In the last week or so, I have received several "FB friendings" from some very dear friends that I know from many other venues, such as LJ and SCA. Please accept my apolgies for not accepting your friending invites. But, I do not, and will not be using FB, now, or in the foreseeable future.

Originally, I set up an account, just to put a toe in, and test the waters. But I have found them not to my liking.

My initial curiosity about "old chums" is what drew me there. I did indeed manage to connect with some folks that I have not seen in decades. This has proven to be something of a double-edged sword... As they say, "be careful what you wish for!".

It occured to me...after the fact...that while I could find people that I was curious about...it also meant that "they" could find me! And, there are some by whom I wish not to be found. One of these is my ex-husband, who is without doubt, still in touch with many of our mutual friends from that time. Though I did not find him on FB, I really don't care to have mutual acquaintances sharing information about my life now, with him.

I have tried to take down all my photos, and as much other information as possible, so that there is almost no presence there. But, it seems that my wall or page, or whatever it is, will remain in perpetuity.

Please pardon me for not accepting your "friendings". I thought an explanation was due you. Thank you for your love, and for seeking me out. I will be right here on LJ. But FB is just not something I care to be part of. Hugs...

One day of work today, and them I'm free!! WHOOT!!

Having not enough "unfinished projects" in my pile, decided that I needed a few more, so that there will be projects which are portable, for totable handwork at meetings and such, and just simply a couple that I want to play with, for which there has not be sufficent time, but which have enough variety, that I when I get bored of one, I can move on to something different.

Wasn't sure what to start first on Saturday, but I awoke with bobbin lace bouncing around in my head. Pulled out the lace pillow, and bobbins, and decided that I would make another attempt at it. Removed the pattern that I was given at the last class I attended, and unwound the several bobbins involved.

Pulled out my copy of Rosemary Shepherd's book and jumped in. I am not patient enough to wind bobbins by hand, so spent some time combining bits of old weaving bobbins into a tool that allows me to wind lace bobbins with my weaving bobbin winder! And it works! Not perfectly, but it works. WHOOT! Wound up the requisite 7 pairs, and hung them on the pillow, whilst I set about making a new pattern. Printed off some 3mm graph paper, which I trimmed and taped onto a piece of Bristol board, and covered it all with wide clear plastic tape. Managed to locate my new pricker in the sewing basket, and finished up the pricking in short order.

Now, I have about an inch and half of bobbin lace! It'll not win a prize for either precision, or beauty, but it is indeed bobbin lace!! WHOOT I SAY! Why is this a "whoot"? Because bobbin lace is my nemisis! I have taken classes and instruction from some of the best lacers in this kingdom, and my stoopid brain meats just have refused to adequately grasp it. I don't know why. I guess we all just find that certain skills are a challenge for us, and others that are easy. For me, it is lace! Meh. I have struggled with it, and found it to be the most frustrating craft. I am still far, far from claiming any skill or understanding, of it. But I am managing to do it! And that feels like an accomplishment. Yay!! I will let you know how my homely little sampler comes out, but I have a start and that pleases me greatly.

Sunday, I couldn't sleep, and got up at 4:00am. I set the lace pillow aside and worked another whole day on the Mistletoe Fleece (trademark "MF"), until my shoulder was hurting from cranking the carder, and my wrist and fingers ached from picking the locks. It is really surprising just how much effort it takes to properly card one lovely batt, and pull a nice long sliver.

Despite the cleanliness of the fleece, it still involves a great deal of picking, fluffing, and cleaning, to remove various foreign matter and material. There are bits of straw, grass, beetles, and even found a small spider! But the result is surely worth the effort. The wool is soft, and lustrous, with a gorgeous sheen and a pale silver color, with just enough lights and darks to give it some depth. Wait until you see it!

It is taking 4 passes or more through the carder. Though I complain of this, it is far, far easier than if I had to card it all by hand! And I am very grateful to have the machine to do it with! The yarn basket is getting full with large balls of prepared wool, and little by little the fleece is diminishing. At this point, I may have done maybe a fifth of the total. Not bad. The progress is at least visible.

