Happy new year everyone! I hope this year brings you joy, peace, and success! I’ve been thinking about my weaving year and what I want to get done…so here is my bucket list of weaving stuff for 2018..( I thought if I wrote it down, I might become accountable for at least some of it…)

But first…a teaser..

Bucket list of weaving stuff

* weave one set of towels a month..even a small set would do

* join the Lowell, Michigan fiber group

* join the Holland, Michigan fiber group and get to some of their meetings

* find a couple of sales not in December

* put more things in my shop and maybe link it to Etsy

*. Figure out Instagram or whatever that picture thing is that Hannah does

* try to spin at least once a week because I am out of colors for my hats

*. Try to use up yarn I already own so no containers are on the floor…

* get something ready for the MLH exhibit…entries are due by Jan 20th-ish

*. Perfect some drafts and market them….which means spend some time writing a detailed recipie and it might also mean that I need to buy Fiberworks software and learn how to use it.

* dye some warps….take Rita s open dyeing day and get there prepared to dye at least 5 warps..or more.

* akkk! And there is probably more….

So, in reviewing this incomplete list I find that I am forced to declare that

January 2018 is the first annual international month of table runners!

That’s right folks! All you weavers get Crackin!

In preparation of this declaration, I have been thinking about this since Christmas, I have been designing an 8 harness rep weave table runner to go with my Tom Campbell pottery. Here are my colors…

This is Dragon Tale Rayon. The variegated yarn has a repeat every 106 inches…which is almost 3 yards. I measured off the stripes of the variegated yarn first by going around my warping board In a circle. I measured the rest of the yarn using the tradition way on my warping board. It’s about 11 inches wide and I love how it is turning out! I think it can be one of my entries for the MLH exhibit next month…I’m hoping to have it done by the end of the week.

I haven’t done rep weave since I took Rosalie Nielsen’s class a few years ago. I have her new book on rep weave, but I need to study it.

I designed this by taking one of Kelly Marshall’s designs out of her book. Then I eliminated half of her blocks. I removed shafts 9 and 10. Then I moved blocks around. Then I changed the order. Then I changed the treading. So essentially, I removed all the careful thought process and reasoning she puts into her design and the Weave-it program and I just truly muddied everything up until I liked how it looks. That’s how to design an 8 harness rep table runner when you don’t understand the technique thoroughly.

I love, love love how the variegated yarn pools…

And this is what it’s looking like after 10 inches…hurrah!

So now I’m going back to my loom! It’s cold here in Michigan, but I’m sending warm wishes for a wonderful year to all of you!

–Rebecca