Farewell to 2013

2013 has been very good to me in many ways. Cariboo Handwoven grew in sales, website hits, blog pageviews, and general interest in my community. My plan for 2014 has many exciting challenges, such as my show with potter Joan Beck at the Station House Gallery next November, continued blogging of my projects and thoughts, restocking of my studio and three local outlets with blankets and towels, and more.

Thank you very, very much to my sister, Alison, in Ottawa who has been instrumental in the growth and success of Cariboo Handwoven.

Thank you to Pat for all the systems assistance and advice I've needed over the year, and for his wise perspectives on many things.

Thank you to all the inspiration and guidance from artists like weaver Laura Fry, marketing coach Alyson Stanfield and self-described writer-who-draws Austin Kleon.

And a huge THANK YOU to my customers whose support has been wonderful and which I have so appreciated. All your written feedback is posted on my bulletin board or kept on file electronically. :)

Here are some of my favourite wool blankets from 2013:

SH003 | Sold in Ottawa in April

SH019 | Available

SH020 | Available in Ottawa

SH036 | Last available blanket in the Autumn Storm series

SH047 | Available

A209 | Sold in Ottawa in November

Best wishes to everyone for a happy, healthy 2014!

Zingy Cotton Blankets

After weaving, fringing and selling many wool blankets lately, I needed a contrast. My big cotton blankets in bold twills have been fun to make as well as really popular, and another one just sold today in Ottawa. I decided last week to warp on wide stripes of interesting colours that Pat describes as "zingy." Here is the warp being threaded:

The blankets are the full loom width of 60" (152 cm) and the cotton is threaded again at 24 ends/inch. Total number of warp ends: 1,440. During the threading stage I play little mind games to get myself through the 5 or 6 hours it takes, and then there's still the next two steps of sleying the reed and tying on the warp.

Here's the first blanket underway:

I'm keen to continue weaving through the upcoming holidays!

Merry Christmas.

Gift Certificate

I was recently asked for a gift certificate to be given as a Christmas present for personal selection of a Cariboo Handwoven Shetland wool blanket. The future blanket owner had admired my blankets at a recent event, which the gift certificate-buying spouse had noticed, and that prompted the gift certificate idea. This is my first gift certificate and I had fun designing it. I'll have more fun after Christmas when the recipient goes through the selection process and makes a choice.

Just Sent To Ottawa ...

This morning I sent seven more blankets to my sister in Ottawa. Here are five of them:

SH048 | 100% wool | $230

SH049 | 100% wool | $230 | On hold

A211 | Approx. 50% Shetland wool and 50% alpaca | $300

A214 | Approx. 50% Shetland wool and 50% alpaca | $300

A216 | Approx. 50% Shetland wool and 50% alpaca | $300

If you're in the Ottawa area and interested in any of these blankets, please email me for contact information: cariboojane "at" shaw "dot" ca.

More blankets are also available at the Station House Gallery and in my studio.

Shetland Wool Blankets - 9th Batch on Loom

This is a good time of the year to weave soft, lightweight wool blankets, as they are in pretty high demand lately. I'm keeping track of my Shetland wool blanket projects and this is my ninth set.

Here are the first five blankets on the loom. I'm planning to fringe the fifth one (SH049) ASAP for shipping out, but if you see another blanket you'd like fringed and ready next week, just let me know.

SH045

SH046

SH047

SH048

SH049

Totally Tremendous Turned Twill Towels

OK, they're just towels, but they're nice ones - plus, I couldn't resist taking the alliteration a bit further. The towels were woven both in smooth diagonal lines and the mottled look with the broken twill for the blocks. Both effects work well and look great, or to some - totally tremendous.