costal california snow?

Saturday I awoke to snow. Now while all the rest of the northern U S is in blizzard conditions, I am sorry, and you all are really sick of the stuff, but  I  enjoyed a fleeting couple of hours of wonder. This is only the 2nd time in 30 + years I have seen snow here at our place . At 6 am I was crunching through the weeds with my camera marveling at the confectionary sifted sugar....... two hours latter the sun's heat had whisked it away.

  saori weavings emerging 

maggie weaves saori

Today Maggie came to the studio to spend the day weaving, and  she learned to wind a warp and dress a Saori loom and  learn weaving techniques.
She was impressively quick to pick up everything and had no broken or crossed threads  through out her weaving. That was not beginners luck she is a very accomplished fiber artist in beading, spinning, felting, dyeing, knitting, crocheting and soon weaving as well!  I am sure I forgot and left out some other fiber talents she has as well.
Loved her unusual color palate and textures she chose. That is what I love about Saori. The uniqueness of the colors each person  vision brings to there own weaving's. We had so much fun! Saori designs looms and equipment which allows the weaver to learn with user friendly ease from the beginner weaver to the seasoned weaver alike.

winding a cotton and rayon warp

watch out for more of maggie's creations, she really is inspiring

espresso

Lee has a new obsession, espresso . He has spent weeks gathering information and tools and special grind coffee to make his espresso debut. He does not drink coffee and has drunk tea for as long as I have know him, that is more than 1/2 his life. Health reasons keep me from coffee but I did have some in my own tiny bone china espresso cup. It  is really  good. our commercial stove top it to hot for the small espresso maker so he has a special butane burner. The new skeins of yarns I bought at stitches west are... yes,browns like espresso .  I am eyeing the grounds for maybe dye? the compost gets them until I research that.
Out of my depth here discussing coffee but for the very first time in our home coffee fills the air on the week ends and holidays. I will have to suffice on the scent most of the time but it is very different than regular coffee which most of you probably know. Besides piles of papers for getting our taxes in order, this has been the focus the last few days. I did nothing presidential  for today for presidents day, unless working on taxes counts. Yes it does!

creating yarn on a Saori bobbin winder

All full size saori looms come with a built in bobbin winder built right into the loom. This is a fantastic feature handy always close for winding bobbins but did you know you can spin and ply yarn on the bobbin winder as well?  If you already know how to spin on a spindle or wheel or charka this is easier , however to take a class at a saori studio would  help.

making and plying yarn with the saori bobbin winder

I used wool roving, un spun wool, and here and below some  some cotton warp yarn I swept off the studio floor

One of a kind art yarn 

four yarns plying

and this is how the yarn looks  when woven as weft

no need to wind the yarn on a bobbin it is already on a bobbin just insert it into a shuttle and weave with fabulous results

  If you already know how to spin on a spindle or wheel or charka this is easier , however to take a class at a saori studio would  help.

the finished Saori challenge

Today I photographed my last warp finishing my weave a yard a day for 30 days challenge. I made the challenge in the ravelry group WEAVING IN THE SAORI WAY.
I finished 2 days ahead . All the yards of  saori weaving i have done are going to be used to design and sew clothing .

19th day of the Saori weaving challenge

Today is the 19th day of the weaving challenge a yard a day for 30 days. Progress is 21 yards woven so far.
This week when I started weaving my pewter warp a yard or two into it found me searching for a more exciting weave. so I just started playing and came up with a hybrid leno lace technique I invented.
 I have really enjoyed playing with it. My husband Lee called it plié like in ballet. so that is what i am calling it. Here is plié

I think this will be a great weave for a window, or  gauzy unstructured jacket. I was going to switch back to a heavier weft but i am having so much fun with plie  that I am continuing on with it. There is a small amount of "ballet pink ", barely noticeable, hear and there amongst the grays .

Saori rainbow weaving

My finished saori  rainbow weaving went to the beach today.
 It is my second  weaving finished in my 30 day ravelry weaving challenge. I signed up for a yard a day for 30 days. I am a little past the  half way mark and 2 or 3 yards ahead.

Lucian loves his saori loom

lucian happily clutching his bobbin

Last fall Lucian received his own Saori sx60 loom because he absolutely loved weaving. And at the age of 6 years his enthusiasm is truly catching. His mom brought his loom over for some warping the loom help, Yes there were some broken threads but it is Saori weaving and they are welcome and not not mistakes. his mom has a saori loom loom as well, they were competing for the one loom, I wish every one had a child that  wants to weave and competes for loom time!! As soon as the warp got tensioned, and i mean within seconds, he was saying can I weave now!  He sat down and wove off three colors of yarn on some bobbins I had  wound at the studio.  Finely his mom had to practically pry the shuttle out of his hand with the promise  that he could take the bobbin home and weave. As soon as he arrived home, That is exactly what he did. Happy weaving Lucian!

day 12 of the saori weaving challange

In the ravelry group WEAVING IN THE SAORI WAY  I took a challenge to weave a yard a day for 30 days. link here if you are a ravelry member http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/weaving-in-the-saori-way/1484726/1-25

I wove off my neutrals beach warp and put on my "inside set" warp I had started in september but did not finish. { only with with saori looms there is a unique feature that one can buy an extra set of harnesses and a reed and a warp tube cords and rod and in 10 mins. or less switch out one weaving for another.}

 rainbow weft

 sun and rain warp

Today is the 12 day of my challenge to my self and I have woven a total of 13 yards so far.  11  yds. beach warp, and 2 yards on my bright warp.

It was quite a shock to go from intensely weaving neutrals to brights! Color therapy is defiantly in motion here. This is an amazingly happy weaving, full of energy and light my beach weaving was very peaceful and introspective..

 In this current saori weaving  I wound a warp that when i saw it on the loom I did not care for it. so it languished for a few months, then I just cut loose and started to believe in it and stretched my color pallet and I love it now. A perfect weaving to brighten a cloudy rainy day. " It takes both the sun and and rain to make a rainbow" I guess the weft is weaving is my rainbow. The warp is my sun &  rain.

8th day of the saori weaving challenge

I thought I had 14 or 15 yds of warp on my loom, but it was only 11 yds. so i finished weaving my beach warp off the loom today. Took some photos . Tonight I will twist the fringe even though I may not use the fringe  I like to always be prepared to let fringe present it's self in the design process . If it is twisted it is easier to wash and dry before I design and sew it. Tomorrow I will wind a new warp and dress the loom . Because I am 3 yards ahead of my yard a day for 30 days challenge then next day if I have time dress the loom and be back at weaving my yard a day again on friday. I may put back the warp I have been working on, I have about 5 yards left on it, as well because with saori looms you have the option of purchasing a" inside set" so you do  not have to finish a weaving before starting new one. It only takes 10 mins. or less to put on your in progress warp  back again on the loom.

 the cotton and cellulose fiber beach colors saori weaving