Milestones

 

Yesterday I finished weaving the blue warp.  It took longer than hoped, in part because I was busy with getting the guild sale sorted out, in part because I had another box of Olds homework to mark.  This morning I will type up my notes, send the student their mark, submit the mark to the college.  So far as I know, there is one more box that will be sent on Friday the 13th.  

This month is proving to be a bit busier because of the guild sale and I have been having a harder time doing my two towels plus one other thing in the studio, but doing things for the guild is also important to me.  Covid has kicked the stuffing out of our 'usual' guild activities and therefore the budget.

The good news is that the possibility of a new facility came a step closer last month with funding applied for.  Now the wait to see if the funding will be granted.  In the meantime, plans have been drawn up and a time line developed for the renovations for the new site.  I will not regret the absence of a very long staircase to mount in order to get into the guild room.  When I broke my ankle I couldn't get there for months and other guild members have been unable to get to the room because of knee replacement surgery and other health issues.

What can I say - we were young - once.

I won't miss carrying heavy boxes or equipment up and down the stairs either!

Today my goals are more modest - cut the towels apart and serge/wet finish them, do the marks for Olds, set up the spool rack and tension box and see how many sections I can get beamed.  Tonight I will go to guild and pick up some things from the sale because I sold some tea towels - and they are at the guild room.  Beyond that, I'm not sure I will have the energy to do more.

The next warp will be the same blue with rose instead of turquoise.  The weft will be a dark purple.  Not sure what will be next after that is used up - there are 5 partial tubes and they may well weave off the entire warp - or most of it.  At 6000+ yards per pound, 2/16 cotton goes a long way.

After the blue/rose, there might be enough for a blue/green.  I will know better once the blue/rose is beamed.  And the final warp might be red/orange - a blast of bright autumn colours.  With each warp taking about two weeks, that will put me at the end of this year, and clear out the 2/16 to the point where there really won't be enough yarn left to do another warp.  Another milestone.

Worked on the puzzle for a bit last night and found a few more pieces to fit.  I am teetering on the edge of giving up or carrying on with it.  But I'm about halfway finished now so kind of loathe to leave it undone.  OTOH, I have other things I would like to do and I need the table to do them on.  I could just ignore the studio and work on the puzzle during the day - it's easier to see the subtle colour changes in daylight.  Except we have had a string of mostly grey days and need the overhead light anyway.  

Sunday I did a practice zoom meeting and learned more about how it works.  I may do a few more practice runs before the 19th, just to make sure I have a better idea of how to make it do what I need it to do.

In the meantime, covid continues, blithely running through the world population.

I know people are tired.  Tired of politics.  Tired of covid precautions.  Tired of not being able to socialize in real life.  Tired of events cancelled.  Tired of Zoom meetings.

But the virus is not tired.  It is not bored.  It will continue to seek a host.  Let's not allow it to make us a host.

Stay home if you can.  Wear a mask if you need to go out.  Maintain physical distance.  Meet in small groups (6 or less) in well ventilated areas.  

Stay safe.  Stay well.  Stay covid aware.