Fenix Fiberwerks

... and even further on

2011-01-24T11:27:00.000-06:00

I have a website, finally--
you can find me at

http://www.ingamariecarmel.com

Moving on

2010-08-17T14:10:00.000-05:00

Well it looks like I don't post here very much does it. I've moved on. You can find most of what I'm weaving on Weavolution these days. Look for me here:

My Projects page on Weavolution.com

And maybe some day I'll be back here, who knows :)

Blue Handspun Scarf- wrap thing

2009-03-20T15:58:00.001-05:00

So a little while back I got a rigid heddle loom. I thought it would be a fun thing, and maybe a good way to something with the handspun I tend to accumulate in 4 oz skeins. The first project was so unspeakably ugly I won't show it, but here is number two. The warp is a millspun turquoise rayon, alternating with a thin cotton- and that cotton is one thread teal one purple. I spun the weft from a Lyocell roving from Carolina Homespun, in their 'Spirits of the Water' colorway. It came out quite pretty I think. And it was fun besides.

La Luz is finished

2009-03-08T13:17:00.001-05:00

I just finished the blanket. Yay!

The long and winding web!

2009-02-17T11:26:00.001-06:00

It's off the loom.. all 6 and a half yards of it. Ready to be fulled. This will be the outside of the blanket. Next I 'll warp up the yellow for the inside.

Almost there

2009-02-13T11:22:00.000-06:00

One last picture of the web on the loom. I'm almost done.

Yarn porn

2009-02-13T11:17:00.000-06:00

Don't you just love LOOKING at yarn :)

Overload

2009-02-10T11:12:00.000-06:00

Poor little loom. I'm not sure it's built to take this much fabric, but it's holding up OK. And I had to zip tie the reed to the beater, since I don' t have a reed this size for this loom.

He didn't try to sell me insurance, though

2009-01-30T16:02:00.001-06:00

Got up the other morning to find this guy on my little loom.

Turning Limestone into Wool

2009-01-15T16:28:00.000-06:00

Off and running, here are some progress pictures. I like how the handspun is behaving, it gets thicker and thinner and makes for a more interesting texture... and wondering if I'll weave past certain places before it breaks keeps my mind occupied! It's sooo different weaving in the wool from the linen, kind of fun getting to know a different fiber.

Sample, fulled

2009-01-14T16:24:00.000-06:00

The sample, fulled. I like how it came out and now I'm ready to tie back on an weave all 6-1/2 yards of this. The yarn is mostly 'Tuna' from Borgs, but with a bit of stash yarn and some handspun thrown in. Sett is 12 epi.

Overkill

2009-01-09T16:22:00.000-06:00

I've put the big trapeze from the Glimakra on this tiny old LeClerc, it's a bit ridiculous looking, not to mention tippy, but it worked. The warp went on beautifully.

Warp Chains

2009-01-08T16:12:00.000-06:00

I'm going to make this blanket in panels, so I can fit it on the little loom (that I've had for over 30 years) since the big one still has the linen. The outside panels will be the 'limestone' and the center the 'light'. It's interesting, after spending most of my life working with limestone to be trying to interpret it in wool. It's like the two big creative forces in my life converging.

Thinking

2008-12-27T16:06:00.000-06:00

I'm ruminating on the blanket.. here are some of the yarns, and a palette starting to develop.

Guild Design Challenge

2008-12-18T22:05:00.000-06:00

Another Guild project this fall is a design challenge. We're using some photos my brother took, as inspirational jumping off points. I'm still, um, ensnared by all my white linen, so I wove a small piece based on La Luz. Hopefully a blanket will also materialize.

Remember all that white linen?

2008-10-02T21:47:00.000-05:00

I put up 10 yards of half-bleached 8/1 linen this summer, and am slowly weaving my way through it. I've pulled the first 3 towels off. These are very rustic towels, sort of pleasantly coarse and scratchy. The blue weft is a singles linen I've had in my stash since the early 80's and a big reason why I put the warp up. I wove 2 towels with it about 20 years ago, and had yarn left over. They're really sauna towels, but I like them as hand towels.

