Wednesday --> Thursday

Today has been a bit of chaos. I over-slept; perhaps I forgot to turn on the alarm. When I awoke, rather languidly, and looked at the time, I realized I had less than an hour to walk the dogs and get through the morning “routine” before I ought to catch the bus. Fortunately my bag was packed.

The lake was covered in mist; in fact it was like a myriad of warm eddies like tiny campfires each wafting misty smoke aloft. As the sun rose the mist became golden and shrouded the few boats moored on the lake in an impressionist glow. By the time I reached town, just before eight, the glow had overtaken the streets, bathing it like a theatre set just before curtain rises: everyone intent on being in their place, getting last minute details ready for the daily “show”.

My business was with the Käsityöneuvonta (advice for weaving and sewing challenges). I can’t say I am thrilled to report that I must begin the belt again. I learned many valuable things in the process of the one hour consultation. I’d like to present them as first, second, and so on, but to be honest the order is a jumble. The sample cotton yarn which I received is definitely NOT the yarn to use: it is far too thick. I was advised NOT to split the four-ply cotton into two 2-ply yarns. My own wool yarn was praised as being right and highly suitable (which was the one positive point, so forgive my mentioning it). The main warp is entirely of cotton and needs to be much tighter. The pattern wool warp does not need to be pulled too tight. The weft yarn is the thin cotton. Changing the shed needs to be much tighter and to use a ruler or firm narrow edged implement to pack the shed more tightly. Each weft row need to be drawn much more tightly. And if my inkle loom can’t do that it is recommended I try a rigid heddle again.

Well that cuts to the quick exactly the business of the meeting, but it does begin to share the scope: seeing what is being made there, seeing part of her collection of woven samples, discussing what she had found, additional materials that I brought… It was a very fruitful meeting, which ended just in time for me to get the bus home.

Once home I cleaned the house and did some laundry, before walking the mutts, then a dear friend stopped by for and all too brief visit – but better than no visit at all – before I had to go to my national dress sewing class. After that I came home and spun more of Leila’s yarn. Somewhere during the day I also managed to pick up some lost stitches on sock one – I also managed to pull one of the needles out! But last night at Puikoset I finally measured the sock on my leg – which is how the stitches got dropped – and I do believe I cast on the right number of stitches! We had wonderful food last night too. Sometimes I think we do more eating than anything else… but oh it was good! Perhaps I’ll have time to rhapsodize about it another time… And send some pictures then too!