Thursday 27 February 2014

Introducing Portia

When our group started planning to sell our work at local craft markets we realised that we needed a ‘portable shop’ and that’s a bit more complicated than a permanent one.  The word went out through the group and in no time we had most of what we needed.  Gerlinde was glad to get rid of a large, light and roomy suitcase on wheels, I had a good portable mirror and some other display items from work and made a table cloth and banner.  Hazel had picked up a small light display model when a local shop was closing and so Portia – what else could we call her – became part of the group as well.  The portable shop collection tends to end up at the home of whoever packed up after the last market.

At present it’s all in my garage so when I finish something I can photograph it draped over Portia. 


Here she is wearing my new green linen jacket, a cool wool scarf and a necklet from my Christmas stocking.  Looks good on her but fits me better, she’s a bit on the skinny side.  The cool wool scarves look good now that they are finished and do live up to their name. 


The yarn is very smooth so it really is wearable on a hot day.  It could be called light wool as well, the scarves weighed only 58 gm/2 oz each, maybe it’s just that they’re mostly holes.


I’ve started making the woven bands into cases and they’re looking good.



The back rod for the green yardage has just appeared over the back beam, a great relief as it’s been of the loom for ages, time to start another project.



And an update on the last post on recycling – today I’ve been wearing a top which had been hidden in the back of the wardrobe for far too long, so far 4 people have commented on what a nice top it is.  It’s like having a new wardrobe.

Helen

Monday 10 February 2014

Recycling

There comes a time in the life of every cupboard, closet or wardrobe when an attempt to put in just one more item, risks the whole mess collapsing on to the floor.  So it was with the walk in wardrobe in the bedroom.  My plan for this past long weekend was less weaving and more sorting of the wardrobe.

First I moved to the spare bedroom so I’d have somewhere to sleep.  I almost thought I was on holiday somewhere.   Then I removed absolutely everything from the wardrobe and mostly threw it on the bed.  This included taking every garment off its hanger.  That way you have to pick it up and seriously ask yourself if you can still fit into said garment, and assuming that you can, whether you would be prepared to wear it in public.  Only if it ticks all the boxes does it get a new hanger and a place back in the wardrobe.

It’s all taken up far too much good weaving time but the end result is looking good.  Clothes are now arranged in groups rather than in random order.  There is a small pile of garments which need minor repairs or to be shortened.  There is a large pile of garments to be given to a friend who sells second hand clothes and another large pile for the charity shop.  I will probably never need to buy another coat hanger.

There were some garments that looked as though they might turn into weaveable yarn.  The yarn in one was so weak that is was not useful for anything but the others unravelled easily. 


I have 450 gm of pale blue wool/silk and 650 gm of white 70/30 wool/viscose all destined for the dye pot next time I have a dyeing day.  


There were also some wool garments that I hope will be able to be turned into felt.

     
















The green yardage goes on, and on but is more than half finished.  The cool wool scarves are going well and should be finished soon – I wonder what the next project will be


Helen