Shopkeeping, Come What May

 

For all that, I only kept these three for myself. For now.  I have a lot of things going on and stitching always seems to come up in last place these days. 

Needs change, I guess.

So, there are finally threads and cloth in the shop for those who are still flashing needles and grins. 

Quantities are always finite, but it's only May 1! Plenty more dyefest coming this summer.  I'll be posting more first thing tomorrow.

And somehow, a tutorial.  

I don't yet know what I'm going to do with this cotton/silk twist. I pulled six strands from the rainbow hank just to see how they would handle. Easy enough. I have to measure (where's my measuring tape) to see what I have here. More on this in a few days.

Babysitting

 I'm out here drying dirty threads,getting some vitamin D, and making sure these clouds don't turn on me. 

the work

 

I brought these in late yesterday afternoon and let them dry overnight in the studio. 95% dry, give or take, so they won't travel anywhere for at least 48 hours. 

I was a little disappointed in the loss of color intensity, but this confirms my findings that my process requires a minimum of 80 degrees Fahrenheit for the strongest color outcome. 

Still, these have a charm all on their own. I won't use the dirty work pastel.   Heathered is more like it. 

People have often commented that my threads have a shine and ease of handling. I have no science to prove it, but hand washing and rinsing has to have something to do with it.

The hotel pans that Jim rescued from a restaurant renovation years ago have been integral to the process by cutting water use way down.

The threads below spent the night outside on the work table. It rained on and off all night and when I brought them in this morning, it was so cold I could see my breath and my fingers inside my gloves were turning blue. Weather gods, I laugh in your general direction.

Unplanned extravaganza

 

I spent Friday night up country with Jake, Missy, and Charlie. Didn't get home until nearly lunch. 

The first order of business was tending to the hairy hordes who put on that "NO ONE FED US" routine.

 Typically, I waste the afternoon with a nap but today the sun finally decided to show its face after a string of really shitty cold and damp days.

All I had to do was pull the dyes out of the cupboard and decide on a set of primary colors. A little of this and dash of that and Lawdy Miss Claudie!'

I didn't know how much gas I had in my personal tank so I focused on the thread. There was another dismembered lined blouse and a handful of those beautiful damask napkins from Liz.

I did find about three yards of that midweight linen I bought new last year in closet. Remember how I accidentally cut up all the cloth I'd set aside to make myself some summer wear? I stripped the vinyl cover off the work table and laid out the linen to act as a table mopper. This time, there will be a schmatte happening if it takes enough color this time around.

It's dark. I'm beyond tired, but I have four pages of longhand writing to get into the machine. 

The novel Vladimir by Julia May Jonas has captured my attention, but I suppose a good night's sleep will pay off.

I hope to get both threads and cloth into the store by Monday.

Intermission

 

The weather confounds another run at the primary colors. It was only 61 today midday.

A teal shading to aquamarine from ice water to l'heure bleue.

Bubblegum to raspberry syrup magenta. And sunshine to corn to tiger fur yellow.

And all the ways they can trip each other up. I dream about them. 

In the meantime, Life.

A fresh MRI and a new doctor advised me to adjust my expectations about my back. There will be no surgery.

More treatment, but nothing invasive. We flex.

The Mother Lavender not only survived the winter that killed the venerable thyme and jasmine, she flourishes.

Sweetie persists. She had more good hours than bad. Salmon and sunshine will still get a purr. 

And the drive, the will, and the need to write are back in full force.