Guild Color Study-- The Black and White Warp

2008-09-25T21:37:00.000-05:00

Here is the second of the Guild color studies- this one is a warp that is half white and half black. I"m using mostly cottolin for the weft, and some natural linen. I ended up taking out the lime green, it just didn't work, but the close-up is nice :) There is also a shades of grey warp, and a poly-chrome crackle-weave warp coming. I'll post those as they get here.

Guild Color Study-- The Rainbow Warp

2008-09-01T20:50:00.000-05:00

One of the things keeping me busy this fall was our the WSSA guild color group-- we warped several looms, I've lost track of how many. The first warp to come my way was a rainbow colored one

Monk's Belt

2008-08-09T18:01:00.000-05:00

After experimenting a bit with various pattern wefts, this is what I decided on. The warp is a 12/1 unbleached linen, as is the background weft. The pattern weft is a wool singles from 'Färgkraft" with little accents in blue wool.

Finally Sätergläntan

2008-08-09T17:47:00.000-05:00

I went back to Sätergläntan in Sweden this year. I did a sort of independent study of Monk's Belt, and explored weaving with straw. It was great fun.

Next warp!

2008-08-09T17:20:00.000-05:00

Just before I left for Sweden I put a new warp on my loom. It's a 8/1 linen, half-bleached. I want to do a series of large hand-towels, partly to have as gifts, but also as color exercises. The threading will be a goose-eye variant. I like goose-eye-- it has a classic feeling to it, but can still feel very modern to me. And I like the symmetry of it. I used a trapeze this time to warp, and really liked that, it really helped.

One more pic of the White Rug

2008-08-09T17:16:00.001-05:00

One Blue one White. Same warp.

2008-08-02T22:39:00.001-05:00

I always think it's fun to see everything I've made on one warp in one place.

Moving on from BLUE

2008-08-02T22:34:00.000-05:00

I had a bit of warp left after the two blue rugs and wove a white one. Real practical, I know. It's going in the bathroom. I like the way the warp shows up in this one

Yowza it's been since APRIL??

2008-08-02T22:22:00.000-05:00

OK so time flies. ... I've been weaving not blogging I guess.
The rugs are done. Here's what the second blue one looks like.

Second Blue Rug in progress

2008-04-08T08:56:00.000-05:00

Here's the second rug.. this is the one made from dyed sheeting I got at the Goodwill. I used 7 oz of 'Lapis' Procion dye on about 5 lbs of fabric in the washing machine... in case anyone wonders. It's hard to get the color right in a picture-- it's actually somewhere in between these two. I'm using the same double rosepath pattern as the first rug, but without the tabby shots of rugwarp, so it's a little more like a twill.

First Blue Rug is finished!

2008-04-07T08:24:00.001-05:00

First Blue rug is finished! Here's a close up. I've started the second. That one is going to be all blue, no little flecks of color.

Blue

2008-02-29T15:53:00.001-06:00

The Blue Rug is beginning to take shape.

PIctures only a weaver could like

2008-02-15T13:11:00.000-06:00

I think I'm turning into one of those loons that like to warp. It's just so immensely satisfying to see all those little threads lining up.

Next warp!

2008-02-08T16:28:00.000-06:00

It's time for the next project. I'm making rugs. The warp will be mostly blue, I took a strand each of two different shades. I should be weaving again soon.

Helper

2008-01-15T13:12:00.000-06:00

July 11,2008

2008-01-14T16:11:00.000-06:00

Well the Stitch and Bitch Page a Day Calendar finally showed up today and the Kid's gloves start on July 11. Fun to see!

A Cure

2008-01-11T11:01:00.001-06:00

Yesterday was the 8th anniversary of my initial breast cancer.

Why a Phoenix. A glorious bird that rises from it's own ashes. Also the symbol of San Francisco where I was born :)

Here are the Charts for the Kids' Gloves

2008-01-09T14:28:00.001-06:00

Linen Repp Weave table runner

2008-01-08T16:42:00.001-06:00

And here is a close up of the repp weave......

New Loom!

2008-01-08T11:02:00.000-06:00

Lucky me. I finally got the loom of my dreams, it's a 110 cm Glimåkra. Here is the linen repp weave I'm working on, my first project on it. Next up are some rugs and then we'll see where it goes from there.

