Just trying to continue our Daily Weaverliness for May:-)

Comments

theresasc

A weaving friend & I went on a Spring Fiber Frolic through some of eastern Wisconsin yesterday.  Hit a couple of weaving shops and a woolen mill/farm.  The farm was so fun, around 200 new lambs, some of them born yesterday morning!  Lambs are just so cute and fun, they were frolicing too:-)

I was able to score on Jennifer Moore's double weave book, at retail price, not the super-high secondary market price.  I am finding the secondary market for out-of-print used weaving books very aggravating.  Just because the book is oop does not mean it should be worth a small fortune.  So being that I have this really fine book next to me, I wound a warp for a 4-shaft sampler.  I had finished weaving and cut the Rosepath towels off the loom on Friday, so it is now dressed for double weave - more fun for me!

 

Queezle

And in the spirit of may day, I am working to honor all those who toiled in weaving mills by painstakingly trying to correct the errors in my shadow weave mother's day gifts.  The good news, though, is that two extra large dishtowels are off the loom!  And I started thinking about those who toiled in the mills because I can hardly sit for 20 minutes of straight weaving.  I adjusted my loom bench's height three times, never settling on what worked best (I recently bought a wolf trap, which causes me to change my position on the loom). 

Hope you are all having fun, and that the strange multiple appearances of each forum thread disappears like february's snow.

Erica J

Oops, How far begind am I, I posted today's rpogress in April's thread! Ah well it's mostly paperwork, don't want to bore you all with it twice! :)

endorph

for getting the thread started Theresa - I was going to post after I got home from Church but you beat me to it.

laurafry

May is especially exciting for me because the satellite Olds college class has enough to go here and the class in Yadkin NC taught by Jean Curry started this morning.  :).  I also have a full class at Olds in June.  

It it is heartening to see interest in this program growing.  Groups interested in hosting the program can contact the college.  

Erica J

My Chariman's Challenge scarf is now all threaded and sleighed. No photos yet, but I hope to start sampling tomorrow and be onto the final scarf by the end of the week!

Now that I have done all the weaving for my portfolio, I am free to determine what my own personal minimum sample size should be. I'd like to have a standard size as I plan to continue to build my portfolio with samples from all future pieces, so I always have at least a bit of all my weaving.

6" x 8" is the Certificate of Achievement minimum, I think I will stick to around that size, but it will be nice not to have to fuss if samples are a bit smaller. Do you all have any thoughts on sample size? Do you aim for a standard sample size?

sally orgren

Minimum 5x5", and I try to retain one non wet-finished sample along with a finished piece.

Weavo really helps me track projects, especially when I am traveling.

ShawnC

May! Wow! Well, still playing at the drawloom, though should get another set up for my daughter to use soon. She's having fun picking out warp yarns and patterns for some fabric.

Here are the latest insects. The dragonflys will join the lotus blossoms next time I weave a bit of it.

Fun, fun, fun!

tien (not verified)

Wow, ShawnC, those are beautiful!! I love all of them.

In addition to book stuff, I have FINALLY finished threading, sleying, and debugging the eternal warp. I also finished sampling for "Bipolar Prison" and am starting to weave the piece itself. 37 picks into a 2520-pick piece - I had been hoping to finish in time to show to someone tomorrow morning, but even I have to admit that's not going to happen! But I should finish within the next few days, and will post it here once I'm done. Considering what I went through to get that warp on the loom, I hope it comes out REALLY nicely!

Joyce (not verified)

double weave throw using handspun yarn for weft.  It will be a gift for my daughter.  

Shawn, love the dragonflies.  I never quite understood what drawlooms were about until now.  

Glad it's May.  Hopefully the weather will warm up a bit more here in Wi!

 

ShawnC

Thanks, Tien! This sampling/play is a blast. I should have a handle on the mechanics and some of the design issues by the time this long warp is finished. I am now searching for a single unit system, or thinking about how to rig one on my shaft draw system. This loom has endless possibilities!

 

I am so looking forward to seeing your newest creation. I hope it lives up to your expectations!

