The Dragon's Lair

...Though it may seem otherwise to my blog readers and friends awaiting e-mails. I have rather neglected my little corner of cyberspace here.

I could give the list of excuses - had the in-laws visiting. Got a nasty little cold, which is being shared among the entire family, including aforementioned in-laws (No, not on purpose. I like my in-laws. Honest!) - and I'm sure I could come up with various and sundry other reasons. Really though, I just haven't felt like being at the computer as much lately.

My weaving has not been as neglected as my computer though! Since last posting, I have:

• Completed* the 6 jewel tone towels.
• Woven fabric for a bag.
• Made warps for two more bags.
• Made almost half the warp for the next set of towels.

*I should say "almost completed", as I don't think the sewing pin fastened hem on the pink towel would be viewed as a viable finishing technique. The thrill of avoiding impalement every time you dry your hands just doesn't seem to appeal to most people for some odd reason. I finally got ahold of some bright pink sewing thread Saturday though, so this will soon be remedied.

I have also learned a few things:

• 4/2 cotton has a lot more take-up than 8/2 cotton. A LOT more (hopefully the next warps for the bags will end up being the correct length).
• While weaving on a little toy-like loom will reduce the footprint left, it won't reduce the under-the-loom fuzz-per-square-inch ratio. This fuzzy loom footprint will be left stuck to your bedspread in a funny little square that absolutely does NOT want to brush off if you choose to use this toy-like loom while sitting on your bed and don't think to put anything under it.
• To maintain the neat random stripeyness (very technical terms being used here) of a variegated warp, instead of muddying it up, simply cross it with a solid colored weft. Completely obvious, I know, but I haven't played with variegated yarns that much yet and it was sort of a lightbulb moment, or perhaps more of a "duh" moment for me

I shall leave you now with a few photos. Three of the four remaining towels that I have yet to show off Apparently I don't have pictures of #6 on my computer yet, so that will come later!

Here are the ones I do have though:

Towel #3
M's & W's treadling. Photographed at the very beginning of the towel, and in two halves, so that you can see the comparison to the original patterns

Towel #4
PINK! Trying pink as weft, with some black accents on either end

Towel #5
Back to diamonds again, but little teeny ones this time!