Over the past few years, I haven't been one to make resolutions when January 1st rolls around. Between having a baby, renovating an antique home, and everything else that seems to have happened, I have been busy enough trying to keep myself focused on accomplishing pretty much anything. This year felt a bit different to me. The catastrophic issues with the house have been fixed, the child is finally sleeping through the night (if you call waking up at 5:30am sleeping through the night), and I can usually count on at least two hours during the day of 'me time' while he naps. It took me a while to figure out how to manage every waking minute of my life to a point where I can actually do something other than cleaning, laundry, baking or whatnot during that 'me time'. Thankfully the little guy at least seems to like to follow the vacuum cleaner around to experience the exhaust blowing in his face (HEPA filter!!). Of course he has also figured out how to retract the cord and turn the machine on and off, but I look at this drawn out process of cleaning the floors as one of the more peaceful times of the week. Thought bubble... I should probably be worried that the mashed pile of blueberry waffle that I saw under my desk earlier today is missing.
 
Focus! So this year felt a bit different to me. My main issue seems to be motivating myself to use the me time wisely. That general softening of the brain that occurs when you are sleep deprived for over a year and a half can really affect one's choice of activity. Now that I am starting to chip away at the sleep deficit, I seem to have energy to do more than scour Perez Hilton for the latest in celebrity gossip. Enter Pinterest! At least it's a bit more inspiring, right? The other day I did a search on linen hoping to find some weaving inspriation. Several minutes later I was so engrossed in photos of yards of this glorious material that I even thought I was smelling linen. Turns out the water evaporated from the pot I had simmering on top of the stove, and my bamboo steamer was starting to burn! At least I had perfectly steamed carrots for the little guy. 
 
Wasn't this supposed to be about resolutions for the new year? Okay. First one has to do with focus. Clearly my start on that has been less than successful. Next. Use the good china. I was staring at the china cabinet the other day admiring the set of dishes I inherited from my grandparents, when I realized that I had really only used the sugar bowl and a few of the tea cups and saucers. So I resolved to make at least one dinner a week feel a little more civilized by serving it up on the good china. Of course a little more civilized should probably be more like actually eating dinner while sitting at the table rather than wolfing it down as I'm in a full sprint trying to intercept the kiddo before he drops the cable remote into the toilet. Yes. We installed a toilet lock earlier this week. 
 
Next. Weave more. This is going to be an easy one since my weaving hours have been woefully slim over the past two years. I am already on a roll with my first doubleweave project underway and all sorts of other creations queueing up in my mind.
 
And finally, learn to tat or at least try to learnt to tat. I am envisioning lovely handwoven linens trimmed with tatting. I have acquired three books and a dvd, and once I track down a tatting shuttle, I will sit down and give this a go. Stay tuned to see if I can get the old brain firing on enough cylinders to make this happen. 
 
In six moths I will plan a mid-year review with myself to see if I am on track.  Time to evaluate the budget and plan for a performance bonus! In the meantime, feel free to check out my latest free project, a Shaker-inspired carpet, for Schacht Spindle Company. 
 
 

My latest free project for the rigid heddle loom is posted over at Schacht Spindle Company's website. It's a shoulder bag woven in a honeycomb pattern using my 20" Flip rigid heddle loom. The cells of the honeycomb showcase some yarn that I dyed at NEWS this past July. It was actually just a bit chilly this morning, and this bag screams fall to me. I love fall. I'm going to go make myself some cocoa and get my loom dressed for fall. 

The May project for my column, 'Yearning to Weave', is now live on the Schacht Spindle Co. website. You can access it by clicking here. The project details how to make bean bags on a rigid heddle loom using pick-up sticks and your stash of perle cotton.
 
Two summers ago, Kevin and I got hooked on what we used to call 'the bean bag game'. We were attending Folks Fest up in Lyons, Colorado, and there it was, all set up just waiting for us. We were there with friends who were also not originally from the area, and when the rain started to fall, everyone else ran for cover, and it was just the four of us and a few happy-go-lucky little kiddos looking skyward and letting ourselves get soaked. It's so dry there, that we knew we'd be dry too within a short while after the rain passed. And when you live in a desert climate, rain is a small miracle. Well thanks to the rain, the game area cleared out, and we were free to play 'the bean bag game' until the sun once again overtook the clouds and it was time to share the fun with everyone.

My latest free project for Schacht Spindle Co. is now available by clicking here. Using a beautifully soft and squishy Habu wool, I wove a 2/2 twill using crammed and spaced warp threads to create an undulating effect. It's my favorite project yet, and I am quite sure I'll be wearing it as a big warm scarf once fall rolls around.

My March free weaving project is now available through Schacht Spindle Company, by clicking here.  I made a little ring pillow for our wedding next month using pick up sticks to create our initials and some other details. It was quick and easy - probably about an afternoon's worth of work to weave if you count taking a bit of time to calculate blocks to make your own letters or shapes. 

My latest project for Schacht Spindle Company's Yearning to Weave feature, is now available for free here. It's a scarf pattern that uses basic tapestry techniques to create both textural interest and a keyhole feature that enables you to thread one end of the scarf through the other for an easy cinch (ha!). Schacht also launched their new website this past week, and if you're looking for more free patterns, click on their Newsletters link. Of note if you happen to be a Flip rigid heddle loom owner, the Winter 2007 issue has instructions for warping and weaving with two heddles.

My latest article and free project are now live on the Schacht Spindle Co. site. Click here for details. This festive bag uses hemstitching to create holes through which ribbon could be threaded to cinch around the neck of a wine bottle (or your favorite 40 - yowzers!). It's super easy to weave up on a rigid heddle loom, and I would advise you to weave at least two because you may just want to keep one for yourself.
 
I got the yarn for this project from the fabulous Ellen at Purl Diva in Brunswick, Maine. If she ain't got it, it ain't happenin'.

I'm very excited to say that my first monthly column for new weavers is up on Schacht Spindle Company's website. For anyone who doesn't know, I'm the former Director of Sales and Marketing for Schacht. A move back east cut my tenure short, but I am close to family and friends which makes me happy, and I still get to work with Jane, albeit from afar. Plus, we now have enough elbow room for me to have my own studio space which is very cool. Anyhow, the point of the column is to offer up some advice and encouragement to new weavers and provide some project ideas as well.
 
My first article is about selvedge frustration, and the project is a great stash-busting fulled clutch. I made three in one fell swoop for only the cost of the buttons. This could be woven on almost any loom, so it's a perfect beginner project not to mention a quick and easy gift.