Joyce, the throw sounds yummy. We've been having spring weather in S. Ohio-warm, then chilly, with lots of rain. A nice throw sounds like heaven. I've been trying not to use AC or heat! Right, Cathie? Changeable weather. No therapy for now, other than weaving. My surgeon is worried that perhaps the fusion isn't fusing. I have more testing to go through. Keep your fingers crossed it's not the case. Another surgery like this might drive me mad!

 

In the meantime, happy weaving!

Artistry

ShawnC, yes, never know what to expect around here, rain, sun, cold, warm, midwest:)

i hope beyond hope you're healing correctly. I'm doing the same waiting game, though no overtones of things maybe not doing well. MRI and such in June. Though the kind of tests I have now, I've had so many times , piece ' o cake. I hope that your tests are easy too.

no weaving, nursing my wrist, dr. Treatment, probably for another month.But I have been through much worse, and am grateful that this is all it is:)

Cathie

 

theresasc

finishing on a couple of runs of towels.  When I was sewing up the edges on the rosepath towels to toss in the washing machine I saw the organic cotton ones sitting in my "to-finish" pile, so those ended up in the washer as well.  Now to iron and hem, not my favorite part of weaving.

I have most of a double weave sampler threaded. I am going to play around with double weave pick-up.  I have always said that doing pick-up on an inkle band was fine and dandy, but that I had no desire to try it across the width of a warp on a floor loom.  Jennifer Moore's book is about to prove me wrong:-)  Should be interesting, this is something way out of my wheel house of weaving.

ShawnC - I love what you are doing on the drawloom, it just looks like too much fun.  It has to be such a hoot to see those great figures develope under you shuttle.

Cathie - I hope your wrist heals fast, I want to see Patagonia grow!

 

sally orgren

and for me, will be gone in a flash. This weekend is MS&W, next weekend I am presenting at the Weaving History Conference in Clayton and there are even more deadlines and trips piling up for the second half of the month.

At least I have my weaving challenges completed and ready to distribute. When the dust dies down in June, I am looking forward to weaving self-directed projects for a change!

laurafry

I hear you Sally - with the 'go' of the Olds college satellite program here, the guild room needs to have *all* the clutter that has accumulated over the years removed so that there is room for the seven (possibly nine) students.  There is class prep to do and any last minute marking from last year.  :-/  Then the week following the Olds class I drive to Edmonton for a two day workshop there.  Then two weeks after that, drive to Olds for level one there (12 students signed up).

The good news is that I finally finished the alpha edits yesterday and returned the file to my alpha editor for her input.  I saw lots of room for clarification (photos/diagrams) and additional material still to be written.  I figure I'm about half way through the initial writing - when I'll have the mental wherewithall to complete the writing, I just don't know.  It isn't looking good for either May or June.  :(

Sue in VT

LOVE seeing what Shawn and Tien are up to on their drawlooms!  Empathize get with you theresasc, as I've waited and had to hem and finish ten towels recently...no fun!  Sally, I'm with you in spirit at the MS&W festival.  Before we moved to VT we were MD'ers and, as a lifelong knitter, we went each year we lived there.  Now we go to the VT S&W festival....good, but not as high energy! This weekend, I will sit down and order Laura's new book now that I've found out it can be ordered to view on my ipad!  Focusing on style, efficiency, is on my agenda!  

endorph

been doing more hemming. I am slowly making my mountain of need to finish projects shrink down to a more manageable hill! Getting ready for vacation so no weaverliness for me for the next couple of weeks except for reading this thread when I can get an Internet connection. I am taking my spinning wheel and a spindle with me as well as a couple of knitting projects. I should have free ime in the evenongs to relax with spinning or knitting.

Queezle

I managed to get two extra-large shadow weave dish towels done in time for Mother's day!  They went out in the mail yesterday.  Prince's death was announced as I was winding the warp, and I added bits of purple in his honor.  I have to say that I am really happy with the way the purple works for subtle emphasis of particular columns.  However I was less happy with the quality of my weaving - shadow weave is unforgiving!  I spent about 6 hours trying to figure out my errors and correct them.  Some I could do successfully and others, well, at least Mom and my MIL will know they are hand made.   Photos from my phone continue to be sideways - warp goes left to right here. 8-shaft shadow weave

sally orgren

These are great, and the purple touch is just perfect.

