Pics to Picks Weaving Challenge

About 3 months ago, one of my weaving inspirations, Meg, from MegWeaves, posted she was hosting a challenge. Not a competition per se, but something to challenge ourselves (those who so dared), in our weaving skills. And I thought, hey why not? Now you may recall, I'm a novice weaver. I have a tiny, simple loom. It does plain weave, plus a few other tricks I've managed to learn. But Meg encouraged me that weavers of all skill levels are invited. We named the challenge Pics to Picks; in a nutshell, we were to send pictures to each other in the group and use the images we receive as inspiration to design a weaving project of our choice.

These are the images I received from Kaz, in Australia, for my inspiration.
She included some beautiful hand colored mandalas that looked very interesting to me. But I have no idea how I might weave something like this. A more experienced weaver probably would choose this as their inspiration image.
Now the "picks" part of the equation baffled me a bit. I have never read what weavers call a draft before. Much less did I think I could design one. However, I knew I could weave various "patterns" using pick up sticks on my rigid-heddle loom. I happened to have a sample warp on my loom for a class I was teaching, (yes, the blind leading the blind), so I experimented with different weaving "picks".
Still I was confused and almost ready to withdraw. So I emailed dear Meg and told her my dilemma. She encouraged me to press forward. She said, the challenge is not so much about skill or technique, it is about design. She knows I have a designer's heart, so I thought okay, surely, I can design something from all these references Kaz sent me. I want to point out some other lovelies she sent to get my creative mojo working, these cute stacking watercolors, and some beautiful hand spun New Zealand wool, and tencel. For my use in any project of my choosing. How nice of her!
Well, the first image that really popped out to me is this Starry Night post card with the Van Gogh image. I could easily see a warp pattern emerge from this image. Do you see it also?
So, I began to scribble a bit with my prismacolor pencils. Now I am such a scarf girl, that this long narrow dimension seems natural to me for designing. I scribbled in a warp pattern, see the yellow verticals, placed at varying widths among the blue?

And I kept coloring, imagining how I might add the "stars" to my scarf. I could thread beads on my weft. So, I indicated bead highlights on my sketch with sticky yellow rhinestones from my scrapbook supplies. Not at all to scale, but just for some bling in my sketch.
And I thought about varying the density of the weave by beating some areas tighter, and some looser, creating a kind of multi-faceted weave. Some areas would be light and airy, and others would be densely packed weft-faced weave. And this is my resulting sketch.
Now, another image grabbed me, because I could see the resemblance of fiber in the pen scratches on this drawing.

So, I set out the same course, translating the light and dark colors of the image into a composition that might be woven. I do this by using a very hi-tech maneuver called "squinting" at the photo. This helps me see light and dark patterns emerge from the photo.

But I wasn't really happy with it, so I decided to try a different ratio for the design, and I came up with this non-symmetrical plaid, which could be a placemat or a hand-bag or something.

I thought I would need a little more punch in color, so I added some ochre. I think using colored pencils is a nice way to see how a finished weaving might look, in a crude kind of way.
I liked it better, but truly, I don't have a loom that would make a sizable piece that is this ratio, and if you are going to the trouble to tie on warp, you might as well make the the most of your project, so I tried looking at the longer dimension again.
So, this is how my very simple design process began for Pics to Picks Weaving Challenge. Next up will be charting my warp ends to achieve this asymmetrical pattern. I think I can manage that. And I have plenty of yarns in my stash to choose from which support my color scheme.

A Little Compulsion Called Weaving.

If you have been reading me for more than six months or so, then you may recall I weave. Yes, i know it has been a while since I posted much about weaving. It is hard to say, I am a "weaver"... because it is really just a hobby for me. But I like to post pics of my projects on facebook and let my friends ooh and aah over them. Oh what a girl will do for a little attention!

Well, so my obsession has caught the attention of a friend of mine, Shelley, who owns Loops, a yarn shop. Not just a yarn shop, but a yarn shop where you can go in and buy anything from handpsun and painted alpaca to bamboo to cashmere. Yes, wool, cotton, linen and all things in between, too. So, she asked if I would teach a weaving class. And I said YES! 'Cause when opportunity comes in search of me, I like to say, "Here I am!" Now we all know that I am an amateur weaver. But she said it doesn't matter, because my excitement is contagious. Really? Am I that bad? I hadn't realized.

