A blue and grey alpaca silk shawl

This shawl is luxuriously soft, made from alpaca and silk.  It is in a "deflected doubleweave" design from Handwoven Magazine (March/April 2010).  I don't think it "fulled" or shrunk like it was supposed to and as a result is very long, but quite pretty and I'll forgive the extra length.  I do love it and will be wearing it come fall.

4 Red Towels in Spot Bronson

These towels are woven in a "Spot Bronson" pattern.  It give them dimension and character that I haven't created in my towels before.  I just love it. Spot Bronson is usually reserved for special items like scarves or table runners, but it is also perfect for towels and I'm glad that I tried it out.  I love the rich red color and the feel of them makes you want to wash your hands just so you can dry them!

Madeline Hunter

I have discovered a new writer who I absolutely love:  Madeline Hunter.  I read Ravishing in Red while in Texas for spring break.   Bought the next two in the series while I was there and had been thinking about them ever since.  Finished Provocative in Pearls yesterday and started and am halfway finished with Sinful in Satin.  Dangerous in Diamonds doesn't come out for another month...I don't know how I'll wait to finish this group of books.  Wonderful all around.

They are focused on four women during the early 1800s in England who have for one reason or another come to live together as independent women.  Following the rule that they don't pry into their reasons for being alone, but simply love and support one another, they each grow and find love along the way.  Sinful in Satin is especially interesting because it is about Celia, the daughter of a famous prostitute in London.  Her limitations for moving about in society are painful to read about, but it is wonderful to learn how she has faced and eventually overcome as much as possible those limitations.

In Pearls, I was a little worried because when I started it I really didn't like either Hawkeswell or Verity, but by the end I loved them both and was both sad and happy to see their story end.  Happy because it's such a wonderful ending and sad because I didn't want to say goodbye to the characters.

Hunter's books are rich in detail and character development, and most amazingly to me, carry a very interesting plot.  There are mystery elements thrown in.  The solving of those mysteries is important, but carried off in such a way that it doesn't take over the overarching plot.  AND I didn't solve it before the time necessary nor feel jipped when I did find out the underlying currents.

Really wonderful books.  I highly highly recommend and cannot wait to read the rest of Hunter's works.  These are definitely on my "to buy" list!

Green, Gold and Pink Variegated Merino Scarf

I made this one using my new Cricket Loom.  It is so soft and shimmery it looks and feels like silk even though it's wool.  Really pretty.  It measures 5x60 and sells for $65.

2 Scarves

I forgot to take a picture of the honeycomb scarf, so I only have 2 pics to post.  The first one is a grey cotton and gold rayon scarf that I sold.  The second one is a green chenille with merino strips that my mama wants.  I wove the second one in the car on my way home from Texas this week.   I bought a new "Cricket Loom" which is lap sized and perfect for road trips.  Too bad the weaving goes so quickly.  I'd need about 12 of these for a real road trip!

I promise I haven't disappeared

I've been super busy with work, dissertation and other claims on my time.  I hope to have some pics of the weaving I've done recently up tomorrow.  And then maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to keep up...