Another month has passed and we are now half-way through theyear. Where has the time gone? Keep up the good work folks. Weave on!

Comments

sally orgren

July 1 is here already!!!

I will be volunteering in Hill House at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area tomorrow (Saturday), so if you are anywhere within spitting distance, come visit! (It's about an hour straight west from NYC )

I hope to weave off the M's & O's toweling that has been sitting on the loom for most of June, just waiting for me.

This also means Convergence is rapidly approaching. Guess I better read the paperwork about what I need to do to ship my piece for the yardage exhibit. I am really looking forward to seeing folks at that gathering, as always.

laurafry

Looks like Canada Day celebrations here will be wet.  Good day to stay inside and weave?

Erica J

I know right!!! I have a new pattern to test out on my drawloom. It will be a gift for a friend, but I will be sharing it, as I doubt she'll see it here and she probably won't realize it is for her even if she does come across it here. :)

Queezle

I am so happy to have an electric bobbin winder.  I tested it out last night - wow is it ever fast!  I am going to have to learn to have light pressure on that foot pedal. 

I am going to try to move my 4-harness schacht standard up into my studio room, and do some additional organization this weekend.  Measurements suggest it will fit.  I simply do not use it when its down in the basement.  Its a finished basement, but still very little natural light.  It would be great to have two projects going on, plus, if I don't use it, I should thin the herd.

 

Queezle

Having spent most of the past month traveling, it is a lovely - almost guilty - pleasure to be home.  I went to the farmer's market, and have moved the other loom upstairs.  I think I will focus on getting that loom's maintenance up to date and getting it all cleaned up.  That seems like a good goal for the day.

That, and dream up the next two weaving projects!

Erica J

I got a lot of weaving done today. I have a friend over for the weekend, she enjoyed winding her warp on my warping board and is now spinning the weft for her next project.

I got my drawloom changed from 6 pattern shafts to 10, then sampled for the wedding gift. No thte most exciting photos just yet, but her is the back of the drawloom.

endorph

at Fiber Crafts weaving another bath towel. Their weaving extravaganza officially ended Thursday but they took pity on me and let me come in today since I couldn't get another week day off! It was great fun. I loved the weaving, seeing good friends and explaining what I was doing tot eh visiting publc.

Erica J

It was great having company in the studio this weekend. I got quite a bit of cleaning done, which was badly needed. I have also been playing with my 2 block warp and various colors. I also did manage the get the damask redone for 10 shafts and have sampled for the next pattern all the kinks are mostly worked out, but I don't want to share the photo, because the 10" of sampling to get the kinks worked out is pretty unsightly!

Here is my 2 block sample, I think I am finally honing my eye to see value!

 

Joanne Hall

I have heard about that bath towel.  Is it the one in Ms and Os from the Simple Weaves book?  Which weft did you weave with?  Mary Jean wove that Ms and Os with the 1.5 thick tow linen for her husband and it is his favorite bath towel. 

Joanne

10ashus

Today I am deciding on my next project. It will take me hours. I have too many ideas.

endorph

Ms and Os, nit sure where they took the pattern from.  The yarn was a 3/2 sustaimable cotton from Lunatic Fringe. The finished sample is so soft and subtle. I am looking forward to using it. One of the towels will actually be used as a baby blanket!

The projects they had warped this year were really spectacular.

Queezle

Although I won't be in Austin until July 9th, Sue of Fiber Crafts was kind enough to tell me that some looms might still have warp, and that I would be welcome to visit.  Will need to rent a car, but it seems like a great opportunity.

Spent my day hiking and preparing for vegetarian guests for the 4th.  I am grilling entire cabbages - like some people do for chicken - on a half-full can of beer.  Will make cabbage BBQ sandwiches.  But yesterday I got my second loom up into my studio, cleaned up, and a warp measured.  It was a productive weaverly day.

Erica J

Endorph your towel sounds amazing!!

