There's a thing going around Facebook right now.  It's called "Seven days. Seven black and white photos of your life."  What is that about?  What happens when we eliminate the color? Does it take us down to the "real?"

And what if we post a black and white photo every day for more than seven days?  I think I'll do that for a while.  Let's see where that takes me.  

Here are a couple recent photos.  

Joined Ravelry

I joined a very cool group recently. They are a very friendly and helpful bunch. It is Warped Weavers on the Ravelry site.

Coincidentally (or not), they were just starting a “Pinwheel Weave Along.” Of course, I told them I call them Stars. And I joined in on the great conversations.

I say that I succumbed . . . . to the Facebook-like-online-discussion-groups. I had resisted long enough, I guess. Time to be out there and share what I know, and to receive the knowledge and insights of others. Conversations with many across the country and the world.

Handwoven Article

So my really cool news is that I have an article published in the January/February, 2012, Handwoven magazine. I made a scarf of Haneke Thin Spin Yarn, which is sadly no longer available. You can see in the article for an alternative yarn from Swans Island.

The main premise of the article is that we have seen the usual 8 harness star draft in many places. However, did you know that you could make several different stars on the same warp by merely changing the tie-up?

Here is a detail of the scarf fabric.

Projects Completed

Written September 21, 2011

Phew!! I just completed three major weaving projects. Two for the Handweaver’s Guild of Boise Valley Challenge Show, and one which I will discuss later. No jinxing here. It is pretty fabulous, and cannot wait to crow about it. Soon - soon.

Every year our Guild creates a Challenge Show. We set Challenge parameters, then weave and spin new items to be judged by popular vote by the public. The Guild Challenge this year was to create with naturally colored fibers -- no dye lots. Several projects surfaced. One was an idea I developed a long time ago, 15-20 years. It was using a yarn called Annapolis from Henry’s Attic, and it was still in the stash. It is a shiny white cotton yarn in the neighborhood of 3/2 pearl cotton. I used it with natural colored 8/2 cotton and 20/2 cotton. The weave structure is 6 harness Lampas with two blocks. It forms what I would call a white-on-white design, in which some blocks are the natural color, and the others are the bright white of the Annapolis. I call it “Optic: The Circle Opens.” It has 9 circles that are a bit psychedelic. They move like Op Art formations.

Optic: The Circle Opens

The other project for the Challenge is a cape-like coat made of wool. It is made of a mixed warp of handspun. There were several skeins collected over the years that were those wonderful dark natural black sheep colors. To these I added some yarn purchased from Pat Ann. I even used some of my first handspun of Suffolk fleece I got free from a neighbor of a friend. I used the Aran-type yarn I got in Ireland for the weft. It make a very heavy coat - like wrapping up in a blanket, just like I wanted. It is lined with Pendleton plaid wool, a concession to the rules of the Challenge, since it is just the lining.

Note: Both of these pieces received Second Place in the Challenge Show,

the wall hanging in the Flat Handwoven category

and the cape in the Fiber Arts category.

Fiber Creative Prompt List

One of my latest projects is a list of creative prompts for weavers, spinners or all types of fiber artists. It gives some insight into how I work, I suppose. Or at least how my brain works. I think it is important for us to examine how we work, at times. The process of reflection helps our creativity. It is, actually, an integral part of the creative process itself.


I am up to 76 items on the list. Here are some examples:

* Notice the color green {red} {blue} {yellow} {purple} {orange} all day today.

* Make a sample book of all the fleece you have yet to spin.

* Make a running list of all the warps you have put on the loom and woven.

* Get out a box of buttons or beads and sort through them randomly.


If you would like a copy of the entire list, I am happy to send you the latest version via email. Find my contact information on my website.

Regular Journaling

A very wise Spiritual Counselor once told me, as I was lamenting not journaling regularly, there are many ways to define "regular." She said there was a Princess, in a land I cannot now remember, who journaled regularly. She put pen to paper every six years, regularly. It was a freeing thought.

Blogging Comes to Winterbourne Studio

Welcome to my Blog

I have been doing ACT's lately. No, really! I am obsessed with them. They are Artist Trading Cards. They are 2.5 by 3.5 inches in size and the idea is that you make them to trade with other artists.

Above is a photo of a series of face ATC's. I think you can plainly see my obsession. As I was putting these on my work table to apply the labels on the back, I realized I am really about done with this series. You think? Couple dozen ought to be enough. Below are a couple of my favorites.

I really have enjoyed the opportunity to relax and create patterning with a little reference to the female face. I am excited to see where these take me next. I would like to do some line drawings of the female form. That might be a good segue with these as a start. It will be interesting to see how that idea will be received in a our conservative locale.

Thanks for joining me on this next journey into the world of blogging.

Love and Light, Rebecca