Monday, March 31, 2008
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Log Cabin Silk Scarves
The left scarf is traditional "log cabin" with alternating colors in both warp and weft. The right scarf is made on the same warp, but uses one color at a time, alternating in stripes down the length of the scarf. Both are 100% silk in light pink and brown and are really wonderful to feel. I twisted the fringe for a different look. Again, this is another really easy project that looks very complicated and interesting.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Alpaca
I LOVE alpaca...it's amazingly soft, and I've heard very warm, but I haven't had a chance to test the warmness of it. This scarf is made using natural black and a hand-dyed turquoise variegated. The pattern is a very simple broken twill--really. I love how easy things can look so complicated with weaving!
Monday, March 24, 2008
3 Short Book Reviews
I've actually been reading lately, just taking my time getting through my main book. I thought I'd do three quick book reviews of each one that I've finished over the past few weeks:
1. Queen's Play by Dorothy Dunnett. A little long and difficult to get through, but in the end worth the read. This is the 2nd in the Lymond Chronicles, following The Game of Kings. In this installment, Lymond must go to France to help protect young Queen Mary of Scotland. Acting undercover, he poses as an obnoxious young lout who refuses to pay attention to or revere the rules and expectations of polite society. For the first half of the book, he is drunk or purporting to be, and somehow still managing to save the queen. In the latter half, his cover is blown and he must travel back to England and then back to France in order to find the necessary evidence to condemn the assassin. In the end he is successful and is back to the lovable Lymond from book 1. I do look forward to Book 3 in this series, but will wait a while as Dunnett's writing is a little thick and difficult to get through. I need some light and airy books for a while.
2. The Robber Bridegroom by Eudora Welty. The Robber Bridegroom was Welty's first stand-alone novella published in the early 40s. It is told in a fairly tale type language and imagery and follows the life of Rosamund as she discovers true love in the berry stained face of the man who "stole what she would have freely given." I felt a little dissonence in the handling of the violence in language that so easily drifted over the top of it. Welty doesn't dissappoint though, as this is a wonderful book, easy to read and completes my reading of Welty's fiction.
3. Much Ado about You by Eloisa James. After hearing my Aunt Betty read a section from an Eloisa James novel (steamy love scene) that she was reading to her mother, I decided that I wanted to read James. It's been several years but I finally got around to it, and absolutely loved Much Ado about You. Four orphaned sisters arrive at their guadians house...he is a drunk bachelor who has never had to take care of more than his horses. Within a week, one of them has run away with a lout and the other has been jilted at the alter and married to the man who she has fallen in love with. Delightful in both language, humor and story, this is a great book and a very quick read--I finished it in 3 days!
1. Queen's Play by Dorothy Dunnett. A little long and difficult to get through, but in the end worth the read. This is the 2nd in the Lymond Chronicles, following The Game of Kings. In this installment, Lymond must go to France to help protect young Queen Mary of Scotland. Acting undercover, he poses as an obnoxious young lout who refuses to pay attention to or revere the rules and expectations of polite society. For the first half of the book, he is drunk or purporting to be, and somehow still managing to save the queen. In the latter half, his cover is blown and he must travel back to England and then back to France in order to find the necessary evidence to condemn the assassin. In the end he is successful and is back to the lovable Lymond from book 1. I do look forward to Book 3 in this series, but will wait a while as Dunnett's writing is a little thick and difficult to get through. I need some light and airy books for a while.
2. The Robber Bridegroom by Eudora Welty. The Robber Bridegroom was Welty's first stand-alone novella published in the early 40s. It is told in a fairly tale type language and imagery and follows the life of Rosamund as she discovers true love in the berry stained face of the man who "stole what she would have freely given." I felt a little dissonence in the handling of the violence in language that so easily drifted over the top of it. Welty doesn't dissappoint though, as this is a wonderful book, easy to read and completes my reading of Welty's fiction.
