nemo ignorat

email subscription and boiler news

Email subscription is now possible. Or at least, I hope so. And the Feed button should work as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Concerning the washing boiler:

The transport was rather simple. Simpler than we imagined. Unfortunately on our way back, the exhaust began to sound ominously loud. More like a sports car, less like a mini van ;o) We managed to get back home, unload the boiler and bring the car to the garage. I suppose, we'll be getting it back toll end of the week. At least soon enough for my dyeing class in the Harz next week.

The boiler is now at its place. And since the temperatures dropped again, it will see some action soon.

Pictures will follow.

another storm

It seems very strong and sudden thunderstorms are becoming regulars. We had another one last night and this morning's walk with the dogs saw me collecting leaves and miniature acorns and walnuts.

miniature walnuts and acorns - storm's gifts

The tiny walnuts are really easy to cut with a knife. Unlike their larger variety in two months hence. And now they rest and leach dye in a large jar.

I'm a bit nervous this morning. I auctioned a wash boiler more or less without thinking the whole story through. I measured out our car, made sure it was not too heavy for it but still I'm a bit worried it won't work out. We can get it in two runs if all fails. It's not that far away.

finally summer

After a long, too long and too cold winter followed by some monsoon (yes, I still insist this was not rain. Rain comes and goes. Rain is something that maybe pours down on you but you don't have the desire to grow gills. And most of all, rain stops in between. This bucketful gale did not stop until everthing was pouring over, flooding everything, leaving you only wet, yearning for some dryness. Even so we are lucky enough not to live directly at one of the main rivers. We're at 300m and about 2.5 miles from the river.Which is a good bit of distance if the waters won't stop. And we're not in the Elb area. They won't see dry land for another month or so.)

it is finally summer.

Even though the temperatures are way above my personal comfort zone, I won't complain. Not this year. I soak up every little bit of warmth. And dryness.

And it is perfect weather for a nice fermentation vat outside.

Usually, I really hate those black plastic things but for budding lotuses and fermentation vats they are ideal. Little solar collectors each and everyone of them.The one with the vat comes with a nice fitting black plastic lid. At its height we had 40 °C (104°F) inside the vat. About 6 hours of direct sunshine. I'm curious to see how much the temperature will drop over night.

Last thursday night we had a storm. Just the usual kind when it suddenly gets warmer. And it bestowed upon me the gift of fallen twigs and leaves for dyeing. Lots of tannins ;o)

And another gift. My favourite Madame Louise Odier is in full bloom. She smells best in the early mornings and on warm evenings.

more basics

I'm getting the hang of it and I'm very confident to get some basic wardrobe done this year.

During the latest cold spell and monsoon (you cannot call this rain we had lately just rain, it poured, it came down in buckets, it didn't stop until all the clouds were empty) I felt like hurrying a bit with the needle killing sweater. I did, I finished it and it became a tunic. You could call it a mini as well but no way I'd be wearing it without trousers. Not me.

I admit, it looks a bit weird but it wears well which is the most important thing.

The yarn is handspun, the coloured bits are naturally dyed and the grey is wool from some British sheep I didn't remember because I couldn't find the label anymore.

Next is another basic top. This time I used my favourite top pattern. One I made for myself several years ago and which I used already for some linen tops. I based the pattern on the parts from other tops that fitted me best. Like the neckline from one and the arm hole shape from another. Most top patterns are either to wide in the arm hole so that you reveil too much or they are too narrow and uncomfortable. Same with the neckline. So I combined whatever was best into one pattern.

I extended the pattern to keep more of the dyed fabric. It is a silk bourette jersey tube I dyed with cocheneal during my last class to show a simple resist pattern and I'm really looking forward wearing it.The blue spots at the bottom are some contaminations from logwood that happened during drying. But I like it. It looks a bit weird.

BTW Peggy: sewing jersey is really simple as long as you do it by hand. I really hate sewing it by machine. The machine makes it all very complicated but by hand it is much like any other fabric.