End of the Warps

 I finished up the blacks colorway warp.  It seemed to keep on giving forever :)

This isn't all of them...  Just some of the more colorful ones!

I've got both looms rewarped and weaving.  Union loom has green, brown and tans in the warp so should work for quite alot of the accumulated weft materials in the piles.

The Fairloom has natural, gold, salmon and burgundy.   It's working very well with some of the more colorful bits of weft materials that weren't working with the last warp I had on.

First show of the year is next week...

I've increased my prices on all new pieces, upgraded and replaced my signage and invested in some not home made biz cards.  I should be ready come Friday night when I pack things up.

All for now,

JULIE

PS

I recently started a new instagram account for my rugs.  Find me at renew.rugs

Color for the winter months

 I have so much fun making tablerunners.  I can usually put on a warp that will work with many different colors of 'rags'.

These finishes have some fun colors in them...

This was the end of the warp on the Fairloom.

I have spent some time giving the loom a once over... it had gotten a little loosey goosey, so some bolt tightening was in order.   Soon I will put on the next table runner warp.  I've got a tote full of fabrics that I felt needed a lighter warp than what I had on, so it is time to start playing with warp colors and deciding on whether I will put a pattern in the warping, or what exactly to do with that.

Just finishing up on the black/charcoal warp, too.  That loom will get browns/greens/ tans on to do a run of those colors.   

Then blue.... The order changed up on me a bit, just because I felt like it :)

All for now,

JULIE

New Year Planning

 So the holidays are over and the new year has begun.

The grandbaby has now been going to daycare for a couple of weeks, and you would think I would have a little more time to weave!  LOL

What I have time for now that the day care issue is resolved, is to go to my own job.  I'm back up to pre baby number of hours.  After work tho, I seem to always run an errand or two for the parents before I head home.  Usually I barely beat the daughter and baby home.  

If I do get there first, I first eat a meal (I don't take a lunch break at work), feed the fire stove, do any calling or taking care of business that needs done during business hours. 

I've been getting in a little weaving in the evenings.  With the early darkness, and my penchant for early mornings, I tend to want to go to bed at around 8 PM.   I still have managed some finished rugs. 

These are mens khaki type pants made into two rugs that are matchy matchy.  I managed to use up the last of that stash.  On the hunt now to build it back up again.

Here are some corduroy rugs.  I used ALMOST all of my stash except for a bright blue piece and a weird foresty green. I just didn't think they mixed well with the others.  I guess those two will be the seed to grow into the next stash.

The majority of rugs on this warp are black denims. They are a staple that I like to keep on hans so I make multiples.  

Planning for vendor events is ongoing.  I'm going to try a few new to me locations and see how that goes.

In my last post I alluded to an elimination diet I had started.  The last few years I have been having autoimmune type symptoms and my blood pressure was climbing.  All I got when asking for help to find cause or manage those was more drugs and specialists....  I finally found a dr that is trying to help instead of sucking $ out of my wallet.   

Since Dec 2, I am down 29 lbs and most importantly, my blood pressure is too.  Goal is to eliminate those meds all together.   First revisit is coming up this week so will find out whats next!

All for now

Julie

A different focus

 Lately I've found I come to internet land less and less.

Maybe could it be because I have found more in the real world to occupy myself, instead of escaping to the internet when I wasn't finding what I needed in the real world?

I have been weaving, not lots, but enough I can still say I'm a self employed weaver.

Fall is usually a slow weaving time as I'm normally going to plenty of events and that takes up alot of my 'free time' that I use to weave.

I did less shows this year, I was choosey and decided on going to quality (my own definition) shows instead of quantity.

This little guy keeps me busy....

Three months old and getting to be quite fun to be around.  He has become a smiley baby after finally finding a formula that agreed with him, as well as some regular chiropractic visits.

Time is coming quickly where a day care will finally have openings. For now, gramma (me) and dad have been juggling our schedules to take care of this little guy while mom is at her job that can't be juggled quite so easily. 

I'm currently weaving on a black, charcoal, gray and white warp.  Mostly black denim, but some other rugs, too.

I'm quite short on tablerunners... so that is also going on the FairLoom. 

I'm doing Christmas and Fall colors -  seems I can't get the raw materials until it is that time of the year anymore... the thrift shops are putting away tableclothes and bringing them out right before the season, so I guess I'm weaving for next season!

