https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydia_of_Thyatira

My current weaving project is a scarf that includes a fur-type yarn called "Baby Monkey" in the warp. Baby Monkey is exceptionally soft and entirely faux fur.

I get these crazy ideas sometimes. You know those old movies: "Let's put on a play!" "My uncle has a barn we can use!" Yeah, that kind of crazy idea.

My project this weekend is weaving some ribbon from silk sewing thread. It's pretty mindless, but the results are gratifying. There are 36 cards with four threads each, totaling 144 warp threads. The resulting ribbon s 3/8" wide.

Sometimes another set of eyes is what is needed.

Last night my friend Ercil stopped by for dinner. She asked how my current project was going. I told her that it wasn't - I was stalled out. "I think it has too much mohair!"

A few years ago I dyed some yarn with Kool-Aid to create a bright rainbow yarn for a project. Recently I mixed the leftovers with some other yarns to create this scarf.

Although my garden can't compare to Giverny, and I have no water lilies - just one small fountain - looking around, I have some of the water lilies colors in my yard.

Some people thrive on chaos. I am not one of them. I like order - everything in it's place. I also enjoy creating order out of chaos. That, in a fundamental way, is what weaving is about.

The weather this weekend was nearly perfect for weaving in the garden. The goal was to finish a group project that was started last year and was put on hold until the weather was warm and dry enough to set up the warp weighted loom on the patio.

This morning I mixed up the dye solutions for the projects I'll be working on this week. With the solutions already mixed, dyeing the yarn will be much simpler…

We had from noon on Friday until noon on Sunday to weave the header band, tie the heddles, weave and finish off the shawl.

My current project started life on another loom, borrowed from my friend Ellen. After a while, I started feeling guilty about having her loom for so long, so I decided I needed a warp weighted loom of my own.

There’s an elephant in my living room. You know what I mean, something large and obvious that you do your best to ignore. My elephant is a warp weighted loom. It stands in the opening between my living room and my loom room. It has been standing there for a very long time.

Ordinary time is underrated. You know the time I mean, the days that are routine - work, house-work, school-work – whatever your routine happens to be. A block of days where one day melds predictably into the next, busy, yes – these days who’s not? – but busy in a predictable way.

Here in southern California, we understand the power of wind and fire. Two weeks ago, wind stirred up a fire just north of here in Santa Barbara. Hundreds of homes were lost in the fire. Fire is part of our natural landscape, it burns away old, dry brush and gives a chance for fresh new growth to come with the winter rains.

Taking breaks from weaving the white stole, I’ve been dyeing the yarn for the red and purple stoles. I admit it, I am no great shakes as a dyer. In fact the red warp started out as a failed dye experiment.

I’ve always wanted to try my hand at liturgical weaving, but since my dad, the preacher, retired long before I started weaving, I never really had a reason to.