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Cherylsue3 (not verified)

Our weaving study group will study lace weaving for the next year. At this point, I'm looking for unusual lace weaves as I've already woven all the 'standards'.  Anyone have suggestions, let me know.

Thanks,

cheryl

lkautio (not verified)

Cheryl, Have you tried Canvas on a Swedish Lace base? 

Laurie

elfw (not verified)

Hi Cheryl,

I think 5-8 shaft Swedish lace has a lot of potential but has little documentation of projects -- so lots of room for study!!!  See my article in SS&D 137 and Donna Muller's book.  I think Laurie Autio also has some publications also, but I don't know their references -- Laurie?

Elaine

 

fluffi5 (not verified)

I've been having a great time weaving different designs in 8 shaft huck. It's amazing how many different patterns you can get out of 1 threading. I'm nearly done with a 15 yard towel  warp and have another ready to tie on because I still have tons of drafts to try out.

lkautio (not verified)

I have a little bit in Handwoven on Swedish Lace, N/D 1997 I think.  LuEllen Brochu had a lovely piece of 4S Swedish lace in the same issue.  Valerie Del Porto had an article in Weavers, 1995ish.  There is a notebook of the Complex Weavers Lace Weaves study group in the CW library which any member can take out. There may be other individual articles in the CW study group notebooks (I have something in the CAD group notebook).   Basically Swedish Lace is huck with an extra tie-down from the other block between repeated blocks or different blocks on the same tie-down.  That turns it into a cross between huck and lace Bronson, with a funhouse of possible textures which take some thought to use effectively.  I'm really enjoying Swedish lace on 24-32 shafts lately. 

Laurie

 

lkautio (not verified)

You could spend a lifetime on 8S huck and never run out of new things to try!  What fiber/sett are you using?

Laurie

fluffi5 (not verified)

The warp is 6/2 cotton mill ends, and most of the weft is, too. When I ran out, I started using a near-identical but slightly darker color in 7/2. I really like how that little bit of contrast shows off the floats. Oddly enough, it beats the same but weaves a lighter weight fabric. 

lkautio (not verified)

A little contrast in hue, value, or reflectivity makes the cloth much more lively.  I also like alternating two in the warp and or weft.

Laurie

fluffi5 (not verified)

I thought about alternating yarns also but haven't tried it yet. It's on the (very long) list. I'm also thinking about combining stripes or plaid with huck. I might trya short warp just to see what I get.

 

lkautio (not verified)

A sampler of different color and weave effects on huck is fun.  If your stripes in the plaid correspond to the width of the blocks or some multiple you will get really clear results, but it can be as interesting to cycle through three or four thread stripes with a 5-thread block.  Also interesting to make pattern threads one color/texture/thickness/reflectivity and tie-downs/tabbies a different one - and switch.  Thick tabbies with a thin but really reflective pattern is a great "shadow" effect - elegant in silk and metallics.

fluffi5 (not verified)

That sound very interesting! I'll have to give it a go sometime.

Susan Harvey (not verified)

A friend has recently woven Finnish lace and enjoyed it very much. Simple and  light in appearance and it seems that no one knows much about it!

 

Just a suggestion...

Susan

lkautio (not verified)

There was quite a bit done with Finnish Lace (a form of patterned leno) in the 50's and 60's.  If you like finger-manipulated laces this handout from Eleanor Best gives a very good overview:

http://www.indianaweavers.org/weavingIndiana/EleanorBest/LaceByHand.pdf

Finishing Touches for the Handweaver by West is another good source.  Also, hard to come by but worth searching for if you like Finnish lace is "Pitsia Kangaspuissa" by Matilda Wahe (1954).  It is in Finnish, but the pictures and diagrams are easy to follow.

Note that the lace in Davison called Finnish Lace is a form of Lace Bronson ("Adapted from a design by Anna Henricksson # 232, p.97 A Handweavers Pattern Book, Marguerite Porter Davison Swarthmore, PA, 1944"), with the main tie-down on shaft 2 and the secondary tie-down on shaft 1.

Laurie

Susan Harvey (not verified)

Thank you for sharing this link Laurie.... what an amazing resource this group has set up and shared!

(You and I had some e- discussions some time ago about your article on the various levels of a weaver/ weaving experience for the Guild of Canadian Weavers newsletter....I still refer to it!)

 

All the best, Susan

lkautio (not verified)

Is anyone doing "freeform" (for want of a better term) lace?  That is, taking the approach of starting with any threading (rather than a dedicated lace threading) that can create plain weave and turning it into laces?  I've played with it on 4 to 32 shafts (where you get into some jaquardish possibilities) and it is all kinds of fun whether you start with something as simple as straight draw, or as complex as multishaft block weaves.  The old 4S weavers did a lot with this idea, and there is still much to be learned.

Laurie