New England Simple Living

The Christmas Sweater - Aaah! Not again!

2012-01-09T05:04:00.000-08:00

Yes, I have been taking my time a little bit with re-knitting The Christmas Sweater. I figured, well, he knows about it, I don't really have to rush this time. Well, guess what, my son is coming home to serve Jury Duty, in yes, eight days. Here we go again- eight days to finish a sweater so I can give it to him in person. So, please excuse me while I go knit, knit, knit.

The Christmas Sweater - lower pattern

2012-01-06T05:57:00.000-08:00

Here it is so far - The Christmas Sweater I am re-knitting. I have started the body and both sleeves so that the bottom patterning is completed at one time, ensuring I have enough of the colored yarns. There's a specific meaning to the colors I used in this sweater, which I will expand on when it is finished.

The drama began when...

2012-01-03T09:14:00.000-08:00

The drama for my gift of a Christmas sweater began on December 6th. My mother and sister were coming up to exchange our gifts on the following Saturday. That's when it hit me that I hadn't started any Christmas gifts. Now, it was convenient for them to come up early on the 10th, but, yes, it threw me into a panic.

They came and went, we had a nice visit, and then I knew I had 14 days to make my son a sweater. Last year it took me 21 days, and I was rushed through that one. I knew I was cooked this year. But I started it, and up until 4:00 a.m. on December 25th, I had high hopes. I quit at 4:00 a.m. and wrapped it unfinished. I had a sleeve and a half to finish.

Then, over the next days, I did finish it, and now to my woe, have found out it is too big, and I am re-knitting it. There is a moral to this beginning of the drama - obviously, give yourself enough time. But also, a moral I am finding out is that maybe it is actually better to give a gift late.

To give myself a slight advantage over time with knitting the first version of this sweater, I had knit the front and back ribbing pieces on straight needles, and then joined them, switched to circular needles, and zoomed to the beginning of the armhole shaping.

Of course, I thought of that after I had made the ribbing. It was a faster way to knit the body. I am familiar with traditional Norwegian and Fair Isle knitting, where circular needles are used to knit sweaters in a tube, the sweater is then cut to allow the sleeves to be sewn in, but I was trying to save time after starting a sweater on straight needles, so this is not an example of correct Fair Isle-style knitting. Just a shortcut.

Now, after ripping out that completed sweater, and giving myself more time, I am adapting a straight-needle pattern to circular knitting. The pattern I am using is by Paton's, in their "Back to Basics II" pattern book. It is a book of basic sweaters - an easy foundation for any sweater design. I am using worsted-weight yarn because I find it easier to work with quickly. I have started the ribbing on one circular needle, and will knit the body as one piece to the armhole shaping as I did the first time. When I get to that point, I'll divide and straight-needle up the front and back top pieces.

And here's a hint about what I'm vamping up on this sweater. The first version was all Periwinkle blue, my son's favorite color. These sweaters from the Paton's book knit up loose and comfy- so I had thought, a great sweater with jeans. Well, I'm bring back in a little bit of the Christmas theme to this sweater and adding a border design. I'm using the book "Alice Starmore's Book of Fair Isle Knitting" for patterns for the border.

I may write up a basic sweater pattern based on the changes and adaptions that I am making to this Paton's pattern, but in the meantime, if you want to do something similar, here's what you might find helpful:

"Back to Basics II" by Paton's

Worsted-weight yarn for the size you are making

1 Boye Balene II 11-inch circular needle in size 5 (sleeves)

2 Boye Balene II 11-inch circular needle in size7 (sleeves)

1 Boye circular needle, size 7, 29 inches (sleeves) (2 if making bands all the way up the sleeve)

1 Boye circular needle 29 inches, size 5 (body ribbing and neckband)

2 Boye circular needle, 29 inches, size 7 (body and upper body) (also use one as a stitch holder, use one as straight needles at top)

That may seem like a lot of different needle sizes to have on hand, but it really isn't and I think most knitters will have them. The advantage of having all of these needles is this: If you are making bands or designs in the sweater, they will start after the ribbing is finished. So, with these needles, you can start the body ribbing, and each sleeve ribbing, and have all three pieces "active" at the same time. Knit one sleeve's ribbing on a size 5, 11-inch needle, and then move those stitches to a size 7, 11-inch needle, ready for stockinette stitch on circulars. Then, knit the other sleeve's ribbing on the size 5, 11-inch, and move that to a size 7, 11-inch needle. Do the same for the body ribbing on a size 5, 29-inch needle. You now have three active pieces of knitting.

