Textiles and Tea, and blankets

Yesterday's Textiles and Tea guest was Annie MacHale, inkle loom weaver. If you follow the thread you'll see an inkle loom if you're not familiar with it. 

It's a narrow loom, designed with a huge long warp, for making bands, belts, straps, even shoelaces. Her colors are standout.

This is a manipulated image, not woven like this!

At the White House, representing her state of New Mexico. 

She's written two how-to books, available directly from her, and she's a cheerful, generous weaver, great fun to be in her company.

Long ago I was offered an inkle loom as a downsizing gift and declined it. Just not my thing, too linear, so I hope it went to someone who would love it. But I did research it a bit before realizing it's too confining for me, though a huge pleasure to people who own them.  

Annie says of spinning -- not her thing! Different strokes.

Yesterday's walk was possibly the last of the foliage before the overnight storms and falling temperatures swept through.

And I made my version of lasagna

The cheese part I made with grated Vermont sharp cheddar, plain yogurt, egg, spinach and parsley, with onions and garlic. The tomato part was a can of diced tomatoes and a big chunk of tomato paste.

It came out very good, to the point where I had seconds, very unusual for me. However, like other good foods, it tasted better than it photographed, so please take my word for it!

I now have enough for several days of helpings, some of which I might freeze. Speaking of which, I'm getting to the end of the frozen quiche slices, and today was the last of the veggie pancakes for breakfast.  

They held up very well, in a container in the fridge, separated by parchment paper, stayed nicely fresh and moist. Note to self: do that again.  Cooking for one can be interesting, also you  feel well if you eat well, good ingredients, simply cooked. I do, anyway, though it might be smugness.

Some Thanksgiving cooking, too, while I was at it, the honeynut squash, filled out a bit, it's small, with mashed yellow potatoes, all beaten with butter, salt and nutmeg.

It's now in the freezer along with the cranberries, must put a note on the freezer so I don't forget the things I'm adding in.

And yesterday I finally put on the heating, overnight temps now in the thirties f.,  a bit anxious about whether the furnace would start, it being months since it was in use in the summer air conditioning. 

It did, and I need to keep the house heating within my means, so I remembered the survival blankets Handsome Partner was given by our visiting nurses. 

They're a lightweight sort of foil, which act to trap body heat and are surprisingly effective, without a power source being used. Good to have in your car if you're in a northern winter, too, just in case.

They gsve them to us as part of the home care kit, in case our heating went out, so I could throw one over him in his wheelchair, to keep warm, he being unable to move. We never had to use them, but I got them out yesterday, one for the bed, one for the sofa 

They're amazingly warm, and I'm in bed cosily writing now. The covers read; quilt, foil blanket, regular blanket, sheet, me. Not too heavy, but easily as warm as an electric blanket.

Here's the sofa setup, wool handknitted throw I made for Handsome Partner, with foil

The foil blanket is rolled up here, but it's at least single bed size opened up.  Perfect for reading, knitting, all the sitting-down things.

Happy day everyone, library movie today unless I feel more like knitting at home. Enjoy what you feel like doing, if you have the luxury of choice.