If progress continues at this rate, I should manage fairly easily to get it all done over the winter, and have it all ready for the arrival of the new wheel, next spring!

Two other long-term, carry-about projects that I am also going to begin are a small sample of "punto in aria" from Ars Antico, and either just a headcloth to go with my scarlet-worked coif, or a whole new coif and headcloth, from one of the beautiful "Attack Laurel" patterns. Bought a new slate frame from krazyfiberkatearlier this year, and have yet to dress it, so am anxious to do that. It'll be nice to have something that I can run out the door with.

After 13 hours in the studio, it was time to get dinner. Sof wanted spaghetti, but no bottled sauce avaiable, so for the first time in years, I made sauce from scratch. Dang! It was delicious!! I had forgotten how good the real thing is, and how much better than the jarred variety. And...had sufficient left over to make two more meals for us, which I will freeze, for later.

Piled into bed at 8:30, thoroughly exhausted, but feeling very satisfied with my efforts and accomplishments over the weekend. Now to finish out my work day...and then freedom! YAAAAYYYY! So must get to it. Hugs all about...more anon.

Friday is here! WHOOT! The end of a very busy work week, but with several successful scores! Yay! Not all weeks are as good. Today will be probably less productive, due to various meetings, and a good long lunch for celebrating a couple of team birthdays at one of the good local Thai places. Nommy...and always fun, but also not contributory to productivity...directly. :)

And then...weekend! *squee* Virtual work day on Monday...also a *squee*...and then...off for the rest of the week!! *MAJOR SQUEE!!*

We'll be heading toward Bellingham for turkey day, but otherwise the rest of the week is MINE! Sleeping in late...spinning...carding...weaving...and perhaps a little sewing. Sweet enough to be sugar!

This is the first vacation time that I have really had since last November/December, and I am more than thoroughly crispy and ready for the me-time and the down-time! I could have waited, as we shut down for two weeks at Hexmas, but I just can't wait. I needz me some time, now...please! Thank you very much. How blessed I am to be able to take some, and for that I am teh grateful to the all powers of the universe, believe me. Some of my friends are in far less enviable situations, and my heart goes out to them.

The green wool kirtle is done...minus the hem and a minor readjustment to the center front skirt opening. It's been resting for a while, and hanging, so all should be good and stable now. Just need lacings and it's ready to roll. Tried it on the dummy over the Sture chemise, and it looks mighty fine, if I do say so myself. Took a few piccies of each, which I will try to share over the weekend.

Also on the list is a suite of ruffs...long ago promised, yet not yet delivered to a friend. *red faced*

Am in a bit of a quandry as to what to make next. What I really want do do is weave and spin, but I do need a few more wardrobey bits. I've got one particular gown in mind, and think I may have just enough cranberry colored velvet in the stash to do it with. We'll see. The other option is a bronzey brocade that I like very much, but it is only period-oid in design, and I hesitate to wear it. I don't want to set a poor example for others, but I also hate to waste 10 yards of some really pretty stuff, which would make a mighty fine looking gown. Lastly, there is the dark brown wool kirtle to make, as well as the jacket. Will chew on these issues for a while before I makes up me mind.

I think this will be good brain meat fodder whilst carding and watching some mindless drivel on telly. ;> Sounds a perfectly lovely week in the offing, don't you think?

Well...must get to work here. Just tickled pink it's teh Friday!! Hugs all about...more anon...

...that went to Florence, last year. Did *anyone* happen to get any photos of the green and white diamond twill kirtle at Pisa???

By any chance, did anyone get photos of the pattern draft that was in the ring binder?? I got stopped before I got a shot off, though I do think someone did.

I don't want to steal her research, but I would dearly love to try weaving that fabric.

Pretty please....?

Again with the wooly weekend...  Last weekend I did manage to complete all of the carding of the "dreaded, interminble, white fleece"!  YAYYY!  Although instead of 5 or 6 rolags, as I had estimated, it really was about 12.  Meh....but, done!  So it's all good. 

