tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34477165558298935402024-03-19T06:07:57.427-07:00Tangible DaydreamsWelcome to the crafty side of my life. Here I'll be musing about projects I'm working on, and the creative process around them. Oh, and there will be occasional bouts of cooking, photography, and poetry, too.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.comBlogger448125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-59088406624139692322020-04-07T21:38:00.001-07:002020-04-07T21:38:41.032-07:00Studio build: before<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Meet the new home of Tangible Daydreams! It doesn't look like much yet, I know. But look a all the possibilities! The previous owners of my new home are in the house proper for a few weeks more, but we have access to the out building now. It is an L shaped building, and you are looking at one wing of it here. The other wing will be Brian's recording studio eventually. That side has higher ceilings and no windows, which is good for recording. This side? Look at all that light!<br />
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The old ratty garage cabinets are all coming out. The plan is to put vinyl tile squares on the floor, insulation and dry wall on the walls and ceiling, and turn the lift up garage type door into a set of double french doors. There is a swamp cooler right now, but I want to put in proper air conditioning to better deal with the Arizona summers. I'll have a ceiling fan in the center of the room, and two solar tubes for even more natural light. <br /><br />I can just about picture it all in my mind. I'm not sure exactly where various things are going to go inside the studio once we get the walls built yet. I spent today measuring out the positions of the doors and windows and such, and found that the walls are all different lengths. Not a true right angle corner anywhere, and the ceiling is slanted. This is going to take some Tetris skills to get everything working well. First step first.<br />
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Actually, the first step is going to be taking care of the roof, which has a few leaks. We've got the stuff for that already. Then the insides. In between packing up and moving my whole house over. We're staging boxes into the recording side, and setting up some wood working stuff into the fiber side to do the build with.<br />
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I'm getting excited, can you tell??<br />
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Ok, less time on line, more time packing boxes. Back to work!Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-53690584410453104662020-04-06T01:04:00.000-07:002020-04-06T01:04:40.932-07:00Just keep packing... Just keep packing...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you're following along, you know that a bit back we put an offer in on a new house. We got it!!! The papers are signed, all is in order. The folks who had it before us are there until the end of the month, to give them time to move to a different part of the state. But we get access to the out building that will be my new studio this coming week. Wheeee!<br />
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And so I am in the process of tearing down my current studio, and boxing it away. The cats are NOT AMUSED at the changes. I am alternately bouncing off the walls excited, and weepy at leaving here. I've been in this house for about a quarter of a century, and I don't like change very much. I'm rather like the cats in that fashion. Except I haven't gotten to the hissing part. Yet.<br />
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So, there is a lot of dust, and So Many Things to figure out what to do with. We're only moving about 20 minutes away, and my grown up kids will be still staying in the current house, so we can do the move a van load at a time. Which is a good thing. Because our plan had been to call in a couple of decades of moving kharma, and tag everyone we know to come haul boxes and lift furniture. But, well, there is a wee problem of a pandemic going on. It is awfully hard to have a moving party and social distance at the same time. So it is going to be up to us. Oy. I am going to have so many new muscles when I am done with this all! And I'm going to feel each and every one of them.<br />
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Stay tuned. After the move, there is going to be the new studio build. But first, all the packing.<br />
<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-61248686055567614812020-04-01T00:19:00.000-07:002020-04-02T18:21:59.494-07:00A prototype cloth mask: Tutorial<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With the onset of the current pandemic, I've taken to making cloth face masks for myself and my family. My mom and sister asked me for my pattern, so I'm sharing it here as a tutorial. Now, that said, this is NOT a medical grade mask. I have no medical back ground. The only research experience I have is Googling, and I encourage you to do your own research on how effective or not this type of mask might be. From my reading, I've concluded that cloth masks like this one can block maybe half of the ick. Better than nothing, but not as good as an official mask, and will NOT totally prevent you from contracting COVID-19. What it is really good for is blocking your own droplets from going all over the place when you cough. I figure that since there is a chance that you can be contagious before you know you have the virus, wearing these if you must go out in public protects other people from you. Folks have been saying, "My mask protects you. Your mask protects me."<br />
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So, disclaimer done. Not medical grade. Do your own research.<br />
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There are two types of masks that are popular right now. One is sort of cup shaped, fitted in the shape of an n95 mask. The other is a pleated rectangle, which ends up shaped like a surgeon's mask. That is the type I'm making here. <br />
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When making the masks, there are several choices you need to make. Do you use cloth ties, or elastic? Do you include a wire at the nose, for shaping? Do you include a pocket, so folks can add an extra layer of disposable non-woven filtration? (Think paper towel, coffee filter, dried out baby wipe...) This mask uses cloth ties, a wire, and a pocket, and an optional plastic toggle on the ties. Check the folks you are making masks for, and see what their requirements are. One of the medical folks I'm making masks for didn't want the toggle or the wire. My husband wanted both when I made his. <br />
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Materials:<br />
100% cotton woven fabric, in two colors. Quilting cotton is a good weight.<br />
Sewing thread.<br />
Cloth ties: Bias tape, or make your own. Folks are also making ties out of cut up t-shirts.<br />
Wire. I use 18 gauge copper craft wire. Folks are also using floral wire.<br />
Optional: plastic paracord toggles.<br />
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Cut 1 piece of your decorative fabric 7"x8". Cut 2 pieces of your contrasting fabric, both 7"x8". I'm making 6 masks at once in this tutorial, so I've cut 6 blue fabric, and 12 white fabric. Having two colors of fabric makes it easy to tell which side is which at a glance, so you don't put it on backwards. <br />
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Actually, I didn't cut my fabric. I'm using woven, so I just snipped the edge of the fabric at the proper length, and tore the fabric. Since it is woven, it will rip along the grain line. Snip and rip for the win. Much faster for me. You just have to remove a few raveled threads as you go along.<br />
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Take half of the white rectangles. You're going to turn these into the pockets. Finish one of the 7" sides. I folded it down narrowly twice to hide the raw edge, and sewed it down.
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I take this time to make my wires and ties. For the wires, I cut them to 6", and fold the ends over so they won't poke folks.
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For the ties, I prefer to use bias tape. But that gets expensive when you are doing a whole batch of these. Some folks are making ties out of old t-shirts...but I did a closet purge recently. I don't have clothes I want to cut up. I did however have some twin sheet sets I wasn't using anymore. They are nice light weight cotton. Perfect.
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Using the snip and rip method, I tore the sheets into 2" strips.
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Then I folded the edges in once, and again, so the raw edges were encased. Then I ironed the strap down. You can use a bias tape maker if you have one, but I found this easier for myself. If I kind of tugged on one end of the folded fabric while the iron was weighting down the other end, the fabric just kind of wanted to fold in on itself.<br />
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Cut two 40" ties per mask.
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Ok, I have all of my parts. Time to assemble! (Ok, the toggles aren't in this picture. Those are later.)<br />
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First, I stack my fabric. The outer decorative layer goes right side up. Next, the pocket layer goes right side down, on top of the decorative fabric. Line up the unfinished edge with the bottom edge of the decorative layer. Finally, the inner plain fabric goes on the top, right side down.
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Sew the fabric stack together on the shorter 7" sides, with a 1/4" seam allowance. One side will have three layers. The other will have two layers. Be sure you tuck the finished top of your pocket layer back out of the way while you sew the 2 layer side.
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Turn your mask right side out.
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Press your seams.
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Ok time to top stitch those seams. Use a 1/4" seam allowance. A hint: if you are sewing lots of these at a time, you can just kind of sew from one mask to the next, chaining them together, instead of starting and stopping and cutting your thread each time. You snip the masks apart after sewing them. It is a time saver.
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When you top stitch the 2 layer top side, make sure your pocket layer is flapping out of the way. We'll get to that soon, I promise.
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At this point, grab your wire if you are using one, and slip it all the way into the channel you made when you top stitched the top of your mask. (The side with just 2 layers.) It will end up securely encased here in the mask.