Kid's fingerless Gloves

2007-03-02T13:00:00.000-06:00

yes, I made these out of icky synthetic blend yarn. Yes, I'm a fiber snob :)... but, hey, it's for a kid's glove and they had to be cheap and bulletproof!

Size: Child or small adult hand
Finished Measurements:
Circumference around hand, not including thumb: 7”

Yarn:
Lion’s Brand
Wool-Ease (3oz/, 197 yd, 20% wool/ 80% acrylic)
1 ball #153 Black MC
1 ball # 138 Cranberry CC
1 ball #171 Gold CC
1 ball #147 Purple CC
1 ball #123 Seaspray CC
Or use stash yarn, Worsted Weight (CYCA #4 Medium)

Needles:
Size 4.5mm, 7US, double pointed needles
Or size required to obtain gauge

Notions:
Contrast yarn for stitch holders
Stitch markers or small safety pins (2)
Tapestry or blunt needle for sewing in ends

Gauge:
In Stockinette Stitch 23 sts, 24 rows = 4” (10cm).

NOTE: Color chart begins after ribbing.
 Right Glove
Cuff: Cast on 34 stitches and divide among 3 or 4 dpns. Join for working in the round. Work in K1, P1 ribbing for 1.5". Change to stockinette stitch (knit every round), and increase 6 stitches evenly for a total of 40 stitches. Begin color chart. Work 3 more rounds in stockinette stitch.
Shape thumb gusset:
Row 1: K1, inc. in next st. slip marker, knit to next marker, slip marker, inc. in next st. K1. 6 sts between markers.
Row 2: Knit.
Repeat Rows 1-2, 2 more times. There will now be 10 stitches between the markers.
Knit even for 7 rows
Next round: Slip 10 sts. betwen markers onto holder or string, cast on 2 sts behind thumb, K around. (38 stitches).
K even for 10 rows or desired length to beginning of fingers.

Fingers:
You will divide up the hand stitches for the fingers as follows:
Index finger: 10
Middle finger: 10
Ring finger: 10
Pinky: 8

Start with the index finger. Transfer all but the 10 index finger stitches to a holder or scrap yarn. Cast on 2 stitches for gusset (between the index and middle fingers), total of 12 stitches. Divide among 3 dpns and knit 4 rows. Bind off.

Middle finger: Transfer 10 stitches from scrap yarn or holder, 5 each from the front and the back side, pick up 1 stitch for gusset between middle and index fingers, and cast on 1 stitch for gusset between middle and ring fingers, Total of 12 stitches. Divide among 3 dpns and knit 4 rows. Bind off.

Ring finger: same as middle finger.
Pinky: Transfer last 8 stitches from scrap or holder, pick up 1 stitch for gusset between pinky and ring finger. Total of 9 stitches. Divide among 3 dpns, and knit 3 rows. Bind off.

Thumb:  Transfer 12 stitches from scrap pick up 2 stitches which were cast on. Knit 4 rounds. Bind off.
Left Glove:  Work as for right glove—but reverse placement of the thumb gusset, see diagram.

____________________________________________
Abbreviations:

" inch(es)
CC contrasting color
dpn double pointed needle
MC main color
inc increase
K knit
st(s) stitch(es)
yd(s) yard(s)
oz ounce(s)

ONE of my life stories.

2007-03-02T08:56:00.001-06:00

Weaving my Life Back Together
Inga Marie Carmel

My story began ten days into the new millennium, when I found a lump in my breast while showering. My own personal Y2K apocalypse. My first thought was, ‘Well, if it’s cancer it won’t be so bad for me, I’ll be dead, but what about my family, what about Steve and Jonas. And how will I tell Mom and Dad.’

