ArgoKnot – Page 88 – A journal of my weaving, spinning, and knitting life

Basketry

March 25, 2011 | 2 Comments

4″ Nantucket basket with ebony base and maple rim.

It’s so wonderful to know craftsmen and artists in various fields. If not for the basket makers I know I would never have had the wonderful experience of learning from Anne Lima.

This little basket took three days to make, and I have a long way to go on the finishing. My reward for finishing this basket will be to attach the beautiful maple handle with ebony inlay!Ann Lima is a wonderful basket maker and teacher from Matapoisett, near New Bedford and Cape Cod.

She is the daughter of well known basket maker Gladys Ellis, who designed the “Matapoisett Basket” which combines a number of traditional basket techniques with stunning results!

Anne brought a tray of scrimshaw with her, made by a man whose name I must learn! I had to have this little gem for a future basket.

Yes! I’m smitten….

Happy Dance!

March 9, 2011 | Leave a Comment

Need I say more? Lace classes started again so I am a happy camper!

10” of scallop border! I would like to have a yard so I’m almost 1/3 done!

Waiting for March

February 22, 2011 | 1 Comment

Hasn’t it been a long winter? In many ways beautiful, and in some ways lllooonnnngggg… I know I will better appreciate the spring when if comes!

So….no images of snow here! Just a few things that define my February.

Threaded and ready to begin a boundweave wall hanging on my wonderful hand-me-down Toika.

My 2-yr. old camellia blooming for the first time! A wonderful pink for these grey/white days. It’s called “Kramer’s Delight” and it is delighting me!

A frequent visitor to our woods, but my first success at catching him on film! (Actually, my husband’s success, not mine.)

A newly finished bracelet. Two rows of Right angle weave attached, beginning to end, to form a closed ring, then crystals are added. You can tell I was thinking of spring when I chose these colors!

Inspiration

February 2, 2011 | 2 Comments

I just watched this video three times. The woven image is beautiful and the filming is so well done. Marvelous! It makes me want to get my big Shannock warped!

A Winter Haiku by Charles de Lint

You can’t trust the sun
this time of year; it’s bright light
holds a bitter cold

A scene from our recent trip to the vineyards on the North Fork of Long Island. We missed getting any photographs in sun, although it was sunny during part of our stay. I have an image in my head of rows of dark vines casting clear blue shadow patterns on the brilliantly sunlit snow .

Ice on my “Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick.”

Tapestry in the Depths of Winter

January 27, 2011 | 4 Comments

A friend of mine pointed out to me today that I have not posted a photo of my finished “Medieval Spinner.” I was certain I had….

So here she is….

Actually, I haven’t spent any time weaving tapestry for the past couple of months. I have been decidedly ‘under the weather.’

Today I had to miss my class with Archie and Susan due having quite a bad cough left over from my recent bout with the flu.

So I spent some time working on an unfinished tapestry and making plans for my next tapestry warp.

I have to admit I am pretty intimidated by my never-used Shannock loom. The heddles need to be re-made, and I’m not sure I can figure that out. I know I can use the loom without the heddles, but….

If I can conquer my fears, maybe I can get the full sized Medieval spinner warped this weekend.

Can you see her? I can just barely see her if I ‘bigify.’