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Ok, that pocket piece that has been flapping around and driving your nuts? Smooth it down and pin it in place now.
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The next thing we are going to do is make three 1/2" pleats along the 8" sides of the fabric and pin them down, so the mask ends up looking like this.The pleats all go the same way, away from your nose and eyes, to cut down on things getting stuck in the folds of the fabric.<br />
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Your first pleat starts 2" down from the top of your mask. I find it easiest to pinch and fold the fabric on both sides of the mask, and then weight one side down while I pin the other.
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Pinch, and fold.
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The sides should be somewhere between 3 1/2" - 4" when you are done pleating, and both sides should be the same. This doesn't have to be absolutely perfect, but even is good.
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Sew down your pleats, on both sides. 1/4" seam allowance again. It is going to be tempting to just sew over the pins and take them out afterwards. You'll bend your pins and maybe break your needle. Trust me on this one. Take them out as you go.<br />
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Also? Make sure your encased wire is far enough in that it is out of the way of sewing. My needle does not like hitting that wire! <br />
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Mask part done! Now, on to the ties.
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Find the center of one of your ties.
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Pin or clip your tie so it encases the raw edges of the side of your mask. The center of the tie goes at the top of your mask. This is because it takes more fabric to go around the top of your head than it does around your neck when you are wearing the mask. So you want a bit more length at the top than at the bottom.
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If you aren't going to use the plastic toggles, tuck in the ends of your strap and stitch them down, to finish the raw edges.<br />
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Sew the ties from one end to the other, so you're sewing them closed at the same time you are sewing them onto your mask.
Sewing the ties closed all the way along them ensures they don't come unfolded in the wash. Sew back and forth a couple of times to reinforce your strap when you get to the edges of your mask. These are going to be the stress points, so you want them to be strong.
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Quality check. Flip your mask over, and make sure you actually caught the edges of your ties. I had to go back over this spot.<br />
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If you aren't using a toggle, you're done at this point!
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If you are using a toggle, make sure your tops straps are the same length, and snip the ends just a bit with pinking shears if you have them. Stack the straps on top of each other, and kind of fold the ends over to make them as narrow as possible.
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Shove the ends through the toggle. You might have to use a pliers to grab onto them and pull them through. Repeat for the bottom ties.
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I tie knots in the end of the ties, to stop them from raveling, and to prevent the toggles from sliding off.
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Done!! Here's a half dozen more masks ready for wearing.
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This is what it looks like on. The toggles make it easier to take on and off. However, if you have long hair, I recommend you put your hair up in a pony tail before you use them, or you might cinch up your hair right into them. Ow. My short haired husband had no problems, but I did. If you don't have the toggles, just tie the straps.<br />
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Form the wire to fit your nose, and down your cheeks so the mask doesn't ride up into your eyes.<br />
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My recommendation is to use a fresh mask each time you have to go out of the house. Don't touch it when you have it on. Take it off without touching the outside of the mask when you come home, put it directly into a laundry bag, and then sanitize your hands. Wash the masks on hot, tumble dry. The wire will get a bit bent in the wash, but if you grab the sides of the mask and snap outwards, the wire and pleats will straighten right back out.<br />
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Remember, wearing these masks is in addition to your social distancing routine, not instead of it! <br />
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Take care, all!!
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-2497848099982572172020-03-21T00:19:00.000-07:002020-03-21T00:19:29.904-07:00Just breathe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I live in Maricopa County, in Arizona, USA. And we just had our first death from COVID-19. Which means it is past time for us all to go on an in-person social fast. You've all read the headlines and delved into the articles, so I really don't have a whole lot to add to that. I've been staying home the past few days, but I realized today that social distancing can happen really well on the trails as well. Yes, I'll stay home most of the time. But I know where there are empty spaces, with no other folks around for ages. Every now and then, when the walls are really closing in around me, I think I'll take myself to the wilderness and just breathe.<br />
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We've been told to not gather in groups of more than 10 at a time, and that is a good start. But this thing... You can have it, and pass it on before you show symptoms. And that scares the snot out of me. I had been looking at just having small get togethers, just with my friends and loved ones. Well, I was thinking that way last week anyway. There were hardly any cases locally, and we'd let each other know if we weren't feeling well, and.. and... And if I get it, that means the folks I would pass it on to would be my friends and loved ones. My nearest and dearest. And some of them might not make it. And that would be on me. And I am watching our numbers climb, and climb, and I can see where this is going. <br /><br />So, home. Or out away from everyone, until they tell us that out of the house isn't a thing.<br />
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And keep breathing.<br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-75181988804237467422020-03-19T16:35:00.001-07:002020-03-19T16:35:59.531-07:00Cooking in the time of uncertaintyYup, I'm a home body these days. The world is an uncertain place right now, and the best thing I can do for it is to stay home and take care of my people. I got this.<br />
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So, I've been turning to my home making. We have an orange tree that needs to be harvested, and a bumper crop of mint out front with all of the spring rains we have been getting. My daughter and I had a kitchen day yesterday.<br />
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First up was making up a batch of sekanjabin. This is a drink that I usually make for SCA camping events. But my daughter had her tonsils out a few years ago, and we found that this is awesome stuff for sore throats. She had a hard time getting water down when she was recovering, but this stuff did the trick. I decided since we had so much mint, it might make sense to have some of this already made and on hand for if/when we get sick. The syrup lasts for a long time without refrigeration, and you just dilute it with water to drink.<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g"><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g"><span><span>Sekanjabin</span><br /><br /><span>5 lb honey</span></span><span><span><br /><span>4 c water</span><br /><span>2 c apple cider vinegar</span><br /><span>big handful fresh mint</span><br /><br /><span>Dissolve
honey in water. Bring to boil (watch this, it will boil up all of a
sudden), add vinegar. Simmer 1/2 hour or more. Remove from heat and add
mint. Let cool. Strain out mint. Dilute resulting syrup with water to
drink, about 8-1 water to syrup, or to taste. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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Then we harvested some oranges and juiced them. Store bought tastes nothing like fresh squeezed from the back yard!<br />
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We also had a dozen lemons from a neighbor's tree, so we made up a pitcher of fresh lemonade. Which reminds me, I want a drink. Just a sec...<br />
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Ok, I'm back. Yum.<br />
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And then we took the time to make candied orange and lemon peels. Luckily I wrote on this a few years back, so I could just pull up my own blog entry for the recipe. Thanks, past Melissa!<br />
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http://tangibledaydreams.blogspot.com/2010/02/cooking-post-candied-orange-peel.html<br />
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<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g"><span><span><span> And here are the fruits of our labors. Two containers of sekanjabin syrup. Candied orange and lemon peels, which are really yummy. Little containers of lemon and orange syrup. A pitcher of lemonade. And I saved all the sugar that fell off of the finished candy, and tucked it into the tea cabinet.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x _1n4g"><span><span><span>The afternoon of slow cooking and chatting served to settle me from my anxiety. I know things are going to get worse before they get better. But I also know that home arts speak to the heart, and provide comfort. We've got this.</span></span></span></span></span>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-11615867162563759842020-03-05T20:48:00.000-08:002020-03-05T20:51:16.961-08:00Spring in the desert<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It is spring wildflower season in the Arizona desert! Eric & I went out hiking in the White Tank Mountain Regional Park this evening. The air smelled heavenly, and there were flowers just everywhere. You don't necessarily think of the desert being a haven for blooms, but it is just gorgeous at this time of year. Take a peek...