When knitting bands or designs, I use small amounts of left-over yarns from other projects before I buy new yarn. By having all three pieces active at the same time, I can knit the same band on all three pieces, making sure I have enough yarns and colors, instead of doing the entire body, and then hoping I saved enough yarn for the sleeves.

I think I'm only adding one band to this particular sweater - but the method above can be used no matter how many bands you are knitting. When I get about 3/4's of the way up the sleeve(s) I start using a longer circular needle (size 7, 29-inch) as a straight needle, allowing me to still knit the majority of each sleeve faster than if on straight needles alone.

The Christmas Sweater

2012-01-02T17:40:00.000-08:00

The Christmas Sweater- something we dread or something we love? Someone takes all the time and effort to make a sweater for someone special at Christmas-time. Well, this year, my Christmas Sweater for someone did not go very well. He likes it - except it wasn't finished in time. For the first time ever, I gave someone a gift that wasn't completed. I thought that was the worst part of the project, but noo.. When I did finish the sweater, for some reason, it is just way too big. Now, he's very understanding and said "That's okay, Mom", but well, guess what I did. I carefully ripped it out and am making it again.

I want him to like it, to wear it, and maybe, if Old Saint Nick is on my side, actually look forward to another one.

I have not only re-sized this project, I'm vamping it up a bit. Photos to follow as I work on it. I'm adapting a straight-needle pattern for circular needles, and... well, wait and see...

It isn't just the effort, or time, or yarn, or plans that makes me want to do it well - it's that my mother made us sweaters, and it is a tradition of sorts I would like to continue.

Last Minute Christmas Gifts

2011-12-17T05:48:00.000-08:00

If you need some last minute Christmas gifts, please check out my Hand-Woven Classic Scarves on my website.

Whales!

2011-11-01T09:42:00.000-07:00

I am painting oil paintings of whales - in order to honor them and to raise awareness of their daily struggles to thrive. You may order one through my website at Whales in Oil

Tools to use

2011-10-30T12:19:00.000-07:00

Time to finish the rug on my Navajo loom. That's my Hitchhiker spinning wheel in front of the loom - I'll be using that to spin the rest of the wool for the rug.

Pelargonium quercifolium

2011-10-30T12:16:00.000-07:00

Pelargonium quercifolium (Oak-leaf geranium). A scented geranium blooming in the house after spending the summer outdoors.

2011-10-24T02:30:00.000-07:00

Simply Art (c) Hand Woven Scarves - the latest

2011-10-15T12:28:00.001-07:00

Here is one of my latest scarves - in soft lightweight, 3-season Alpaca.

"Safe Passage" Christmas 2011 Simply Art (c) Spindles

2011-10-15T11:43:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Christmas Spindles are available at my Etsy Shop

"Safe Passage" Christmas 2011 Simply Art (c) Spindles

2011-10-10T06:02:00.000-07:00

At Christmas time, we generally think of all the people in our lives or in the world that need us, or we need them. This year, I decided to again paint some Christmas spindles. The theme is "Safe Passage", and the spindles each have two views of the beach. When I stand on the beach and look out, I wonder if the whales are safe, how are the seals, are they traveling north yet? And in past years we have had more sharks here going after the seals, newsworthy events, what is changing in our environment to have the sharks coming in closer and closer? Great Whites now common? What has changed, is it global warming? May each sea animal that passes Cape Cod have safe passage this year through the migrations that have continued for millenia.

Pink!

2011-10-06T04:46:00.001-07:00

Here is a photo of the Border Leicester wool I am spinning. I had dyed this with natural Brazilwood - a brown wood that when used with the correct mordant (alum), it creates a beautiful pink dye. This is part of the wool for a blanket project.

Weaving Batten - Sun, Sun, Sun!

2011-10-04T06:17:00.000-07:00

Below is a photo of one of my latest weaving battens - with a wood-burned sun design! At my Etsy shop.

What fun to use!

Spinning!

2011-10-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a photo of the variegated Merino that I spun yesterday. Some of this wool is almost a "seconds" quality, so there are some lumps in the yarn. I'm not sure yet whether I have enough for the sweater I'd like to make with this.

And here is what I have left to do except for my Navajo-Churro wools. Below is Border Leicester wool fiber. Some of it, I have dyed with natural Brazilwood wood, and have a beautiful pink. Some of it I dyed an olive tone with commercial dyes. And the rest is natural creamy-white. I hope to make a blanket with this wool.

Fall is here!

