Road Trip

 Clearly, I was not as prepared for our 2 1/2 week road trip as I'd thought. I forgot to wind the skeins at home and hubby was busy driving (the nerve). So...

ab work a.k.a. sit-ups. Also, there was this little issue that I didn't like the gauge I was getting with the only needles I'd brought. We were forced to stop at the nearest store.

I did finish the linen-paper bag. I made it bigger than the Habu pattern calls for. Unfortunately, it wasn't big enough to use up all the yarn. Hmmm. What to do next with the left overs.             And did you notice what it's hanging on in the photo? Yep! Our first planned stop was to visit Joanne and Ed at Glimakra USA, in Montana. We brought home a warping reel and, here's a hint...     

a loom extension and...

  a DRAWLOOM!!! I'm SO Excited! These pictures were taken at Joanne's. I can't take mine out of the boxes at home until I finish a promised project. Focus. Focus!

From there we went east. These rugs were at the Crazy Horse Museum.

And this was a stop we Had to make in Iowa.

Next time someone says, "Your loom must take up a lot of space in your house."....

In Kolona, Iowa, there were quilts on the sidewalk

and on the barns.

Iowa! Need I say more?! How could it get any better? So, after this we headed back west.

Coverlet shown at Chimney Rock, was brought to Nebraska from Ohio in a covered wagon in 1862.

This and the next four pictures were taken at Cove Fort, Utah

The only actual fiber purchase I made on the whole trip was in Moab, Utah. It seems there was this yarn shop across the street from our hotel...             A good trip!

And I did come home to finishing spinning the silk hankies I've been picking at forEver!

Pre-travels

"Let's go on a road trip", he said. So, of course, I had to destash, pre-travels.

I made more curls. I hate to block this one. It looks like dragon scales.

Now, instead of yarn in boxes, I have lots of shawls in my cabinet.

And, scarves. This was a leftover from a sweater I knit, years ago. And unlike the last time I wove mohair, it worked up like a dream!

Then, there was this. Fail. The plan was napkins with 10/2 cotton. I didn't like it on or off Julia. After sitting untouched for well over a year, Julia (my red Glimakra loom) and I agreed to cut off this mess and call it a learning experience. It's Just string! Since there was plenty of un-used warp left, I re-threaded, sleyed and tied it up. We're both much happier now. 

Now, what will I do in the car? This Habu kit is linen paper yarn and silk. It will just be a simple bag.

And this beauty is another curl from left over lace weight wool from another sweater. This is my carry everywhere project. For that reason, I've been working on it for Months. I do a few stitches here, a row there. Because the pattern is so complex and gauge is pointless, I decided this would be a good time to practice doing  something new. Knitting goes from right to left, right? Well, every wrong side row, I now knit left to right! And I taught myself to knit that way both in continental (grabbing the yarn with the needle) and English (throwing the yarn over the needle)! 

 Am I ready to go,yet? Hmmm...