Spring meanderings in the studio

MMMMMM, today was a play day in the studio. It is the 4th day in the past 7 that I have gotten to go in and weave a simple strain of thought. I measured a warp several months ago, that I wove a scarf that I love with. It is the handspun weft in blues and greens I wrote about in Jan or Feb. Well, there was a lot of that nice superwash merino yarn still on the loom, and I didn't know where to go with it. The loom was dressed for a diaper weave, but I don't really like overly "busy" work. I love patterns and the more intricate the better, but not to cover an entire piece unless it is camoflauged like the blue/green scarf.
Anyway, I decided to weave the diaper with a twist. I would weave each pattern shot twice, once in cherry blossom, and followed by one in fuschia. The piece uses tabby, so it didn't create a problem, but did elongate the diaper a bit. That turned out quite lovely, but too busy for an entire piece. So I scrutinized the pattern and realized that the 3rd and 4th blocks didn't have terribly long floats and I could alternate those throughout the piece and have a piece that had spots 'scattered' across it.
I liked it, but the spots were awfully close together with both and A and a B tabby between, so I extended the tabby to be A,B,A. Still too close, so I continued adding another tabby after each set of 2 pattern shots until I got to the center of the piece. I liked it. Now, I need only reverse the pattern to get to the other end.
Easier said than done, Verdad?
I have also done some spring cleaning in the studio. It was looking rather heinous with yarn fuzz under every loom, and thrum shorts strewn around along with tools that haven't been put away, etc. My precious little orchids were so happy that they swayed to the rhythm of "Rite of Spring" (Stravinsky, not Angels and Airwaves).
Twas a joyous day in the studio today. It was topped off by a friend bringing by a little ailing orchid who needed a play date with mine and was hence adopted into the studio!!!!Hurray.
Looking forward to seeing my students tomorrow night and hope to make it into the studio again tomorrow, although the botanical garden is calling me also.
Cherri

After school programs

I work with kids in an after school program. I teach weaving, crochet, and felting just many fiber arts. I love the kids and it's awesome to absolutely LOVE what you do.

More of Roseneath

So, how did this work get where it is, and what else is going on at Roseneath? Well, here is a picture of Susan putting that beautiful sherbet warp on, and Jane, measuring out an aubergine warp.....the beautiful aubergine, green and grey warp, and then Erica's black warp (not to be confused with Lisa's warp) Erica is going to cross her black warp with vibrant weft yarns in Sunflower, Emerald, and .....? don't remember.
Stay tuned to find out;0)

Work at Roseneath studio

OK, I got my camera back, then decided it was time for a new one. Hopefully the pics will be as good. These pictures are of my warp, and the 2 colors I will use for weft. The warp is teal, and the weft colors are cherry red, and apple blossom pink.
Then there is Susan's warp, which is the multi colored warp....probably sherbet colors? And the black and brown piece is Lisa's undulating twill (called overshot in Ann Dixon's book).

Weaving Vacations

It's been so much fun teaching the fiber arts these last 10-12 years. Now, more and more people are looking for vacations in their area of interest. Well, I've decided to offer some fiber vacaation opportunities. There is a beautiful bed and breakfast just a mile or so down the road, and I'm just 2 hours from the beach and an equidistance from the mountains, so it makes sense to make arrangements with some of the realties at the beach, and in the mountains, as well as the folks over at the bed and breakfast. I will be offering some weekend weaving getaways, spinning escapes, and felting forays.
Whether it be at the beach, in the mountains, or right here in scenic, rural Goochland County, Virginia, I can help.
I'll put more information up on my website within the week. If you have any ideas, e-mail them to me, I'm up for suggestions.
Yes, I think this is the result of a fantastically fun workshop yesterday, and the blessing that my students have been through the years. Ain't life grand?!
Cherri

PS my camera is back from vacation, so I'll try to post some pics.
Cherri

Amazing workshop!

What a great time!!!! This was one of those perfect days, in which I enjoyed the workshop, and the students as much as the students did. These 3 ladies are so full of joy and fun that they filled the studio with it.
All 3 ladies got their projects on the looms quickly and without any problems. Hazel was working with chiengora yarn that she spun from her dog's fur. It is a very clean white and turned out to be a nice warp. She really seemed to have found exactly what she wanted from the loom and the workshop. She is also an accomplished painter.

Cyndee got her loom dressed with a fine linen, which is a little inflexible, but it is really working for her. She crossed the first inch or two with alpaca and it feels soft and nurturing.

Helen dressed her loom with a 20/2 mercerized cotton warp in a sort of ruby red. She is interested in doing some fine tapestry work. She is a cool lady, strong in her faith which encourages me, also! She did the most tapestry work today, working on some interlocking and some slit tapestry.

Don't forget that I'm starting a Tues morning weaving group at roseneath rd, and have an opening now. We will meet from 10 am - 12:30 am, right in the fan district of Richmond, va. Hope you will join us.
Cherri

Staying in touch

This post is just to stay in touch until my camera return from Florida, where my daughter is on Vacation. I'm teaching another session of Art After School at the Visual Art Center of Richmond.
This session, I'm teaching weaving, but some of the students have been in my class long enough that they wanted me to teach them something else before they 'graduate' up to high school, so I'm teaching them to crochet granny squares. That's a real lesson for me, because it's something I've always wanted to learn.
I called my friend Emily, and hired her to teach me. She is a wonderful teacher, and within an hour, she had me feeling like a 'master' at crocheting granny squares.
Several folks have been communicating with me about tallitot, and perhaps a new commission will be on the horizon soon. I'm measureing the warp out for a tallit for my son in the USMC.
I am getting ready to begina Tues. morning weaving class at Roseneath. Just 2-3 students, as I don't want to crowd the studio. If that doesn't materialize, I may just enjoy having the studio less full for a while, as I enjoy working there more when there are fewer looms in the space. It also allows for the summer sewing class that I like to offer for teens. This year, I would like to have a crochet klutch also. We will see if that happens, as there is not a great deal of room.
We'll talk more later.
Cherri