2011-09-30T11:09:00.000-07:00

After a summer of goofing off for the most part and spending time with the two dogs, it's knitting, weaving, and wool time again! I've been spinning the last of my 15 pounds of raw wool, and am down to just Merino and Border Leicester to spin. Well, other than the Navajo-churro for the rugs... but that's in the future. I had sold my Kromski 32-inch loom and was just going to use my back-strap looms to weave. But..

I find that a frame of some sort with a loom is easier to use - soo00 Ta Da! An antique Peacock Loom made by a company no longer in business called The HandCrafters. I'm looking forward to weaving on this basic and simple-to-use table loom.

I have also picked up an Easy-Weaver Model A by Harrisville Designs. Although for the most part marketed for new weavers - it looks like a great loom to use while sitting around needing to keep my hands busy. I love the simplicity of both of these looms - no treadles, do-hickies, only two harnesses - good enough for plain weave and making things with all the wool I have.

2011-04-27T13:28:00.000-07:00

More Simply Art (c) Weaving Battens! I've made some with a splash of color! And added woodburning designs to others. Please check for them at my website -

Apple Wood Battens

2011-04-18T06:30:00.000-07:00

The weaving battens I am making out of aged Apple wood have come out very nice. Apple is a nice hard wood. Sometimes it will crack slightly as it ages, but even these cracks seem to add more character to the piece instead of detracting from it. Below are three battens that are finished and one rough piece of apple wood. The finished battens have a light furniture oil on them.

Weaving Battens

2011-04-16T07:02:00.000-07:00

I'm working on some new weaving battens today. Three are out of a lovely aged apple tree wood from my brother John's farm, two are out of aged White Birch (also from the farm), and one is from Southern White Pine.

2011-03-06T06:05:00.000-08:00

Young Alpacas are referred to as "Crias" - this is Cria Alpaca fiber in a pretty almost-white. I've spun it to fingering-weight singles.

Sweater work!

2011-03-06T01:57:00.000-08:00

In planning the knitting of Fair Isle Sweaters, I am finding that the wools I like best are somewhat difficult to find. In Scotland and other countries where Fair Isle Knitting is traditionally done, the wools are hand-spun and hand-dyed. My own hand-spun wools do not seem fine enough for professional sweaters, so I am "on the hunt" for affordable yet beautiful Shetland wools.

Saving an orchid from mealy bugs

2011-02-14T07:33:00.000-08:00

I recently used one of my orchids as a model for a drawing. Luckily, I checked it thoroughly, and found that mealy bugs had gotten into the root system. So, I did something drastic. I put about a 1/4 cup of bleach into a container about 5 inches tall and added water to the rim. I dunked the whole plant in this for about a minute. Normally, I would have removed mealy bugs one or two at a time with a Q tip and rubbing alcohol, but because there were so many in the roots, I felt this drastic measure was better. Below are photos of the plants just after doing this:

The roots do look slightly damaged and pale, as I expected, but it was better than tossing the plant. Once mealy bugs get into a root system, it is very difficult to get each and every bug. Below is a photo of the plants repotted. I took this opportunity to divide the plant into three pots. I used a mix of sphagnum moss, potting soil and fir bark for the fresh potting medium. Any yellowing of the leaves will be a sign that the roots may have received too much damage.

2011-01-26T05:43:00.000-08:00

2011-01-15T04:17:00.000-08:00

By tomorrow, my new pattern for dogs coats will be uploaded to my website for sale. My Simply Art (c) Simply Basic (c) Weave-It loom Dog Coat Pattern has instructions for both small and medium sized coats. Out of all the different dog coats I have made, I find these the easiest for me to make, and the style the dogs accept immediately. They are easy to get on the dog which is another plus. Below is Bailey modeling her red coat in size medium.

Chicken Soup For The Dog! Really!

2011-01-09T06:44:00.000-08:00

Wow! I have a new dog! She's a wonderful dachshund / whippet mixed breed that I have named Coco because of her beautiful color. My son has a mixed breed dog named Bailey who is a black lab / whippet mix. Bailey loves her reindeer antler as a chew toy. These are naturally-shed antlers that are very beneficial for dogs to chew on, and are better than meat bones, as they don't splinter. I wanted Coco to like her reindeer antler as a chew toy, but even though she's only been here a couple of days, her interest is focused on her toy sheep more often. If you are like me, you have a spare can of chicken noodle soup around. I am soaking her reindeer antler in some diluted chicken soup to give it a flavor I hope she can't resist.

Here is the antler about to be drenched:

And here it is soaking:

We'll see how Coco likes it!