Finished off one really full bobbin and started spinning off its mate for the plying.  This will be two more large skeins, ready for finishing, and the warping mill.  From the amount of rolags I have left, I'm thinking I might get a small third plied skein, and that will be the end of that!  Two full fleeces completed from scruffy, filthy, locks, to washed, carded, and spun yarn!  WOOT and WOOT, I say!      

Have basically set aside most other projects in order to finish this part of the long-term weaving project.  Even set aside the green wool kirtle...  Once all the yarn is made, washed, and measured on the warping board, and chained up, I will set it aside long enough to complete the warp which is currently on the loom.  This would be the "play warp" with free Shetland yarn.  It's been great to be able to mess about with it, and test and tweak the floor loom.  The cloth being produced is not bad.  It does have the odd flaw here and there...which Master Eduardo was quick to spot, but that just shows it's handmade, right  ;)  Besides...the operative word here is "play"... 

The brake problem seems to be resolved,at last.  WOOT!  Instead of my gerry-rigged arrangement of springs and mini-bungie cords, I now have a nice new spring and a bit of good strong chain, which I salvaged from one of Poco's old toys.  *snerk*  Seems to work just fine, and I am uber pleased, as it seems to give reliable tension, and easy to release and advance.  So it's doing just what it ought.

Also worked a bit on the Mistletoe fleece.  Finally gathered it all off the living room floor, and piled into a large bag.  Started processing it through the drum carder.  Still am impressed with what a clean wool it is, and 4 passes yields an exquisite batt, which tears very nicely into lovely, smooth, soft, sliver, which will be a great joy to spin!

Instead of jumping right into it, I think I will card the entire fleece before I begin spinning.  Have thoughts of  buying a new wheel in the spring with my bonus dollars, and I think this fleece will be the first I'll do on it.  The old wheel, "Ingrid" is still wonderful, but she has so many quirks in her nature, and not nearly the flexibility I need, so a new wheel is really essential.  "Ingrid" will still go to demos and such with me, because she is so very beautiful, but I absolutely need a good production wheel.  

There is also some thought about a new loom.  Probably a small floor loom, but with 8, possibly more shafts.  Still contemplating this, as a portable table loom is so very nice also.  There are some more linen weaving projects in my future, and those would probably would go on that loom.

Other winter projects will be to start combing the Gamal Norsk Spaelsau fleece.  Poor thing has been lying idle in its box since I received it, and I want to try to build the warp weighted loom next year, if possible.  The secondary project will be to scour, and prepare the two white Oxford fleeces for a dye pot day.  

I've been hoarding cochineal bugs for a while now, and have nearly a pound of them.  Am thnking of doing two baths, one red, and one purple.  This plan needs more planning, so additional info anon...but it may develop into a "Cochineal Day" at Leycestershyre House, possibly in the spring.  Those locals who might be interested might give some thought to what they might like to throw into the exhaust bath....some skeins of silk, perhaps, or even some linen yarn?...  Just thinking aloud for now.

It was a very quiet weekend.  Nice to stay indoors with old movies..."Prisoner of Zenda" with Stewart Granger (hunk!!) and Deborah Kerr, and "Mogambo" with Clark Gable (hunk plus!!) and Ava Gardner, plus various and sundry other mindless drivel as background noise.  Verra, verra relaxing.

Must get to work now...  Anon...

...those both living and dead, and to those both here, as well as those who are still in harm's way.  

Thank you, to my father who was gunner on a destroyer against the kamikaze during the Second World War..


My Dad, LeRoy Brim.  This is the only one I have of him in his Navy uniform.

.to my uncle during the Korean War...


My uncle Ron as a young Marine

and to all my friends that served in the Viet Nam War. 

Thank you for your service and for your incredible sacrafices...and for the sacrafices of your families in sending you to serve, to keep the rest of us safe and free...even in wars that were started based on lies and deceit by cowardly, wicked men who did not have the balls to join and serve themselves...but sent others to die in their stead.  

