Have Bag Will Travel

I purchased a new camera just before Christmas, and I am still expending considerable energy in learning to use it. I just received in the mail, thanks to a tip from a friend, a CD entitled, "How to Use the Digital Camera You Just Bought!" I have yet to find the time to embark on this tutorial, but I am in earnest in my desire and know that I will find the time soon. All this in pre-apology for the lack of definition and sharpness in the following photos. I am such a novice!

Just off the loom, well, not just off, as I have spent several hours 'finishing' the piece. I was unsure as to what exactly this was going to be, but upon seeing the finished product, I realize it is a TRAVEL BAG...literally a Carpet Bag, as it was first a small rug.

It is large and roomy, sturdy and a bit funky, and I actually love it and might not part with it...that is if anyone ever wanted to buy it.

A close up and more true rendition of its colors, though some of the greens are not entirely accurate. The body of the bag is made from strips of wool blankets, either Pendleton blankets or thrift store finds, and finished with sides/strap of a really beautiful subtly imprinted green blanket used in the body, from Pendleton blanket ends. I hand appliqued 'waves' on the top portion of the bag after it was taken off the loom.


You can just barely make out the design. It is really unusual.

For the inside I made a small bag to hold items one might wish to find fast. It is attached to the inside of the large bag with a matching 'ribbon'.

This project is complete, what's next?? I have finally, after many years warped my Herald loom, and am anxious to start that journey.

Where to Begin

Part of my creative spirit seems to be seeing potential in just about anything. Now that is the positive way of looking at I just can't throw anything away.

In addition, when cutting wool strips for rugs, invariably I have a considerable amount of strips left over. Which, of course, I can't throw away. So I have containers full of a multitude of colors/textures of wool strips.

A wicker basket full of strips.

An old cheese round full of strips.

A tall basket full of strips.

I am sure if I uncover things long enough, I'll find even more, perhaps tucked in the back of an upstairs closet. So, I have vowed to not cut any more blankets up, (I have already broken this vow...a little bit) until I use up at least a good portion of these strips on rugs or bags.

This is my first attempt. I am not sure what this is going to be exactly, but am working hard to play around with the colors I have. Already I have run out of one color, so I need to be really inventive in how I am going to incorporate new colors and still have it look like a cohesive piece.

In the mean time, I have also warped the 'twine rag rug' loom and have started twining again.

Here it is at about the point I am now at. It is getting easier, and I am getting faster at it, but it is still much more time consuming then floor loom weaving.


A corner detail.

A close up of the cotton twined rug. I am liking how the colors twine and meld together.

Luckily it seems easier for me to cut strips for twined rugs as I go along. I think this insures I won't have baskets full of already cut cotton strips. Of course, if I did, I could braid them and weave a braided rag rug. MMMM...now that's an idea.

To Honor an American Hero

Tribute to a King

August 23, 1963
"I Have A Dream"

We cannot walk alone.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.

We cannot turn back.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

Free at last! Free at last!
Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

Excerpts from Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech.


Martin Luther King, Jr. nourished my dream long ago. Sometimes I wonder if that dream has dissipated, evaporated like the morning fog. Yet, I his voice still echoes in my mind and I know the dream of 1963 must become the dream of 2010.

May our dream be realized.

COMPLETED

Completing the last two/three rows in the middle proved a dedicated feat. It was tight, slow, tedious going, but not as bad as I had anticipated.

Here is the rug completed but still on the loom.

After the final twining, I pulled the metal rods from either side of the rug, and much tension was released. I think the finishing technique was supposed to be the same as on the small pot holder looms we did as children, but I really did not think that was the best choice. I decided to take some of the fabric, thread it through a very long needle, and double whip the warp ends from one end to the other,

This is what the completed ends look like. It turned out to be neat, and the darker orange gave just a bit of snap to the ends of the rug.

