Monday, February 20, 2006

The week that was

So, it seems that I can only manage to blog once a week these days.

To catch everyone up then... spent most of the week combing out the black fleece, slowly developing a comfortable rythym with it. So far, I estimate 1/3rd tog to 2/3rd thel, to very little waste.

But I'm not done with it yet, and as I said in the last post, the thel desperately needs another wash.

I started spinning with it ---- and it only gets more black as a spun thread.


Took some time out from that project on thursday, when the Region decided to have a Snow Day, in fear of a freezing rain warning that didn't come until the middle of the night, making friday hellish to drive in. Think they picked the wrong day and then couldn't do it twice in a row without losing face? The coworker who fell on the ice friday morning, and had to be rushed into surgery for two major breaks in her leg probably thinks so...

So on my Snow Day then, I dyed some stuffs with a logwood exhaust bath, that a friend had given me. She said she didn't have anything else left in the house to dye! I used it right up until the last thing in the bath came out light gray instead of purplish.

Neil and I went to Ottawa this past weekend, to attend an SCA event called Practicum, which features some classes on various SCA and history related topics. Not as big an event as Forward Into the Past, but quite educational and fun.

As a bonus, we got to sleep in a Sleep Number bed at a Radisson for our two nights up there, and were quite pleased with it. We're thinking about replacing the waterbed, and we're trying out other alternatives. Next on the list is the Tempurpedic beds - there are a few hotels in Ontario, and one particular one in Rhode Island that have the Tempurpedic beds.

If you have any opinions on these top two contenders, let me know!

While at Practicum, I almost got this hat completely done by the end of the day, only just adding the last row at lunch today.



It's done with a craft called naalbinding, sometimes referred to single-needle knitting. Naalbinding is being taught at Forward Into The Past (FITP) this year. :)

And speaking of classes at FITP - if you were interested in learning something medieval, what would it be? Particularily textile-related - I'm trying to decide what I'm going to teach this year. :)

I have in the past taught Weaving on the Warp-Weighted Loom, Women's Roles in Old Norse Society, a Textile Overview from the Viking Age, and two different types of courses in natural dyeing - one a round table with other dyers, and one an introduction to the craft, in a Viking Period context.

I'm loath to drag my loom in again. Frankly, I'm loath to drag it anywhere, it's so big and akward and heavy as all hell. So that kinda lets weaving out, unless there's a big demand.

Thoughts that go through my head are.... Dyeing with Woad (but I'm not sure I know enough yet to teach it), Fleece Prep in the Viking Age... *sigh* I'm so undecided.

Any opinions?

Karen

4 comments:

Diana said...

It IS lovely spun, isn't it?

As to the course, I've no clue. I am just in awe of anyone who would choose to give a talk on anything as I dread speaking in public more than being covered in bugs.

And that's saying a lot.

listie said...

I've always wanted to try natural dyeing; anything along those lines would be cool.

cyndy said...

Nice Naalbinding Hat! It looks like it would be very warm.

My friend taught basic fingerlooping at an SCA event once.
I thought it was fun.

Karen said...

Diana - that is saying a lot... I've got the same fear of being covered in bugs, but I rank it differently then public speaking. :)

Listmaker - thanks for the input!

Cyndy - There is another person teaching fingerloop braiding but I haven't added the class to the website yet (I'm also the webmistress for FITP).

I could teach naalbinding, but someone else has got that one too! This is going to be a fun event.

Feel free to keep those suggestions coming!

Karen