Deja vu all over again

No, you're not imagining things. Yes, that's Scarf 29 again. Talk about the same only different: it's the same scarf but now it's twice as long.

Let me explain: I wove yesterday's scarf short like the one before it: 48" this time as I found the 40" one was much too long for once-around-my-neck and yet just a bit too short for twice-around. And I hemstitched it. And I wound the warp forward and got all set to put the lease sticks in so I could cut and rethread again. And, as I wound it forward, the last piece of paper fell off the beam and dropped to the floor. Clearly, had I cut and tied and woven another piece, it would have been the shortest scarflette known to man. I might have gotten about 20" out of it. Maybe. Probably not.

On the other hand, I reasoned, if I didn't cut and tie, if instead I picked out the hemstitching from the end of #29 and kept going, I could probably add another 30" to the scarf I already had. 20" is a silly length for a scarflette, but 78" is a lovely length for a scarf. And so that is what I did.


I had help again today as I worked. Normally Brownie is very shy and suspicious of us - it is a rare thing and cause for celebration when she actually deigns to sit next to one of us on the couch (quiet and internal celebration, as making sound or even acknowledging her presence is likely to make her run). Occasionally, though, she'll actually demand attention while I'm weaving and will even jump right up next to me on the loom bench and squeak her ridiculous, tiny squeaks. Usually, like yesterday, she keeps right on moving meaning I only get a rear view (literally) but today she hung around long enough for me to take some pictures from a more appropriate angle.


She is so cute and sweet and timid, I can deny her nothing...


Not even walking on the warp, even though it's sooooo naughty. :P I know I ought to shoo her away when she does this since it only leads to even worse goings on, but she's such a phantom and so thoroughly convinced that we're out to get her that I hate to confirm her suspicions.

So that's my scarfa post for today. Short and sweet, like my scarf no longer is. :)

However, I do have some other things to catch up on: coffee bombing and blog awards.

You may recall I mentioned long ago that I'd engaged in my first act of virtual coffee bombing. I did this because Beverly had posted to the Weaving List that she'd been enjoying Scarf A Day but was envious of the freedom I had to go out with my friends for coffee in the middle of the day.¹ "Hmm," thought I, "who says that the only way to enjoy a cuppa with someone is while sitting at the same table? It sounds like Beverly needs a coffee bomb of her own!" So I stopped by Tim Horton's and then showed up on Shari's doorstep unannounced. Shari did take a look at the extra coffee in my hands and peer over my shoulder to see who was with me but I guess she's used to me 'cause she just let me in and, apart from slightly raised eyebrows and a bemused smile...

I'm hoping that, since I'm only putting half a picture of her on the blog, she'll only half kill me...

...she didn't say a word as I sat Beverly's stunt double at the table and passed out the coffee and sweets. And then we proceeded to have a lovely cuppa and a lively chat and a merry old time indeed. Yes, even Beverly, though she didn't have quite as much to say or eat much of her danish:

As you can see, it's Roll up the Rim to Win season at Tim Horton's.²

In case you're wondering, that's my Dammit Doll playing the role of Beverly for the day. This seemed appropriate since the real Beverly was no doubt at work right then, possibly even in a meeting. My Dammit Doll is a prized possession, given to me by my grandmother. It usually lives in the chair beside my loom - you can spot it in one of the pics in my post about sectional warping on HFD. You cannot tell from this picture, but it has Very Very Skinny Legs, metal button eyes, and a little poem around its neck:

When you want to throw the phone
And kick the desk and shout
Here's a little "Dammit" Doll
You cannot do without.

Just grasp it firmly by the legs
And find a place to slam it,
And as you whack the stuffing out,
Yell, "Dammit, dammit, dammit!"

This is actually the second Dammit Doll I have owned. The first one had plastic button eyes which shattered into a zillion pieces one day when these instructions were followed to a T. Dear ol' Gramma figured she'd best get me another one right quick, and made sure the new one was more indestructable. ;)

So, Beverly, if you're reading, I hope you enjoyed your coffee (and Ron says thank you for the danish). :D

Now for the Blog Awards. A week or so ago, Sue of Life Looms Large and Peg of Talking About Weaving each gifted me with blog awards, which made me feel GRATE. :D Sometimes I wonder if anyone out there is really interested in all my blathering on and all your comments, emails and now blog awards reassure me that I'm not too boring or wasting my time and yours here. :) And so, even though blog awards seem suspiciously similar to email chain letters (which I delete with extreme prejudice), I was really tickled and flattered to get these and want to pass them on. For one of them I'm supposed to list five of my addictions and then five of my favourite blogs; for the other no addictions are required but it's eight blogs I'm supposed to list. I'm going to combine the two, list five addictions and eight favourite blogs.

My addictions: chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, and chocolate. Is that cheating? Okay then:

1. Chocolate - in all its forms. Except maybe white. I'll eat white, but I'm not addicted to it. These days my faves are Ghirardelli mints, Toblerone and cocoa. Mmm, cocoa!
2. A toss up between colour and fibre. Best of all: colourful fibre! Spinning it, weaving it, knitting it, just petting it.
3. Blogs (and social networking in general) - I'm subscribed to 42 blogs and counting!
4. Computer games (and social networking in general!) - this is, after all, how I met my husband...
5. CATS. My cats in particular (we're down to only four now, but four's a good number) but also cats in general.

My favourite blogs were hard to choose since I'm subscribed to so many and adding more every day. My top eight list looks like this (in no particular order):

1. U*Handblog - the first blog I ever started reading. I love Lisa's wit and sense of humour. Her bags are also FAB.
2. Angry Chicken - the first blog I ever subscribed to. I love Amy's approach to life, play, motherhood and all things craft.
3. Weaving A Life - I want to be Laura Fry when I grow up, plain and simple. Stalkerish, much?
   
4. Ninja Knowledge - Jenn is my go-to guru for blog gadgets, intel, know-how and all things blogarific.
5. Craft Stylish - a craft portal, not an single blog, but So. Many. Great. Projects. I post my scarfas here sometimes. :) Also, I find links to fab new blogs here.
6. Fibermania - a feast for the eyes, and for anyone addicted to colour and fibre, heavy on the colour. Makes me want to take up quilting.
7. Needled - a fascinating glimpse into the life and mind of a talented Scottish fibre artist; also some really amazing knitting patterns.
8. Life Looms Large - I just love Sue's enthusiasm for everything from weaving to photography to.. well, everything!

So there you are. Please don't lynch me for only including two weaving blogs!

Phew. I *think* I'm all caught up now! On the docket for tomorrow: guest scarves from Linda Gettman. MANY guest scarves from Linda Gettman, in fact!



1. Owing to my complete lack of gainful employment, which has its drawbacks, I assure you. Although, you know, I have trouble thinking of any...

2. Which is to say: it's Lent. Gotta hand it to the sneaky little devils, makin' sure no one gives up their Tim's for 40 days.