The Year in Review

 I knew it had been awhile since I was here - but 14 months?  I've been writing almost obsessively in my "life" blog, but for some reason freeze up at the idea of keeping track of my projects - anywhere.  I also have a notebook or two, not updated.

Once again.  Starting over.  Looking at the life blog to see if I have anything there for the last 14 months.

June 2022.  The Infinity Con was coming up, and Rob wanted to bring Zeke.  He asked if I could make something for Zeke to carry, so I made a miniature version of my dragon puppet.  We were cute together.

In July I wove and sewed a ruana.  I had written last time of spinning a Corriedale fleece (it was my "spin while walking" project.)  I dyed half of it in various colors (amazing how well a dark brown fleece takes color) and did a shadow weave.  I fricken' love the way it turned out. The fabric looks antique; the pattern, subtle.  It was even cold enough this winter that I wore it a few times.

Last fall I was asked if I could come demonstrate at the upcoming highland games in February - spinning, of course, but then the idea of doing a waulking came up.  So, of course, I had to weave the cloth for it.  A retired weaver was generous enough to donate her old rug yarn.  So that the weft would be consistent, I bought a huge (5 pounds but it looked enormous) bump of roving from R. H. Lindsay, and spun it (which took about 5,000 yards)  (although it looked so cool all twisted up it was a shame to disrupt it) (and now I'm wondering what a 20 lb. bump would look like).

8 yards, 42 inches wide.  I really enjoyed having a project on the loom, where I could just go back and throw the shuttle and listen to music.  And it was *so* satisfying when it was done and rolled off the loom.

In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I did it again (after all, it was a two-day festival).  Unfortunately the weather was so nasty on the first day that we couldn't do the waulking.  It was also nasty the second day - windy and very cold, but at least not raining, so it got done, and we had fun.  Now I have one in reserve if we want to do it again next year.  (Meanwhile, I have all this fabric, somewhat rough because it's rug yarn, and no idea of what to do with it.  It's a process thing)

To wear to the games, I made something that I've wanted for awhile - a handkerchief linen "pirate shirt" (aka poet shirt).  Don't have a picture, but I love it - that linen just feels so good.  I also made a blue linen pleated skirt.  Alas - with the weather, I got soaked, and the little pouch I was carrying my phone and keys in had once held a leaking pen, with the result that the skirt and shirt ended up with ink stains.  I was able to bleach out the white shirt, but the skirt (all that pleating!) was ruined, so it's been deconstructed and the fabric will be recycled.

And that's all I can remember, or wrote down.  I'm still having troubling focusing or concentrating.  At the moment I have bits and pieces scattered about, and I was going to write about them, to try to get them somehow organized in my brain, but it's late and my bed and book are calling me.  Hopefully I won't wait another 14 months.