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Yup, that is me in the field of flowers. I had to be careful not to sit on any cactus spines. Totally worth it. <br /><br />(Eric took the shots of me, and I took the rest.)Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-79887309650957586902020-03-03T14:53:00.000-08:002020-03-03T14:53:50.573-08:00Waiting. Weaving. Hoping.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm still waiting on the appraisal for the potential new house and studio. In the meantime? I'm finally weaving off this project on my loom. I've got 7 sets of 4 each cotton napkins almost done. Each set has a different weft color. This grey weft is the last of the 7. Hopefully I'll finish this up tonight, and do the washing/ironing/hemming bit by the end of the week. I've got some folks waiting for several of these sets, and at $25/napkin that will give me some funds to go towards the new studio build at the new place. And it will be one more thing off of my mental checklist.<br />
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Yes, I'm trying to keep myself busy, so I don't throw a tantrum like Veruca Salt in the Chocolate Factory. I Want IT NOWWWWWW!!!!<br />
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Waiting. Weaving. Hoping. Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-31948890155945299272020-03-01T14:03:00.001-08:002020-03-01T14:03:13.283-08:00Prepping for movingWe're making progress on buying our new house. The home inspection came back with no major deal breakers, just a list of 'to-do's' for once we move in, and some negotiating points. Next up is the appraisal. Once we pass that hurdle, we've got clear sailing!<br />
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And so, I'm in the process of de-cluttering and de-stashing my current house and studio. The new place is going to be smaller than this one. And, well, I've been living in this same place for about 24 years now. Perhaps not entirely surprisingly, I've accumulated a LOT of stuff. Other folks have moved, and gifted us bits they weren't taking. I've gathered neat useful stuff that I am going to get to one of these days. (Those have been sitting there for years now. One of these days hasn't happened.) I've got this archaelogical dig type layers on layers of stuff of who I have been over the past few decades. I've raised my kids here. I've had I don't know how many different hobbies here.<br />
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ALL THE STUFF.<br />
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I've got a sale and give-away going over on Facebook, and am taking bags over to Goodwill. And I've hardly touched it all.<br />
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Wish me luck!! There are a lot of ghosts of dreams past to work through during this process. Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-65695325562927288032020-02-25T21:15:00.002-08:002020-02-25T21:15:36.047-08:00New House???<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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News! <br /><br />
We've put in an offer on a new house, and it has been accepted. I've been looking for just the perfect place for about 8 years now. Either I couldn't find what I was looking for, or we found it and couldn't afford it, or found it and someone sniped it out from under us. The Phoenix house market is super hot right now, and houses go incredibly fast.<br />
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But I spotted a promising listing this past Friday, and showed it to the guys. Brian and I were heading out of town on a road trip, but we've been house hunting long enough together that we trusted Eric to take point and check out the place. He did, he loved it, and we pulled the trigger on Sunday. The offer was accepted on Monday. And I just walked through the place today, to see what it was I had gotten myself into. Luckily, Brian and I loved it just as much as Eric did.<br /><br />The picture above is one wing of a 1000 ft L shaped outdoor studio. This would be the wing that houses my Tangible Daydreams fiber studio. The other wing will be for Journey Frog Audio Services, Brian's recording business. Eric gets the garage for his wood working shop. Finding a place with three distinct creative spaces has been a challenge!!<br />
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So, we are down to the crossing fingers, holding breath, and home inspection portion of the adventure. We should know by this coming weekend if there are any deal breakers hiding away. Wish us luck!!Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-19756765624868586942018-09-07T12:40:00.000-07:002018-09-07T12:40:47.668-07:00Meet Sophie the studio kitten<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheWE11ZL-SX14PNyZs2e7Z8_R9TctvpLpZXl2uf2xz43J58LKWjyTIQqXSLfs5EYlFeECrM4cfgaWbpUsLdIxDEhW9DeYU7SleV7Ii776ufo87rQxCjbiq_xbrxTI0BvcaGXHgeG7M_xI/s1600/39984517_10156801341536004_4931449237012480000_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheWE11ZL-SX14PNyZs2e7Z8_R9TctvpLpZXl2uf2xz43J58LKWjyTIQqXSLfs5EYlFeECrM4cfgaWbpUsLdIxDEhW9DeYU7SleV7Ii776ufo87rQxCjbiq_xbrxTI0BvcaGXHgeG7M_xI/s320/39984517_10156801341536004_4931449237012480000_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'd like to introduce you to Sophie, my new studio cat. She turned up in my front yard two and a half weeks ago as a half starved foundling. It took me three days to get my hands on her. How did I do it? I have food for outside cats in my garage. (See above.) So that and the ready supply of water in my courtyard pond kept her in the area. Then I sat out in the 110F Arizona heat singing to her until she got used to me being around. Mostly ABBA songs. I had just seen the movie "Mama Mia: Here We Go Again", see. (Hence the name Sophie.) The third day, I was able to grab her, and bring her inside. I still have the bite mark. Scared feral thing! <br />
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Today? She is sleek and fluffy and curling up in my lap and purring when she isn't bouncing around the studio doing kitten things. It has taken a lot of work though! I don't think she had any experience with humans before, and was used to being scared all of the time. I have no idea where her mother was, or how she found her way to my front courtyard. <br />
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I can't save all of them. But when they come to me? Totally fair game.<br />
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So, I'll get back to weaving in a bit. I've got some blue and brown napkins on the loom that are moving slowly, but I'm getting there. These are inspired by an article in the May/June 2013 issue of Handwoven magazine on 4 Block/4 Shaft Summer and Winter. I used that as a jump off point to design my own napkins. I'm liking how it is turning out, but using two shuttles and changing colors and treadling with every block is proving to be a bit of a mental challenge. Every square on these napkins will be slightly different from each other.<br />
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I'll get there. But....kitten!<br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-8158891898729324042018-08-14T00:54:00.002-07:002018-08-14T00:54:51.110-07:00Cloth Napkins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span data-offset-key="17f0k-0-0"><span data-text="true">Vacation's over. Back to work! I'm testing out a new weaving pattern with a batch of cloth napkins for my own use. I made myself a batch a few years ago, and I love using them. So I want more. </span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="5lj8o-0-0"><span data-text="true">Come to think of it, how many of you use cloth napkins? Or do you use the disposable paper ones? I've got single use vs. reuseable items on the brain currently. See, we went to the Museum of Natural History in New York City for part of our vacation. And I saw a video documenting our world population growth over time.</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="5lj8o-0-0"><span data-text="true">Let me see..... YouTube to the rescue. This one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUwmA3Q0_OE<br /><br />And it is hard to miss the discussions over human induced climate change. And also the impact that our society's habit of using single use items is having on the environment. So I've been thinking of what I can do to make a tiny bit of difference. I feel so helpless sometimes, you know? I'm just a weaver. But...what I can do, I ought to do. And I can weave napkins. My own little push against the darkness. <br /><br />Still chewing on the ideas. </span></span></div>
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-91450730563325431532018-04-26T02:28:00.000-07:002018-04-26T02:29:40.899-07:00Future possibilities in my fiber art: which way do I go?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Almost there! One of the three ruanas is complete except for sewing in the tag. And the other two are cut and pinned, ready for sewing. The one hanging has a black cotton weft. The one on top on the ironing board has a black tencel weft. It amazes me how much more vibrant the tencel weft is vs. the cotton one. I don't know if it is a function of the fiber choice, or the fact that there was an 8 hour difference between when I dyed the warp for each one, and I might have gotten different concentrations of dye in that time frame. In any case, I think I like the feel of the tencel weft better than the cotton one. It is a bit smoother, cooler to the touch, and drapes a bit better.<br />
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I'm loving the results, but I'm looking forward to being done with this project. I want to move on to something new. In May, I'll be doing a weave along with a group on Facebook, exploring a 4 shaft pattern in the Echo and Iris style of weaving. I'll post pictures of that as I go along, so that will make sense in a bit.<br />