Erica J

I did get aq bit of sampling done on my chairman's challenge, but forgot to take a photo. I still have a few issues with the warp I need to srot out while sampling, but won't bore you with those details.

I agree that purple is a nice touch, but I love purple so it's not hard sell here! That is an interesting shadow weave, my first shadow weave is still on the warping board, hopefully I didn't jump in too deep. I had drafted an undulating shadow weave for my first go, wish me luck there. :)

SusanBH

I like the purple, too.  It seems to add a three dimensional look to the columns.

theresasc

I like the way it came out, and I agree that the purple accent worked great.  Powell's shadow weave book was one of the first weaving books I ever bought, talk about diving into the deep end of weaving.  It was like reading Greek for the first time, but there are some great drafts in there.

I am weaving on the double weave pickup sampler and am amazed at how much fun it is!  It is slow weaving but the results are really cool.  I have got to pull out some graph paper and see where I can go with this.

 

[email protected]

Queezle even finished with time for mailing wow!  The Prince aspect makes me want to combine favorite colors in new ways. 

Artistry

Queezle, l like the purple , as well, in your color and weave. It's interesting to see what it does to the other colors around it too:)

Heading to Michigan early tomorrow for 3 months.( will be coming home for Drs appt.)  Have 2 looms up there. Baby wolf(8shafts) and very old Leclerc (4 shafts). Once I get the go ahead , I'll be weaving the baby blankets :) it seems the repetitive motion of throwing the shuttle doesn't bother my wrist the way tapestry does. But, hard as it is, I will take it slow.

happy weaving!

Cathie

DrFunkee

Having just fixed a sectional warping beam to my loom, I quite fancy a ‘thingy’ to warp from my cones.
So I know it’s not a bobbin holder, I have one.
It’s a contraption that you put the cones on the floor, the yarn goes up threw eyes and then you wind the warp off it…… does that make any sense at all?
Needs to hold up to 24 cones, so what’s it called and can I buy or make one?

Quite fancy making one.

XXSadie

 

there is a youtube video of a lady using one here-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Og4H7h6JGYw

Erica J

I managed to weave nearly 12" on my Chairman's Challenge scarf today. I am using 16/2 organic cotton yarn from My Fine Weaving Yarns, sett at 36 epi. I am super late on this project, but I'm excited to be at this point and look forward to having it off the loom, hopefully soon! :)

Thick and thin stripe warp in light blue, light grey, and black.

The warp is threaded straight draw, but I am treadling it as if it were threaded in rosepath and woven as drawn in, this is a pretty cool trick, but would probably be more effective if it was a wider sett. It still looks really nice though!

theresasc

Erica, I love the colors in your scarf and like the way you are getting the patterning, looks like fun to me:-)

And speaking of fun, I am having a blast with the doubleweave pickup.  It takes some time to do, but after the first set of picks the patterns are easy to find.  I am using my cribbage board to track the rows since it takes 4 picks to make a row.  Also the only pickup stick I have is pretty short so I use it to pickup the pattern threads then transfer to a dowel that is a good length for the width of the project.  Oh golly, I had to order a pickup stick, drats a new tool - LOL

doubleweave pickup sampler

Right now I am following the pattern in Jennifer Moore's book but I will be getting the graph paper out for the balance of the sample warp - more fun to be had!  I am also playing with the selvages trying to decide to interlock or not.  It is a work in progress.

Nancy Everham

Had been sick with a seriously bad cold. Still have the cough but feeling much better! I had downloaded Jennifer Moore's rook - so I recognize that pickup - the entire sampler is now hanging on my wall. I used a chopstick which worked fine for pickup. I am working on double weave Windows scarf. Just finished warping and am now sampling - looking good. ALthough not sure why but tension is so not right - background threads are way loose.

Nancy Everham

Had been sick with a seriously bad cold. Still have the cough but feeling much better! I had downloaded Jennifer Moore's rook - so I recognize that pickup - the entire sampler is now hanging on my wall. I used a chopstick which worked fine for pickup. I am working on double weave Windows scarf. Just finished warping and am now sampling - looking good. ALthough not sure why but tension is so not right - background threads are way loose.

