Day After Christmas 2010

Let the knot tying begin, I have had to re-warp two of my three looms. I have one already warped but need to tie the knots and pull the warp through to the front of the loom.. My next project is to get the "blue and natural" warp on the other loom. It shouldnt take long if I stick to it.

I really need to get those rugs started. I have a bunch of denim cut and sewn. All I need to do now is WEAVE after I get the cloth strips on the shuttle.

The snow is on the ground and it is cold, so I don't need to go anywhere except to the basement to weave. That first weekend of May will be here before I know it. THE START OF THE FARMERS MARKET!

I only have 436 knots to tie on each loom! KNOT BAD.

One more week before the start of the new year and small children enter the house for babysitting. I'm sure they will be a big help once the weaving starts. They both like to sit on my lap and help pull the beam back to make rugs for the market.

Saturday Market (Last Day of Season)

The weather turned out pretty nice for the last day of market. October 30, 2010. The air was cool and crisp at 5 am by 6am it was a bit windy and of course felt cold down by the river.
Vendors were in dressed in halloween costumes and had candy treats for all . By 10 am the sun was out and it felt pretty warm out.
If the weather holds out I will attend a few market Saturdays with my Rugs before the holidays. I would like anyone who needs gifts for birthdays or holidays or just because they want a new rug, to come and see my inventory, I have at least six new rugs , and a bunch that are just waiting for the right home to go to. I have plenty of denim in various sizes and some corduroys, also some double knit in stripes. If you are interested in placemats ,I also have some in sets of 4,6 or 8. Come and check out the entire market, there will always be vendors inside and some outside for your shopping needs.
keep on weavin'

Market Ends Soon

The seasonal market ends on Oct. 30, 2010. That means that I will not be outdoors this winter at the Freight House Farmers Market.
I need to get busy and weave, weave, weave. I have had a good spring and summer at the market. My storage boxes are mostly emptied.
I will be weaving all winter as time allows..I sometimes get away from weaving and do only the preparing of fabrics for rugs, but I will be doing a lot of weaving to get ready for the spring and summer market season to come.
I will be working on the denims and the flannels for rugs. I am still waiting for a back order of warp so that does put a dent in the weaving process. I am hoping it comes soon.
I will of course take a weekend of well deserved "vacation" just a weekend getaway. Then get back to the work at hand.
Holidays will fast approach so that slows down the process. It is always an exciting time around the house. That also means dusting and cleaning, cooking and baking.
The weaving must go on!!
Keep on weavin'
Remember to stop in at the Freight House Market on the banks of the Great Mississippi River in Davenport Ia. Happy winter to all!!

WEAVING And MARKET

I've been weaving some pretty neat rugs and also had a couple of mug rugs finished this week.

I made my mug rugs on the large floor loom so I had 4 shuttles going at once. It was a great relief to get them finished.

My new rugs are looking real pretty. The denim with yellow stripes, Rust and tan corduroy, and a red white and blue made from double knit.

Saturdays market was again a busy day for me. Lots of people looking and getting ready for the holiday season.

The regulars all stopped by to say hello and look at the new rugs, Also so new customers buying for wedding gifts and Christmas gifts. What a great idea !

The weather was perfect on Saturday for the market. Everyone had a good time, and I am sure they all found a great treasure at the market .

Half Way into the market season

The market season is half over. The summer flew by, it is still summer though. Temps are hot and humid, but before we know it we will be saying it is to cold.

I still have some orders to finish and some new ones to begin.

Our Freight House Farmers Market has been very busy the last three weekends. Lots of out of towners visiting.

I've had my rugs go to Texas, Arizona, Oregon and Scotland this year. That is the ones that I know of for sure. All sold through our Farmers Market stand.

I also have the pocket pouches and jean bags that have been selling well. The children like the pouches and the older girls like the bags for book bags and all around purse bags.

The last month of the market I will start to make some Cotton Candy to sell. My niece has the big machine and she makes it for her punkin patch market. I think that by October everyone will be craving the taste of cotton candy again, the fairs will all be over and a cotton candy will sound delicious.

Its back to weaving for me, I'll be making lots of denim rugs with stripes, the yellow stripe seems to be a favorite with denim, although I will be putting in some white stripes too.

I'm also going to make some burgundy rugs for fall.

Happy weaving to all!.

