It's a good thing you can't reach through the internet and take a close look at this scarf.
I made way too many mistakes on this one. Seriously.
Here's a good one: I rolled the warp onto the warp beam, through the raddle, with terrific tension. Then I removed the lease sticks before I had threaded the heddles.
And another: once I'd threaded the heddles and sleyed the reed, I realized the warp didn't go over the warp beam. This meant I had to roll it all onto the cloth beam, cut it, and tie it onto the warp beam.
My tension was crummy (I'm blaming that on having to tie onto both beams.)
Oh yeah, and my sett was pretty loose; I think this scarf is a bit sleazy.
On top of that, someone pinched the scissors off my "studio" table, and I had to use kindergarten scissors to finish up. (I got them back.)
It's ironic, then, that as I was finishing this project, I listened to a Weavecast episode that featured Bonnie Tarses. She said two things that related to the project:
but also:
Isn't that wise? So I'm trying to look at things on the bright side: I finished my first project on the island.
Driving Dr. Chuck
Yesterday I drove back from Kent Island to Maine to get ready for Vavstuga. Dr. Chuck Huntington asked for a lift. Chuck is a Professor Emeritus, was the director of the field station from the 50's to the 80's, and is 91. This was his 58th year coming to the island. He is an extraordinary ornithologist, and his study of Leach's storm-petrels is almost certainly the longest running longitudinal study in the world. He claims the he's just a bean counter, but his work has led to some very important papers, like this one. Chuck is amazing. I interviewed him to preserve some Kent Island oral history last week. Here's a guy who grew up driving horse and wagon, served in WW2, went to Yale, traveled the world studying birds, was the son of a famous explorer and geographer, dined with Lords and Ladies, met Governor Baxter of Katahdin fame, is still happily married after 53 years, trained some of today's great ornithologists, and on top of all that, is always up for a road trip.
The most direct route is never Chuck's choice; he must take after his explorer father in this respect. So we stopped at scenic overlooks and checked out eagle's nests. Chuck asked me if I'd like to stop by the Hope Spinnery, a wind powered Spinnery owned by his son Bill.
What a silly question. It's like asking an alcoholic if she'd like to see how gin is made, don't you think?
Along the way we stopped for lunch at a clam shack he'd heard was the best in Maine. (every clam shack makes this claim). Now, I don't eat fried food. But who am I to deny a 91 year old man?
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| Crosby's Drive-in, Bucksport, ME |
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| Looks good, huh? |
Hope Spinnery
Bill Huntington wasn't around when we got to the Hope Spinnery. Piles of his extraordinary yarn were. I have a hat knit from his yarn and I love the colors he produces. Hope Spinnery not only produces amazing yarn; it does it on wind power!
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| I love the hat in this one. |
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| Waiting to be spun. |
Next time you are at a fiber festival, keep your eyes open for Bill's booth, and stop by.
And bring your checkbook.
