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Monday, January 1, 2024

Slow start to the new year

My biggest wish for this new year is to be weaving the new project on a new warp. I suppose it's half accomplished; the project is settled on. It will be fabric lengths in a lovely overshot pattern. However, I need more thread for the entire warp, and Brassard is on vacation and will not ship before they open on January tenth. Even then, I will be in line after all the earlier orders.

I decided to get a head start on next year and use the loom waste from the towel warp to get all the heddles threaded. There are 522 heddles involved this time, not that many more than the towel warp. However, threading heddles is my weakest suit.


The pattern is taped to the take up beam. There are six repeats of the pattern and I am part way through the fourth. I work until the harnesses get muddled in my brain. Shelly stopped to see me last week and helped me. We worked half way across. 

When I checked it later, there was a mistake in the first pattern. Out everything came. Janice came to help me yesterday, and we re-threaded up to part way through the third repeat. Now I am half way through the fourth, and checking each as I go.

Last year, around Thanksgiving, I resolved to go down to the Bistro for breakfast, instead of having bread, butter and jam sent from Heinen's, and often some impulse pastry. It's fifty dollars a month I don't need to spend, since breakfast is provided, if I get up early enough each day.

If I just got up and dressed and went, it would be simple. But Kitty is accustomed to having her breakfast and her kitty abode cleaned before I have breakfast. I set up that schedule to assure she was fed and her box cleaned regularly every day. Doing it before I eat means I don't forget. But it also means getting up half an hour earlier to be downstairs before breakfast is over. Sigh.

Nothing has changed with Kitty. If anything, she is more settled into her routine of pressing me to remember her treats. They are served only twice a day. However, she pressures me into breakfast, a treat when I get up and one after I eat supper. The remainder of the time she sleeps or plays. Or both.




 

31 comments:

  1. Heddle threading is a Thing! So easy to miss, or slip up. I only do it with rigid heddles and still miss a warp sometimes. Happy new year of weaving!

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  2. Happy New Year. Just reading about heddle threading does my head in.
    It seems that Kitty has you just where she wants you
    I do hope the coming year is kind to you - and to the world.

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  3. Happy New Year Joanne. I'm impatient to see the fabric you weave and what you're going to do with it. sell it as a length of fabric or plans to make something with it.

    I don't clean Cat's litter box until after dinner when I'm closing up the house. she spends a lot of time outside lately so often she hasn't used it. which is an improement since at first she would come in specifically to use it and then go back outside.

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  4. Heddle threading can be a nightmare..you have so much patience!

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  5. That is one funny picture. Does she ever eat in front of you? We had one dog that would not allow us to see her eat. The dog we have now brings her little cup of dggie ice cream into the living room because that is where we eat our ice cream. She just wants to be sociable.

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  6. Happy New Year Joanne. Hope 2024 is a good one!

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  7. I don't know what heddle threading is but it sounds like a pain in the but. Cats are bullies when it comes to their food:)

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  8. Happy New Year 2024 Joanne ! Let's hope it's a happy healthy one! And I agree that just reading about your threading does me in. As for Kitty, I think she's found a wonderful home to be spoiled in. But I do hope you get your breakfast... at least on occasion.

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  9. Hari OM
    You are keeping yourself active, Joanne, and that is as much as can be asked of any given day! Lovely think that Kitty has you well 'threaded'... YAM xx

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  10. Could Kitty perhaps adjust to having her breakfast and cleaning done AFTER you get back from your own breakfast? That shouldn't be more than half an hour later than usual, I would think. I'm sure she'd protest initially but in time . . . ?

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  11. Kitty has a very good life! I know what you mean about setting a schedule so that nothing vital is forgotten. I had to do that to ensure I changed the dogs' and cats' water each morning. I can get my coffee only after the "dog water" is done! Happy New Year and I hope those heddles don't get into muddles!

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  12. Your new project is going to keep you very busy. I look forward to seeing the pattern. Kitty has her schedule expectations but moving her breakfast forward or back a bit would be convenient for your new schedule. My dog has his expectations too but timing seems unimportant. He does expect scrambled eggs every other day. Like Kitty, he's well cared for.

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  13. I wonder if Kitty could adapt to a new schedule? I bet she could and I doubt she'd let you forget her breakfast or cleaning her litter box. I hate the thought of you having to get up earlier. Not fair!
    Happy New Year, darling Joanne! I can't wait to see what you weave in 2024.

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  14. That sounds very tricky! I'm not spatial and not great with patterns so I'm sure I would make many mistakes and have to re-do everything. Kitties are definitely into their routines; Mari loves her mornings sitting on my lap while I do my word and geography games.

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  15. Brava on Kitty's successful training of you. I understand your routine, it's so much harder to break it as we age. I am the same. My wake up time is sliding southward as the weeks go by. I was always an early riser but now? I sleep so badly I cling to the mattress in the morning. But at least we still have creative plans. Good luck with all the complicated weaving business. it baffles (ha!) me.
    XO
    WWW

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  16. As you've probably figured out by now, Kitty is the master and you're the servant :-)

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  17. I need to take care of Kitty before I eat, otherwise I might forget it completely. Once I did, until late afternoon, and wondered why Kitty was staring at me all day.

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  18. That toy looks very familiar and Mercy loves hers too. The meal is a southern one and the greens, rice and blackeyed peas were originally eaten by slaves according to my information. I do not know who im my family handed down the tradition of eating black eyed peas for prosperity. Good luck with the morning schedule change and breakfast, and happy new year.

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  19. Heddle threading would drive me completely around the bend I think. I'm looking forward to see ing the new pattern. My routine has me cleaning Lola's tray and water bowls every afternoon at 2.30.

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  20. You must have great resolve to be so strict with the cat. I'm a pushover by comaprison.

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  21. Threading that heddle sounds confusing and difficult. But the fabric you will be weaving sounds lovely! Kitty is very smart! One of my cats wakes us up early every morning for breakfast. He will keep crying until I get up and feed him. They do know how to train us!

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  22. You've done a lovely job taking care of kitty. Just take her to breakfast with you! Happy New Year! Linda in Kansas

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  23. Happy New Year Joanne - we have to keep the brain working in whatever way we can.
    I’m one who can only (more like prefers to) work to written patterns. Graphs leave me cold so I’ve often transcribed ‘pictures into words’ to be able to make the things I want.

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  24. I hope that the breakfast is good at the Bistro and that conversation is not dominated by right wing whack jobs! Happy New Year, Joanne.

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  25. Threading that would make my eyes water and do my head in. What patience you must have. But no doubt very satisfying when it is done correctly.

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  26. It sounds like threading would be a proper PITA. If nothing more, I'd learn patience out of it. Your cat lazily playing under the chair. We got a laser pointer for Houdi. How that cat does love that. She jumped on the couch last night and brought it to me.

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  27. Happy New Year, Joanne!
    Kitty legs are looking quite relaxed. :)

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  28. "threading heddles" - I think I understand threading. I wouldn't know a heddle if I tripped over it.

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  29. You'll have to train kitty to get her own breakfast, lol.

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  30. Happy New Year, Joanne!! Glad you and Kitty are doing well.

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  31. I wish you a Happy New Year, dear Joanne! So fine to read that Kitty has her own rhythm - and brings much joy into your life.

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