It turned out to be invasive breast cancer. Jonas was 2-1/2, and still nursing. I had to wean him before I started chemo. I was treated with an initial lumpectomy, sentinel node dissection, lymph node dissection, chemotherapy, and radiation. I "graduated" from that treatment in November of 2000. I subsequently had a local, non-invasive (DCIS) recurrence in late summer of 2001, which was discovered by a routine mammogram and treated with a mastectomy, and discovered liver metastasis in June of 2002. The metastasis was found by a Cancer Antigen 27.29 blood test, and confirmed with a CT scan and liver biopsy. I’ll never forget that call from my oncologist, telling me that my liver had cancer in it. When I asked him what kind of time frame I had, he told me… ‘Well, let me put it this way, most women in your situation are not around 2 years later.’ I told him I knew an 11-year survivor of liver metastasis, and so I knew it was possible. Then I went to my dance class, I came late… when I got there they were playing a song with the lyric ‘I’m asking why?’

I am Her2- positive and started Herceptin almost immediately upon finding the liver metastasis. Then I went on vacation.

My family had already planned a 3-week trip to the East Coast. We visited my parents, and then went to a family reunion and wedding with my husband Steve’s family up at Maine. The place we were was called Quisisana, which means "a place where one heals oneself". How true that turned out to be.

I’ve been a tai-chi practitioner for many years. In the traditional Chinese medicine system, which Tai chi is a part of, the liver is considered a ‘wood element’ organ. I’ve also been a gardener and landscaper for many years, and feel a close affinity with the natural world. And there were lots of trees in Maine. I asked them for help. Sounds crazy, but it helped me cope. Every day I did a tai chi set, and a liver qigong, tried to visualize the cancer leaving my body (as white butterflies)… actually physically tried to pull it from my body, and asked the trees for help. A ‘gong’ is something you do for 100 days straight, usually a training thing. I started a 1,000 day gong, doing a tai chi set every day for almost 3 years.

When we came home I began a weekly regimen of Herceptin and Navelbine; eventually we had to change to every other week as my blood counts worsened from the Navelbine. But when I had a CT scan, 2 months after starting treatment, it showed that I had incredible tumor shrinkage from what had been 'numerous hepatic lesions.' The largest tumor had been 2cm, it shrank to 5mm. The smaller lesions resolved completely. I continued treatment and in spring of 2004, 2 years after beginning my treatment, my CT scan report said 'I can no longer definitely identify metastasis.' Whew!

I live now, four and a half years later, in a strange world, with no detectable cancer but in continuous treatment—still Navelbine and Herceptin. I’m a permanent resident in Cancerland. I feel incredibly lucky to have made it this long, but the treatments are wearing on my body. I have some neuropathy and I’m aging a little faster than I think I should (but then don’t most people?). My joints ache. Sometimes my blood counts or iron level drops and I lose all my energy, but I look healthy to most people. I have my hair. That's not the most important thing in the world, but it's nice to be incognito sometimes, not always looking like a cancer patient. But I have this tether: every other week I have to show up at the oncologist and get my meds. And yet I’m healthy… but I’m not… but I am, but……..

Throughout this cancer experience, Steve and I worked hard to make having a mom with cancer a normal thing for our son. We didn’t want Jonas to be traumatized by it. And somehow it has worked. I realized just how well when he wrote in a paper for school in 3rd grade that his father is a college professor and ‘my mother has breast cancer’. It’s just my job.

When I first found out about the metastasis, one of the worst things for me was the math. Jonas was almost 5. My doctor had said two years. Five and two make… 7. There was a chance I wouldn’t see our little boy past 7. That’s barely second grade. That really got to me. I decided I was going to his college graduation, AND that he needed to take a year to mess around after his sophomore year. I was going to make it at least another 20 years. I did visualizations of Jonas in a cap and gown, coming up to me and giving me a hug and saying, ‘Mom, we made it.’

My family has been so important through all this, I feel buoyed by their support and love, it feels as though this is what is keeping me alive. From Steve telling me how beautiful I looked the day I first lost all my hair (and felt like an egg), to insisting that we continue to make long-term plans, despite my prognosis . I guess he really meant the ‘in sickness and health’ part of our wedding vows!

I recently started weaving again, something I did when I was in my 20’s, something my mother and grandmother both did. It feels good, it’s moving on a bit. This spring I turn 50, and in June it will be 5 years survival with this metastasis. I’m still thankful I’ve made it this far, still very aware that ‘it’ may come back again. But maybe I’m learning to live with this uncertainty, and weaving the parts of my life back together again.