Coco did decide to try her reindeer antler more often after I soaked it. She still prefers her sheep toy to a bone or antler of any type. I am working with her to get her to accept hard biscuits for treats, and leave her reindeer antler within her reach, so that she chews on appropriate items for the health of her teeth.

Ta Da! She loves it!

2010-12-28T05:26:00.000-08:00

Sweaters! I am going to be working on knitting sweaters for myself. I love the Fair Isle designs and will be creating my own yoke designs from traditional Fair Isle patterns. In the meantime, below is a ski sweater I made for my son. I used Lion Brand Wool, and Paton's "Back To Basics II" Pattern book. I added the stripe design myself as the pattern book only gives solid color designs. I am currently working on a sweater for myself made with Lion Brand Fisherman wool. I love this yarn as a general, make-anything yarn, but also the natural beige color makes for an excellent "canvas" for Fair Isle yoke designs.

2010-12-17T15:34:00.000-08:00

Coming Soon! My Simply Art (c) Simply Basic (c) Men's Bulky Hat Pattern.

2010-12-17T13:09:00.000-08:00

This is one of the softest scarves I have ever woven- Columbia-Merino hand-spun wool used 2-ply on my Kromski loom. I'll look for this sheep breed's fleece again to use.

2010-11-16T03:09:00.000-08:00

Alpaca- a wool alternative. This year I am making several things for the holidays with my own hand-spun wools. One of my favorites in this category is Alpaca, even though it isn't truly a wool. Below is a photo of some black Alpaca about to be washed. It's very soft, and makes a wonderful yarn.

2010-11-07T09:13:00.001-08:00

Sunday- a small storm on the way. A great way to spend an afternoon spinning wool. I have several types of wool carded and am trying to get it all spun fairly quickly, so that the knitting and weaving can commence! A wonderful day on Cape Cod, so typical of the true lifestyle here.

By the way, this looks like a great e-magazine - "Sockupied"! What a wonderful name!

2010-09-25T13:24:00.000-07:00

Signs of Fall - some wonderful items found on my walk today.

From my website, on metalpoint drawing:

2010-09-24T06:55:00.000-07:00

Metalpoint drawing is something I find to be very simple in its beauty - no tubes of paint, pigment, wax, or any of the other supplies necessary to "create". The prepared surface is one that a professional artist might be / should be using anyway, and is made up of simple, yet professional ingredients. But, aside from that, one of the most intriguing and rewarding aspects of metalpoint drawings is the ongoing relationship with the viewer or owner of the piece.

When a metalpoint drawing ages, some of the drawing fades into the surface as the metal tarnishes and oxidizes. This leaves a "finished" piece that automatically draws the viewer's eye into the piece, looking to see what else is there. It is an effect that happens naturally, and has to be imitated in other media. It also progresses over time, which forms the ongoing relationship with the viewer. When you own a newly-drawn metalpoint drawing, you might find yourself saying " When it was more blue, I was in college (or the new house, or living at the beach....)". There is a point when the patina has developed as much as it should chemically, and at that point, the relationship is "established", and if you have owned or regularly viewed the piece since it was new, then at this point, I feel, the piece becomes "yours", a familiar friend.

Below are some drawings I recently drew.

Humpback Whale No.2 - .9999% silver on marbledust and rabbitskin glue over cloth mounted to wood. 6-1/4 inches by 3-1/4 inches.

And a work in progress:

Chicken No 1 - .9999% silver and copper on marbledust and rabbitskin glue over cloth mounted to wood. 6-1/4 inches by 3-1/4 inches.

2010-09-20T08:42:00.000-07:00

It's Time! To start thinking about Christmas! Yes, it is, really! Please visit my Simply Art (c) Simply Basic (c) Patterns for several patterns for Christmas stockings.

2010-09-15T06:35:00.000-07:00

Batten works-in-progress. Rosewood and purplewood. Naturally-colored hardwoods that make beautiful weaving tools. in the photo are two of my current carving projects: a small rosewood batten, and purplewood pieces that will be 12-inch battens. What you don't see in the photo are my whittling knives. After rough-shaping, it is the hand-whittling that brings out the character of the batten.

2010-09-12T00:34:00.000-07:00

Are weavers scarce in Maine? What about Vermont? Hmmmmmm. Recently my sister-in-law said she hadn't run into many weavers at the local craft fairs in Maine. For that matter, I wonder how many weavers would be at local craft fairs here on the Cape? I tend to be reclusive and just do what I do without always looking around me to see who else is doing it too. I know that 4H projects are common throughout New England, sheep, rabbits, goats, horses - and more. I know spinning is fairly common here too - so do most people knit their yarn, crochet it? and is weaving less common? Each craft has its own cadence - knitting is relaxing, yet moves right along at a certain speed. Crocheting is similar, yet with a different rhythm. Weaving is peaceful.

