Monday, July 31, 2023

Issue resolved, new visitors, new flowers

 Yesterday Gary brought over some houseplants to stay with me during his upcoming trip, whenever that happens, one family emergency needing him to stay here, another requiring his presence in Florida. Meanwhile it's improved the decor of the patio for now



This was after my walk to the pond and the jewelweed neighborhood




And finally I seem to have got ahead of the bounced and replaced check situation with the credit card people. They're very slow to process, and as of yesterday, the replacement payment had still not been credited. 

I got an email referring me to the secure messages area of their website, with an urgent request to send a replacement payment. Which I had done five days ago.  

Finally today my bank alerted me that the payment was completed. Still not showing on the credit card website. Talk about slow. Meanwhile of course, there's a large new charge for the second refrigerator. This too shall be paid.

While Gary was here we talked fridges and how he'd had to remodel his cabinets because his new one wouldn't fit in. He measured for me and decided I wouldn't have that problem. And explained they could always take off the fridge doors to get it in, then replace them. News to me. He'll probably be away when it arrives, otherwise he'd supervise the whole thing, knowing him.

And thanks to Caro and her latest weaving caper, I'm thinking about how to create a little rug for where I sit on the sofa, cold floor in winter, currently my bedside rug is there.

This rug is a cotton warp, roving weft, see her sparkling merlot blog for picture.


It's going to be a great way to use some beautiful organic cotton roving, very short staple, difficult to spin for that reason. Two experienced spinners tried and gave up, gave it to me to use in art. Spinning short staple cotton is niche.

I've stuffed art dolls with it, and the comfort dolls I used to make for ICross Canada. Clean material, fine for little children, unbleached, undyed. But I still have quite a bit. 

So maybe here's where it can go, along with wool roving. I have to figure out the logistics, since I don't have a big heddle. I might have to use a heddle stick and strings, not a favorite technique of mine, but maybe it's needed here. And maybe I need to fashion a new loom to size. All to come.

All this thinking is happening while I get breakfast wearing the lovely new robe, now complete with pockets.



And the Haggard Hawks solution is:

ELSEWHERE!

Happy day, everyone, here's your flowers





38 comments:

  1. I'm not seeing any photos. Blogger malfunction, maybe?

    Hope the bank thing gets ironed out. Sounds like it mostly is. I don't know why, in this day and age of instant everything, it takes so long to get such issues resolved.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. It took four complete entries of photos and several attempts to publish before blogger stopped deleting all the loaded pictures. Not one of the better blogging days. Three hours for a half hour project!
      I agree about the speed issue. Five days to process a payment. Even monks got manuscripts done faster.

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  2. That's better: I've got your photos now. they weren't appearing initially. That is a lot of house plants. Gary would be wise not to leave them in my care. Glad the temperature is down a bit. Still looks quite hot though.

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    1. Two plants are Gary's, a third inside my house. The rest live here.

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  3. The roving looks promising though I have only worked with wool. Doll and animal stuffing sounds ideal for cotton roving.
    All of your plants look like they are loving life at the moment! Lush and pretty!

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    1. They're doing well. The dappled shade of the Japanese maple suits them. This way of using roving other than to spin it, is new to me.

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  4. Jewelweed is blooming here these days too. It is not as showy a bloom as some others but is worth looking to. Pockets in a robe are a must in my closet.

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    1. It's a lovely shaped blossom, and I always look for it at this time. It grows pretty abundantly here.
      A robe without decent sized pockets is pointless!

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  5. And I now find a number of my corrections and edits which blogger assured me were saved and published, weren't. I've done them again. Fifth time. If these also vanish I won't be responsible for my actions.

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  6. Yes, I got "elsewhere" and my second solution was "eldercare" -- I double-checked the online Merriam-Webster dictionary website to make sure it is a correctly spelled and accepted word.

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  7. Garden looks good
    Good to know your new fridge will fit.
    The no pattern top you posted about, I have fabric draped over a chair to help me not be afraid of cutting out the top. I'm going to read your post again. That should help.

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  8. Replies
    1. You can use a top you like and cut around it, remembering the seam allowance.

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  9. You are getting things done! And good for you. You don't seem to be a procrastinator and that is another thing I do admire about you.

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    1. I tend to the other side, that of acting hastily. Not always wisely

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  10. Good thing no one asks me to mind any plants or they would not have any survive. I definitely do not have a green thumb. Gary's plants look lovely and I know they will be well tended by you, Boud. Also, I am sure that the hospitalized blogger, Jon, will appreciate receiving your card and good thoughts, thank you.

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    Replies
    1. Only two of those plants are Gary's! All the others are mine. His will be fine with my rioting scene.

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  11. I hope you enjoy the rug making exercise. I understand the felting is the key to keep the fibres locked - but you would know more about that than I do.

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    1. I may have to mix wool with the cotton to get felting to work.

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  12. I've woven rugs from wool roving. In fact, the stair runner is wool roving. It probably will be there several life times. I must leave it to you to fashion a wide enough loom. I will suggest 10 to 12 epi threading, and double thread the weft.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, I was just starting to think about the epi.

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    2. Double thread the warp. It was too late last night for rational thought, I think.

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  13. Liz, I just remembered the Youtube craze several years ago of crocheting a rug from roving: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0lus0FjSlE

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    1. Thank you, I'll look at that. I remember people knitting blankets on huge needles with roving, also that they fell apart in use. I think they missed a step!

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  14. What a wonderful project you have ahead of you...
    I love doing the preliminary work in my head - that's the first course and it lasts until dessert :-))) Creativity is great.
    I wish you a lot of happiness.
    And I look forward to your creative steps.
    A hug to you from Viola

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    Replies
    1. Yes, the preliminary thinking and planning is so good, all the ideas buzzing about and choosing which to use.

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  15. Gary does seem like a unique guy.

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    Replies
    1. That's definitely one way of describing him!

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  16. I'm curious how old Gary is. I have/had two small oriental rugs about 3' x 5' in the living room. I rolled them up several years ago because I was tired of vacuuming the dog and cat hair off them and gave my twin grandgirls one each. also, no rugs to slip on, not that i'm in the habit of slipping on rugs. just prefer the hardwood floors. of course, it doesn't get as cold down here as up there and certainly not for as long.

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    1. I've responded more than once about Gary's age. It pays to read comments. He's in his early 70s, if it's relevant, but I can't quite see how. People don't really change personality with age, if they're in good health. I think this is how he will always be.

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    2. not relevant, just curious. and I do read the comments, I just don't see every post on days when I'm busy.

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  17. The patio looks lovely! Onto another weaving adventure.

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    1. Once I get the logistics sorted, yes. I have a few things to figure out first.

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  18. Between you and caro, I’m starting to think about weaving lol
    I seriously do not need another hobby. Since caro is still not that far from me Maybe i can barter. I’ll crochet for her and she can weave for me lol
    I can’t wait to see what you create

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    1. You sound like my late sister when I had some new idea! "Don't tell me about it, I'll only get involved, and I'm too busy already!"

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  19. Good thing Gary has you to babysit both plants and puppies.
    Now I'm going to be interested to see how you manage to turn that bundle of wooly fluff into a rug.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, I have grandplants! And I'm interested in knowing how this fluff works out, too.

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