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I also have all sorts of things that I want to explore. I want to do some more needle felting. I'm thinking maybe some landscapes, based on the photos that I take when I'm out on my hikes. Or, I love doing abstracts, and just playing with the colors. And, I think I want to use that medium to do some self portraits, as well.<br />
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And, I also want to play with nuno felt. I fell down that Pintrest rabbit hole the other night, and I'm itching to give it a try. I love the idea of vibrant drapable felt, that I could make into wearable art garments. (My inspiration board for felt is here: https://www.pinterest.com/lissamc/felt-inspiration/)<br />
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And speaking of garments, I also want to pick up my sewing again. I haven't done much of it since I gave up the historical recreation group that I was part of. I'm thinking of making some simple summer tops to start with, and maybe some dresses. My body has shifted with menopause, and much of my current wardrobe doesn't really look flattering on me any more. I think I want to express myself in something I can wear that I can be proud of. And then, once I have my pattern dialed in, make myself some wearables using my own woven fabric, and perhaps the nuno felt. <br />
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I can sort of see the direction that my art will be going. I just need to let myself play long enough to explore the possibilities! Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-53963869492386388062018-04-12T15:22:00.000-07:002018-04-12T15:24:35.070-07:00Hand painting a ruana: Don't get cocky!My latest project on the loom is a warp painted ruana. It is going to be gorgeous! But it has been a struggle, mostly because I got cocky and missed little details.<br />
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So, it started well. I sat down with my client, and we batted around ideas and picked colors. I usually do my warp painting with about 4-5 colors of dye, but she picked out 10 colors. We figured out how to put them together, and off we went.<br />
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When I had the dye and the yarn, the measuring began.<br />
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And then, the dyeing. Here was snag number one. I usually dye with foam brushes, but I forgot that I only had enough for 6 colors of dye. And I was working with 10 colors this time. And I started dyeing after stores closed. So, I shrugged and got eye droppers, which I had plenty of. Annnnnd dyeing took a bit over 8 hours, non-stop. Eye droppers are NOT the way to go. Lesson learned. It turned out, but that was quite the marathon.<br />
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Also, see the strips of cut up plastic bag that I tied on the ends of the warp chains in that middle picture? I use a permanent marker to write numbers on them, so I can keep track of the order of the warp chains. That helps me get them back onto the loom in the same order that I dyed them in. Lesson two: use Sharpie, not the knock off brand even if it is near to hand. Because the knock off brand washes off in the rinsing process, and then you have a puzzle to solve when you take the chains to the loom!<br />
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Lesson number 3: It is quite ok to use your top loading washing machine to soak your warp chains when you are rinsing them, to get the excess dye out. But for the love of God, do NOT turn your back and let it flip over to agitate mode. Luckily, I had put the chains in lingerie bags, so it wasn't a total disaster. But I had some serious untangling to do to separate things back out.<br />
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Lesson number 4: Double check which reed you have on the loom before you start sleying it. I got halfway done, and realized I had the wrong one in. I had to take the old reed out and lay it across my lap, then one by one transfer the threads into the new reed. Again, nothing I couldn't recover from, but a pain in the neck! And it would have been an easy catch if I had looked before I started.<br />
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Thank goodness for the warping trapeze! It took some patient work to straighten out the tangles from my previous goofs as I beamed the warp on, but I did eventually get everything on the loom under even tension. <br />
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From there on out, things have been much easier. I've got enough warp on here for three garments. I'm using black cotton for the first weft choice, purple cotton for the second, and I'm currently weaving black tencel for the third.<br />
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So, all's well that ends well? This is turning out beautifully. But boy, have I said a few words along the way!! <br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-18824212674764570392018-03-07T02:15:00.000-08:002018-03-07T02:15:31.397-08:00Needle felted life drawingSo, if you've been following along for awhile, you know that I'm a life drawing model. Mostly retired now, but I still work every few months with TriPal Studios. They have a drop in class every other Tuesday. Last time I was there, I brought the needle felted pieces that I showed in my last blog entry, and the lady of the house was intrigued, but couldn't quite figure out how I did it. So, this week I went to draw instead of modeling. I figured I could draw on the shorter poses, and felt on the long one at the end.<br />
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It has been over a decade since I did any regular drawing. I was RUSTY. The two minute gesture poses went ok...<br />
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But the 20 minute poses showed me that my eye for proportion is quite off.<br />
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I have a tendency to make the legs too short. Need more practice!<br /><br />But this is the reason that I showed up tonight. I brought not only my paper and charcoal, but my wool and felting needles. This was my first time trying to felt from a live model. I could really have used more time on it, but I can see the start of something really neat here.<br />
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I used white and black wool on a grey background. The piece is about 8" x 11". I think I would like to work larger, to get the ability to do finer details. Or, next time I should just felt part of the body, and blow it up to fit the background piece. But, so far so good.<br /><br />With access to a model on the Tuesdays that I'm not working, I think I may need to drop in to draw more often. I could really use the practice. And I'd like to see where the needle felting might take me. I have skills to learn!<br /><br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-67454352866711007552018-02-09T03:01:00.000-08:002018-02-09T03:02:21.988-08:00Dyeing sock yarn, making flip-flop socks, eclipse pictures, and needle felting.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So, what have I been up to this past month? Playing in the dye pots! I'm really getting a kick out of creating variegated yarn by dyeing it in my crock pot. I love what is coming out of it so far.<br />
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I had a request for flip-flop socks, so I've been teaching myself how to do those on the sock knitting machine. They are a bit fiddly, but I'm getting the hang of it. I'm part of a circular sock knitting group on Facebook, and there were instructions for these in the files. So far, so good.<br />
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I had a great time getting these shots of the lunar eclipse. My husband Eric got up early, I stayed up late, and we made a drive out to our favorite spot in the White Tank Mountain regional park west of Phoenix to stalk the super blue blood moon. I'm quite pleased with the results.<br />
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And speaking of pleased with the results, I tried my hand at two dimensional needle felting, using some 8x10" wool prefelts for a base to work from. The first picture was me just doodling over the course of an evening, trying out layering different colors in an abstract piece to get a feel for the materials. The second was my attempt at fiber figure drawing, using just black and white wool felted over a medium grey piece of wool prefelt. I am loving the results!! I am definitely going to be pursuing this medium for my art. I dyed many of the colors in the top piece, by putting a length of white roving in with my sock yarn when I dye it. So, this combines my dyeing, my felting, my drawing, and hopefully in the future my photography. I'd like to take pictures, and use them as reference photos for my fiber painting. <br />
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I am really really excited by the possibilities here! <br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-7846004082849402802018-01-01T21:44:00.000-08:002018-01-01T21:44:53.601-08:00Happy New Year's moon rise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy New Year, all of you! This is how I started my year. After the wonderful hustle and bustle of the past several weeks, I took the day just off. The last stragglers from last night's party (I had maybe 60ish people here?) left after lunch, the kids got back to their respective homes, Brian went on over to the game day at our friends' place, and it was just me and Eric at home. I suggested we grab a bit to eat and head on over to the White Tanks for a picnic. And so that is what we did. We had time for a half hour hike before the sun set, and then spotted the full moon coming up as we were getting ready to head out of the park. And so, of course, I had to grab a picture. It was just stunning!<br />