So, my class is this Saturday. And it is booked. Overbooked. And there is a waiting list. In fact she asked could I teach again in June, and I said sure. And that class is booked, too. Booked so far in advance she did not have to put it on the class roster! And I have had two friends ask if I am going to teach in July. And Shelley asked could I teach private lessons, too. And I am thinking, maybe I will!

So, here is the funny part about all this. You have heard follow your bliss, and you will be rewarded, right? Well, I have been wondering how the heck I could ever sell my scarves and other small objects that I can weave on my little loom, just to get some money back out of what I have spent. But I have a passion for luxurious yarns. And frankly, no one would pay me what they are worth in materials, plus a little for my time. So, I have been giving them away to people I love. And now, I have an opportunity to teach and that might be where the monetary reward comes from! Isn't that odd how the world works?

So I am taking a bunch of samples with me to class, to get the girls pumped about their new creative outlet. I've been weaving up a storm lately in preparation. Plus, I am still weaving scarves for my cousins, so my time has a dual purpose! These pics are a few of the scarves I've made in the last couple of weeks. I told you it was a compulsion!

And while as one skeptic pointed out to me when I began weaving, yes they do make machines that do this nowadays, there is something magical about holding a handwoven object in your hands. I have been so overwhelmed with the response I am getting from my scarves, People love them. Steve has been such an encourager to me also. Although he thinks I have enough yarn. Ha ha! But he has been cheering me on! Thank you for that honey if you are reading!

Okay, now I have to get crackin', cause I have one more scarf on my loom, a gorgeous soft organic cotton in the prettiest shade of green. It looks like key lime pie as I am weaving! Scrumptious. And I also have 8 looms to assemble before class tomorrow! Ta ta!

Are you infected with my excitement yet?

How to Ruin a Cat's Day, by Daisy Jones

Exhibit A: cherry flavored anti-inflammatory syrup and syringe.
Exhibit B: Feline with worrisome look on her face. (Poor kitty!)
Exhibit C: Clenched mouth, lips pursed tightly.
Exhibit D: Sharp fangs showing, teeth clenched, low growling noise.
Exhibit E: What did I do to deserve that? I'll show her!

A Piece of the Past

I had lunch with my cousin Jim today. And look what he brought me! A hand-pieced quilt top made of various fabrics, including flour sacks. I don't know a lot about quilts, but I would say the patterns on some of the fabric date to about the 1940's. Some of you might have a better idea, please feel free to comment if you can shed light on it.

Ha! I had to show you who took to it right away! In seconds she was sniffing it and made a nice little spot to lay down. Crazy Cat!

Anyway, there's a story behind this quilt, as there is behind every good quilt!

You see, Jim still lives in the community where my grandma raised her 10 kids. And he got a call to help clean out a woman's house, who's daughter had been living there for the last many years, since her mom passed. And they found this stack of quilts and pieced quilt tops, some with newspaper patterns still pinned to them. And apparently, by some of the notations, he figured out they were made by the ladies of the Hazel Dell Baptist Church.... where it so happens, my grandma was also a member and was in the quilting bee.

So we have surmised that it is possible, and our Uncle Tommy confirms yes, this lady was a good friend of our grandma's, that our grandma could have had a hand in these quilts, too. As you know, quilting bee's frequently worked in common on each other's quilts. And another thing, as I got home and unfolded the quilt top and looked at it closely, it has an air of familiarity. See, My grandma made me a quilt when I was little and it used to be on my bed. It got used and abused, and eventually in shredded bits, it was disposed of. And the colors and piecing in this quilt are very similar to the one my grandma made me some 40 years ago.

I know it sounds all a little over the top sentimental, but hey, that's me! And I'm going to put a little more sentimental value into it myself. I have decided I'm going to quilt that quilt top myself. By hand. Oh Lord, help me! But I think I can do it. It can't be rocket science! For heaven's sake! And besides, I have my good friend Vicki to walk me thru it. And she says I can do it!

So, maybe in a few years, I will be able to show you the finished quilt! ha ha! If it is really 60 or 70 years old, what's a few more? Right?

Thank you, Jim! I will cherish it forever!

Daisy feels better

Saturday was the first day I saw real improvement in Daisy. She started perking up a bit, and her appetite is back in full swing. Thanks everyone for your kind comments about her over the last few days.