3. Much Ado about You by Eloisa James. After hearing my Aunt Betty read a section from an Eloisa James novel (steamy love scene) that she was reading to her mother, I decided that I wanted to read James. It's been several years but I finally got around to it, and absolutely loved Much Ado about You. Four orphaned sisters arrive at their guadians house...he is a drunk bachelor who has never had to take care of more than his horses. Within a week, one of them has run away with a lout and the other has been jilted at the alter and married to the man who she has fallen in love with. Delightful in both language, humor and story, this is a great book and a very quick read--I finished it in 3 days!
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Oooh, I love red!
This is my first confirmed sale! One of these will go to my friend Stacey for a Christmas gift for her friend. The other will be in a package I'll send to Old Oaks Ranch later in the month...if it doesn't get lost in my scarf drawer first! They are made using hand painted yarn by Schaefer Trading Company--the product line is called Anne. Each skein is different, so it's a challenge trying to get matching skeins, but the end result is definitely worth it. Anne yarn is a mixture of mohair, merino wool and nylon. It's soft and wonderful!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
3 Scarves
One for Tony (retry #2!), two for sale. They are made of soysilk...my new favorite fiber. It feel so luxurious!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
We're Back...and the Girls Finally Made it to France
After much to-do, the girls finally made it off to France on Sunday evening. We checked the teacher's blog and there was a group photo in Paris on Monday, so we know they're there. I don't expect to hear from them until they return, and since I'll be at jury duty when they get back, I won't even have an update until late next week. I'm sture they're having a ball, though...how could they not?
David and I had a really nice time at the beach, but it was cold and windy so we didn't get much outside time. We put together one puzzle and ALMOST completed the second. It turned out to be fairly challenging, so we didn't get it finished, but next time it'll be our first! I didn't read or sew or anything else. Just slept and put puzzles together. But it was really great.
David and I had a really nice time at the beach, but it was cold and windy so we didn't get much outside time. We put together one puzzle and ALMOST completed the second. It turned out to be fairly challenging, so we didn't get it finished, but next time it'll be our first! I didn't read or sew or anything else. Just slept and put puzzles together. But it was really great.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
The Poor Kids (and their teacher)
They got stuck in New York City last night. They were NOT happy, but because of the weather, their flight was delayed and they lost their seats on their international flight. We're all hoping they get out today.
David and I are on our way to Mobile, and hour late having forgotten that we were supposed to spring forward last night!
David and I are on our way to Mobile, and hour late having forgotten that we were supposed to spring forward last night!
Saturday, March 08, 2008
8 Little Napkins
It's hard to get a full appreciation for the napkins because they have different weaving patterns by color as well as different colors that show up so much better than this photograph. But, they're a great prototype for the kind of napkins I will make once my cotton yarn finally gets here! And I love them.
Friday, March 07, 2008
My New Ears
I LOVE my new ears. They keep me balanced. They hear better. They do not hurt. They do not pop. I don't hear them going "bump bump" when I walk. When I eat, they don't have this "blucky" feeling.
I am not nauseous all the time (didn't really realize I was, but I was). I can put my pants on without having to lean on the bed or sit in a chair. I can walk down a flight of stairs without feeling like I'm going to tumble head over heels--even after exercise and my legs are all wobbly.
The dr. assures me that I'll be able to fly without pain. I can't wait to find out if that's true.
I'm looking forward to our trip to the beach next week because I couldn't walk on the beach in Oct. when we were there because I was so dizzy...I'm hoping that's not going to be an issue this time!
I am not nauseous all the time (didn't really realize I was, but I was). I can put my pants on without having to lean on the bed or sit in a chair. I can walk down a flight of stairs without feeling like I'm going to tumble head over heels--even after exercise and my legs are all wobbly.
The dr. assures me that I'll be able to fly without pain. I can't wait to find out if that's true.
I'm looking forward to our trip to the beach next week because I couldn't walk on the beach in Oct. when we were there because I was so dizzy...I'm hoping that's not going to be an issue this time!
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
A Trio of Scarves
One for my hairdresser and two for sale! These are made from the same soft and slinky yarn that I made grandma's all black one. The warp is the same for all three (saved myself some time and money!) and uses al lthree colors, green, black and white randomly placed throughout. The weft is different for each one--L-R, green, black and white. Hope they sell!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)