Small Victories

The other day I forced some time at my loom.

I had just a bit of blue 'mini' rug warp left to weave off.   I wove 3 more longer denim rugs and as I was getting to the end, I found this....

I had counted perfectly while sectional warping!

NEVER happens :)  But this time it did!  

So I took a commemorative photo, just to prove it can be done... LOL

Small victory!


I promptly made a plan change - I had planned on warping with black/charcoal, gray and white.  But...

I have missed the whole period of time I had planned for that warp and am looking at Christmas season without much in the way of "Christmas" colored inventory.

So instead, I warped this.

This warp is made up of forest green, brick red, black, white and a variegated red/white that has been languishing in my stash.

This is working nicely with the Christmas tableclothes I had previously processed and stashed for use. 

These are tablerunner widths.  I'm sure I won't have enough of those pre processed wefts to finish off the 75 revolutions I put on, so I may be doing some crazy experiments to see what I can make work with this go round.

On the home front, my brother has returned and has temporarily agreed to do the daily bucket chores for the cattle in the yards.

Good thing - I was at the end of my endurance.  I still need some recuperation time, but that will take a bit as I still have basically 3 jobs plus my 'extra curricular' activities.  :)

I have a show next weekend (10 days) that I need to prepare for.  And it is the holiday show season here.  Three confirmed shows after this one, and I found another I may apply to.  Doesn't sound like a whole lot when I say it, but the gut tells me it is!  LOL

All for now,
JULIE

PS.  There is a snow storm predicted in a couple days.   I am SO NOT ready!

Quick check in

So I've survived ( lol ) the first time attendance to the Fort Ransom event.  I believe it was the 52nd annual?  This show is rain or shine - in North Dakota on the last week of September.  Always a good chance the shine will be in short supply!

Saturday morning I was up at o dark thirty to get to the location by 7.  Almost 2 hours drive time....

It was a brisk 35 degrees - I could see my breath - and I had an outdoor 10 x 10.  I got my canopy up, unloaded all the product and promptly dug out the dry socks and shoes and switched.  Thank goodness I had thought of that as my feet were squishy, it would have been a long and miserable day that way!

Saturday was a nice autumn day, sun for a bit - high of about 52.  It got overcast in the afternoon and there was a chill in the air, but there were many buyers.  At closing time I was able to hitch a ride home with a neighbor who was also there with a booth.  Left my truck and saved myself some driving time and gas.

Sunday morning brought rain.   It rained in various degrees of liquid all day, but the temp had risen from the day before, thank goodness.  It seemed very slow as far as attendees, but I still had a great day. 

Over all, I will most surely apply again for next year.  I had my largest sales event ever!   I sold 21 rugs, 6 runners and 5 (only!!  surprised me) flyswatters. 

By the time I had everything packed up, I was wet, tired and ready to head home.   I drove into the garage, took my purse inside and decided to leave everything loaded until the morning.

I never did get any pictures, as it would have meant standing in the rain.  But it was a great weekend!

Right now I am really dragging.  I'm feeling the effects of 3+ weeks of doing cattle chores, fixing fence, moving my parents into an apartment, the normal bookwork/accounting for the parents ranch, my own weaving processes and starting a new job in town.   I've barely made it every other day to check on my horses and checking in with the cows that are now calving.  

I could use some help :)

All for now,
JULIE

More of the same

I've been getting very little weaving done lately.  These are the finishes from the last group that came off the loom.  I accidentally created twin striped denim rugs.  I like them :)

What I have been doing is...

Cattle chores that are my brothers responsibility, since he went and left for a month or more...

The bookwork/bills/accounting type stuff I normally do for my parents....

Getting my parents into an apartment in town - we signed today...

4-H end of year paperwork and such...

This is all in addition (unpaid)  to caring for my horses and pup, taking care of my own finances, trying to create rugs for upcoming craft shows, and starting a new job ( so I can take care of my own finances).

Last post I had said I was most likely getting a seasonal job I'd had some years ago.

Plans changed!  From a random convo I had with a stranger while waiting for my parents, I was asked if I was interested in a position at an auto parts store.  After discussing my needs and availability, it was decided I would start there last week!  I am enjoying the work - lots of organizing and stocking of inventory.  Some cleaning, and yesterday we painted exterior on the new building.

It pays less than the other job I'd applied for, but the hours are flexible so I can attend to the unpaid portions of my day to day.   I'm having to remind myself to breathe and all things will be ok.  Last night I had a migraine, I think from being too warm painting yesterday in addition to stress.

Banks and financing are my biggest stressor right now - I wish these things weren't so difficult.

All for now, JULIE

These rugs I call 'minis'

Some years ago I was at an event that involved lots of campers. 

I had alot of people say my rugs were too big for the floor space in their rigs.

So I came up with this  mini size ----

I warp 9 sections so the rugs finish at 18 inches wide.

I warped it in blue, using up a large amount of partial cones of poly cotton warp.

I decided on the minis as I am extremely short on inventory, and I wasn't sure if I had enough warp to do the regular width rugs!  :)

I really need to get some warp ordered.   I'm short on blues and natural/white.  The two colors I use the most of...