The rhythm of weaving is one that is productive, yet at a pace that is simply peaceful. There are a multitude of things that I do or can do - I'm an experienced artist in many media, I like things that remind us of our heritage, such as vintage sewing machines, dolls in simple dresses, stuffed teddy bears, hand knit Christmas stockings, and pineapple upside down cake. My home is one that is considered "full" (no, not cluttered) with items that reflect my many interests - looms, treadle machines, books and more books, dollhouses, sea shells and paintings. I've recently decided to focus on two areas - weaving, and drawing in metalpoint.

When I knit, I make a hat, a scarf, gloves, an "item". When I weave, I make "fabric", that may be used to make a multitude of items. Are there no weavers in Maine?

Metalpoint drawing- The Masters didn't have graphite, they didn't have my favorite Dixon Ticonderoga No.1 pencil. They used the method of drawing on a prepared surface with a metal stylus. The metal drawings are permanent, and cannot be erased or corrected. It makes for a better artist to have to draw it right the first time. Metalpoint drawing is something I find to be very frugal - no tubes of paint, pigment, wax, or any of the other supplies necessary to "create". The prepared surface is one that a professional artist might be / should be using anyway, and is made up of simple, inexpensive ingredients. I "grew" into this method after many many years of trying to scream a statement in color. When a metalpoint drawing ages, some of the drawing fades into the surface as the metal tarnishes and oxidizes. This leaves a finished piece that automatically draws the viewer's eye into the piece, looking to see what else is there. It is an effect that happens naturally, and has to be imitated in other media.

I recently did something that surprised me. I took my very large art website offline. It had 30 years of experience in art and horticulture in its pages. A few people had been recommending that it "said too much" and yes, many other professional artists have one-page sites that grab the eye and hope to lead to a sale. I had resisted that for quite some time, feeling that art encompassed so much of my life, one page just didn't cover it. Well, I removed my site the other day, and now have a site with just my metalpoint drawings offered with my weaving battens. Why? Much of my website was geared toward teaching others how to complete certain methods. All the ins and outs of how drawing or painting can go wrong. I currently have just one metalpoint drawing on my new site - I have to photograph or scan some more. But the one drawing is where I am at today. Am I less of an artist displaying one drawing? Nooooo. I can imagine that if I ran into Vincent Van Gogh today, and didn't recognize him, and asked him "What do you do?" - I can imagine that he would use whatever he had to draw a field or a cypress tree or a friend. And I would know who he is.

The carving of weaving battens and the drawing in metal. These two things alone to focus on. I think it has a few of my friends and family members scratching their heads - " why these?" they might ask. The carving of battens is very similar to drawing and painting - it is a calm process of showing what the wood has to say - what grain is there, what knot to work around, what thought to have while doing it. Peaceful. Unspoken, yet stated. I can almost hear my Native American great-great grandfather speaking of the world when I carve. And I can almost hear the Native American peoples answering him. The echoes of time, and the stories of lives. And when a metalpoint drawing fades just a bit, so that the heart has to look, we are each really looking within, to ourselves, and a reflection of our wishes. Something Vincent Van Gogh knew very well.

2010-09-10T06:32:00.000-07:00

East Indian Rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia) - a beautiful wood from India. One of the "joys" of using only hand-tools to carve wooden items is using hand-saws. I am having quite a bit of fun cutting these pieces in half for battens - I use the term "fun" loosely. But, I do not want to use a jigsaw or other electric saw. Hand-carving, hand-cutting, this adds something to the item that just isn't there when power tools zip right through the project. I am reminded of a video I saw of a Navajo weaver explaining how to tell when wool is spun incorrectly. "When the wool cries." That closeness to nature and the tools we take from it is something I want to impart to my hand-carved items.

2010-09-10T04:44:00.000-07:00

Fall in New England. It's in the air, that crisp feel of 50 degree nights that turn into 70 degree days. Many people feel this is "the" time to come to Cape Cod - September. Today I will be cutting looms, carving battens, and weaving a few small projects on my backstrap looms. I am also working on Weave-It squares for pet coats and blankets.

2010-09-04T09:25:00.000-07:00

Simply Art (c) Simply Basic (c) Weaving Battens - more are in the store now! New England Simple Living on Etsy.

