Yarn

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The things I learned today... including the secret of weaving progress

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The things I learned today... including the secret of weaving progress

You can hold off on the stash intervention. I found my knitting. I can't believe I hadn't knitted anything for a month and a half and what's more, hadn't even thought of looking for the project in that time.

But I did find it tucked into the back of one of the living room bookcases on top of the maps. Just hiding innocently in the back dark corner. I think I need a nice big knitting basket that lives permanently next to my "spot" on the couch.

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And the last thing I learned today? If you sit at the loom and weave for 6 hours, you get a lot woven. I am so thrilled at my progress today and hope to repeat it over Labor Day weekend three times. I might even get the first two panels off the loom if I do that. I was spurred to this feat by a course I had to watch and the fact that the rest of my computer workload was put-off-able for the time being.

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How many days can you go without a shower? The Colorado Trail in 9 days.

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How many days can you go without a shower? The Colorado Trail in 9 days.

My hike was wonderful. I was unable to post to the blog from the trail, so what follows is a little photo record of my walk. I hiked for 9 days and I can tell you with firm certainty that this is my limit for not having a shower. There is only so much a little bottle of Dr. Bronners and freezing cold stream water can do. I came to the trailhead at the only major paved road ten minutes before a hail storm and nine days in and that was it. The second car by was a nice woman with two dogs who, though she did turn on her car vent a couple minutes after I got in, did not complain about my smell. Straight to a hotel through a hailstorm I went. Clean clothes, shower X2, pizza... all was well. Though I got off one day before I intended to, it was the unknown shower wall that demanded it. Nine days is the limit.

Harrisville Yarn Spinning Mill

Harrisville Yarn Spinning Mill

Last Wednesday was a red letter day. I got to go to the Harrisville Designs (HD) spinning mill. I have been looking forward to this ever since I agreed to teach at HD. I know that makes me a tremendous geek, but I really loved seeing the MacAusland's wool mill Emily and I visited on Prince Edward Island last summer. It is so fascinating to see how yarn is made commercially. And this mill is the one that makes the actual yarn I use in my tapestries. Needless to say I took a ton of photos and video, so here is my little tour of the mill.

We were given the royal treatment by the woman who manages the mill. I asked her what her name was soon after her talk started and when she said Babs, I had to stop myself from exclaiming in delight. What a perfect name. She has worked for Harrisville Designs (HD) for 33 years, since she was 29 years old. She was amazing and clearly knows the process of her mill inside and out. I think it is safe to say that she pretty much runs the place, though Chick Colony, owner of HD might disagree! He says she quits about once a week, but between the two of them they continue to keep the yarn spinning.

MacAusland's wool mill, Prince Edward Island

Wool mills. Fiber artists love wool mills. It is something about seeing how the fiber gets from the sheep to a tapestry that is fascinating. Although I suppose that it makes me a real fiber geek when going to an old grungy mill is such a great time.

This one was really fun. I visited on July 18th. We were on Prince Edward Island and had been looking forward to visiting this mill since our innkeeper told us about it. The wool mill is on the west end of the island and has been running for generations.