The completed rug. As this loom came to me with some of the 'weaving' already done, I initially just wanted to complete it with anything, so I could design it from start to finish. However, I really love this rug!! and am grateful and indebted to whoever started it. And yes, I am anxious to start again. Twining is very time consuming, and takes much longer then straight weaving, but the finished product offers a depth and intricacy of its own.

TWISTED

Sometime last year while rummaging around at Goodwill in La Crosse, I came across what appeared to be a 'loom' of some sort. Whoever had given it up, had done so after having 'woven' several inches of rug. The structure of the loom was familiar to me, not unlike a largish tapestry loom, but the type of weaving was unfamiliar.

The loom as it came from Goodwill.

A corner detail of the 'twisting'.

Not knowing exactly what was going on in the 'weaving', I took apart a few rows to determine how I should continue. I thought I had it, and proceeded with not a little taking apart and starting once again.

I especially liked the pattern of the fabric strip that was abandoned. I could not match it, of course, but I found colors that seemed complementary. I was able to get a book out of the library that explained this technique, and off and on over the past months, I have worked on it. Lately I have devoted time to it, and am nearly finished. As this rug is being woven from both the top and the bottom at the same time, as I approach the center, I wonder how I am going to twist those last strips in, and then the big question, how to get it off the loom. Luckily, I have a group of women textile lovers who I am sure will offer me much valued direction.

This is where I am at the moment, and hope to complete it soon so as to begin with a design of my choosing. Still, I am indebted to whoever started this rug, and am delighted to have learned something new about weaving.

NEW YEAR'S ROYALTY

THE PRINCESS!

When I was in high school, I had what I then considered to be a beautiful 'prom' dress, all light-weight, pink and airy. When Jonel was a little girl, I took that dress apart and made her a Princess dress. I came upon that dress not long ago. On this day last week, I asked Iris to cover her eyes for a surprise. Her big blue eyes were even bigger and filled with the wonder that only a three year old can possess. Here, she dons that dress, along with her beautiful rhinestone tiara. She suddenly became magic. Upon first putting this outfit on, she proceeded to 'dance' very slowly, almost slow-motion slow, ballerina-style. It was precious. I asked her to wait a moment and ran upstairs and rummaged in my antique clothing drawer. I came down with an old lace dress on and my mother's rhinestone necklace as my tiara.

Oh, to have the eyes of the little princess who pronounced, "Ohhhh, Nonna, you are so beau-ti-ful!

After all the dancing, and yes, I did ballet as well, she decided a tea party was in order. So she gathered all her 'children' and her tea set and we had a Princess tea part.

But this is very hard and tiring work for a little princess. Where is her handmaiden?

NEW YEAR'S DAY 2010

New Year's Day dawned cloudy and bitterly cold. But by noon the sun came out and brought the temperature up to around 6 degrees. Having had Raynaud's disease for many years, I wondered about venturing out, though I knew if I bundled up enough the exercise would do its work in keeping my circulation going. So bundle I did...long underwear times two, Carhart pants, wool leg warmers, sock liners, wool socks, raw wool around my toes, two long sleeve shirts under a wool sweater, a wool scarf, hat and warm jacket, with double lined wool gloves stuffed with raw wool around my fingers. I was set to go.

For the most part we took the trail we'd snow shoed the other day, but we broke trail some as well as taking advantage of short spurts of established trail. (We much prefer bushwhacking.) This is the first slew we crossed.

And this is the second slew we crossed. Freddie is bundled, but far less than I.

Once again we made our way down to the Kickapoo River. It was simply stunning today with the sun sparkling diamonds in the snow.

Bushwhacking this section is rather 'easy' compared to some sections.

Looking back over the tracks we made.

It never ceases to amaze me as to how very easy a man can relieve himself in the wilderness. Remember all the clothes I have on...despite the need, I hold very well.

Unsullied snow, which really did have a blue cast.

The sumac cones were vivid and striking in their boldness. This photo does not do justice to the blood red against the blue sky.
My fingers are still cold as I type this, but I am exhilarated and so very full of life.

May everyone approach this new year exhilarated and full of life. Blessings and good health to all.