Bix Saturday

The rains came and stayed longer than predicted on Saturday. I had only a few rugs out for viewing, at Market just because it was so wet. By about 11 am it quit raining and the sun came out.
Market day was quite interesting. We watched runners and walkers go on past the market to the starting line through the rain , then back again to their cars after the race to get dried out.
I had a couple of orders that were picked up at market and that was about it.
When it was time to leave we all knew exactly what we wanted to do..GO home and dry off from the rains and change into dry clothing.
This week I will be working on orders and getting some short rugs made for sale. It seems that my inventory of any rug form 40 inched to shorter are all sold. That makes me happy and also tells me to GET Busy and weave. This is my last week of not having to watch the grand children, next week school starts for my daughter and her kids will be with me while she works. Where has the summer gone? I am looking forward to the month of August, although it will be busy. We will take our yearly trip to the IOWA STATE FAIR ,it is always such fun.
Looks as though I need to get to weaving. The day is getting away from me..
Off To Happy Weaving .

Market News

June, It has been a wet one. Tuesday June 22 was the first time in a month we have been able to attend the afternoon market. It rained every Tuesday this month.
Saturday the 19 th was a great day for market. The sun was out and so were the shoppers, what a great day. Sales were UP. There was also a healthy living fair at the same time on the parking lot and everyone was busy.
Hot and Humid was the normal temp. We all survived with plenty of water and a canopy to keep the sun partially off of us.
I have made a bunch of pocket pouches and started a few rugs.
My order for a long stair runner is in the process, I am still cutting fabric for that one.
Last weekend was the day for long rugs. Some days customers want long and other days they want short rugs. It runs in spurts as to what is wanted. I will keep weaving and see what turns out. I hope to please all of the lengths needed.
Happy weaving!!

June Markets

Here it is June already, one month of markets are under our belts. How fast the month went. We have a van full of rugs to sell at the market and they seem to multiply even though we had two empty tubs at the end of May. That is a good thing. The tubs all got refilled as soon as they were emptied though. I've been weaving denim and corduroy again. The orders are being placed daily as well. I now have an order for a 95 inch stair runner, that is going to take some time to make of course.. I still need to find and cut the fabric so my work is cut out for me! I may have to re warp the loom though before that weaving begins. The weather has been off and on rain, this week. Thank goodness for the warm and sunny days we had in May . June however seems to be predicted as wet, we will take the sunny days when they get here.
School is out for Benjamin so he can be my helper , even though we have to find the time to do the weaving without the help of the twins, at 2 1/2 they are a "bigger help" than needed, but they still have a good time. At least they are interested in the craft, that is a thing I hope remains with all three children . My looms are a treasure to me as well.

New Market Season

So our market begins.

May 1, 2010 our first day outdoors at the market. My neice Samantha helped her Grandma Betty set up and sell at the first day of Market. It was a huge success! They both did well for the first day.

May 4, 2010, the first weekday market of the season.. we did O.K. for sales. The weather, not so good. Just Good and COLD, that also went for the second market day.........COLD AND WINDY, but the people came out and shopped.

On Tuesday the 11 of May, I went to Market and set up to another cold day , not so windy but also without to many shoppers. Shoppers are going to have to get used to us being outdoors again and come to see us.

this Saturday the 15 of May should be nice and warm with lots of Market vendors and lots of Market shoppers.

Everyone come and see us at the Freight House Farmers Market, Downtown Davenport. You are sure to find a great product there, be it veggies or my Loom woven rugs. I will be looking for you to visit with us at the Market.

My inventory is at its best right now. I have been weaving all winter and there is lots of variety to choose from. Hope to see you there.

Your cast of jeans of denim, corduroy and your favorite old bedspread can become a heirloom showpiece in your own home, I can weave it into a keepsake woven rug for you.

Gettin' closer

Oh Boy, the Freight House Farmers Market opening day for outdoor market is getting closer. I have been busy weaving of course. Also cutting and sewing fabric for the rugs. I priced and packed the last bunch of rugs today, that I had cut off the loom and hemmed. I started weaving some 'sea foam' colored fabric rugs today. I have enough on shuttles to make two rugs alike, I don't know how long they will be..just long enough though, I'm sure. It won't be long now before May 1 is here. Hope for a bright sunny and warm day, no heavy wind blowing off the mighty Mississippi for our opening day.
Back to weavin' for now.
recycle that castoff wardrobe, you'll see them in a whole new light in a hand woven rug!!

Bright Sunny Day

Ah , the sun is out today, I didn't get any weaving done today, Yesterday I managed to make 3 new rugs. One, a tan corduroy, and two of red white and blue corduroy. They aren't real long but at least they are matching. I have some of the tan corduroy ready to weave, that one will match the first tan made yesterday.
The count down begins. I have six weeks to go before market begins. (My booth is calling)! I plan to have a bunch of rugs, bags, and pocket pouches ready for sale on May 1.
I also have to warp my loom , the" Number 0ne" with the blue and natural warp soon.. I have natural on the "Osborne" loom and I have burgundy and tan on the "Moline" loom , that warp should get me through the next couple of months, before I have to re-warp.
I "found" A TREASURE at the second hand store .. It is a nice hobnail bedspread, I am anxious to get that cut and sewn so I can weave it. Or maybe I wont cut it up, maybe I will put it away for a while.

