Cats
Ridiculous Kitty
Okay, this is completely just a silly post, but the world needs to see my cat Eris chase his own tail. He’s ridiculous. He does this almost every evening…
Art
Art, Craft, and Expression
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about art and how it differs from and overlaps with craft. Most of what I do is craft. It can be artistic — designing a weaving pattern, or choosing how to handle colors in a yarn I’m spinning — but I don’t think of Read more…
Textiles
Crafting Updates
I haven’t spun since February, thanks to a bad case of tendonitis in my right thumb. So I’m giving it a break. Instead I’ve been working on other things, mainly a huge cross-stitch project. It’s The Pointed Fifth from Long Dog Samplers. Here’s what it should look like finished: There’s Read more…
History
Kentucky Romany?
I dug into the family genealogy a few months ago, and I’ve been trying to do research since. Unfortunately I’m having a hard time finding information, so I’m throwing this out there in case someone comes across this post and can help. My father’s side of the family is Romany. Read more…
History
Textiles of West Africa: A Research Project
The Cotton Club Museum invited the Gainesville Handweavers Guild back for this year’s Florida Emancipation Day (May 20th) celebration. It was held on May 18th this year, because that was the closest Saturday. Originally I thought I’d be giving a short lecture, like I did last year. That one was Read more…
Textiles
Grayscale in Color
Just a quick post to say how much I love the way this scarf looks. If I can find a slightly thicker yarn dyed this way, I’d be delighted to make myself a sweater. Yarn is Baah La Jolla in “Smoke and Diamonds.” Pattern is Stephanie Pearl-McPhee’s One Row Handspun Read more…
Travel
FTWG Conference 2024
I was, thanks to some weaver friends, able to attend part of the Florida Tropical Weavers Guild‘s annual conference this year. It ran from March 14th to the 27th (Thursday through Sunday). I was there for the first two days and checked out the morning of the third day. (I Read more…
Milestones
Proof of Life
This morning I smiled at myself in the mirror while I was getting ready for the day, and I noticed something: when I smile, I have wrinkles under my eyes now. Maybe they’ve been there for a while — I don’t look in mirrors very often — but today was Read more…
Textiles
Pattern vs. Yarn
I have a really good example of how a yarn can make or break a knitting pattern. Both these pieces of knitting were made with the same yarn — Lorna’s Laces Multi in the “Reno” colorway — and using a size 6 needle. Both patterns are based on garter stitch. Read more…
Textiles
Recent Knitting
I am, if I may brag a little, a pretty good knitter and spinner. I wanted to show off two things I made recently. First, a sweater for my mom. The pattern is the Perseids Cardigan by Heidi Kirrmaier. I used a thinner yarn than the pattern called for, so Read more…