Blue!
Oh, I have so much to tell you about, but first things first. My sweater won a blue ribbon at the Fair!
For the past month, anticipating our renovation, we haven’t had much furniture in the house. In fact, the only thing you could see from the street was my spinning wheel. One day while walking with the kids, one of the neighbors flung open her window and called, “Are you a spinner?”
Why yes. Yes I am. And so I met Betsy, my two-doors-down neighbor, who is also a spinner, weaver, seamstress, etc. Of course one fiber artist can not meet another without also meeting their stash of fiber. Or their tools. As it was, Betsy was cleaning house, and somehow (I’m still not sure how it happened) she offered me a floor loom. And I, dumbfounded, but not being one to let such an opportunity pass, called my brother, and together we carried it home. (And yes, if you must ask, it was awkward and heavy as hell, but it wouldn’t fit into my truck with the camper shell on.)
Please meet my new-to-me handmade 8-shaft floor loom, soon to be my Mama’s new loom. For years my mom had wanted to learn to weave, and so when she and her partner, Don, went to New Zealand for a semester this year, she finally was able to take a weaving class. She is very excited about her new loom, as she should be, and she is going to come visit me soon so she can take it home with her. (So a note to all of you who can’t get your mother to visit–go right out and find her a floor loom, and hand knit her a sweater to seal the deal.)
But back to Betsy–she is also the superintedant of the fiber arts division at our local Fair, and she asked me to demonstrate spinning for a few hours in the display hall, so I brought my new wheel (the wheel that my mom and her partner bought in New Zealand and shipped to me!) down to the fairground and had a lovely time sitting and spinning and chatting with all the folks who stopped to watch. Of course that gave me plenty of time to gloat over admire the blue ribbon on my sweater, which I am still holding for ransom. I think the loom ups the ante on that.
Happily, my mom has decided to pay up with a visit in a couple weeks, and she is also bringing me two light fixtures for my fireplace wall, which I was unable to procure locally, so I think it will be a good trade.
Hi,
Just had to comment. I have been subscribed to your blog for awhile after reading backwoods online – and always enjoy your updates.
I’m a stay at home mum on a lifestyle block in New Zealand – it always astounds me that we live in such a global community – and that there a connections where you don’t expect to find them. Hope your Mum enjoyed her time in New Zealand – keep up the great posts.
Regards
Lisa (Backblocks New Zealand)
congrats on the blue ribbon! it’s a beautiful sweater.
Wow, what an amazing hand-me-down! How awesome for your mum!
And congratulations on the blue ribbon. The sweater is gorgeous!