2010-09-04T08:56:00.000-07:00

Harvesting bamboo leaves and stems. In the past few days, we were expecting a large storm to hit us. When I had cut the bamboo for my looms, I had saved the upper, smaller branches and leaves, and had bunches of them hung to dry. I didn't want to lose them in the storm, so spent some time cutting them up. I had a lot of other things to do to prepare for the storm, so why take the time to save what are really twigs?

The bamboo leaves are an excellent mulch for all plants, but especially for bamboo plants. The smaller branches will be good for miscellaneous uses - from propping up small plants, to carving, to even knitting needles, if I wish. They are even an edible twig I can let the dog chew on. The beauty of bamboo as a plant is that all of the plants parts may be used.

2010-09-02T07:35:00.000-07:00

Recycled silk yarn- the essence of recycling. A sari is a length of cloth fabric worn draped around the body in some cultures / countries, such as Nepal and India. When saris are manufactured, they are woven out of silk threads in beautiful colors. The process leaves an abundance of these beautiful silk threads on the floors of the manufacturing plant. Women are allowed to collect these silk threads, and they then spin them (often using a charkha wheel) into yarn. This yarn is available in the U.S., and I have chosen it to use in weaving my latest scarf. Please check it out at My Etsy Shop . Buying and using sari-silk yarn is an excellent way to help support other women who support themselves.

2010-09-01T04:51:00.000-07:00

Every day is a new surprise in nature if you know where to look. Today I looked down near my feet, and saw this beautiful green mushroom. I have never seen a green mushroom before and will look it up later to identify it. The cool green color, and the fact that it was just outside my door gives me a thought for the day - what other miracles will I see in nature today? Maybe it isn't the scientific name that is so important today, but the fact that we never know everything that we think we know, and each day is full of new gifts.

2010-08-30T04:38:00.000-07:00

With Bailey the dog getting drenched a few days ago in the few days of heavy rain we had, I decided it was time to design a new dog coat. I've previously designed dog and cat sweaters, using knitting as the method. The new coat is designed using hand-held Weave-It looms. It is lined with an ordinary bandana (or muslin), for a warm dry coat any medium sized dog will love.

2010-08-25T06:43:00.000-07:00

Two days of rain on Cape Cod yields some weaving accomplished! This was a long warp on my rigid heddle loom that is now a wonderful length of cloth. Total length is 12 feet. This is destined to be cut and hemmed for placemats.

2010-08-20T14:22:00.000-07:00

Wow- Rainbow Pet Leashes! My son's dog Bailey is visiting for a short time. She and our cat "Munchkin" will be modeling my Simply Art (c) Simply Basic (c) Hand-Woven "Rainbow" Pet Leashes. These are an item I have been planning for a time. My cat, also known as "Mooch" was a stray they we now keep in the house. She is now 12 years old, but likes the idea of going out once in a while with a harness or a leash to wander around the yard.

Bailey's favorite pose is to stop suddenly, ears go up. and she absolutely exudes the phrase "Squirrel" !! She is also a rescued animal, a Whippet / Black Lab mixed breed, adopted through a program relocating dogs from the south to the north for adoption. She really is a "squirrel dog", and very strong for her size. She is my "test dog" as far as making sure my leashes pass the "Bailey's dragging me across the street because she saw a squirrel - her leash has to hold" test. The leashes have either a small clasp to attach to a collar (for small to medium size pets) or with a larger clasp for medium to large size dogs. Bailey is 17 inches tall and weighs a bit over 20 pounds, so she is small to medium in size, but her strength places her in the category for needing the heavier clasp.

The leashes will be available soon in my Etsy shop. They are called "Rainbow" Leashes for a couple of reasons. The first is that I will be making them in a rainbow of colors. The second is to try and encourage people to to adopt a pet through a rescue shelter or organization, giving an animal a second chance at happiness and a rainbow of hope. Our animals have all come from shelters or were found abandoned and adopted. Four casts and now a beautiful dog that my son adopted - all well-balanced loving pets who just needed a chance.

Here is my son's dog Bailey modeling and helping me test one of the leashes.

2010-08-19T07:52:00.000-07:00

Now available- My Simply Art (c) Simply Basic (c) Bamboo Backstrap Looms! In my Etsy Shop !

2010-08-12T16:31:00.000-07:00

Clay Heddles will be available in my Etsy Shop as of tomorrow. These semi-flexible polymer clay heddles are meant for backstrap or belt weaving. They are both fun and functional!

2010-08-12T06:20:00.000-07:00

Weaving battens are now available in my Etsy Shop. I am currently making these of Southern Yellow Pine and aged White Birch. Come take a look!