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I love the times when I have all my friends and loved ones gathered, and we can take time to just revel in each other. And then, I love when they all wander back to their lives, and I can find stillness.<br />
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Today was for stillness.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-24340164462795762832017-12-30T01:59:00.001-08:002017-12-30T01:59:26.610-08:00A Christmas crafting recap, and a family photo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happiest of holidays, everyone! This has been a very hand made Christmas over here. The above photo is one example. My husband Eric's mother usually asks us for a family photo, and we usually trot over to the local Target to have them take a professional one for us. This year Target isn't doing that any more, and I have a perfectly good camera anyway. So, we headed out to our favorite spot in the desert and took the photo ourselves. That is me in the top row with my two husbands, our two kids in the middle row, and my son-in-law down in front. All the kids are home for the holidays, and the house is merry and full of laughter.<br />
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So, I did the family portrait, and I updated the nature photography screensaver that I give out each year. I also made 14 of the needle felted ornaments, 4 pairs of socks (one dyed to order), 4 hand woven napkins, 1 Viking wire woven necklace, 1 triloom shawl, and 12 pairs of hand dipped candles. Whew! On top of the stuff for the Tangible Daydreams shop, that made me a very busy lady indeed. But there were smiles all around, and joy was had in the making and the receiving.<br /><br />I swear I'm starting earlier for next year though.<br />
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I also say that every year.<br />
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One of these years I'll learn.<br />
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Really. I mean it.<br />
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And you all can laugh at me next year when I'm posting the same resolution once again. Because I know better. Christmas in the Arizona desert sneaks up on me every year, because the seasonal cues are just so off from what I grew up with in the Midwest. When I still have the air conditioner on in early November because it is still in the 90's F out there? Christmas crafting just doesn't occur to me. My hindbrain knows there is plenty of time. But, there really isn't.<br />
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This year for sure!! Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-16042927804816643272017-12-21T20:55:00.000-08:002017-12-21T20:55:39.421-08:00Tutorial: Hand dipped candles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4U7avKf-dcdyXtQ9VUJmaeQ6-mPfSTkugXMl7bj22q_bza5lpY6ouJ2FCHKpiwQlWUDYgav1TU_EtJjnE892VA8WVa2B7umVYN4j03lACEqy8wLLZSnMHVrmg_QWvEe8Z20r9osKMrI/s1600/25659908_10156139843916004_3175806476602742220_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4U7avKf-dcdyXtQ9VUJmaeQ6-mPfSTkugXMl7bj22q_bza5lpY6ouJ2FCHKpiwQlWUDYgav1TU_EtJjnE892VA8WVa2B7umVYN4j03lACEqy8wLLZSnMHVrmg_QWvEe8Z20r9osKMrI/s400/25659908_10156139843916004_3175806476602742220_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
So, this is what I was up to last night. I had some candle wax, wicks, and color/fragrance left over from making dip candles years ago, and Christmas is coming. I figured I could make a batch of dip candles to hand out to friends at the party Christmas afternoon/evening. I learned how to do this as a child, watching folks at the Miller-Cory House in New Jersey make them. That is a restored colonial era farm house, where my parents volunteered on the weekends. I had my own little costume and ran around the grounds, wide eyed and just soaking everything in. I remember seeing candles like this hanging in the gift shop for sale.<br />
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Now, I'm using paraffin rather than bees wax or bayberry, and raided my husband's work shop for nuts/washers for weights, but the idea of a gradual build up of wax over repeated dips is the same. Here's what I did:<br />
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Materials:<br />
paraffin wax (No, I didn't measure, I eyeballed it)<br />
candle wicking<br />
added color and scent if you want it. Refer to the box for amounts<br />
(I found supplies at Michaels. Check your local craft store.) <br />
<br />
Tools:<br />
a container to hold melted wax<br />
a pot of water<br />
nuts/washers/weights<br />
a wide stick to hang the wicks over (I used slats from blinds)<br />
chairs or something to support the sticks <br />
newspaper<br />
scissors to cut the wick<br />
hammer & chisel or screwdriver to break the wax into chunks for melting<br />
disposable chopstick or something of the sort to poke at the melting wax if you are impatient<br />
candy thermometer<br />
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So, put your melting pot in a pot of water, add chunks of wax, and heat things up. Keep your water warm, but not making bubbles. You are looking for a temperature of about 150F for the wax. You can check that with your candy thermometer. The melting will take awhile.<br />
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While the wax is melting, prepare your wicks. Figure out how long you want your candles to be, keeping in mind that you are limited by the height of your dipping pot. Double that number, and then add maybe 5 inches more, so you have enough to tie weights on each end, and still have enough connecting string to hang over your cooling rack. I used nuts this time for weights on the end, since they have a hole to tie through. Also, once the wax melts, you can add color/scent if you want to, using the directions on whatever product you have.<br />
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Ok, when you have liquid wax, go ahead and start dipping. Hold your wick by the center point, and dip straight down and back out. Don't dawdle in the melted wax, or the heat will melt previous layers of wax. Hang your proto-candles over your cooling rack. Don't worry too much about how straight the wicks are for this first phase. I had a dozen pairs of candles going, so I just rotated through them and had no issue with them being too hot by the time I got back to the beginning ones. But, some folks recommend having a tall bucket of cold water to dip the candles into as you work, to cool them faster.<br />
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Once you have several layers of wax on, you can straighten out your candles as you need to. Keep on dipping. This process took me several hours. As the amount of wax in your dipping pot goes down, occasionally add more chunks of the unmelted wax, and let them melt down before continuing. I also added more color as I went along, so the outside of the candles would be gradually more colored than the insides.<br />
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When your candles are as thick as you want them to be, take a scissors or knife and cut the weights off of the bottom of your candles. Dip your candles a few more times, just to smooth out the cut edges. Then, hang your candles to cool thoroughly. I hung mine on my back porch overnight while I slept, and they were fine in the morning.<br />
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I did find it was easier to get the weights out of their wax coating while the wax was still pliable.<br />
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And voila! Candles! <br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-71807648778465007642017-12-20T18:03:00.000-08:002017-12-20T18:08:50.008-08:00Tutorial: Beginner Needle Felted Christmas Ornaments: Pine Trees on BallsMerry Christmas, everyone! In my family, we often make each other hand made ornaments as gifts at the holiday times. My tree upstairs is filled with love and memories.<br />
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Yes, we have a dog gate around our tree. We have 4 dogs and 2 cats in the house. It just seems prudent. Anyway, most of my family doesn't actually read my blog unless I link to it on my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/TangibleDaydreams/), so I'm going to take a risk here and let you all have a peek at the needle felted pine tree ornaments I'm making for them this year.<br />
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First all, my materials:<br />
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Materials:<br />
wool roving<br />
a wool dryer ball<br />
yarn<br />
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Tools:<br />
needle felting needles<br />
a bit of foam for a work surface<br />
scissors<br />
a needle for the yarn<br />
needle nose pliers<br />
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You can pick up the needle felting needles, needle felting roving, and wool dryer balls off of Amazon. The needle felting needles have tiny barbs on them, which will tangle the fibers of your roving down into the wool of the dryer ball as you gently stab stab stab. You will want at least brown and green roving, though I like having a few shades of each for this project.<br />
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So, take your dark brown roving, and pull a wisp of fibers an inch or so long out from the main mass of wool. <br />
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Twist your brown roving into a straight line. Hmm, the focus isn't very good here. Hard to take pictures without a third hand.<br />
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Anyway, your brown roving will look something like this.<br />
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Take the tip of the line of dark brown, and gently tap it into position with your needle. If you look at the top of the dryer ball, you can see that I have very lightly tacked a random bit of wool into place to mark which way is up. I ended up needle felting three trees onto this ornament, and this helped me place them.<br />
