New Stained Glass Project

This one's for me: a large Frank Lloyd Wright design, appx. 24" x 30". It will be mostly clear glass with some green, cream and amber accent colors added. It's going faster than expected. For me the hardest thing is cutting the mitered corners of the zinc frame.This is to hang in the window by the front door, but it will have to be reinforced before it hangs: it's going to be heavy.

This far after three afternoons.

Spring and Summer 2012 Projects

Rovers over to spin in June

Been a busy spring and summer, our last Hot Dog trip was mid-June so we have been sticking around to watch the plants grow, and, unfortunately, dodge fires. As I type this on July 24, we've had three serious fires very close to home: Weber Canyon Fire in Mancos, Lightner Creek Fire, and just now the Air Park Fire, which reached Lake Nighthorse. All but the first were lightning caused, so not much you can do about that except be on the sniffer-lookout after a storm passes. Apparently when it's as dry as it has been here, a lightning strike can smolder for days before winds can whip it into an actual fire. Not a comforting thought when you see lightning all around.

Smoke trailing by from Weber Canyon Fire, shot from the driveway.

Lightner Creek Fire shot from across the street. This was the closest.

Air Park Fire shot from our side yard, toward Lake Nighthorse, maybe four miles away.

Air Park Fire it's first night, shot from the side yard with the Nikon zoom. This fire reached about 500 acres.

Anyway, back to the projects!

I should probably start with the finished shell stained glass project. It's done and now hanging in W. Palm Beach, Fla. 

In May or June I dyed some superwash merino roving and spun into 2-ply to sell on consignment at our local yarn shop. I'm finding the brighter the colors, the faster they sell. No dye, no sale, i.e., natural colors sit on the shelves. Last I checked the only one still available was pastel garden. I swear the name given helps sales so I always try to name it something regional based on the color. Or at least hope the tourists associate it with something local. (Proof that names matter: I named two skeins of a natural gray "Gray Hairs" and they're still sitting there. Guess no one wants to be reminded of that...)

Yesterday I dyed more roving, two 4 oz batches, to spin for consignment. I know the one on the right will be called Wild Orchid, as that is the name of one of the Cushing dye colors used; and the one on the left, I'm not sure, but so far it's reminding me of a type of topaz stone. That one was dyed with two Cushing dyes, then I crushed up two packs of easter egg dye pellets and sprinkled them on top! "Baked" them both (separately) one hour in the turkey roaster (in a 9 x 12 glass pan) and there you have it. Once spun up they probably won't look anything like this, as far as color definition, but can't wait to see what I get.

Still supplying top-whorl drop spindles to the local yarn shop, with all proceeds going to Building Homes for Heroes. As of June 2012, more than $300 has been donated. A fact I need to add that to the next batch of tags. Dad creates everything from the artwork I supply, then he ships them to me for painting, staining, assembly, hooks, and sealing. Actually it's a lot of work for something that only brings in $14 - $18.

Made another cabled throw. Lion Brand Hometown USA, LA Tan color, size #13 needles, goes pretty fast. This was made as trade for Dad for making the third metal raven we needed for the courtyard. Good trade!

And finally, thought I'd see if I could make a stained glass ornament using the now famous "Dancing Sheep" artwork I had created for the Taos Wool Festival T-shirt contest (it didn't win) but it proved popular with the locals so it also appears on drop spindles. It seems to be a go, this is the first and only one so far, but I've got two more cut out, copper foiled and ready for soldering, which is the last step. More to come.

BTW, it was while holding this up in the front window for a pic that I noticed the hazy background and stepping outside I could smell the smoke from the Air Park Fire. It blew up that fast. I had been outside just 15 minutes before and smelled nothing.

One more thing: Made the third panel for my shed doors so my technician has installed them in the window. Yes, an odd collection, but practice none-the-less. The first one I drew from a Roycroft Dard Hunter design, the middle one I made up, and the last one is a a partial design from an arts and crafts stained glass book.