I met him on Main

On May 16, 2023May 19, 2023 By CarynIn Cats

I had just picked up coffee from my favorite coffee shop, and was driving down Main headed home, when I saw something dart across the road. It was the size of a squirrel, but didn’t move like a squirrel, was a streak of gray and white, but wasn’t an opossum. I slowed down to look as it ran toward a tree and saw the outlines of a cat. I pulled off the road and approached. It ran away and I could tell it was a kitten. Oh dear. I cornered it in a rose bush (or something with thorny stems, I didn’t even feel the scratches) and pulled it out by the scruff of its neck. It is amazing the problems that can be solved in the heat of the moment; I dumped all the items out of my car organizer and had a make-shift carrier, complete with zipped mesh top. (I’ve had it for years, never considered that it was appropriate temporary containment for small critters.) I took him (definitely a he) by the vet’s office and they said he was about 2 months old and yes, a boy, and did not seem to be harmed by his flight across four lanes of traffic. I took him home (the local cat shelter is full up with bottle fed babies), brushed out the burrs, clipped his nails, and gave him a bath with baby soap. One of the vet techs suggested the name “Thorn”.

He is set up in the spare room, which is where I usually put ferals to recover from getting fixed. We’ll see how he does with some kitten food and cuddles, get him an official vet visit and get him neutered, then see about finding him a home. My husband is allergic to male cats (our working theory is they don’t tend to be as fastidious about grooming as some females), so he is safe and cared for now, but can’t stay here. I guess I’ve been selected to foster.

Wrist strap

On May 15, 2023 By CarynIn Craft

I’ve been pinning many pictures of things I can do with my Inkle loom woven straps. So many things, but what caught my attention this time were wrist straps. Most of the articles talk about attaching keys, but I also saw wrist straps used for walking canes, cameras, and small bags. I also saw a method for securing the end of the cut woven strap with clear flexible glue. I used Modge Podge, which worked well painted on the ends and allowed to dry.

Securing cut ends by painting on clear glue

There is metal clamp hardware that make the creation of a wrist strap quicker, but I preferred the sewn leather direction. I noticed that leather makers use a wooden clamp that is similar to my bookbinding clamps. My clamp is larger, but it worked well to hold the pieces together while I stitched. I used a single ply of waxed nylon thread to sew a loop of leather to the ends of the strap.

Rather than a D ring, I used a split ring and a toggle clasp because these can be removed if the strap needs to be modified with different attachments.

Wrist strap made from an Inkle loom woven strap and leather

I liked how this one came out, so I made more.

Hand woven, hand sewn, cotton and leather wrist straps

Happy Mother’s Day

On May 14, 2023 By CarynIn Garden

Happy Mother’s Day to all those that nurture, whether they be your own offspring, someone else’s offspring, or adopted fuzzy family.

Spinning hemp

On May 13, 2023May 10, 2023 By CarynIn Craft

I am delving into the fiber samples my sister gave me, starting with hemp. I tried spinning the hemp as I would wool, with a drop spindle and dry. The fly aways were epic. Since I had luck spinning flax roving using a bit of moisture from a sponge, I tried that method with the hemp. It meant I had to transfer what I had spun to a long shaft drop spindle (wrapping the yarn along the shaft at a low angle reduces the stress on the fibers).

Moving the spinning operation from a single spindle to a spindle and distaff setup

Rather than spinning directly from the roving, I separated bits of roving and laid them on a rectangle of fabric (all those old masks came in handy), taking care to lay them in the same orientation. I then rolled the fabric around the distaff and tied it loosely with some cord.