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Tack the brown of your tree trunk very lightly down the line until you get to the bottom. Then, flare out the fibers just a bit to give you a sense of the trunk spreading into roots at the base of the tree.<br />
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Tack the base of your tree into place. You can fold the stray ends of the fiber up into the tree trunk. Double check that you are happy with the placement and length of the trunk. Since you have been tacking very lightly, you can still rip things out at this point.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFv6Sy8Tro2kRGdoLbTw4OLGFjKNrlVcTa2KIF9NcQEmZRtFMqJlvLuMgOOOQbyghzjnfVsSrkCfJQKaD02U46-OiqpTFThD3RMEq2UC1Tb5MPCz3LqO1BumiAF9y_J7rRBEQHbrvU8rc/s1600/DSC_0617_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFv6Sy8Tro2kRGdoLbTw4OLGFjKNrlVcTa2KIF9NcQEmZRtFMqJlvLuMgOOOQbyghzjnfVsSrkCfJQKaD02U46-OiqpTFThD3RMEq2UC1Tb5MPCz3LqO1BumiAF9y_J7rRBEQHbrvU8rc/s400/DSC_0617_edited-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Grab a similar wisp of pine green fiber.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlrKDLZSOWVLxOd0sIFUokjvjV1xynghQheMMWE9X2xVTOZZnmJkVVkgARb4KUv5C6pV8zVKW-4RWwdHbNnuUTojV0ZZ0kYMCpf_RGxYQqWpizt07RyV6fabfW6L3A63TRFUDLpJy6BI/s1600/DSC_0618_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlrKDLZSOWVLxOd0sIFUokjvjV1xynghQheMMWE9X2xVTOZZnmJkVVkgARb4KUv5C6pV8zVKW-4RWwdHbNnuUTojV0ZZ0kYMCpf_RGxYQqWpizt07RyV6fabfW6L3A63TRFUDLpJy6BI/s400/DSC_0618_edited-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Lay the fiber crosswise, centered on the top of your tree trunk. Needle it to the tree trunk with several stabs up and down the width of the green fiber.<br />
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Now, use the tip of your needle to drag the ends of the green fibers down at an angle, and lightly tack down the end of your branches.<br />
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Do the same on the other side of the tree.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhDQid_YNJOauDo_8v-Nloy91AFoQ_Ge-g6tW5s2s2W67YeGFwSk66iO9WGfNWeWjqJaqUhyphenhyphen2S3h7M8Dq0L8FGiIA6d0DbFaKzLn5dXJxrwJULNw3-XQ2jbsNYtwMMiRvsfR0bJ_81aY/s1600/DSC_0621_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhDQid_YNJOauDo_8v-Nloy91AFoQ_Ge-g6tW5s2s2W67YeGFwSk66iO9WGfNWeWjqJaqUhyphenhyphen2S3h7M8Dq0L8FGiIA6d0DbFaKzLn5dXJxrwJULNw3-XQ2jbsNYtwMMiRvsfR0bJ_81aY/s400/DSC_0621_edited-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Grab another wisp of pine green, and add it below the batch that you just did. Again, needle it to the trunk first to anchor it, and then tack down the tips of your branches.<br />
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Move all the way down the tree this way. This gives you the outline of your tree shape. Since everything is still just lightly tacked down, you can still move things around. <br />
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Do you like the general outline? Then it is time to needle felt in earnest. Gently stab stab stab, following along the branches from trunk to tip and back again. Be careful to enter and exit the wool ball at the same angle, or you may snap the tip off of your needle. They are fragile. In the above picture, I've been working on the right side, and not the left, so you can see the difference. <br />
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Ok, you have the skeleton of the tree in place. But there are obviously some bare spots. Grab some more wisps of wool, and tack them into place where you want them. Use the pine green, but maybe also some other colors mixed in as well. I've got some of the lighter green here.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBELFWepxKwSFzwzVZv9easbnFLBPSC1logaMyUODgSpMruSa9VTiSnwOsSYFouVvzcjyHIcQtBWVuQi4LkZEaZw191F9fKunNd9YPdpvUdCZE66mV3Me4LUPN61yO2Bo8ejvl_EmRNfc/s1600/DSC_0626_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBELFWepxKwSFzwzVZv9easbnFLBPSC1logaMyUODgSpMruSa9VTiSnwOsSYFouVvzcjyHIcQtBWVuQi4LkZEaZw191F9fKunNd9YPdpvUdCZE66mV3Me4LUPN61yO2Bo8ejvl_EmRNfc/s400/DSC_0626_edited-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
And maybe some of the various browns scattered here and there might be nice too.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7AhV_sUcrQLln3gMwlTKt7Gro1nOinynCWAthxv_MzfG9655_sW6_rRRnKhh3bDkQx3UaqnTfqQ9XbOBF9QCjO1Vy3MnfhVoQGZAr6iWvjMIN-44M4trmBrq5sVDftNVBssD9YKnXeBk/s1600/DSC_0627_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7AhV_sUcrQLln3gMwlTKt7Gro1nOinynCWAthxv_MzfG9655_sW6_rRRnKhh3bDkQx3UaqnTfqQ9XbOBF9QCjO1Vy3MnfhVoQGZAr6iWvjMIN-44M4trmBrq5sVDftNVBssD9YKnXeBk/s400/DSC_0627_edited-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
There, that looks good for me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1kDtdrcVdB-1v1vUwSjsslIQKNNpzxFbuu-FGYCr3SOQ1C1tlGOZL37BoCIk03VEn9RFj4elsQZRmo70AIHVI9TNVP4yfzF5YNdfpEFFOybtDaqw2NS_okln2WAXLTkOdAU_YKNBGq0/s1600/DSC_0628_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1kDtdrcVdB-1v1vUwSjsslIQKNNpzxFbuu-FGYCr3SOQ1C1tlGOZL37BoCIk03VEn9RFj4elsQZRmo70AIHVI9TNVP4yfzF5YNdfpEFFOybtDaqw2NS_okln2WAXLTkOdAU_YKNBGq0/s400/DSC_0628_edited-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Ok, time to work on the base of the tree. I took another wisp of the dark brown, and tacked its midpoint in at the base of the tree<br />
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Then, dragged the ends of the fibers out sideways and tacked them lightly down to show the ground line.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisz32yQebTwQWJsrvCW4qcOw5OpNrmsJKQuwHABNeCCOo24R9b-K7JqLeYM4Gaz9RbSGXFVbB7wfFwW7X3deBFgm57Y-q5A1z9MBtNDyrBNX0uAeTuu8AP0q3h06dChf7QaThYuYPus_I/s1600/DSC_0630_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisz32yQebTwQWJsrvCW4qcOw5OpNrmsJKQuwHABNeCCOo24R9b-K7JqLeYM4Gaz9RbSGXFVbB7wfFwW7X3deBFgm57Y-q5A1z9MBtNDyrBNX0uAeTuu8AP0q3h06dChf7QaThYuYPus_I/s400/DSC_0630_edited-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I grabbed some of the light brown, and tacked it in below the tree.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXoCVDrMzPnhYb5ePmUmeCbCGSFOn87vJ0RPS0fEW74dU77UXnnB0CzScwEzcYhYNn_BBwxeXeXLtEpdC2QwuDIFLmfZHfel3L14mCJpJQ555o8bdbA1sEM97aWpkaBms5fYCb3oaQmBY/s1600/DSC_0631_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXoCVDrMzPnhYb5ePmUmeCbCGSFOn87vJ0RPS0fEW74dU77UXnnB0CzScwEzcYhYNn_BBwxeXeXLtEpdC2QwuDIFLmfZHfel3L14mCJpJQ555o8bdbA1sEM97aWpkaBms5fYCb3oaQmBY/s400/DSC_0631_edited-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
And then, I filled in between the two colors with the medium brown. I left things lightly tacked down on the ground for now...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtKR-AUKh7ZFhRx4E0d8fIG9f-yr_EK3hpDrGt1QTGhW8zplJb-EjtzgY8_yScCbSXRe-jOI860A8mrnR_IpH4TIMXIHRSvjuVVIshlwx-EkCijFd4_Q-mTz54dPDvyCecfSkCx82A5Rw/s1600/DSC_0632_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtKR-AUKh7ZFhRx4E0d8fIG9f-yr_EK3hpDrGt1QTGhW8zplJb-EjtzgY8_yScCbSXRe-jOI860A8mrnR_IpH4TIMXIHRSvjuVVIshlwx-EkCijFd4_Q-mTz54dPDvyCecfSkCx82A5Rw/s400/DSC_0632_edited-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
...and then repeated making trees in two other places on my ornament. When I had trees next to each other, I drew the ground fibers toward each other to make a continuous ground line.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUR0_knjap6vrf2kI3rQjD4imKxclUP-EvRsNp_2DzbTfvv4v-wyCbRphc6jmFVI6kzRPOC-NbVF0KwkdIdLuK5uLkN6A97YNA8syfF5O9X9uHt4ABJDQEzqGhRPTDyWhKaH1QrEdXFas/s1600/DSC_0633_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUR0_knjap6vrf2kI3rQjD4imKxclUP-EvRsNp_2DzbTfvv4v-wyCbRphc6jmFVI6kzRPOC-NbVF0KwkdIdLuK5uLkN6A97YNA8syfF5O9X9uHt4ABJDQEzqGhRPTDyWhKaH1QrEdXFas/s400/DSC_0633_edited-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Then I needled the ground fibers firmly down in place. <br />
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Ok, once I had three trees in place, I didn't need my top of the ornament marker any more.<br />
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Since it was just lightly stabbed down a few times, it popped right off.<br />
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To add a loop for hanging, you can use a straight needle if you choose to...<br />
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But I find a curved needle a bit easier to work with. Cut a length of the yarn, thread your sewing needle, and position the yarn at the top of your ornament.<br />
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I find it is easier to use pliers to grab the needle to actually pull the yarn through the wool dryer ball.<br />
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Tie a knot in the top of your yarn to make a loop.<br />
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And then, on to the tree it goes!!<br />
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You can use this same general idea to add whatever pictures you want onto the dryer balls. I figure my family gets these this year, and I'll see about adding a variety of ornaments to the Etsy shop come holiday time next year. I really liked this process, and want to do more of it!<br />
<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-8068855435190883242017-12-08T19:01:00.000-08:002017-12-08T20:49:58.672-08:00Tutorial: Self striping sock yarnNow, I am not an expert. But I hand dyed some self striping sock yarn, and I'm really pleased with how it turned out!<br />
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So, I figured I'd share what I did with you all.<br />
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Materials:<br />
Wool yarn. I used superwash sock yarn, which is less likely to felt.<br />
Jacquard acid dyes<br />
vinegar<br />
water<br />
cotton crochet thread for ties<br />
Dawn dish soap for washing afterwards<br />
<br />
Tools:<br />
saran wrap<br />
squirt bottles<br />
measuring spoon<br />
gloves<br />
dust mask<br />
