The Ups and Downs of September

This month has been a roller coaster ride.  I finished my classes for a couple of weeks and had some time to enjoy family during the first of the month.  My sister's son got married and I had fun with her grand-kids and seeing family.

Sweet little kids

Beautiful little kids all dressed up

As I do not have grand-kids, I love to see my siblings grand-kids!

A couple of days after the wedding, our family got to fly out to Southern California for a few days of fun and more family.  I do not get to see my Cummings cousins in Southern California very often, so it was a treat to have dinner with them and visit for an evening.  Before we went to the restaurant, Dustin found a great picture opportunity and I took some pictures of the Point Vincente Lighthouse.

One of the pictures I took

I can't wait to see what my son is able to do with his pictures, but I got some pretty good memories on mine.

We got to go to the Getty Malibu and I really enjoyed walking around and looking at the old Roman and Etruscan items.  It reminded me of the museums and places that we visited in Southern France last year.  Do you think I can use this design and make a color and weave pattern?

Interesting mosaic pattern

We also did the usual tourist things, we went to Disneyland...after the day we were exhausted and decided that we do not need to do that again soon.

He said it was a requirement...everyone has to ride on "It's a Small World"!

We also did Hollywood and Vine, the wax museum, Ripley's, and Medieval times.
Medieval times is a dinner (without eating utensils, and when we were served he said dinner tonight was "baby dragon, but it tastes just like chicken") and a show with jousting, beautifully trained horses, sword fights and a falcon demonstration.

Here you can see "our" red knight...we were sitting in the red section.

I had a lot more fun at the wax museum than I thought I would...we hammed it up with several of the displays.

Here I am with Moses

I got to pose with Moses, and look at the piece I based the weaving on for the film company.
Here you can see my version of the Moses blanket.  

DS trying to get the gun.

My DD even got into the act.

It really was enjoyable to spend the time with my family and do some crazy things.  Being a tourist is a good thing some times.


The weekend after we got back, my beginning weaving class started and I found out that we may not be able to continue teaching at the site.  The Pioneer Craft House (which consists of pottery, jewelry, woodworking and other crafts) that I teach through has been in existence for almost seventy years and for over fifty years we have been on the same site that was purchased for us to use.  Times change and now we may have to move.  I don't know where we would go and if the classes will continue.  My hope is that we can work out a plan with the city, but it has caused some sleepless nights and is really and downer for the end of this month.  

I have been weaving some more pinwheel scarves and that always helps my attitude. 

I found some wool/alpaca yarn in the stash and since the dummy warp was still on the loom I figured I would just use it and tie on.  Of course, it was not as simple as that.  This yarn was more yards per pound and needed to be sett closer so I needed to do more work, but the warp is now on.  I decided to put on as long of a warp as I could with the three colors and just weave until the yarn is all gone.

The first scarf just used the gray and white.

Here is a close up on the loom.

I also got a new rigid heddle loom...I know overkill.  I wanted to try some double weave on a rigid heddle and mine has some limits using two heddles, so I bought a Schacht Flip.  I signed up to do a WAL that is a double weave blanket in cotton and got the kit for the yarn.  With our vacation and my disappointment with the Pioneer Craft House, I have not kept up with the group, but last night got it threaded through the second heddle and ready to try weaving double width.  
It was quite easy threading the second heddle and putting in the pick-up sticks, so I am afraid that I did something wrong.  This evening I will try weaving and see what happens.  With luck, I will be ok and able to get two layers, if not...then I try threading again.  I know several of the participants had to do that!  Wish me luck!