If you bear thru my squeaky voice in this video, near the end you will get to hear her purring like a kitten!

p.s. that's my kitty voice, not my human voice. I'm sure you understand!

The Hairdo That Stands the Test of Time

My 1st grade picture, October 1967 I think. Wasn't I a cutie patootie?

My picture May, 2010.

The "Bob" with bangs.

addendum: This was NOT a shameless post to receive compliments, but if the spirit moves you... lol!

One of those rambling posts I am so well known for

Have ya'll been noticing a lot of trials going on in the world lately? A lot of interpersonal relationship breakdowns? Or is it just me?

I'm having problems in my family of origin.

I'm having problems in my step-family.

I'm having problems with people with whom I'm acquainted.

At some point you have to think, hmm? what is the common element in all this?

I am convinced that 99.9 percent of us are really just broken, hurting people, trying to keep a smile on our faces.... practicing that motto in my side bar, Keep Calm and Carry On. Come hell or high water.

We all have a story to tell, and most of them are not pretty stories. Instead of telling my story, I've been creating a story I'd rather have, and posting it here on this blog. For a while it was helpful. I actually felt better about my situation because I was focusing on "prettier parts" of my life. But you know what... the ugly parts just kept growing in the background.

I don't know if I will come out with it all. It would likely have some dire consequences and I'm not sure I'm ready for those to unfold. Even if the truth shall set you free, sometimes the bondage of untruth feels more comfortable, doesn't it?

One of my friends learned this week that her hubby has been sending and receiving a lot of texts. A lot of texts. Heart breaking. I think we all know the implications. Fear them. Hope they never touch our lives. Just hearing the news makes me start thinking of all the areas in my own marriage that could use a little shoring up. My friend also lost her cat. One thing I noticed, people were more encouraging to her not to give up on her cat than they were about her marriage. Funny the way we think, isn't it? One person said, "There isn't a fence high enough to keep a cat in." Maybe the same could be said for a wandering spouse.

99.9 percent of us are just broken, hurting people... trying to keep a smile on our faces.

Today on Oprah the secret of weight loss was revealed. A secret so BIG that OPRAH herself said, here at last is the secret to weight loss, and you will never need to diet again once you know this secret. Do you want me to tell you the secret? Of course you do.

The secret is... we (the overweight ones) are all feeding the hurt inside of us with food, because we have disengaged with the only thing that can really help with our hurts and that is... God. Well, I have to say, this is not the first time I have heard this message. Big Whoop! Oprah! If that is THE big secret, then I had the inside scoop for the last however many years. And yet, I am still overweight. Explain this to me. And what about all those skinny chicks who... not to judge... but haven't used their knees for exactly prayer meetings? Just sayin'...

99.9 percent of us are just broken, hurting people... trying to keep a smile on our faces.

Oh, do you remember those 52 things I was all gung ho about? Yep, those, "make me healthier" ideas I was after. I gave up on them. Oh, not forever. I just kind of... forgot.

I warned you.. rambling.

So, Mother's Day? Did ya'll celebrate? I actually had a nice one. Steve took me for a movie and lunch. He even willingly let me do a little clothes shopping with him in tow, and he splurged a tiny bit on me. I didn't see my mom. I'm having some relationship problems right now. Remember?

99.9 percent of us are just broken, hurting people... trying to keep a smile on our faces.

Tornadoes ripped thru Oklahoma a couple of days ago. Steve's mom was hit by one. Well, her property was. Some damage to her roof, lots of trees down, the door ripped off her barn. She is thankfully not harmed. Steve's sister organized a lot of volunteer help to clear the trees. Her daughter's wedding reception is in a few weeks... at her grandma's house. So there is more cleanup to be done in the remaining time.

Daisy has been sick lately. She seems to be showing signs of maybe a kidney problem in her future. Nothing that we can really pin point at this time. perhaps it is just an infection. We're not sure. Anyway, she is not too happy about going to the vet or taking medications. She is however, very excited to learn that the vet wants her on wet cat food, not dry. Fancy Feast is her favorite. She posts about it daily on facebook.

Speaking of facebook. My sister unfriended me on facebook. Have I mentioned this already? Not once, but twice. The first time I called her on it and said, "Did you unfriend me on facebook?" And she played dumb about it. So I sent her another friend request and she accepted it. Then within a week or so, she unfriended me again. It is a little bit embarrassing to me. Why? I didn't do it! But it seems so apparent when cousins, aunts, uncles, family friends, etc are on both our lists that she and I are not. I don't really know how I am supposed to act about it.