warping mill (or something to measure out your yarn)<br />
swift (Or someone to hold the hank of yarn out for you in their hands.)<br />
ball winder (Optional. You can ball up the yarn by hand.)<br />
scissors<br />
steamer<br />
tub for soaking <br />
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Note: Do not use any of the items used for dyeing for food preparation ever again.<br />
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So, the first thing I did was to wind the hank of yarn from the swift onto my warping mill. I figured that 5 yards on the mill would give me about a 10 yard repeat (as the yarn goes back and forth from end to end.) My calculations were that that length would give me about an inch pattern repeat in my socks. You'll have to swatch for your own tension and row size to get your own figures.<br />
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I tied loose figure 8 ties every yard, from some cotton crochet thread. That helps keep things from tangling, and the cotton doesn't dye so I can find it easily later on. Don't tie these too tight, or they will block the dye from getting through to the yarn.<br />
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I also used loose ties around each arm of the figure 8 crosses at the ends of the warping mill. This again keeps things in order, and makes it easier to replace the yarn back onto the mill when the dyeing process is done.<br />
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Then I chained the yarn up as I took it off the warping mill. No tangles!<br />
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I soaked the chained up yarn in a tub of water and vinegar for half an hour. I had about a cup of vinegar in here. This provides the acid for the acid dyes to bond to the fiber.<br />
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While the yarn was soaking, I put down a layer of cling wrap onto my work surface. <br />
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Then, I chose my colors. My client wanted green, yellow, orange, and pink, as bright as possible. <br />
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At this point, I put on my dust mask and gloves. Then I put about a half tsp of dye into each squirt bottle, and mixed it with warm water. Once the dye powders were closed up and put back away, and my area cleaned up, I could take the dust mask back off. I don't want airborne particles in my lungs!!<br />
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I squeezed the water gently out of my yarn, and laid it out onto my work surface.<br />
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Then, I had fun with the squeeze bottles! I used my gloved fingers to squish the dye down into the yarn, to make sure it got all of the way through. A bit of color theory helped here. I wanted bright colors, and I know that colors across the color wheel from each other combine to make earth tones. So, I kept the green and pink/orange far away from each other.<br />
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After dyeing, I covered everything with another layer of saran wrap.<br />
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Then, I rolled the bundle up.<br />
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I curled the long bundle around itself, and put it in my steamer. I steamed the packet of yarn for an hour, then let it cool overnight. The next morning, I rinsed the yarn in the sink with first a squirt of dish soap, and then plain water to rinse the soap out. You are looking to rinse until the water runs clear. It didn't take long at all this time. Then, I hung the yarn up to air dry. (I forgot to take pictures of the rinsing and drying process.)<br />
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Once the yarn was dry, I put it back onto the warping mill, and used my automatic ball winder to put the yarn into a useable form.<br />
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All ready to go!<br />
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It worked!!! I cranked out a pair of socks on my 100 year old sock knitting machine, and just danced in my seat the whole time. I am really, really pleased with how it turned out!Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-76401393656723617682017-11-27T16:23:00.000-08:002017-11-27T21:27:54.802-08:00Tutorial: Warping the medieval box loomSeveral years ago, I bought a medieval style box loom at Estrella War, a local event for the historical recreation group that I was active in at the time. I've since moved on to other activities, and the loom has been sitting unused. Poor little thing! But I found someone who is still active in the historical community, and I'll be passing the loom on to her this week. In preparation for that, I warped up the loom one more time, and took pictures of the process so she could see how I did it. That should give her a starting point for her own explorations. <br />
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So... Usually I use a warping board or mill to measure out my warp, but I'm pretty sure she doesn't have one of those. So I fell back on the old school method of setting up wood clamps to give me three uprights. I put two down at one end of the table to make my figure 8 cross around, and one down at the other end to measure out the length.<br />
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I'm using cotton crochet thread here. Start by tying on to the outside of the two clamps.<br />
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Bring your yarn around one side of the next clamp, to start your figure 8.<br />
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Bring your thread down to the far end, and around that upright.<br />
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Come back up to the two clamps (Without crossing your thread between
the figure 8 clamps and the far end, like I did here. I flipped it around after the picture.), and make the other arm of your
figure 8. This gives you your cross, which will keep the threads in
order for you.<br />
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When you want to change colors, simply cut your working thread and tie on a new one.<br />
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When you are done measuring out your warp, tie your last thread off to the upright.<br />
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Now, take 5 lengths of thread and tie bows around the threading cross. One on each arm of the figure 8, and one through the openings of the 8 right around the intersection. This will keep the cross intact until you are ready to use it.<br />
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If your warp is long, I also recommend tying a choke tie around the length of the warp, every few feet. This will keep things from tangling.<br />
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Ok, go down to the far end away from the cross, and lift your warp off of the upright.<br />
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From that far end, chain your warp up. Again, this will keep things from tangling.<br />
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Reach your hand through the loop, and grab the warp and pull it through, making another loop. Keep doing this. It is kind of like crochet.<br />
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Now you have your warp, and it is time to thread the rigid heddle. I use some binder clips to make a stand for the heddle.<br />
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Take your threading cross in your hand like so. Your fingers are going to hold that cross for you.<br />
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Remove the black ties, and snip open the beginning loop.<br />
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You can fold your bottom two fingers down to keep things stable.<br />
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Now, you can pick your threads up one by one, in the order that you warped them up.<br />
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I made a threading hook of bent wire, and use that to pull the first thread through the hole.<br />
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The next thread goes in the slot next to that hole.<br />
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Repeat, hole then slot then hole then slot then....Then check your work and make sure that you didn't skip any like I did. If you do, move them over into the right spot one by one.<br />
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When your heddle is threaded, it will look something like this.<br />
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Now, tie the cut ends around the apron rod at one end of the loom.<br />
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Bring your warp up and over the back beam, and down to the front end of the loom.<br />
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Release the brake on the back beam, so it will turn.<br />
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Hold onto the warp at the front end of the loom, to give it tension during the warping process. (I turned the loom around for working. The front of the loom is on the left in the picture now. No big deal, I just didn't want to confuse you.)<br />
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Move your heddle down to the back end of the loom, so the warp will spread evenly as you wind it on.<br />
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Wind your warp onto the back beam. Insert strips of paper as you go along, to prevent the threads from burrowing down into the previous layers as you go along. If they do, they will end up different lengths, and will give you tension problems as you weave. Try to keep your warp centered as you wind on, so the threads don't slip off the sides of the paper. (Oops. I did that one too.)<br />
