The bag was too light, how was this possible? Taking it from the hook I burrowed past the wallet, keys, and other bits deemed essential when going out the door.
No camera. Odd. Well, maybe not so. Not with my lack of organization and brain function lately. Checked through the fiber bag and spinning wheel case. No camera. Try to think back, mentally retrace my steps. I’d been to the spinning group, on the way home a vista made me pull over and take a few pictures, also of some tulips still bravely nodding. Amazing to see their bright colors; hard rains and winds during the past couple weeks had shredded most tulips.
Arriving in town I needed to do some banking but first a stop at The Purl District to show off the stole. They were in the chaos of moving across the street and down the block so didn’t stay long. Had wanted to take a picture in there. Wish I had. Stu, the mayor of the town was sitting at a table set up on the sidewalk in front of a coffee house, having coffee and talking with a man I vaguely recognized from library days.Stu used to be on the library board when I worked there and we still cross paths. He’s often out and about talking with people on the sidewalks, hanging out here and there: a very public figure. Stu said hi and I thought, “why not?” I don’t normally walk around town showing off my handwork but I was so excited about the stole. Besides, Stu likes to dress up in fancy clothes and I figured he’d appreciate the drape and sheen of the stole, as well as the rows of pearls. He did. I hoped for a second he might commision one for himself. He didn’t. I seriously, badly, wanted to ask if I could take a picture of his holding the stole – Kennearing fashion, you know? But it wasn’t a sock, and so many people take pictures of Stu that I really did not want to climb onto that band wagon. I wish I had. I believed the camera was in my bag at the time. At the bank I took out the wallet and did the bank stuff that needed doing then showed off the stole to three of the women (hey, it’s a rather small town – people do get to know each other).
The only thing I can think of is that after stopping to take the last picture of a great view looking towards Mt Angel and the Abbey is that I didn’t put the camera back into my handbag but just stuck it into the little woven bag. When I got to town I grabbed the bag off the seat but in the jumble of an empty lunch sack, spinning wheel case, two bags of fiber (I was sent home from the spinning group with eight ounces of mystery fiber to spin for a Christmas exchange) I assumed the camera was back in my bag and didn’t stop to make sure. No, the truth is, I didn’t even think about the camera at the moment I got out of the car.
Heading to the computer Wednesday evening to post about the stole I discover it’s gone. With the pictures taken that morning of the stole freshly laundered, dried and pressed. I’ve searched high and low, throughout the car (three times), in the office, in the fiber bags, in the wheel case – now empty. gone. My one consolation was that it was a relatively cheap camera we’d bought last fall.
Ed dug into our savings and bought me a new runabout camera on Friday. It took hours to charge the batteries. The clock was swinging around to the moment that I needed to leave the house and pick up Aurora for the wedding showers put on by her in-laws to be. I did manage to get a couple pictures snapped before wrapping it as a gift.
It was washed in the machine, in a mesh bag. I was only slightly concerned about the pearls tumbling in the washer (a front loader). I took it out of the dryer while it was still a bit damp so I could press it with the iron set on medium.
Pattern adapted from Interweave Press Handwoven Magazine, Nov/Dec 85 “Twill with a Twist” by Doramay Keasbey. The treadling pattern: 1,1, 2,2, 3,3 4,4, 1,2,4,2,3,4 I changed it to repeating the double shot sequence before weaving the 1,2,4,2,3,4 for I wanted longer undulating twills than the original.
8/2 Tencel sett at 15 epi for the warp, weft sett at 20 – 24 depending on my beat which did vary some.
The bridal shower was lovely, several of the young daughters (future nieces ranging from 12 years old down to 6 months) were there helping with her presents and bringing good cheer and brightness to the gathering. She’s marrying into a wonderful, large family which is a fulfillment of one of her childhood dreams!
The wild dogwood tree in front of the home where the shower was held. 
