Sewing, weaving, and cycling

I’ve started working my way quite seriously through Helen Joseph Armstrong’s book, Patternmaking for Fashion Design.  It’s a really good book, with clear directions.  I’m using Patternmaster: Celebrations to edit my patterns.  So far it’s been frustrating and clumsy, learning how to draft patterns simultaneously with learning to use the software, but I have faith that this will improve, and I will eventually become a whiz at both.  It also fills in nicely the time between when I get up and when B. gets up – I can work quietly on the computer without disturbing him.  (Although, I am planning to start working out at the gym regularly in the mornings as well.)

I have also started weaving again (so much for its being on hiatus) and am almost finished with the second set of placemats.  Which means, of course, that it’s time to dye the yarn for the next set of placemats.  I’ve received a request for indigo blue, which means I need to figure out how to do indigo blue.  Which, in turn, means doing more dye samples.  Looks like I have my work cut out for me on that front.  More dye experiments!

Finally, I feel like I am over my cycling burnout and prepared to start cycling again.  I don’t think I’m doing the Death Ride again this year, though – it took a lot of intensive, focused work for a good eight months, and while I’m not opposed to that sort of maniacal focus, it also ate a lot of time which I could have spent on other pursuits.  I think it’s time I scaled back some, so I’m just doing the AIDS Ride and the Cinderella Century this year.  Well, I might do the Davis Double Century, but that’s it.  I guess what I’m saying is that unlike last year, cycling will not be my main focus for the year.  Instead I plan to pursue a number of other interests, like work (!), sewing/fashion design, jewelrymaking, weaving, dyeing, and whatever else crops up during the year.  It’ll be nice having the extra time and energy to do those.

So anyway, I am bowing out of the Death Ride, at least for this year.  Next year I may be ready to tackle it again.  🙂