Your countrymen love you and appreciate you!  And with the Goddess' blessings, perhaps one day no more wars will ever be fought by anyone.  We will never forget you. 

Happiest of Birthdays to the_thread_lady !!  Wishing masses of every good thing you could want, or need!  Long may you wave, dear!!

And not much else!  Finally pulled out the beautiful gray fleece my SIL gave me for Christmas last year.  I refer to is as the Mistletoe fleece as that is the name of the pretty little ewe from whence it came. 


Mistletoe

Spent several hours skirting, picking, sorting, and piling it into large lingerie bags.  I bought a dozen of them from the Dollar Store and they are just the perfec thing for washing fleece.  The fleece was really very clean though, so didn't have a huge amout of detritus to have to get rid of.  Such a pleasure after some of the filthy fleeces I've dealt with recently! 

After 4 good washings and rinsings, laid it all out to dry.  It is beyond gorgeous!  Wow.  An incredible silver gray color, and very, very soft!  It will make absolutely wonderful yarn. The photo does not do justice to the fleece, at all.  La Mama has already attempted to lay "claim" to whatever goods result from the processing...whether it be a woven shawl, or yardage.  *snerk*   

I had it laid out on towels atop the washer and dryer, but there's just too much fleece for it to dry effectively there.  So it is now taking up an entire queen flat sheet on the living room floor.  In a day or two it should be dry enough to bag, pending carding.  In between soaks and scrubs, spent the last two days hand-carding the very last of the interminable white fleece.  After making 21 roulags, my arms are near dead!!  Meh.  Didn't quite finish today, but am within striking distance.  I think 5 or 6 more  will completely finish the fleece!  WOOT!  Progress is being made...and that's a good thing.  ...more anon...    

For all my fibery friends... This is one of the best demos I've seen for using the English wool combs and drawing a lovely fine sliver with a diz. Amanda is very thorough, and very detail oriented. You'll get some good info out this series. Enjoy!!

Happy birthday wishes to ya_inga , </span> mrq_laurellen and </span> tradarcher !!  I hope your birthdays are spectacular and you each get your heart's desires.  All my best wishes for today and many, many, many more to come!</span>

Autumn is most definitely in the air, which made yesterday's yard work much more pleasant for me.  Have I told you that I *hate* the heat?  Girded my loins early and set to it with a purpose.  Got all the blackberry vine trimmings cleaned up and disposed of.  Most went in the recylce dumpster, but it's so small will have to wait until next week to be rid of the last of it.  Also got the entire lawn mowed this time! 

Ran out of steam halfway through last time, so it was seriously verging on "feral" as monkeybung would have it!  Personally, I think it looks rather pretty, all long, and waving in the breeze, but I know the neighbors preferred a more tailored and controlled look.  ;>  Also got about halfway through the "mountain o'mulch" which has taken over ownership of the main part of the driveway for some time now.  I had 15 yards of the stuff delivered, and it's hard work to get it all placed.  My back and arms are complaining today.  But, the done part looks terrific.  Will try to finish the balance of it up tonight or tomorrow.

Thinking on the Laurel's Retreat at my house next weekend.  Prep for that will keep me out of the A&S Day Camp, for which I am teh sad.  I missed it last year too, and really feel bummed to have to miss it again this year!  Meh!  and for good measure...Wahhhh! 

Saturday, I was very lazy/selfish and sewed all day!  Finished both the fashion fabric, and the lining for the green wool kirtle skirt.  The lining took jsut one small section of piecing, but that was easy-peasy.  Next, I'll work the centerfront opening and the assemble the lining to the skirt.  That'll make a good handwork project for the Retreat.

Also pondering digging out some of the Halloween decorations.  Don't want to do too much, but I just love this time of year, and am feeling all autumny, and want some orange and black sitting about!  Also want to buy some pumpkins for the front stoop.  I'll get those later in the week when I do my marketing.

Not much else to report.  Should be working, and need to get to it.  Hugs all about...  Anon. 

