Picking Stuff Up

A little tension trouble!

 I'm still inkle weaving this week, when I'm not cooking.  It occurred to me this week that I never take photos of the food I make anymore!  But it's just food for 100 hungry crafters, three times a day, and if it's interesting enough, or pretty enough, to take photos of, I'm usually too busy to grab my phone.  My kitchen team is so great now, that things are finally running smoothly, and cooking is actually becoming fun.  I never thought we'd get here, but here we are!  Whew!  Students' comments have gone from 75% negative to over 75% positive in the last two months.  What a relief!
  The weather has kept me in Brasstown for the last few days off, and even though it's supposed to be in the 50's with sun this afternoon, there was freezing rain this morning and it's not above freezing yet.  Bella wants to walk!
  Until then, I've been learning pick-up on the Inkle loom. I had to break down and buy Anne Dixon's book on Inkle weaving.  None of the available YouTube videos were clear enough in their instructions on how to do pick-up.  There was a lot of assumed information, that I didn't know, like how to warp for pick-up.  I'd heard Dixon's book wasn't very clear, either, but it's been so helpful for me.  I'm glad I laid the groundwork with the plain weave stuff, so I can follow her instructions.  I already had a warp on the loom that I thought I could use for letters and patterns.  Turns out it's a little too narrow for letters, so I have just been following her beginning pick-up patterns.  What fun!  The patterns develop slowly, and it's a little confusing at first, but as I kept the attitude with this first warp that there were no mistakes, only learning opportunities, I just played.
  I am finishing the warp with a pattern I made up, using both heddled and unheddled pick up together.  I'll have at least a little strip of belt I can use for something, and getting good practice in.  The next warp will be some hand-dyed carpet warp with some solid mercerized cotton, to learn how to weave letters.

I've spent the evenings binge-watching bad t.v., and knitting some fun socks.  I bought this yarn from a sale bin a few years ago, and felt like using it up this week.  I started toe-up, two circulars, and have just turned the heels.  I'm using a lace pattern from the newest issue of Interweave Knits, from the yummy patterns they have for weddings.  I'd love to make the lace sweater I've borrowed this little pattern from, make it longer, and out of something soft, like JaggerSpun Zephyr, that lovely 50% wool-50% silk yarn.  Meanwhile, the socks are just easy enough to watch t.v., and just difficult enough to enjoy.
  C'mon, clouds!  Go away!  Bella and I want to play!  Or I'll just have to weave...