Update on the foals --  Registration papers have been sent in, and we will be sending in color dna tests at the appropriate point in the process.  We have written in grulla, but we will see what the tests show.  The colt (Hemi) is on the left, and the filly (Cricket) is on the right.  Picture angle makes them seem pretty close in size, but the colt is taller and a bit stockier.  This was their first tie up day.  They had been dragging the halters for a bit and son in law says they handled it pretty good.  They have lost some confidence in us when they are loose or we are approaching them, but as soon as they are caught, they are really calm. They both let us handle all four feet and enjoy a good scratch.   

They are very hairy - as you can see it is winter here.  Just yesterday we were forecast to get 2-4 inches, but instead we got 14inches of  light and fluffy snow that came straight down.  Now today it is very windy, so it is rearranging itself :)  Typical South Dakota weather. 

Christmas will have all of my kids and their other halves coming here for time spent together.  Gifts aren't a big thing for us, so no last minute shopping or frantic OMG I forgot moments here.  We aren't doing much special baking either as I am currently on an elimination diet  - No gluten, eggs, dairy, caffeine, alcohol, corn, sugar.   More on that later....

All for now,

JULIE

Been a little bit busy

 Last post was just prior to a couple of big vendor events.

Those happened and I did well at both of them.  The one at the end of September was exceptional.

Also happened, Sept 12, was this...

Grandson Jhett -  This picture was of him on his actual due date Oct 7.

Foal update...

As of this past weekend, the babies have been weaned.  They did some calling back and forth, but went right to eating.  They sure are fuzzy, I hope that doesn't foretell a cold winter.  They will be getting introduced to halters as we find time, they are pretty gentle, letting us scratch them and touch them all over.

It was a tough summer for mare moms to be feeding babies.  Both mares are a little ribby, so they are now being supplemented in the hopes they can put on some weight before it gets really cold. 

All for now,  

JULIE

pictures as requested

 There have been requests for updated foal pictures, so here are a few...

First the colt.   He has become Hemi.... that's his barn name.  His registered name will hopefully by Rumblebee.

Looks big next to his momma...  He is right at 3 months old in this picture.

And now the filly.  She has been, since I first saw her, Cricket.  Her registered name will include that for sure, not sure how much other stuff will be added to that at the moment. 

These two have been in a small holding pen since Cricket had her umbilical hernia surgery.  The mare has a hard time on the hay - can't handle even a bit of dust without some heaves developing.  8 days post op, we have just moved her and mom to a small patch of grass - No half brother or cranky aunt to get into it with, so hopefully she doesn't get too rambunctious for her recovery.    Cricket is just one week shy of 3 months in this photo. 

I'm feeling a bit stressed about this next month.  Big vendor show this weekend, followed by events the following 2 weekends.  Hope I've got things ready.

All for now,
JULIE

Summer busyness

 Summer tends to be busy for me.

More daylight means more time to do outdoor things ---

This summer has been extra busy it feels like, but maybe it's just he getting older thing/ time going faster that is happening instead?

Foal update:  Both colt and filly are doing well - growing and filling out nicely. 

 The filly, Cricket, younger by a week - has had a baby coat shed and she is definately a grulla -  exciting!  She sometimes appears almost gunmetal blue.   Last week she had a procedure to fix an umbilical hernia.  We chose to go to a vet that has a reputation for having good outcomes for such things and we are glad we did.  Turns out there was a weak area in addition to the open spot that he went ahead and worked on.  Glad we got that done younger than older!   She and her mom will be in a smaller pen by themselves for another 2 weeks or so.  Mom is vocal and calls to the other mares who are on grass down by the house.

Hemi, the colt, still has not shed out his body.  His legs and points are getting very dark, but his body still has the light color he was born with.  Still think there is a possibility he will be a grulla, but not going to say with certainty, yet. 

The chance of having 2 out of 2 foals that are grulla/grullo is crazy small,  it kind of blows our minds :)

I've been weaving, just not as much.  Also had a 36 inch wide warp on, and those rugs take longer to finish up anyway.  Just took the last of those off and will try to get a new warp on in the next day or so.

Fall shows are starting up.  Next three weeks I have scheduled events.  

Grandbaby should be showing up sometime first week of October - we've been doing the house projects as fast as we can to try and keep the mom to be happy, lol. 

Sharing a few photos of recently finished rugs...

All for now,
JULIE

PS  Also have new employees at the ranch...

3 new weedeaters named Uno, Dos, and Tres....