Handwoven Horoscope Shawl and Whatzit?

Back in 2007 I signed up for a Bonnie Tarses Horoscope Weaving workshop. I was unable to attend the workshop but was given the horoscope to weave on my own. With the nudging and help from Beth, our guild president, I finished the shawl! It was a lot of fun to weave. Even though it is plain weave I never got bored (how could I with all the colors). Thank you Bonnie and Beth!!!

I purchased a Bambu 7 kit from Cotton Clouds and using the horoscope threading draft from Bonnie I wound the warp.
Weaving in progress.

All finished!!!

The workshop also included a kit to make a beaded necklace based on the same horoscope. I hope to have that completed soon.

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At my last guild meeting one of our members brought in a very interesting item and asked if anyone knew what it was. We didn't have a clue so now I hope someone out there will know what it is.

What the heck is this?
It has an adjustable arm on the top with a platform that has small pegs. The platform has grooves. It is handmade and very well made.


There is a second adjustable arm that appears to have the ability to hold something down.


This may or may not be related.

Update: I would agree with Vanessa. It's a needlepoint stand. There are lots of examples out there in internet land that look similar. Check out this site for a review of a needlepoint stand with similar features.

As for the other thing in the photo... some one thought it might have something to do with the creation of lampshades.

Just Our Yarn

On Wednesday I attended a guild meeting of the Blue Ridge Spinners & Weavers. JOY (Just Our Yarn) came and did a Trunk Show. It was lots of fun. The company was started by Diane Smith and Cathie Chung. They purchase yarn and fiber from Green Mountain Spinnery in Putney, Vermont and handpaint it. Their yarn is gorgeous and each colorway is unique. Diane and Cathie brought along knitted and woven samples using their handpainted yarn.

This shawl is sold as a kit. The kit includes the Karen Joan Raz Feather Shawl pattern. It is knit with a single strand of Myne (100% cashmere). It takes 2 hanks (500 yards each) to knit this shawl.
I was fancinated by a new age fiber called Tencel. It is wood pulp cellulose. It feels like silk and drapes luxuriously.

The next 3 woven scarves are Bonnie Tarses designs made with Tencel (10/2 and 5/2). The first scarf is called Horoscope Scarf and Bonnie teaches it in a workshop. Bonnie teaches Color Horoscope Weaving where she demonstrates her fascination with color, love of symbolic textiles and interest in astrology that culminates in luscious and magical fabrics. She will be doing a workshop for our guild in April or July. Count me in!
Double weave blanket woven with Caravan (65% lambs wool and 35% camel down) at 10 epi. It was felted lightly in the washing machine.This knitted shawl was made from Indulgence (75% Merino/15% Angora/10% Silk).