Power Washing Destruction

It wasn't really the power washing itself that caused the destruction but that is how it all started.  The plan was to get the studio porches power washed in a short morning.  I needed to move all the furniture and fiber bins out of the way, power wash, then move everything back into place.  That plan sounded great but didn't even come close.

It was moving all the fiber bins on the far side porch that caused all the destruction.  We had 14 to16 bins out there full of new undyed fiber and yarn and some bits and bobs of yarn and fiber.  The big black rubber feed bins were fine.  Those puppies are nearly indestructable and sitting for months out on the screened in porch was no challenge.  The slightly newer clear plastic bins with the black tops did fine too.  No damage, no destruction.  And there were several smaller bins full of odd fiber and yarn that did fine. But there were 8 large clear plastic bins that cracked and disintigrated when I tried to move them.  Fortunately, the fiber/yarn inside was all fine because it resides in plastic bags inside the tubs.

Well, crap.  I had to pick up all the odd pieces of broken plastic tubs, move all the fiber/yarn to safety inside the studio, power wash and put everything back.  Yikes.  It took the better part of the entire day.

The porches look much better now that they have been washed.  I know there is paint peeling on the floor but that doesn't bother me at all.  I think it just looks more lived in and more loved.

There was a good side to all the destruction.  It forced me to look in all the bins.  I don't do that very often.  I discovered two sets of linen napkins that will be perfect to dye with indigo for the Contemporary Handweavers of Texas conference next summer. 

And I unearthed my stash of flax.  When I first learned how to spin flax I fell in love with the process.  I spent the next year tracking down fine flax.  I found roving and top which it turns out I'm less thrilled with.  And I found strick which is my first love.  This is flax that is it's own natural length.  It's not chopped to make it easier to spin or easier to blend. Once I laid all my stash out to admire I realized I have enough bast cellulose fiber to last well beyond what I could spin for the rest of my life.  I've kept all the flax with no tags or labels and put all the rest up on our website.  I'll do a short blog about it soon.  I'll try to get some pictures but that's less likely.

Check out our booth at Kid 'n Ewe next weekend in Boerne, TX!  I'll have all the flax there for you to drool over.