Weaving project

I acquired this table top loom late last summer and have finally begun to use it.  A friend of my through my day job asked me if I would be interest in a loom that was at her daughter's high school, she had told me that the current art teacher had never used it and she had been their for 17 years.  I told my friend that I would take it if they wanted to get rid of it, knowing from past experience that most times parts are missing. 
Well to my surprise it is complete.  Just needing one wing nut and some tlc.
It has a label on it that says "Dryad Leicester" and the wood has been stamped "made in England".
....anyway I have spun up some beautiful shetland wool, added a little glitz to some of it and decided to weave it and make a scarf to offer for sale at one of the festivals I demo at.

Did I mention that I don't have a lot of weaving experience?  I have made one scarf several years ago in a class that my guild "Algonquin Spinners and Weavers" held. 
I had purchased a book, "Weaving made easy" by, Liz Gipson.  Some basic instruction, projects and pictures. 
So off I go ....

My plan is to do a loose weave and then to felt the scarf.  After felting, cut about 2" into each end to make the fringe.  As I was passing the shuttle to weaving I had to use my extra shuttle to separate the shed and lift up so I could pass the shuttle through.
Well it only took me until I was almost finished with the scarf to realize that I should have dressed the loom over the wooden beam in the front and back of the loom....duh.  next time...

I was surprised how fast the weaving went.  When I finished the scarf I wanted to weave in the loose ends before I took it off the loom, while it was still under the tension.  I almost forgot to make the hemstitch, but I referred back to my new book and completed that also before I took the scarf off the loom.

Walla.....my completed scarf and attached to the left side is a swatch I will keep.  I still need to felt the scarf and cut off the fringe, although I probably wont' cut the fringe until I know that I have gotten it felted well.
I will definitely do some weaving again.  I think I may try some basic kitchen towels with cotton.  I would really like some good cotton towels.......next project?

Welcome 2012......just a little late...

...yes everyone I am still alive....I haven't posted since October, 2011.  I've thought about it, I just haven't done it.  Why?  I don't know, procrastinator maybe...I think about it then get drug off into a different direction.  My intensions for 2012 was to post at least twice a month.  Well I blew that already, missed January.  I will really try to do better.......promise.
We have had the mildest winter I can ever remember and I am just loving it.  We didn't get the water line run to the barn this past year, I've been using the garden hose to water.  So far this year I have only had to carry water three times.  It has actually been warm enough that I have been able to use the garden hose all winter.....just lov'in it.

This is the most snow we have had all winter, about 2" and it is already melting, the temps. have been in the mid 30's and into the 40's.  This picture shows all the adult ewes that I have at the farm numbering 19.  All but four have been cross bred this year.  My four yearlings were bred with some nice Reg. Shetland fine fleeced rams that we have acquired this past year.  Cannot wait to see what we get.

These are my ewe lambs from 2011, nine.  I haven't sent in Reg. papers yet on these girls, I am not certain of the colors on a couple of them.  The ewe looking at the camera is one of the latest additions to the shetland flock.  She has come all the way from Jim Chastain in Oregon, along with a ram.  Can't wait to get the micron results on the sheep this year, I think we have some long needed diversity coming into the Shetland Sheep that you find in our area of Ohio, through these new rams we are using.

That's all for now, I will post tomorrow to show my latest project that I've been working on today.