Kinder Weaving

So I have been able to work with 2 kids a day using the Easy Weaver. It always amazes me when 5 & 6 year olds have patience. Of course, as usual I am working the rigid heddle part. The one nice thing is that these kids (many who would never have any creative arts experiences) get to share one of my favorites. I get to give my undivided attention for 15 minutes to a student. It is so relaxing after a taxing lesson of reading, writing, or math and I get 15 minutes of just 1:1 for fun.

Weaving with Kindergartners

So I decided to try weaving with 5 & 6 yr. olds. Not sure what my thought process was but thought kids need to experience the art of weaving. I was able to borrow an easy weaver. I found out that kids have a difficult time doing 2 different tasks with 2 different hands. My little boy has the typical mistakes (missing warps, too loose, too tight, etc. When I helped hold the heddle, it worked much better. I then had a little girl do her project (they are making mug rugs for Father's Day), I worked the heddle and she worked the weft. Boy, this girl had patience. She really was meticulous. I hope the rest are like her. Will post some pictures later of the works in progress. Wish me luck getting 38 kids through this project.

So after 2 weeks in weaving class, I am finishing up my first set of towels. I am pretty stoked. I am learning about open & closed shafts, how to weave in ends, making plaids and twills. I think I can conquer the loom...

Oh how it is be 'sleyed'. Since this is a class loom, it is different to me. I am having to learn to go from the back to the front. Okay-I get it. Let's learn something new. So I draw my ends through half of the heddles and find out that I have gone backwards. So out I rip 4 inches of heddles. Luckily this is supposed to be a sampler of twills and is going to be less than 10" wide. I can do this. The Tourette's in my head is starting. One of the instructors is telling me how much she loves to sley the loom. I am thinking she might be a little kooky. She is telling me to find the zen of it. I buckle down. Finish the heddles, taking the ends through the reed. Now time to tie off. I can do this right? Oh no. I can't seem to get the tension. I am feeling the tension but not my project. After a couple of attempts, I finally get the loom done. It has taken my whole 3 hour class to get to this point. At noon, the teacher tells us that class is done. I haven't thrown the shuttle once. Luckily, I have a great teacher who leaves the studio open for another 3 hours. By the time I left at 3, I am almost done with the sampler. Oh yeah-who has 'sleyed' the loom!

1 Sock Down

With 1 sock down, it is time to start the next sock. I used the Spiraling Coriolis from New Pathways for Sock Knitters from Cat Bordhi. I might actually meet my self-imposed deadline for Mother's Day. This is the same pattern that I used when I knit a pair of socks for my mom. She had chosen a very vibrant orange (which I thought was hysterical). It is amazing that every time I went to my local yarn shop, I was drawn to this orange blend. I know that when I wear the socks, I will always have my fond memories of my mom.

And yes, I am in a hotel. That is the beauty of knitting socks. I can knit while my husband drives and when we are in for the evening. Guess I better start the next sock while watching t.v. :)

Busy Saturdays

After a week of teaching, it is time to do something creative for myself. Teaching after spring break can be exhausting when you are trying to get back into the swing of things and trying to make sure that 5 & 6 year olds can get back on track for less than 50 days of school.

I love it when I can wake up on a Saturday morning and have the energy to want to do something for myself or my family. I figured I would start with the family. I made belgian waffles for Frank & Evan. Then I made the dough for Whole Grain Garlic Knots with Parsley & Olive Oil (http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/apr/06/no-knead-to-know-basis-new-cookbooks-preach/). I was even nice enough to leave the kitchen clean.

Time for me. I signed up for a weaving class through the community education class through the local community college. Now I own 2 looms (floor & table). I have used both by looking at books and jumping in head first. I know there are mistakes on those finished products and I figured it was time to learn exactly what I was supposed to be doing.

Great class-even had a warp thread break and learned how to fix that (every project I had done in the past has had this happened but I just ignored it). Finished my sample towel & towel #1 (and yes, we were spoiled-the teacher had warped all of the looms for us). My loom is the weave with yellow/green/blue on it. I included the other looms from the other students because they are so pretty.

I guess the pictures didn't make it on the last post.

Socks

I love homemade socks. I remember the first pair I knitted. They were different lengths and a little baggy. I learned to knit 2 at a time so at least if there was a mistake, it was on both of them.

I just finished these socks. It only took me a couple of months. That's okay. They are still mine and fit me like a glove. My wonderful local yarn shop had a sale for one of the owners. It was 59% of 1 skein of yarn. I fell in love with this sock yarn. It made me remember my mom. My mom passed away in November, 2009. I only made her 1 pair of socks and they cracked me up. She picked Orange. Who knows what she was thinking. I teased her about having a pair of Halloween socks. I used the Cat Bhordi book so these socks fit only her feet. They were her Mother's Day gift that year. I hope I can finish this yarn into a pair of socks for me by Mother's Day. I figure it would be a fitting tribute to my mom.