What's in your World?

FINALLY, a few pics. Here are pics of the current work on the Lillstina. It's a twill derivation from Ann Dixon's book. The warp is a brown alpaca/silk sett at 24 epi. The piece is about 15" wide, and the warp is a hand-spun yarn from a hand-painted corriedale roving. I'm not sure it's the right yarn for this warp, so watch for changes. Other pics are my roses.....yes, I love flowers from private gardens, but you can KEEP almost anything out of a shop.
Then there is this wonderful collaborative piece that Sue Seif is weaving. It's an alpaca/silk warp, with a chiengora weft. I spun the weft. It's Sue's dog's fur. I was able to spin a fairly fine yarn from him. He has LOTSA personality! Hope you enjoy the pics.
Sorry not to post more often, but Mom is no longer fighting cancer. She died peacefully at home on Tues. having spent time with each of her children, and Dad. My prayer was that God would be merciful in granting her a gentle 'passing', and I believe he did.
Now, I'm weaving on 3 looms, and spinning finn lamb, shetland lamb, wolf, and lincoln directly from the whole fleece(no carding, cleaning, breaking into locks, just pull the fleece into my lap, and spin from it. Ain't life Grand?
See ya soon.
Cherri

warping the Lillstina

AAAHHHHHH, a beautiful sunny day in which to warp my Lillstina. I had to do a minor alteration in the loom to make it more functional, but am so incredibly happy now that I began warping it after midnight, and continued on well into the new day.
The warp is a 360 thread alpaca/silk yarn sett at 24epi. Originally, I intended to sett it at 36, but found it very difficult to wind on because of the texture of the yarn (the halo actually). If I find my camera, I'll post pics later.
Next, I think i'll head over to Glen Allen, and work on my tapestry.
A cartoon needs to be drawn, and that's what has held me up, but it's time to do it.
I have a different color of the alpaca silk warp going onto my 16 shaft Macomber at Roseneath, along with a linen rug warp on the small 8 harness Macomber there. That's for a commissioned tapestry.
Well, too much time on the blog, means too little time on the loom, so I must go.
Don't forget the 12shaft AVL mechanical dobby loom is for sale and looking for a good home. There was an inquiry yesterday, but she was a very new weaver and has a very nice loom. As many of you know, to begin with a dobby loom, can deprive the new weaver from really learning the basics of weaving, and the interplay between the tie-up, treadle sequence and threading sequence. Although, there are those who think a dobby loom is one of the best ways to explain the interelationship of those elements.
Of course I would see it bass-ackwards (as my grandmother used to say).
GG.
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

Weave in a Weekend - Finished work

Glen Allen work and Felting workshop

Here are pics of some of the work going on at Glen Allen. The multi-color, highly textured piece is a set of place mats that I am weaving. The taupe and burgundy is Nancy's. She has done 2 or 3 scarves out of that, and these pics are just to show how pretty the weave and fiber are. She is weaving off the loom waste. The fiber is tencel.
The chenille piece is also taupe, and has beads woven in. This is Julie's work.
She is truly a 'natural' fiber artist.



Tomorrow I have a hatfelting workshop at The Visual Art Center of Richmond. I'll try to remember to take the camera and upload pics afterward. It's a busy weekend, so I may not get it done until sometime during the week.
Take care.

Cherri

Learn to weave in a weekend class

Some of you have been looking for a quick opportunity to try weaving. The Visual Art Center of Richmond is offering that opportunity. On January 25, I will be teaching a weaving intensive at the Visual Art Center of Richmond. You have the opportunity to completely immerse yourself in 3 days of weaving. Friday night, we will work from 6:30 - 9:00 pm measuring out our yarn to put on the loom. On Saturday morning, from 10-12:30, we will wind the yarn onto the loom, and pull the threads through the heddles. In the afternoon, we will finish pulling through heddles, and sley the reed, tie onto the loom and begin weaving these beautiful mohair shawls which we will finish on Sunday afternoon.
I have openings in this class, if you would like to join us. It's a wonderful refresher course for you if you just haven't woven in a while. If you are new to weaving, and want yet another opportunity to set up and weave under the instruction of a teacher before working on your own at home, or you just want to know if weaving is something you might want to pursue deeper, this is a good opportunity for you.
The class is designed for mohair shawls because they weave up quickly. I hope to see you there.
If you are not local, there are many lodging opportunities in the area. We are very close to VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University), and the thriving heart of Richmond, Virginia. Come join the fun and be a part of a vital weaving community.
Cherri