Needles, potatoes, honesty and various other passing thoughts

At this point, the rug is advanced far enough up the warp to make weaving too tricky by hand or shuttle, not enough headroom in the shed. So I thought I could use a needle for the last section. Only I didn't have one big enough to accommodate roving.

So I made one. This is an old beader's trick. When you can't find a beading needle fine enough to navigate the bead, you make one out of fine wire. I thought that would work for big sizes, too.

Here's the result. A loop of wire, ends wrapped around the middle then taped, to avoid snagging the warp threads, big eye, the rest twisted for better strength.

And threaded, ready to go after I finish this post

The stitching is progressing, bit by bit

Some of these may be overlaid with sashiko, but I think I'll do that after assembly into a hanging, to unify the piece.

And out in nature, the field part of field and fen, I found another handful of abandoned cherry tomatoes, and swiped some twigs of honesty growing outside a neighbor's fence. 

It's grown to weeds, so I think the original gardener has moved out and it's okay to do a bit of gardener's larceny.

Left, seedpods, middle, seeds, now bagged and labeled, right, beautiful silvery inner membranes to add to my dried flower collection. I plan to plant the seeds to try restarting my own honesty plant which faded away after a few good years, don't we all.

On the subject of gardening, I dug Gary's potato harvest, fewer than expected, but welcome anyway

And here's some flowers. Since I noticed a hummingbird and butterflies at the zinnias, I've slowed up the picking, not wanting to disappoint them.

Handsome Son is visiting this afternoon for a cup of tea, a helping or two of plum crumble, a birthday card and a little present folded into it. 

Happy day everyone, I wish you a good day, despite the cold, or wet, or blazing heat, whatever you're getting today. Here sunshine, temps in eighties, breeze, very lucky campers.