2010-08-10T06:30:00.000-07:00

Here is one of my hand-carved weaving battens. This one is my own batten, made of pine. One edge is beveled, and the pointed tip and handle are hand-carved. Look for these to be available soon.
I strongly believe in the axiom of each weaver choosing their own tools, and I make these battens as if I would like to choose it for my own. Below is a photo of it being used on a project of 16-inch wide placemats on my Kromski rigid heddle loom.

2010-08-06T07:50:00.000-07:00

Here are some of my hand-made heddles with a bamboo backstrap loom that I am finishing. Having heddles for my bamboo looms has allowed me more versatility. The smaller heddles on the right are specifically for my hand-spun wools, while the two on the left are for thread or other thin warp yarns.

2010-08-06T06:17:00.000-07:00

The common garden snail - a wonder of nature. This one had climbed up onto an empty water container in the yard. Imagine, being able to take your home with you where ever you go. Where ever you are, well, there you are!

Weaving today and getting ready to start some fall knitting.

2010-08-01T15:57:00.000-07:00

A current project - my blue and green balanced-weave scarf.

2010-08-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

From bamboo root divisions to a simple back strap loom. This loom has been cut and partially finished. When the bamboo dries more fully, I will complete this loom.

2010-08-01T09:50:00.000-07:00

Keeping with my bamboo "adventure", I dug up two more divisions of 'Yellow Groove' bamboo from my yard. The photo shows what a healthy division should look like- lots of roots, and an established culm. Even with the culm cut, it will help in re-planting the division, not only with orientation of the root structure, but knowing how far apart to place the divisions. Generally each plant should be two feet from the next plant, or planted well in a two foot-wide container.

The culms on these two divisions were about one inch in diameter - about the half the diameter of a mature culm.

Here are the two divisions after I have planted them in pots. They probably both should be in the larger size 3-gallon containers, but the smaller container will be adequate until next spring when I see how many shoots come up from that plant.

I used soil that was similar to where I dug them from (sandy, but rich, acidic soil) and mulched the plants well. I used grass for a mulch, but I also could have used either the maple leaves or pine needles that were the natural mulch they had in the yard, or a mixture of all three. Leaves probably would be the best, in fact bamboo leaves are the most natural mulch for them, as they are forest plants.

2010-07-30T05:53:00.000-07:00

Bamboo- I have purchased plants to have an adequate supply of bamboo wood for my looms. Today I found an excellent You Tube video on harvesting the shoots for food.

Harvesting Takenoko Bamboo Shoots in Japan

And here's another video on cooking Bamboo Shoots:

Cooking Young Bamboo Shoots with Joi Ito (score by Ryuichi Sakamoto)

2010-07-29T06:27:00.000-07:00

Good morning Cape Cod! Today I am weaving. I will soon be offering hand-made clay heddles for backstrap weaving, hand-woven dog and cat leashes, and hand-woven home goods such as placemats, in addition to the items I already make and sell.

For the horticulturists out there, I've purchased some bamboo rhizomes and will have both native American bamboo and "Yellow Groove" bamboo from China as part of my plant collection. Bamboo, it seems is such a varied grass, and can be used for so many things, perhaps it belongs in every garden. For my own use, it will supply wood dowels and shed rods for my weaving.

2010-07-27T16:18:00.000-07:00

Here's a find! I have needed Bamboo to use as roll bars and shed sticks for my backstrap weaving. It is difficult to find bamboo in individual pieces, so I have been improvising. Tonight, while watering the garden, I discovered that someone had planted bamboo behind my fence, and that some of it had migrated into my yard. This variety seems to be Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Yellow Groove Bamboo', a species well-suited to the Northeast. It is cold hardy to USDA zone 5. Yeah, I have bamboo! I dug up a clump and will container-grow it.

2010-06-27T17:09:00.000-07:00

My latest miniature crayon painting- "The Blue Tree Again" - also available at my Etsy Shop.

2010-06-26T06:50:00.000-07:00

2010-06-09T09:10:00.000-07:00

I'm working on metalpoint drawings this week - the one at left is drawn with copper. Metalpoint is a centuries-old technique of drawing that is not used by many artists today.

2010-05-28T20:29:00.000-07:00

Dolls are fun! In all my weaving and knitting this week, I am using up small amounts of left-over yarns for my hats for dolls. I am posting this photo for another reason as well - when my grandmother was in her late 60's or early 70's, one year she dressed up in a leopard print cat suit for the senior center Halloween party - with the rhinestone glasses and all. I have the doll in this photo because she reminds me of Gram when she insisted on always having fun!

