going down another rabbit hole......

that amythefibergoddess is full of surprises. she has quite a history with creative expression. i don't know why i'm still surprised when she tells me that 'i've done that'. this week it was baskets. the real deal baskets (not those wimpy, commercial ones). she gifted me with a stunning round one for my birthday this year. i've been using it to transport my little hansen spinning wheel and it is just the cats pajamas! well, when she bought it, there was a conversation with the basket weaver about classes, materials,techniques. as a result, we had us a basket weaving class. amy ordered the basket pieces and marcia and i fell in line. just like every art, there are levels of quality, tools, styles..... and we wanted to do it right.

we cut our reed the day before so it would be ready to go. linda (the basket teacher) was absolutely amazing! while guiding us along, she shared basket history, techniques, styles and all sorts of awesome stuff. when i say guide, i really mead guide. as she kept telling us this was "your basket" and there are  no "basket  police", so if she put her hands on it to demonstrate.... she ripped it all out so we were forced able to do it ourselves.

marvelous marcia was zipping along, amy has done this before, so i was the remedial weaver.

of course, i just couldn't follow the pattern. i wanted a different pattern and color. linda generously offered her santa-sized bag of reeds to borrow from....

my hands were busy keeping up with these two! after lunch, the final lashing....

same kit, same direction.... three distinctly different baskets.

just love mine!!! i may need another ......

2015 New England Fiber Festival

great weather and steady crowds. Sandy's booth was filled to the brim to begin the day. I wish I had a before photo...... But here we are at the end of today....

Things will get moved around and prettied up for tomorrow. There is a cold, dark brew waiting for me at Northampton brewery ;)

finishing up

i was slogging through the mindless knitting bag, working on the bottle covers and baby blanket, feeling like i just don't get anything done. as the frustration started to bubble, i remembered that i have completed a bunch of stuff!
i've taken several items off my loom. i'm just a weaving nut! i've been working strictly by trial and error. i'm taking projects that have been done on the cricket and translating them to the larger loom. i love to sit here in the evening a watch my progress. i made a poncho a few weeks ago, actually it was the second thing that i did. amytheifbergoddess is knitting one, and i was certain that i could mangle, mutilate, transcribe it for the loom. i used patons nature wool.... its inexpensive with a wide color palette. the fringe was a struggle and required every hand in this house being pressed into action. i mailed it to my sister.. hoping that it was stylish enough to work into her wardrobe.... or be a dog blanket :)

how cool is she? i have only a vague idea how i made it, so i tossed another one on. that is just a nice and is being gifted this weekend....i promise to post some photos.
and that baby hat? well, mr. logan arrived weighing in at 9# 15 3/4 oz ( really, that's 10 pounds of baby) no fears that the pumpkin hat would be too small.

perfection!!