I'm pretty sure I won't have time before the next show to get more regular width denim rugs done, so I'm not going to stress over it.  When I weave this warping off, I am going to do black/charcoal/gray, etc.  It's been a really long time since I've done that.

Here are some recently finished rugs...

Mini denim fringed rugs.  18 wide and all about the same length.

Mini hemmed denim rugs.  Look closely, there are 3 rugs that are woven from a different batch of denim strips.  Each batch has a different hue, all depending on the mix of found jeans.

I've got white denim... I wasn't sure about this while I was weaving, but I really like the contrast the blue and white have.  This morning I wove a hemmed edge longer version of this.  Still have white denim left, so maybe another will happen, too.

And then the Americana rugs.  The longer one is all denim, and the smaller is bed sheets.  I think I haven't found the right red/white stripe width that makes me happy in this width of rug yet.  One looks squatty and one looks stretched.  Maybe it's just me?

Other than weaving, I've got shows lined up for the rest of the year.  Another good sized one in October, and then several smaller ones in November and December around and for the holidays. 

I have applied to work a seasonal job in town - I've worked there before about 8 years ago?  I need to bump my income and this seems to be the most reliable way to do it.  When I find out if I get hired, I'll share more.

It also is starting to feel fall like at times - that creates a feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach.  There is so much to do and figure out before snow, and many decisions are still unmade.

This morning I was feeling very overwhelmed.  Many small irritations and disappointments are piling up and I start feeling discouraged.  I'm not sure what to do or how to change anything right now, so I just need to keep doing and hope things will change for the better soon.

All for now,
JULIE

Surprise ending

I surprised myself by finishing up the current warp - I've been calling it the khaki warp.

I had put on the normal amount of warp, but it seemed as if I hadn't done many rugs on it.

Could be that I did alot of 'same type' of rug instead of having to do designing every rug?

So the last rugs off are....

This one was made from 2 large heavyweight tablecloths.  I like it!

Colored denim.  I have two that are about 4 feet long,

and a runner that is about 8 1/2 feet.

Bed sheet rugs.

Finish up bits and pieces twill....

And a soft squishy blanket rug.

I've sent off applications to a couple of new events - Hope to get in... one's a big one about a month out from now.  

I think I better warp up and do some more denim - One reason is to use up and empty some of the 4 big totes I have full of strips ready to sew.  Other reason, I'm about out of hemmed denim rugs, and I only have one left of the "mini" rug size in denim. 

So that's two different warps.  I'm wondering if I have enough blue colorway warp cones?

Guess I better go check.

All for now,

JULIE

Drive, drive, drive

Living where I do, it seems as if sometimes all I do is drive.

Since last Wednesday, (7 days ago), I have put on about 1200 miles.  And not all in one direction!

First, I went SW about 45 miles to be a judge at a county fair.  I judged senior 4-H photography.

Then I went S about 180 miles to meet up and welcome my girls home from their 30th birthday drip to Mexico.  I stayed over and the next morning drove home, picked up my parents, and...

Went N about 95 miles for an appointment for my dad.

Next day went west 45 miles for an appointment for me.

And then I went E 40 miles for another dad appointment.

Today I'm only going 30 miles E for an appointment for me.

HA HA.... those are one way miles. 

I think it adds up to about 1200 miles on my new pickup :)

In between there are the daily chores for animals and home.

Somewhere during that time, I picked chokecherries and made jelly.  Three batches!

There have been rugs waiting to be finished and I got them done yesterday.

This isn't all of them, I've got them all on the facebook page if you'd like to see them.

My loom is now in the garage attached to the house.  It is much warmer and more humid than the last location, and I fight flies and other bugs.  Also my mom keeps rearranging so I get to keep searching every time I get out there....  :)

More control over my environment lost -  oy!

The last few evenings I have been contacting vendor events and making decisions on where I will attend this fall.  I think I have made up the list and there will be several new locations for me!

Hope I have enough inventory!

All for now,
JULIE

Fair Season

It is the season of the fairs.

My hometown 4-H program can be classified as 'small', as we don't have a fairgrounds and not a lot of numbers.

We have always thought of ourselves as "big" in terms of quality of programs, exhibits, and volunteers.

The 4-H program would be nothing without the cooperation between the 4-H advisors, office staff (one person) parents and leaders.  Also many of our judges end up volunteering their time - turning back the remuneration that is offered for their services.

These exhibits are from "my kids".   Our club had a great Achievement Days and it's fun to see how excited they get with their projects and how they start planning immediately for next year!

From my group we also had sheep, goats, calves, and pigs.

Also the club was represented in the Fashion Review show and Public Presentations contest.

Proud of those kids!

On the weaving front,  I've got a new warp on and am weaving memory rugs for an old friend.  She is cleaning out her fathers home and I did a run of khaki/twill rugs made primarily from his pants.  I've added other color pants to have some variety and add something to the light colored fabric.

I still have some of the neutral left and leftovers of the these mixes.  I'm sure I'll figure out how to get some more rugs out of that.

Unfortunately, my loom will be homeless as soon as I can find some helpful muscle to move it.  My brother is finishing up his office space that I've been occupying and I'm now "in the way".   My equipment may have to go back into storage unless I can find a spot here in a garage or something. 

I'm 'over' this being in limbo.  Something needs to change.

All for now,
JULIE