Sue in VT

Theresasc your double weave is sharp and must be fun to look at to watch it taking shape.  What a good idea about the cribbage board!  Anything that will help control the pattern.  Will look forward to seeing it finished!

ShawnC

Erica J, love the colors and the play. How fun is that?

 

theresasc, that sampler looks wonderful! Isn't it interesting that more and more folks seem to be drawn to 'slow' cloth (or slower)? Tapestry, pick up, etc.

Glad you're feeling better, Nancy.

 

 

sally orgren

Maryland Sheep & Wool. Despite overcast weather, the crowds are huge.

There are also 2 Structo 240's in the auction tent, plus lots of table looms. There are far fewer looms than in past years, but a spinners bonanza.

Erica J

As TJ said earlier "It doesn't get better than this." We spent the morning hanging out in our sunny garden. Oli took care of some gardening, TJ filled his water table back up and played with his sandbucket.

I drank my coffee and sewed the last 4 of 8 boundweave gift bags. These will be given out to other artisans who inspire me! :) My sample for this is going on my CoA portfolio, so alas no photo, yet.

tien (not verified)

I think you're looking for a cone rack. AVL sells one: http://www.avlusa.com/catalog/warping-accessories/cone-rack-56-cone-capacity/

Or you could buy a warping wheel, which will let you warp from just one or two cones:

http://www.avlusa.com/catalog/warping-accessories/warping-wheel/

There is another version called the Warping Square that some people feel is significantly better than the Warping Wheel - Google it.

Hope that helps!

Erica J

Thanks Shawn! It is really fun. It is very freeing to now be able to explore as I want again. My certificate studies have been very useful and provided me the ability to explore further, but I have had to store a lot of ideas for later, so I could submit my portfolio this summer and I am sooo excited to be able to get back to those ideas, delve into other topics and just keep weaving.

ShawnC

Erica J, I imagine it is freeing. Though sometimes my head is so full of ideas it's hard to focus. Ha! I used to think I would remember them all, but have taken to writing them down in little notebooks (along with sketches if needed). I'm almost 60 and realize I will never weave everything on the ever growing list. But it's a great feeling, to wake up and look forward to creating! For mother's day, weaving took a back seat. I wanted to make goodies for my children (and grandchild). So we had a nice dinner and cocanut cream pie for dessert.

My oldest son is working in Thailand. I've asked him to send me pics of weaving. He visited a weaving village last week and sent many pics and bought me some shuttles for mother's day. Interestingly, his friend's grandmother (90) once wove constantly. She gave him some lovely fabric. I'll see if I can post some pictures.

Erica J

Fantastic photos! Thank you for sharing!

I have nearly 20" woven on the scarf, which could potentially be 1/3rd of the way there, but I think I'll go for a bit longer. I'm thinking 72". This is within the average length for men's scarves. What do you all think for scarf length?

s

shannonatsilverforge

I fianlly had time to unpack and oil the 36" rh/frame loom I won at the MSW auction - she's beautiful but I don't even know where to begin... I found three pictures on flickr of an assembled willow tee loom, but so far no other info. There are no ratchets on the loom, though the pawls are there. I'll need to replace both as a set though, correct? I am ying to embrace the challenge - this gorgeous loom is as old as I am and I want to do right by her. I also am not sure how the reed and string heddles that were in the box work with the rh frame....another mystery. :) Any help and guidance appreciated, along with other forums I should haunt. I also came home with a ton of rug hooking supplies - I couldn't resist, it's too much like tapesty pictorial weaving :) 

Queezle

I think scarf length is somewhat tricky, though in the 60 - 70 inch range is fairly typical.  I recently sewed some scarves into circles, which I like because its also easy to wear them. 

