This has been a nice week. One I could get used to; off Monday Bank Holiday, in work for two days, then off Thursday as normal, and back for one day before the weekend. Alas, back to 4 day weeks next week.
Weaving Update
If you popped by last Friday, you will know I was getting the loom up and running, but having a bit of a hard time. I was rusty, having not woven anything for a while. But, Saturday morning I was down in the kitchen/dining room space adding warp to the loom.
I had found a couple of blue yarns in DK weight and thought they would do. I was under the impression from my calculations that I had enough. However, it was not the case and I needed some more. I plumped for a thicker weight yarn in the middle. I found out about 10 warp threads in there was not enough. I had to warp the other side to get the right balance then the middle. I ended up skipping slots to make it work.
As a result I was unsure how it would turn out, but overall, it was fine.
If you are on Instagram, you will have seen some of these already. At one point during the weave, a warp thread threatened to break, as you might see from the picture below. I added a replacement just in case and went carefully on the beating of the weft to avoid breaking it. It held and I still have the replacement in there, just in case. If it breaks, I can fix it.
Anyway, I finished it on Thursday, washed and dried and now it resides on the dining table. It isn’t perfect because the middle warp has a different nature to the other and its shrinkage and tension has rippled the fabric, but it’s fine for what it is. And it used up some stash.
I am now thinking about what to weave next. Stash raiding tomorrow I think.
Today, I saved a daft lamb.
We went for a late evening walk today, with it being so warm it was quite pleasant. Halfway around there were two sheep and three lambs on the lane.
As we got closer they headed off towards the gap in the hedge where a fallen tree branch had compressed the fence. The first one jumped over, followed by one of its lambs. Another lamb attempted and failed. The next sheep came up to the fence made an attempt and succeeded on the second go. Meanwhile, a lamb tried and failed again, then thought it might squeeze through the wire squares of the fence. The other lamb had a go and made it over.
But this one daft lamb tried again, no doubt a little distressed, failed and then made a complete hash of trying to squeeze through the fence again, only to be spread eagle across the large tree branch on the ground and his head through the fence. It looked a bit forlorn, so I dodged nettles and brambles to get in to the gap. Obviously this concerned him more, but once I could grab hold of him, he calmed right down as I lifted him out of his trap and over the fence into the field. He bounded off to his mother.
He was very cute and so soft. My good deed for the day. 🙂 🐑
In other news…
I recorded the bird song from when I ate breakfast outside this morning. Just need to transfer it to share with you. Always fills me with joy at the start of the day.
We also have lots of a House Martens flying around and nesting. I tried to film them zipping through the sky, but no joy in getting anything worth sharing. I am hoping one pair will nest on our house wall.
On a walk Thursday, we made our way through a field of grass, already into its flowering stage. It think this will be a new laptop screensaver.
And lastly, I brought a sewing machine. It’s only a beginner version from Hobbycraft and arrives next week. While I was working on the table runner, I thought about how to increase my scope with woven fabric. Tea towels need hems. Runners can be hemmed, as can scarfs. Not everything needs a tasseled or fringed edge. And my hand sewing is not perfect. Who knows; I may even try my hand at sewing with material. A cushion cover I made years ago was ok.
As I kid, I would watch my mum using her Singer, making curtains and the odd outfit. If I had been smart, I would have given a good home to her old machine, when she moved and had to downsize. Hindsight!
I hope you are all taking care of one and other, staying safe and also sane!
I’ll leave you with this picture from Instagram.
Hook This, Weave That 
Love the weaving and impressed by your heroics with the lamb.
Looking forward to seeing your progress with the sewing machine when it arrives.
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Thank you. I saw one a week or two back that got stuck in an open corale. All the lamb wanted was to get to it’s mum at the top of the field, but despite there being an open section it just kept jumping at the fence. Someone else went in and shooed it down towards the gap. Sheep really are daft.
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Even though I live in a city there is lots of bird song to hear, especially if I am awake and listen to the dawn chorus. I recognise blackbirds but am unsure what the other bird are.
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Lovely isn’t it. I’ll post the audio and if you recognise it, the it’s sparrows.
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