Twisp of Fate

I have been spending a lot of time weaving rugs the last couple of weeks, since returning from the weaving conference in Bellingham.  I used up the last of the warp I had on that loom doing these:

“Ruglets” R143 & R144

R145 – sold last weekend at Winthrop Gallery

“Ruglets” R146 & R147

“Ruglets” R148 & R149

R150 – Pendleton wool shirting selvages

I am now working my way through my still rather large collection of Pendleton blanket and shirting selvages – trying to make some headway on using up materials I gathered at the mill outlets over the last several years.  When I don’t have much of something left, I am either working it into a full size rug along with other colors and textures, or making “ruglets”.  These are about 18″ x 30″ and I have found them useful around our house, at least, as hearth mats, bench mats, cat mats, small floor mats, or whatever.

Around July 1st I wound a new rug warp (about 47 yards) onto the sectional beam, and tied it on to the existing threading and pulled it through to the front beam.  No sleying and threading, I love it!  I also like the colors in the new warp.

happiness is a new warp!

I had wound new warps for placemats (on Kingston the 32″ Macomber) and undulating twill towels (on Mother Mary’s loom, the 40″ Mac at the guild room) before leaving for conference.  Got the one for Kingston tied on, pulled through and wound onto the back beam, also the first week of July.  I am not sure when I will start actually weaving on these, but here is a picture with some of the fabrics I will be using:

placemat warp and fabrics ready for action

Then it was back to rug weaving.  I am having a lot of fun combining different types and colors of the Pendleton selvages, and using up my stash in a creative way.  I finished these last week before leaving for the Coast on July 5th:

R151 – pretty much the same as R150 at the end of the previous warp

R152 – a small mat using up the last of these 2 colors

R153 – gray/teal shirting selvages alternated with bright “worms” at the ends

R154 – same approach, different colored “worms”

R155 – alternated with “worms” throughout, but changing colors

My rug numbers, by the way, (Rxxx) indicate the number of rugs I have woven since I bought my first loom about 6 years ago.  The woman I bought it from wove nothing but rugs, and she got me started.  That was all I did the first 6 months or so.

This week I finished three more, very similar to the ones I did back in June before weaving conference.

R156 – using same materials as R142

R157 & R158 – same materials as R140 and using up the last of it, too!

In between, we went to the coast to visit family & friends, and celebrate Rick’s 65th birthday.

It’s been lovely here in the valley – we have had enough rain on and off to keep things relatively green.  There have been a couple of really hot spells (high 90’s) alternated with temps in the 80’s, thundershowers, etc.  We drove back into the valley last Sunday, coming over the North Cascades Hwy, to encounter a total downpour by the time we reached Winthrop!  By later that evening, however, the storm had moved off and it was back to warm and dry.