm thinking I need to switch it up and do something different next time.  I like the idea of black background with yellow and red...or some variation.

Of course in the meantime, I warped up a new pattern, called Anglo Saxon #8 on Guntram's Tabletweaving Thingy.  I ran out of the bright green from the previous project, so I chose this darker evergreen color...I don't like it as much, but I love green and Kelly loves blue, so I thought it would make a nice marriage.  I also like the pattern of hooks.  I'll definitely do this one again.

I started this weave a little differently.  I started by back-twisting the cards a bunch of times to build up a twist in the opposite direction and to create "tails" at the beginning of the weave.  This, if nothing else, created a more solid platform to start weaving on.  I stuck in a "Woodsie" (popsicle sticks would work just fine) to hold the twist and anchored the weft thread to it, then started weaving.   It took a few tries, but I got it right.  Weaving left to right, I started turning the even cards first, including the #1 card, just like the last weave.

I decided not to use the swivels this time.  It didn't turn out quite as good as I'd hoped...the theory worked better than the practice.  Sadly.  It means that I'll be able to weave about half of it, then have to untwist the tangled mess.  Then I can weave half again...then untwist again.  PITA (pain in the ass) but will ensure even tension whereas the swivels were inconsistent.  Maybe I'll donate the swivels to a fisherwoman I know. :)

I took it with me to the social meeting where Cammie sold a few boxes of cookies, and I sat with Lady Emma (not my kid--the lady who asked about how to do the 6a weave) and we worked side by side and talked about home made cider and experimental archaeology.  By the time we left, I had about a foot or so finished, and I worked a bit longer on it after getting home.  One down, 11 more to go.

And one more project wrapped up...the bathroom is done!  While we still need to wait a few days for the grout to fully cure, the bathroom is usable for pottying and toothbrushing.  He suggested we not have them do any showering in there until Saturday, so they'll be able to get the floor wet by the weekend.  Hmmmm...wonder where the shower curtain went?  The only other thing we need is drawer pulls for the cabinet.

Our next mission is to save some money to replace the carpet.  I'm still thinking we should do it one room at a time, and maybe start with the closet in our bedroom, which I can do and no one will be able to see my learning curve.  Then our bedroom, the downstairs, then the other bedrooms and sewing room.  I'd like to get to the sewing room sooner, but we'll see.  The square footage alone is going to make the wood an enormous purchase, and we should probably get it all at once for cost effectiveness and color matching.  While I might be dreaming, I am still hoping that it'll happen this year.  This carpet is pretty beat.

Went to Children's for the quarterly check up today.  Everything looks pretty good, although Ben's lung function numbers were down a bit (probably due to the cough that we both had), and Emma needs to work on getting her medicine done every night...same story.  Emma grew another inch...now she's 5' 5".  I think she has officially become "grotesquely tall" for our family.  Ben is still 3' 10" and 48 lbs.  We need to get that boy to eat more!  Hot lunch tomorrow...one less thing to worry about.