Late Spring in Vermont

warm enough to keep the outer door open most days...

Susan Osterman's baby blanket

Sandra's linen scarves

some fabric for David Mamet's tailor in California

Joann working on her first project...rag rugs

Sylvia and her cotton summer blanket

Sylvia weaving

Somehow it has already become the beginning of June here in Vermont. The trees are all leafed out, hay growing vigorously in the fields around the school, and we are eating lunches outdoors under the shade of a tree more often than not. It's such a perfect time of year here...everything still fresh and new...warm days interspersed with some cool rainy ones, and all of us busily working in our gardens every chance we get. There have been some nice things on the looms lately. Susan Osterman is weaving a cotton baby blanket in huck...it's lavender, it's soft, it's thick and cuddly. Meanwhile she is making plans for her next project, another summer blanket in wool and cotton. Sandra wove several herringbone twill linen scarves in neutral tones of linen. She was cursing her persnicketty warp, as thread after thread pinged into oblivion, but such are the trials of fine linen weaving! Her scarves are pretty darn lovely in my opinion. We made some fabric for David Mamet's tailor in California to construct a hunting jacket with...fine worsted wool in a houndstooth check, and a lot of fun to weave! Joann Darling is a new local student here. She's an herbalist and an amazing gardener who has been doing wonderful experiments with natural dyes from tree barks and common plants...she's been working to tend the dye gardens here, and learning to weave as well. Her first project was a run of rag rugs for her house, and she had a great time working on them. Here are also a few other photos of Sylvia working on her summer blanket too... ...and on we go into summer. This week Kate and I are traveling to Cooperstown, NY to present a talk and slideshow on the work Kate's been doing with the calender press. We are refining our glazing experiments, and soon we'll be getting our indigo vats fired up for the warm season. Things have been busy here and I've had a hard time keeping up with this blog, but I'll try to keep you all informed about things here at the school. Until the next time, enjoy June's beautiful soft weather.