End of Feb.

The last week of Feb . The month went fast , still one week left in the month though. I made some Pink rugs and some Sea Foam green placemats.. All are still on the loom though. I'm going to make another to turn under, so I can keep weaving through to the end of the warp, without wasting to much.
The snow this weekend really piled up. we got another 6 inched and it is wet and heavy.. hopefully our street will be cleared today, (a dead end so it is highly unlikely today will be the day).
I'm on my way to the basement to weave again.. didnt get anything done over the weekend. So off I go to weave until 4p.m.

New Rugs

I've got four new denim rugs off the loom this weekend. YEAH! three are solid denim and one has red stripes with denim. They are so pretty! Actually two of them are the same, I had the fabric on shuttles and decided it was way to much to make one rug from, so, I made two. I made them to hem the ends so there is NO fringe. That fringe just seems to tangle, get caught in the vacuum and I've heard that the pets like to eat or play with it. ( I don't have a pet in the house so I wouldn't know).
This week I plan to do some more weaving. I have white terry cloth, and also some corduroy on shuttles. The corduroy is a mix of tan and burgundy. They should both turn out to be nice soft rugs. They probably wont be very long but they will accent any room.
Keep on weaving!

February Weaving

The weaving has been slow this month. Only into the first week of the new month but it seems I just can get into the basement to weave.
I finished a denim rug that I had started on Monday, today is Thursday, so that goes to show how fast I worked this week.
I also started a matching rug today, at least I got it started. I will be about the same length as the first.
I put white terry on the shuttles to be ready to weave tomorrow, we are predicted to get some snow so that will be a good excuse to stay home and weave. The little kids will be here and they are always eager to "help" , it also means another slow weaving day. They have to learn someway, what the weaving game is all about.
A new month can make a difference, hope we get some sunshine in the near future, seems everyday is so gloomy , dreary and cold lately. We are sure to get some warm weather soon and lots of warm sunshine too.
Ive got a bunch of pocket purses lined up to sew together, also have some large pant purses to make handles for and sew the Velcro onto and then they will be ready for the market. It wont be long before May is here, then the weekends will be filled with a market day.
Happy weaving!

cutting and sewing

I have cut and sewn a bunch of denim to make denim rugs with. It seems I have gotten behind on the weaving since all I did on the weekend is cut and sew strips of denim. With all the prep work done now I will start to weave so the loom can be full of rugs. All of my shuttles are full now so the work will be faster. It shouldnt take to long to get a few rugs made this week.
Weaving on!

It's still winter

I sure will be glad when the warm weather gets here. Snow and ice no more. I've finished 3 rugs , at least gotten them woven.. I will now need to finish them by cutting them off the loom and hemming them. That wont take long. I am always excited to see the finished product. I sometimes forget what is wrapped up on the roll of the loom.

I've got denim, corduroy, and some mixed fabric rugs made, they will be displayed for sale at the Freight House Farmers Market in May. That is when the outdoor market begins, in Davenport Iowa. I can hardly wait.

My little helpers are also excited to begin going to market and helping me. Nolan and Lana (my twin grandbabies, now 2 1/2 are true market babies). Nearly every day they ask about market. . They help everyday for the market sale.

Days when we have to go across the river to get Benjamin from school we look across at the market lot and building to make sure it is still there. As a two yr. old they think everyday should be market day.

Back to work for me . I've cut and sewn denim for about two weeks, my supply of denim rugs will soon be back to standard. I like to have at least 100 rugs before the first of May. Lets hope that can be accomplished. Who knows , with this weather I am sure to have more than that the first day.

WEAVE ON!

January 2010 weaving

I've just finished a beautiful soft rug from a large piece of fabric that I purchased a few weeks ago. It is almost tan but could be considered more on the burgundy side. I wove it on beige and burgundy warp.

This week I plan to re-warp my "Osborne" loom, I call it that because I purchased it from a family that lives in Osborne Il. Anyway it is going to be re-warped with natural warp. I have lots of fabric cut and sewn that will look good on a solid warp.

My goal is to weave like a mad woman before the beginning of the market. Which begins the first week of May 2010. I cannot wait for that hot weather to arrive.

I also have to be busy with the granchildren during the weekdays because school has started and they are "in charge of me" during the time mom is at work. (she works for the public schools).

Monday the fun begins!

At least I have a start on the weaving , there are at least 3 rugs on my "Moline" loom, (again, purchased from a couple in Moline, Il.) also 5 or so denim rugs on my first loom. I just want to get a couple more made before I cut them off of the loom. I usually make one to "turn Under" so that I don't waste the warp by having to re-tie the warp onto the apron.

It is a long prosess no matter what the goal. But it is something that I wouldnt stop doing for anything.