Yesterday was Thanksgiving Day in Canada and it was a glorious day; family and friends and a wonderful meal made it one to remember. It was so much fun having four people under thirty at my table, what a lot of laughter! My turkey was picture perfect and the day was sunny and cool – absolutely grand. 
My son, his girlfriend and her roommate came up for a visit and to help us put in new windows! I love the boundless energy of youth! Ain't it amazing what you can get done for a few glasses of Crannóg Ale and a sweet potato pie! Our Federal Government is giving a home renovation rebate for materials used in home improvements before February, so it seemed like a perfect time to buy windows and move our home reno’s one step further along. The timing couldn't have been more frantic for me, but the end result is wonderful. Now all that will remain to be done in the Spring is changing the siding to Hardiplank and a lot of painting.
I’ve taken my latest Turned Taqueté scarf off the loom and have done the finishing, but no beading; I’m still hooked on a bit of bling so it will happen! This scarf does not have as much drape as my previous Turned Taqueté scarf, changing the weft is the culprit! 
I’ve been working very hard on getting my Studio Workshop in order for Friday and have learned a great deal in the process. My plan is to “test drive” this workshop in a controlled environment. I want to know that the looms are working perfectly and that they are threaded correctly. I have modified all of the patterns from the original scarves that Ngaire or I have woven recently. I have simplified the treadling as you can see on the Turned Taqueté, still retaining the original flavour of the weave, but cutting the treadling sequence in half.
I have preloaded all the pirns and bobbins, both to save time for everyone and to ensure that they are wound well. You know what a snarl a badly wound pirn can cause in an end feed shuttle, horrors! That process took much more time than I would have imagined, and thanks need to be given to Ngaire for her help! I have also provided a quick treadling reference guide mounted on foam board on or beside each loom so that a pin can be used to keep track.
One of the other things I have done is to label the toggles on each table loom. I have noticed that not everyone starts number one on the same side, so I've labeled my choices with post it flags.
Each loom has a sample already woven to facilitate explaining the methods used to create the sample and to demonstrate how we will separate each persons' sample with a cardboard strip to make the ‘round robin’ work efficiently. I still have to lable the floor looms treadles. I have 3 floor looms and 3 table looms, so it's a nice mix I think.
The bead leno had to be set up differently. I have left one bout unbeaded and will demo that first off. 
These binders have also taken a huge amount of time. Somehow I managed to fill 27 pages with what I think is critical information…….hmmmm too much information?
I’m now working on the second phase of the workshop – another six to create and refine. That’ll keep me weaving….and will keep my second year of blogging interesting I hope. Yup, it’s my 1st Blogaversery on October 15!
6 comments:
You have been busy - with lots of good stuff!!!
Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Blogoversary!! I somehow assumed that you'd be blogging years long than I have....but we both started within a couple of months of each other! (Great minds think alike, right?)
Your workshop looks phenomenal. So well thought out and set up. I'm sure the attendees will get a lot out of it.
It's great that you're making prepared materials to go with the samples that they'll weave. I really like it when an instructor takes the time to do that.
At our guild board meeting a few weeks ago, we discussed how during round robin workshops there always seem to be times when people are anxious to get to the looms. We decided that was inherent in round robin workshops, but yours is so organized.....I wonder if you won't have a problem with everyone finishing all the samples.
It sounds like you've got a great mix of projects. Wonder when you'll start taking the show on the road?? Maybe you could come to New England some fall to teach....Boston Guild, NH guild, and who knows who else!!
Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. Good luck with the workshop. It looks really great - well organized, good supporting materials, great samples and even prewound bobbins and pirns!!
Can't wait to hear how it goes!
Sue
The turkey looks really yummy! What an enormous amount of work to dress and make ready all those looms, I think your workshop will be just fantastic, I would love to attend it.
The scarf looks very pretty-I like the color change you made. As for the workshop-it looks like your are well prepared and that will make a great time for your students! What fun...
Oh I so wish I were able to take your class. I think it'd be an amazing learning adventure. Good luck and let me know if you ever decide to teach via the web :)
Happy Thanksgiving and Happy blog-a-versary
Now that was a beautiful turkey! I can well imagine how great that dinner table was...
We had a 9 pound turkey and it lingers still... and still...great but never ending!
As for your new windows: Congrats! They make a huge difference in how the house feels. It also updates the curb appeal of the house too.
You have been *very* busy getting this workshop together. The attendees are sure lucky to get so much prep work all done up ahead of time.
I can still recall having a chat with you suggesting you start a blog... or try your hand being a guest on mine. Well, the year has flown by and look at all the new on line friends you have world wide! One big happy!
Susan
Your blog always goes fabulous with a cup of coffee:) The scarf is amazing!!! Of course, you've inspired me with this taquete!!! And I so wish I could venture up to take a workshop with you;) Too much information? Are we not to ever learn? ;) I think you can never have too much information:)
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