Oh, wow!

Yesterday might have come close to making up for me getting sick; the illness lasted for over a week and is something I would not wish on anyone!    I missed my design course, but no way was I taking the bug to share even if I could have left the house!  Looks like it reoccurs as well, Ian threw up this afternoon.

Anyway, getting back to yesterday and what happened.   I was reading the guild newsletter and noticed a wee notice tucked in about one of the guild members having a Bartlett 4-shaft 4' countermarche floor loom available for free to a good home.   I've been thinking I'm going to need a floor loom once I've learned a little more about weaving to make T his kilt.    I waited impatiently for him to get home so I could talk to him about it and he agreed I could get it and we'll put it up in the dining room so I can learn to use it until our garage building is ready.    I don't need it yet, but this was an opportunity I couldn't pass up.
At this point of course it was all theory; I ran the lady who had it and was very surprised to find it was the same lady who was running the design course!    We had a good talk, and I've booked in some time to catch up on the course, and she agreed I'd be suitable as a new owner for the loom!  I'll be picking it up early next month and getting to know it.   It's current owner has offered some yarn for practicing to make rugs, and some books as she no longer uses them and it comes with a bench and shuttles plus I think some other bits and pieces, but I'm afraid that by this point I was pretty much in delighted shock and didn't register everything.    Everyone at the guild was delighted for me, and I've had several offers of help if I need it (when I need it), which is definitely appreciated.

Despite being ill I did manage to get some spinning done; I plied the merino

405m of Navajo plied Merino.   Unsure what this will be, but it is lovely and muted.   Navajo plying was the only way to ply it without risking muddying it.

I've also planned what I want to make for the next Historical Sew Fortnightly.   I'm going to the 1920's and making a Vionnet dress in red and green to look a bit like a Kakabeak flower.   My first step is to enlarge the pattern from the Janet Arnold book it's in and then check the sizing.   Then I can check if I have sufficient fabric; if not I'll have to revisit my idea.  I'll be using silk to make the dress, but I'm refusing to buy more than what I already have in stash.

I'm 20 rows off the toe on my Hermione's socks and have just finished the ribbing on the socks I'm test knitting too.

The painter has been and painted the gables and eaves that I couldn't do last summer, not cheap, but worth it I think; looks so much better!   I've got an upholsterer coming to look at our La-z-boy chair, also not cheap, but considering it has memories for me (was my Grandpa's), it's worth it; can't keep putting it off, the fabric is starting to tear.   A new one wouldn't have the same value.   It's currently mustard coloured and will be changing to red; I think Grandpa would approve.   We're not recovering the lounge suite though, we don't like the style much and it's not that comfy either.

Oh, and apparently our garage consent has been approved; we're still waiting on written confirmation, but the bill has arrived (more than we expected), once written approval arrives then I hope to get a time frame.    I'm thinking after Christmas though as they have to manufacture the parts first which will take a few weeks.  So in the meantime we're trying to save (the above has not helped) and have cancelled the newspaper and Sky which we weren't using enough to justify the monthly spend.   Have a freeview box coming, and I've put some yarn up for sale, some of it is already on hold, but quite a bit left if you're interested.