SWSG Sat Group Jan.

Pictures to follow.

Franco's Plucking Adventure

*from rabbit geek notes*
Franco's Plucking Adventure
originally posted on French Angoras Group
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/frenchangoras
August 28 2004

Hi all,  I just plucked our FA senior blue buck who has been
over due for clipping. My lovely wife Tracy groomed him for
me with the blower so the wool would be nice and free from
tangles.  I was going to clip him with scissors, but he kept
jumping off the coffee table and running down the hall.
I noticed the wool was pretty loose, so I tugged at little
locks of it and it came off in my fingers, leaving the new
coat intact. We sat for about an hour and a half. I would
let him loose every 15 or 20 minutes to take a little walk
on the sofa.

He looks great. He looks blue again! His new coat is about
1 1/2 inch long and is a nice blue color, not faded looking
like his old coat.  And I have a brown grocery sack full of
blue angora to practice my drop spindle with!

Have a good day!
Franco Rios
MFO Rabbitry, Sacramento, Calif.

August 29 2004
Hi,  I think at least half of the breeders I've met clip the
bunnies. My goal the other night was to practice clipping a
bunny. But the bunny did not cooperate by sitting still.

So that's how I came to sit down and pluck it. It was helpful
that the bunny was in a complete molt and ready for plucking.
All in all the evening turned out well for me and for the bunny.

Have a good day!
Franco Rios
MFO Rabbitry, Sacramento, Calif.

August 30 2004

Hi,  Thanks for your reply. Yes, the buck was ready to be plucked.
And the new coat is really 1 1/2 inch, I took a measurement with a
steel pocket ruler, being the industrial geek type that I am.

I had a little pair of hair trimming scissors at the ready. I brought
the rabbit in the house because it's 90F degrees outside lately and I
didn't want to stand out there in the heat.  So I haven't given up
the idea of clipping. I just wasn't successful on my first try.

Have a good day!
Franco Rios
MFO Rabbitry 

My Corner Of The World - Mar 30, 2014

My Corner of The World - March 30, 2014

 American River at Watt Ave Bridge, Sacramento, Calif, water levels are very low due to the drought, even with recent rains.

Common Merganser floats in front of a bank of daffodils.

 It was a real bird show today at the river. These are Turkey Vultures flying over the trees by the river.

This is the outline of a big hawk. There was a lot of birds chasing each today.

 Here is a crow upper left with two more hawks lower right battling for territory probably.I did not see this when I took the picture and was surprised to see the talons out!

 Here is an Acorn Woodpecker checking his stash of acorns.

 Here is a Wild Turkey looking to cross the road.

That's my corner of the world!
It was a good day!

Live your art

When you live your art then your art is something alive. In the modern world we are taught that Art is something apart from Life. But the reality of artists who live their art is somehow missed. Art is not something apart from life. Otherwise the simple hats and bags would never have become the artistic expressions of the person's soul. It may be just a bag for holding leaves or nuts. Or a hat to protect the head. The spirit from the fingers of the maker will find its way into the work and will be an expression of life. 

Shawl Weavers Song

Shawl Weavers Song 

 

Here is a song I was taught in elementary school in late 1960s, Los Angeles Calif when I was 10 or 11 years old. It was printed in the district textbook for music so it was taught to everybody in the city.

http://filipinofolksongsatbp.blogspot.com/2011/10/cashmere-folk-song-shawl-weavers-song.html

You can hear the melody at the website.

Shawl Weaver's Song
Cashmere Folk Song
by Seymour Barnard
Tempo: Allegretto

Deftly, deftly, nimble fingers,
Weave gold and azure strands.
Hasten, hasten, he who lingers.
Fly, firm and facile hands.

Weave for mother's shoulder
Shawls gay with glints of gold;
For her when bent and older,
Warm wool against the cold.

Although I remember the second verse was something like
Weave for the lady's shoulders
Shawls gay with glints of gold
When winter winds grow colder
Warm wool against the cold.

Anyway, that's the name of that tune.
Have a joyful day!

Sprang Hairnets

There's amazing article on sprang hairnets here :

https://www.academia.edu/5403707/Sprang_Hairnets_in_the_Katoen_Natie_collection

From a post on the Sprang_List from yahoogroups.

Have a good day!

Sac WSG Open House Sat

Today was first day of
Sacramento Weavers & Spinners Guild Annual Open House
Shepard Garden & Art Center
3330 Mckinley Blvd
Sacramento, CA
Feb 8 & 9, 2014, 10 am to 4 pm
Free admission and parking
(Click pictures to view larger images)

Articles created by members  are hung for display

Many demonstrations and exhibitions of spinning with wheels. A Kromski Polonaise wheel (left) in the same room as a modern steel spinning wheel.

Navajo weaving demonstration. A piece in progress (left) and Marilyn works a new piece (right)

Small looms are demonstrated. A narrow band loom (left) and a folding floor loom (right).

Another floor loom demonstration (left) and Shimenko works a multharness table loom (right).

Linda demonstrates a Structo 8 harness table loom (left), a Marudai band weaving loom takes a break (right).

Some of the items donated for the fundraising raffle (left) and more member's work on display (right).

This old wooden yarn winder has a gear to help count how many yarns are being wound. It's in the raffle!

The Basketry display area (left) and a wool carding/blending demonstration area (right).

A little Ashford portable spinning wheel (left) and young Remy helps people try their hand at weaving on a loom (right).

Here is some of the piles of wool and yarn available in the Sales Area!

We'll be there tomorrow too!

It was a good day!