Came across this wonderful little interview with Jenny Tiramani on the BBC, and simply had to share!  This was taped in 2004, I believe.  We met her last fall in Florence at the Costume Colloquium, and was dumbstruck (gobsmacked!) by the quality of her work and research.  Besides that, she is just simple a really great gal!  I liked her immensely, and think she's beyond brilliant.  This interview has a bit of the atmosphere of Jenny's workshop to it, which is lovely to hear about.  Enjoy!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/2004_50_fri_02.shtml

And now...something a little different for my spinning and dyeing friends...

It sounds like a good time was had by all, despite the wind and cold.  Really wanted to be selfish with my "me time", and stayed home.  My only "plan" was to do some more sewing, or weaving.  I've been busy and away, it seems like, every weekend through September, and last weekend too, and I really needed the down-time for myself. 

Saturday, I got all 26 of the lacing holes done, on the front opening of the green wool kirtle bodice.  Hoorah!  So that's all 70 holes...done!  Actually, I don't mind doing lacing holes, at all.  It's good tv work.  And I like doing handwork. 

Next, I cut the skirt, and have opted for a three-panel skirt.  Two, just seems too skimpy for my substantial form.  It was a struggle for me to stop at just 3, when I normally use 4!  But I am trying to keep this gown simple, lighter weight, and more of a merchant class sort of gown.  Am still tossing back and forth as to whether to cartridge pleat, or knife pleat.  Guess I'll settle on that, when the skirt is done.  I will mock it up with knife pleats first, and see how it goes.  If I don't like that, then I'll do the cartridge pleats.      

Three panels, will allow me to shift the seams to the sides and back, where they will be unnoticeable.  I really don't want a center front seam, in case I wish to wear this kirtle without an apron, at some point.  Am also debating about making it long enough that I could use a small bum roll with it from time to time.    

I have enough left over wool, that I can probably get a new Norse apron dress, and possibly a hat out of the remnants.  Woot!   

The wool panels are done, and pressed.  Next up...the skirt lining panels.  The linen is not the same width as the wool, so that will require some piecing.  Tried the bodice on with the new linen Sture chemise, and it looks good.  Still have to put ties on the Sture shirt, and the ruffles do need some starch, but I like it.  

Also need to get serious about doing the fingerloop braids for lacings and points.  Need to find a better green yarn to use than I currently have in stash. 

I was going to take piccies for you, but sadly the memory card is full, until I finish uploading the Banner War piccies to the hard drive.  So you'll have to wait for that.

Dinner last night was delicious.  Put a lovely fat chicken on the rotisserie, seasoned with garlic, basil, and lime juice, and let the rotis work it's magic.  Nummmy!  It was so tender and juicy with a delicious crusty skin.  It is my absolute favorite way to cook a roast chicken!  Also served two of our favorite veggies...baked Acorn Squash with butter and brown sugar, and some lovely steamed cabbage wedges.  Highly enjoyable!

I am mulling over the idea of making some video demos that I can post to YouTube.  I may have mentioned this before, but I am still struggling with the video editing software.  I think my first effort will be a demo on making lacing holes.   Wish me luck, as I am not the best at the techiness of doing this, and have yet to be able to successfully post a video on YT...but I am trying!  Sooner or later I'll succeed.  If it works, I'll post it here and y'all can critique it.  And, I'll be asking for ideas for other demo vids, that folks may like as well.  

"Thank you" to all those who said they enjoyed the odd assortment of videos I keep posting.  Any time I find something I think might be useful, or just weirdly entertaining, I like to share it here.  

It's a really lovely day out!  Stuck inside "working"...but still...far better than having to be in the office!  Hope everyone's well and happy, and that your day is full of sunshine and happiness.  Hugs all about!  And apologies for any birthday greetings that I missed sending!!  I do hope your special day was filled with goodies and joy!

Anon...
  
   

I'm sorry I missed sending this on  your special day!  It sounds like you had a lovely time.  Hope all your birthday wishes come true!  *big hugs*

You bring so much joy to others, every single day!  May all your own particular wishes and wants be fulfilled on your day!!  Wishing much goodness, joy, and lusciousness today and throughout the coming year.