99.9 percent of us are just broken, hurting people... trying to keep a smile on our faces.

And this year marks my high school class' 30 year reunion. T H I R T Y years. Some of you are not even that old. I don't really want to go. But there are a few peeps who keep saying they really want me to go. I dunno. That whole thing of finding people you knew in high school on facebook... it sure brings up a lot of old feelings. Not always happy feelings, either. I was really digging finding old friends until I started getting requests from people I hardly knew. Or worse, people I knew well, but not because we were friends... class bullies, etc. It really dug up some feelings that, well, I had buried I guess. Threw them off the same day I threw that cap up in the air and never looked back. But in a flash, I am 14 years old and getting made fun of in gym class all over again.

99.9 percent of us are just broken, hurting people... trying to keep a smile on our faces.

That's it for my rambling today. Care to share your insecurities on the world wide web? I think i will go eat that last piece of German Chocolate Cake now and ponder the higher power and how He might help me lose some weight.

My Cousin Annie, givin' away cute stuff!

Hello friends, my adorkable cousin Annie is giving away the cutest ever... your choice of monogrammed mugs or recycled silverware plant markers for the garden... from anthropologie.com.

This is all in celebration of her new blog, and her coming back home to Oklahoma from her extended stay in Virginia. Hop on over to her new blog, say hello, introduce yourself, enter her giveaway! May the best blogger win!

Save Money with At Home Spa Treatments!

If you have a willing partner, you can enjoy massage at home. You don't need a fancy massage table, just find a soft spot on the floor. Here is Daisy enjoying her morning Thai Yoga massage.

And don't forget to do the other side...

And then enjoy an at home oxygen bar treatment.

You'll feel better and your pocket book will thank you!

Yes, I Still Weave

My Aunt Linda is a fun-loving sort of gal, with big brown eyes, and has always been just a little bit on the funky side... to me anyway... elegant, yet with a swash of boldness! I love her!

Here she is! Hi Aunt Linda!

I wove this little doo-dad for her in brown to match her lovely eyes, and fuchsia, well, for the swash factor. I hope she likes it.

Now I have to pick it apart and tell you the errors, or at least the things I'm not happy about. One... in the middle of the night while finishing this puppy, I thought, "Hey! Let's try a short fringe." What has once been cut, cannot be reattached, friends. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.

Two... I liked the way this yarn started out. Then, I switched to the second skein. It suddenly had a lot more fluff in the fuchsia department ~ so one end of the scarf has more pink to it than the other. Machine made yarn... same dye lot... go figure!

Well, nevertheless, every scarf is a learning process for me. The other thing I wish upon wish I had done: weave at least two strands simultaneously. It would have cut down the number of passes I made with the shuttle. And I don't think anyone would have been the wiser... except me.

Speaking of learning... I am going to be trying my hand at something new... teaching! Apparently my woven scarves have caused a stir in the knitting circles and I've been asked by Shelley at Loops in Tulsa to teach two classes. The first one is in just a couple of weeks. So, wish me luck on that! If you are in the Tulsa area, stop by Loops, my favorite yarn store! Better yet, click the link and sign up for a class! Hope to run into you there!

Toodloo! ~ Dana (and Daisy)

Where Are All The Sandals?

I went out shopping yesterday for a new pair of sandals. Instead, I found these.

Lemonade, tea, honey and strawberry-rhubarb preserves.

They were not in the shoe aisle. Neither were the sandals. What is up with shoes styles the last oh, say three, four years? I haven't been able to find shoes I like, and the shoes that are out there, well, they either are too sloppy, too fufi, too high heeled, or they have a funny thing between your toes ~ known as thongs to us from the right generation.

I just want a fairly plain pair of leather sandals. Not flip flops, not kitten heels, no rhinestones, no ruffles of fabric ~ leather sandals. The kind that do not draw attention to themselves and say, "look at me, I wear weirder shoes than you do!"

My poor feet are nearly naked. Because. I have not bought new sandals in years. My old ones have bit the dust they were covered in, and I really need a new pair! Otherwise I may be forced to wear snow boots with capris and I don't think that's a good look on anyone.

Where are the plain leather sandals hiding? Does anyone know? Is this too much to ask?

Tea anyone?