2010-05-17T12:41:00.000-07:00

Hats Off! Or On! My new Simply Art (c) Simply Basic (c) Hats are in my Etsy shop as of today!

2010-05-15T13:01:00.000-07:00

A first warp on my new Navajo loom. You can't see it in the photo, but at the bottom left I am beginning to edge the rug with a method that is called "twining". This method keeps the warps spaced, but also adds an edging to the rug. I believe that traditional Navajo weavers do this step prior to hanging the warp on the loom. I found it easier to use wire guides on the dowels to hold the warp in place until on the loom, and now I will twine it.

Once the twining is done, the warp is moved to 2 dowels with the twining being what is lashed to the dowel. This transfer of the warp is probably why the traditional Navajo weavers do the twining step off of the loom, and then hang the final doweled warp. This leaves the twined edge at the very edge of the rug at either end, and allows for a finished edge without fringe.

Below is a photo of the warp as I am lashing it to a dowel. I twined both the top and bottom edges of the warp, and then placed a second dowel in a position at each edge to move the warp onto it by lashing the twined edge directly to the dowel. When the rug is finished, and the lashing removed, the edge of the rug will be the twined edge.

2010-05-13T12:29:00.000-07:00

Thursday, May 13, 2010

A new backstrap loom project! This will be a wide scarf or shoulder shawl that I am making on my backstrap loom. I have done a lot of weaving lately for other people, and want to make something for myself on my backstrap loom. If you are unfamiliar with backstrap weaving, a quick Google search or a search on Youtube will show you several references pages and videos. The loom is generally made with two or four dowels, or any other readily available wood. People all over the world use backstrap looms to make gorgeous cloth!

Today was a perfect day for warping the loom! Bright, clear, sunny, and warm!

Below is a photo showing the warp on my warping sticks. Using three simple sticks, I measure the warp for my scarf.

Then, after hanging the warp carefully on my loom dowels, and preserving the "cross" in the warp (below), I am ready to start adding the heddles to the warp.

Below is a photo after I have spread the warp threads out on the top dowel, and am placing two smaller dowels in the warp, both preserving the "cross" and setting the warp threads up for the heddle placement.

Below : Using a hand-carved bamboo flute (thanks John!) as a temporary shed bar, and the scarf is ready to weave!

2010-05-12T11:15:00.000-07:00

New items added to my Etsy shop today, including some of my Simply Art (c) Hand-woven inkle belts.

It's a typically grey cloudy Cape Cod day, with some warmth, and some sun. Weaving today with some new projects.

2010-05-05T06:07:00.000-07:00

My new Kromski Harp! 32 inches of beautiful workmanship in a wonderful rigid heddle loom. I have already warped it for the first project - a cotton baby blanket! The Kromski family of Poland make these looms with beautiful wood and construction. New Voyager Trading is the importer for these looms. Their website has wonderful tutorials on warping and weaving. I can wait to see how this project turns out!

2010-05-04T15:55:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, May 4, 2010 - I've added quite a few items to my Etsy shop- Crayon paintings, crayons, and scarves. A beautiful day on Cape Cod!

2010-05-03T07:36:00.000-07:00

The launch of my shop on Etsy.com! Look for my unique hand-made items and professional drawing crayons! http://www.etsy.com/shop/NEnglandSimpleLiving

2010-05-02T13:50:00.000-07:00

Available soon on Etsy! Hand-woven by me. Make an artistic statement with one of my one-of-a-kind scarves. I use hand-spun yarns with some commercial exotic fibers. Each is a fun and stylish accessory.

2010-04-27T06:10:00.001-07:00

Coming Soon! Simply Art (c) Simply Woven Scarves!

2010-04-27T06:02:00.000-07:00

Do you remember this dessert? A simple to make basic, Pineapple Upside Down Cake was a favorite to make of my grandmother's and my mother's. Mine, shown at right, came out a little unorganized at the right , but the tradition lives on.

2010-04-27T03:50:00.000-07:00

Backstrap weaving! Learn about it at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/backstrappers/ - it's an ancient and traditional form of weaving that uses simple sticks as the loom frame, with the tension being applied by the weaver. My loom, shown at left, is set up with a rigid heddle instead of a heddle stick, allowing the sheds to be opened a little more easily.

2010-04-19T04:07:00.000-07:00

Welcome! It's an early spring day here on Cape Cod. It's grey, but the sun is coming out. The daffodils are out, the birds are singing and it is beautiful in New England. Today I will be weaving. I have a few projects to finish. Working outside will be great if it warms up just a bit.

Have a wonderful day!