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When the warp is all wound on, snip the end loop and tie on to the front apron rod, up and over the front beam.<br />
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Re-engage the brakes, and wind enough to put tension on the threads.<br />
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Now you're ready to weave! You create the weaving sheds (the opening for your weft thread) by lifting up on the heddle for one...<br />
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...and pushing down on the heddle for the other.<br />
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Weave your header, and you are ready to go! To advance your warp, release the back brake, crank it forward, and re-engage the brake. <br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-44469074837213921172017-11-20T20:12:00.000-08:002017-11-20T20:12:19.029-08:00Yarn dyeing, triloom weaving, and studio arranging<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, I've got sausage and potatoes cooking upstairs, and yarn cooking downstairs. As long as I don't mix them, I should be ok! This is Platinum sock yarn from Wool2Dye4, that I'm dyeing with Jacquard acid dyes in my crock pot. The colors look all sorts of tasty, but I think I should eat this with my eyes, and stick to my potatoes for dinner, no?<br />
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So, dinner, watch the sunset...<br />
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....and then get back to weaving, I think. I just finished this grey and pink triloom shawl, and have another of the black and jewel tones on the loom now.<br />
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I did rearrange my studio a bit between that picture and this next one.<br />
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I'm only using one of my floor looms right now, so I folded the dobby loom against the wall and moved my triangle loom over to that corner. That means I can set up the antique sock knitting machine over where it used to be. So, I have 4 work stations currently: the floor loom, the triangle loom, the sock knitting machine, and the work bench where I have the dye station currently up. That ought to keep me busy!! <br /><br />I want a bigger studio. I always want a bigger studio, no matter how much room I have. But I'm making better use of the space that I have, and that is a good thing.<br />
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-68807403019315140092017-11-07T00:41:00.000-08:002017-11-07T00:41:30.458-08:00Shawls, carding wool, and setting a crafting schedule<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7tY1F4SCQ6SaO3gyrUw5j5yAdzyC6A7t_jaoxXnyrExVTjRnKD2D07Sm1QdaTnkz9usdCDpns1tcN-WjGoLSREFiKzoXocKMZyZ4HZWvPI_9K8-xE9gTKwRAeBp-6bX4L2y08wGNyIk/s1600/DSC_0273_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7tY1F4SCQ6SaO3gyrUw5j5yAdzyC6A7t_jaoxXnyrExVTjRnKD2D07Sm1QdaTnkz9usdCDpns1tcN-WjGoLSREFiKzoXocKMZyZ4HZWvPI_9K8-xE9gTKwRAeBp-6bX4L2y08wGNyIk/s320/DSC_0273_edited-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I finished up this shawl today! It is made of my new favorite yarn for my triloom: Lion Brand Homespun Thick and Quick. This particular colorway was their Tartan Stripes. The yarn works up soft and fluffy and cuddly, and I'm really pleased with it. And I love the self striping yarn that does the color work for me. Anyway, this beauty heads out into the mail tomorrow for its new home. <br />
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I've got some felted juggling balls heading out tomorrow too, which means my stock of those is getting low. Time to make some more! Especially with the holidays coming up, they are a good seller for gifts. I like to use a more inexpensive wool at the core of the balls, and then cover that with the more expensive colored wool. I had a bunch of roving tag ends from the last batch of mill end stuff I got, and it wasn't really in a form that was usable to me. Luckily, I have hand carders, and know how to use them. A few hours of work later, and the mish mash on the right all turned into the lovely fluff bits on the left. Satisfying.<br />
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In other bits, I'm trying to set a more regular studio time for myself. I work in my own home, and it is so easy to let housework, or kids calling, or the husbands home to hang out with, or the internet (Facebook is my downfall) luring me into spending time looking at craft things instead of making craft things, or...or.... My art work was taking a back seat to just about everything else in my life. I figured I would fit in some fiber time after the busy times of the day, but then the evenings would be taken up with other things until I just wanted mental down time. As a result, very little was actually getting done.<br /><br />So, I am a serious night owl. I love being up until 4 or 5 am (yes, am as in morning), and then sleeping until noon or 1 pm. But, by doing so, I fell into the pattern I just outlined. So, for the last few weeks I started moving my bed time back to 2 or 3 am, and setting my alarm for 8 hours after that. And, I've told everyone that I've set aside the hours of noon to 4 as my studio time.<br />
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So far? I'm easing into it. Facebook is still a danger. And Twitter. And Pintrest. And YouTube with the craft tutorials. (I feel kind of virtuous watching those, because I'm learning stuff. But I'm not doing stuff, so it is mixed there.) But, for the last bit I've actually gotten things done. Two triloom shawls, some experimentation with finding yarns for the sock loom, and I've got a warp painted project on the floor loom. Juggling balls are on tap for tomorrow, and I have dye on the way for the next warp painted ruanas. Now, if I can keep this momentum, and really form a habit of taking time for the creation! It is so easy to get in my own way...Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-65690655580913742702017-11-01T15:51:00.001-07:002017-11-01T15:51:49.084-07:00Yarn review: Franklin sock yarn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, that didn't work as well as I hoped. I was experimenting with Franklin sock yarn from Webs. It dyed up beautifully! But it is a little thick for my antique knitting machine. And, when I got a sock made up, it felt kind of dry and crunchy to the touch. I think this sock yarn is a little coarse for my sock making needs.<br />
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Come to think of it though, I think this yarn will be beautiful for making coiled basketry, where the feel against the skin won't matter as much. It seems nice and sturdy, and should hold up nicely for that use. (This picture is from a different brand of yarn, but you get the idea.)<br />
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Yup. Need to keep experimenting!Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3447716555829893540.post-84696236909423392252017-08-31T01:43:00.001-07:002017-08-31T01:44:20.640-07:00Crock pot dyeing sock yarn.So, time to learn something new to me! I've been making socks with my antique sock knitting machine, and that led me to itching to want to dye my own sock yarn. I went hunting around the internet, and found a couple of inspirations. This blog entry (https://yarndesignersblog.wordpress.com/2013/04/19/no-mess-crock-pot-yarn-dyeing/) and this video on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv25WIVdOik) both used a similar technique of sprinkling dry dye powder on hanks of yarn in the crock pot. That looked like a great way to get my feet wet (so to speak). I decided to go with Jacquard acid dyes for their light fastness and color selection, and made myself an order from Dharma Trading Company.<br />
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I went ahead and got a rainbow of colors, plus brown, black and gray. And, I decided to go with the citric acid crystals rather than just using vinegar, so my project wouldn't smell up my house.
Then, I had to figure what yarn to use. My antique knitting machine really works well with the Serenity sock yarn from JoAnns, so I picked up some white skeins to start with. I have an antique clock reel that I rescued from a second hand store (it had been turned into a plastic flower planter, poor thing!), and used that to turn two skeins of yarn into one hank of yarn. Each skein is enough for one sock, and this way I could get matching socks from a dyed hank. Though, come to think of it, it might be fun to dye related but slightly different hanks, for the non-matching fraternal sock craze that is going on. Hmmm.....
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Then, more or less following the directions on the two sites, I got to playing in the color. I have three hanks of yarn in the crock pot tonight. The bottom skein started white, and used the figure 8 way of putting the yarn in the crock pot. (Twist the big loop once, so it looks like an 8, and then fold the two loops over onto themselves. Put that in the crock pot.) The second hank is also done in the figure 8 way of laying out the yarn, but it started purple. I wanted to see what it looked like to overdye another color. The top hank is just scrunched in one big circle, and started white. I've used purple, fire red, and brilliant blue dye colors, in approximately equal proportions around the ring.
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So...now it simmers over night. I put on high for the first hour, and then popped it down to low until I wake up tomorrow.
I'm finding the biggest challenge so far is Not Messing With It. I want to poke at it, and that will just disturb the water and muddy the colors. But....I want to play!!!<br />
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Hands off.<br />
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Go to sleep.<br />
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Dream of color.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06106322945426603591noreply@blogger.com0