Friday, January 21, 2005

Blog as Taskmaster


silk fabric 2
Originally uploaded by lambspin.
Whew! Today's goal was to spin (my morning practice, so to speak), dye a cardweaving warp (very small, easy, quick), warp the floor loom and start weaving the silk bag fabric. Well I almost got it all done. No dyeing today, despite perfect weather: 68ºF and sunny.

I had not been spinning silk for several months, perhaps even a year. Other projects called, and I have boxes of skeins of silk, ready for a knotted pile project that has not progressed. So I've been working from the existing yarns, not realizing how *much* I missed spinning that silk.

Two weeks ago was the local spinning day at our guild, and having nothing urgent to take with me, I grabbed a silk brick and some bobbins and was away. It was like coming home, so relaxing and comfortable. I spin on a Lendrum, with the very fast head, and the silk basically spins itself. Today I spun up two more bobbins, and began the mental planning of the colors I would dye this yarn.

I did eventually get down to the studio, warped and started weaving the reeled silk fabric you see here.

It's about 18 inches wide, 36 ends per inch, over 600 ends. The weft is 5/2 pearl cotton. The fabric's rep-ish, the weft is totally covered. It seems just right for a sturdy carry bag, and displays my anti-symmetry bias quite nicely. Hmmmm. Anyway, I like it, it will do.

And for Charleen: it got so warm in the studio, I had to take off my shoes and socks. Sorry. It is California.

5 Comments:

Blogger claudia said...

The more I see your stuff, the more I am reminded of my poor neglected fishies.....

6:04 PM  
Blogger Charleen said...

Gee thanks! The frigid temps in my basement studio just drove me upstairs. 8° and going down brrrrThe silk fabric is lovely, as usual.

6:05 PM  
Blogger LauraJ said...

Sara, if it were anyone less altogether lovable as you, the combination of craft and climate would arouse in me a flithy case of envy.

As it is I will be glad to have you around for color-jolts and admiration.

Would you post a hi-res picture of the Conga Rats so I can print it out for a visual cheer-me-up?

Laura (passeriform.blogspot.com)

6:28 AM  
Blogger Spindlers2 said...

Well, hello there! I get to see all your new work, great.
Carol, fellow blogger

7:43 AM  
Blogger Sue said...

That silk bag is going to be gorgeous!!! Love it.

4:15 PM  

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