Weaving..... and Leaving

Tomorrow I fly off to the UK for a couple of weeks.

Before I go I thought I'd squeeze in this post.

A couple of posts ago I mentioned that I had put up my loom in the basement.

Here are the first projects. I warped for two rugs with some recycled, dyed cotton that I had.

I used Jane Stafford's method for warping back to front. I don't have a raddle so I used a comb I had for my knitting machine. It worked really well.

Here's the first rug,

.....and again.

I used some assorted rug wool that I had hanging around for the weft.

I changed the tie ups for the second rug and played around with some twill patterns.

Here is a close up of the twill pattern.Are those Yeti feet weaving away ?Actually these are my warm and cosy socks my mother-in-law, Jean, sent back with Simon when he visited last time. I love 'em !

Here is the first rug, off the loom,and the second.

This is before tidying and finishing, but you get the general idea.

See you in a couple of weeks !

Guy Fawkes Night

I can't let November 5th go by without a mention of that great British alternative to Halloween, Guy Fawkes Night.

You know, that nice family tradition where kids stuff a few old clothes with straw to make an effigy of an old fellow who tried unsuccessfully to blow up the Houses of Parliment, who is later put on top of a blazing fire as friends and neighbours gather round eating sausages and baked potatoes amid the setting off of potentially eye or limb injuring fireworks.

It's great fun !

We didn't really do the effigy thing but we had sausages and a little fire out back.


I took this picture in the sunshine a few days ago.
We have lots of ladybirds/bugs around at the moment.



And just to show the beautiful colours of Fall/Autumn,

these lovely yellow maple leaves.

Our Forsythia bush turns this vibrant red colour.

Please note, this post was bilingual, .....Canadian and British.