A scarf that is too long can always be wrapped an extra time, unless its a dressy scarf that might be worn more for looks than for warmth!

theresasc

double weave pickup.  My new pickup stick was in the mail box yesterday so I gave it a trial run this morning.  Much nicer to do this with one, flat pickup stick that is long enough to hold all the pattern ends.  I got one 16" long, so that should do me fine with the projects that I have in mind for this process.  Still enjoying the slow weaving:-)

ShawnC - thanks for posting the pictures.  They are fascinating to see.  It looks like they have a lot of pattern harnesses, and then have people on each side of the loom to pull the harnesses while the weaver throws the shuttle - way cool! 

Erica - I am happy that you are now able to weave for yourself.  You should really be proud of the way you went after your certificate.  I am so impressed at the way you stuck with it.  I can be side-tracked when I am weaving, sometimes I feel like a bee just buzzing from loom to loom to loom.  I do not seem to do well with deadlines and commitments when it comes to weaving.  Tell me that I have to weave something right now on a certain loom and as sure as the sun comes up, I will be at a different loom!  LOL

Thor (not verified)

Home from MSW... It was great to see Sally Orgren in the flesh! She's got me excited about the upcoming Convergence. It'll be my first time so my plan is to just visit and look.

I ordered a new laptop today and WeaveIt Pro, too! I am quite partial to my iWeaveIt apps that I use CONSTANTLY so the thought of designing on the full program has me vibrating with possibility! I have been weaving Echo-Iris lately and really want to design my own for some upcoming shows/competitions. Anyone use WeaveIt for network/Echo drafting?

ShawnC... My goal is to get a Drawloom, myself. I am loving being able to see your weavings. Thank you so much for posting. I am hoping to check out the various kinds of draw looms at Convergence this year.

oh, and got new "daylight" lighting for my basement studio! 

Moving right along.

tien (not verified)

I finished weaving "Bipolar Prison"! And it came out beautifully. Here it is - not quite finished; I need to sew in the padding in the prison bars and the face. But I like it! I think it will be wonderful once completed.

"Bipolar Prison" piece

In other news, I have gotten back the proofs for the book! I have a lot of corrections that I'll send in on Friday - after that, things should roll along very quickly indeed. We're hoping to have it out in time for Convergence!

Queezle

Tien, when you shared the drawing you intended to use for this piece, I did not see how it could be done. This has so surpassed what I expected - it is amazing. 

Artistry

Tien, BiPolar is so emotional, I Have lived it a long time, thank you so much for doing this insightful piece.

in Michigan still nursing my wrist. This will not stop me from introducing my cousin in law, Leslie, to her first weaving project! We're going to do a table runner, probably in 5/2 cotton. Probably in a fun twill pattern. It will not deter her, this is a woman her does her own everything! Fun!

Cathie

thereasc, love, love the double weave pick up! It has been one of my favorite techniques! Once you get the hang of it , not so bad, right? Just kinda slow. I got a lot of ideas from just plain design books, like clip art, but rectangles , almost Japanese . When I'm home next week I'll try to give you the title:) great jumping off point.

sally orgren

I will try and post photos as I am able.

Erica J

Thanks for the input and praise! The certificate studies have been well worth it. I don't think I could have woven off this scarf so quickly if I had not done the  certificate. Well I probably would have done the weaving as quickly, but the design likely would not be as sophisticated or as efficient.

Queezle

I just love that scarf. The colors and design are stunning! 

The certificate certainly seems like a highly organized approach to learning a lot about weaving, diversity and intensity.  Much superior to my highly random approach.

Artistry

Erica, beautiful! Isn't the process satisfying? I admire everyone who sticks through a certificate program until the end, it's tough! Good for you, and look what you learned along the way!

My new student is coming over today. I still don't have have the color cards for her to pick out colors.  However it's still a good time to get familiar with the loom ( baby wolf) and look at patterns. Also discuss how many colors she thinks she would like to use according to her swatches of her room it's going in and placement in the pattern. I find it so interesting to learn the color combinations people like and the patterns they are drawn too. Leslie will be loads of fun ! 

Erica J

I twisted the fringe today and will get the scarf washed and off to our exhibition on Monday.

I'lloyds photograph it on Oli after it is washed.

I did get the best compliments today. I showed 2 people the scarf today and they both said Oh my gosh this does not look handmade! This to me is the highest compliment I could receive!

Group Audience