slow start

So the first pysanky of the season always finds me a bit rusty.  I played with the kistka and cleaned it out and taught myself how to draw 40 triangles on the surface of the egg.  This one is not to give away because it has too many mistakes.  I searched around under the glass cupboard and found the dye jars.  Then the rest of time was spent on emptying the contents of several eggs.  There is something nice about giving eggs with the yolks still intact, but I have lost many eggs to "sudden explosions" and have changed my mind (contrary to tradition).

With the snow and ice finally melting off, the first snowdrops of the season show themselves on the hillside.  I saw my first wasp today and thought it was rather cold and windy for it to be flying about.   There are signs that it is time to start getting the seeds together.  Peppers and lettuce and tomatoes are at the ready.  The lettuce can go directly in the greenhouse, but the rest will have to go under the grow lights on the windowsill for at least 5 or 6 weeks.  Gives me time to rake off the winter in the garden!                                                                

Dryocopus pileatus

 

This woodpecker arrives each morning to survey the area and find something good to eat.  I have been serving "bark butter" spread, which contains mealworms and other goodies that I spoon into a log feeder.  Most all of the woodpeckers seem to enjoy it.  When the Pilaeated woodpecker arrives, he announces his presence with a loud "hahahahaha!" and then swoops down from the big old oak tree and grabs onto the log feeder.

We now have at least two of these woodpeckers that frequent the feeder.  Sometimes they chase each other in circles around the oak tree.  I hope they are a pair, but it is difficult to identify a male from the female.  From what I have read, "Pileated" refers to the bird's prominent red crest, from the Latin pileatus meaning "capped".

Pick up Motifs

 

I picked up some motif charts from the "Lithuanian Sashes Book" that Grace had gifted to me.

At first I was a bit perplexed at how to go about weaving them on the 4 Shaft Dorothy LeClerc loom.

There was not instruction in the book, but there was a lot of interesting history and charts.

I wove a strip of motifs as practice or samples of how the designs would translate.  I think some of

the charts were from Kati Meek's book on "Reflections From a Flaxen Past".  Weaving was slow

going at first, and after a time, it moved along faster.

Once I understood what to do, I could simply browse the internet for charts of different motifs, and adapt them to the size that I wanted.  A pencil and some graph paper and a little math and I was having a good time.  There are many possibilities for this type of weaving.  Traditionally, the designs were woven for linens or incorporated into clothing.

When I cut it from the loom, I had a long strip that I'm not sure what to do with, so for the meantime, it is hanging in the doorway off the kitchen.  

a bit of krokbragd

 I had some wool that Greta had given me a few years ago.  It was from Sweden. I decided to warp the Dorothy Loom for a Krokbragd pattern. 

The samples were small, they were supposed to be mug rugs.

I decided to turn them into a small bag.

I stitched together the side seams with whip stitching.

I found the whip stitch to be unsightly, and decided to cover it with some fingerloop braids.

Using a 3 loop braid, I covered the seam.

The bag measures about 6 inches x 5 inches. I still have to finish the trim and add a strap.

The krokbragd is usually woven on 3 shafts, but a 4 shaft loom can accomodate the structure by

lifting shafts 2, 3 and 4 and then shaft 1&3 and then shafts 1, 2, and 4.  Lather rinse repeat!

After getting the hang of it, I decided to use up some handspun bits and that will be used for a larger bag.  There are so many different possibilities with this type of structure.

It is interesting to try different combinations of colors and number or repeats.