Queezle, your BBQ sounds as good as your weaverliness!

I have one of my last few days at home in my studio today, then we begin the really hectic travel schedule. I'll share my progress at the end fo the day. Wish me lots of productivity!

endorph

I hope you can make it up to Fiber Crafts. It is a wonderful place.

Hartofhearts

Looks like here in a valley in East Tennessee we are going to have a hot beautiful 4th.....Not sure I will get any weaving done as I have a lot of cooking yet to do......

Happy Weaving and 4th Celebrations !

Harriet

 

theresasc

I am about 3/4 of the way done on a geometric tapestry.  I have not been doing a lot of weaving lately, mostly lurking here and seeing what everyone else is up to. 

Erica - I like what you are doing on your rug warp.

Queezle - Good news that you were able to get your loom set up in a new spot.  You will really like having both of them in the same area, you will be able to have your own round robin:-)

10ashus

I am still exploring what I like best weaving with my rigid heddle. Today I ordered 8/2 cotton for plain weave, white kitchen towels. The plan is to add a color stripe and an embroidery picture to one end. I could easily buy a white kitchen towel. I am testing whether I prefer yarn or thread projects.

Walkingquail

I haven't been here in ages! i have been weaving and preparing to weave pretty regularly. I think I have too many open projects right now so it's time to finish up each one before starting another. I love having several things going at once but I have a woven necklace, dishtowels, a shawl and a tapestry started so I have reached just a teensy bit too far! 

I am heading to Ghost Ranch on Saturday. Truly hoping for no floods or other disasters this year! I love the beauty and spirit of the place. I'll probably just try another double weave project since last year we were squeezed into just a few days. Suzanne Halvorson is our teacher and she is a wiz at double weave. It's just so nice to weave or wander to weaving studios and have dinner ready every night! Luxury.

Queezle

Hi WalkingQuail,

I was so interested to hear about Ghost Ranch.  It looks like an amazing place, inspiring for weaving.  I do hope you will come back and tell us about your experiences. We've missed you.

tien (not verified)

I have been working on my new website! It's for the business I'm building around my book Master Your Craft: Strategies for Designing, Making, and Selling Artisan Work, which is being released next week (!).

I'd very much appreciate it if people could go take a look and give me feedback on what you like, what you dislike, and generally speaking how to make the site better. The only part that isn't quite finished is (oddly) the home page, which needs more introductory copy.

http://www.creatingcraft.com

I've also been making tie-dyes, including a new tie-dyed bathrobe! As soon as I get the photos uploaded to my website, I'll post them here.

10ashus

Excellent promo of Self, services, and the book. Tells what it is, why should the potential clent/customer listen to you, what they could learn. No grandiose claims; just facts.

Web site title states the benefit. Navigation is clear. Blog gives a sample. The site has a single purpose and appeals to an individual with a specific need.

tien (not verified)

Thanks! I'm glad you like it. :-)

Queezle

Tien - I also looked at your web site.  It is very lovely.  I think this business idea - helping artists to progress rapidly - is so cool!  I found the web site beautiful, and it made me want to sign up.  I especially liked the "about Tien Chiu" - though I know about your accomplishments, seeing them as the product of 5 years, while holding a full time job, is amazing.  You will have people coming out of the woodwork to get access to your ideas.  

 

I should also say that the web site design was beautiful.  Clean enough that it wasn't cluttered at all, and so easy to get more information. 

Best of luck and come back to report on your success!

ShawnC

Agree, Tien. The website was everything a website should be. Easy to navigate and engaging! Though most of the 'engagement' was with your journey ;-) Congrats!

theresasc

Very nice, clear, and engaging website, really well done.

This morning I cut the warp off the tapestry loom.  I have finished weaving my try in geometrics.  I really enjoyed weaving it, more so than the other things that I have tried in the way of tapestry weaving.  It is now relaxing on the table and then I need to do the detail work of finishing it and getting it to the point to hang.  I am already thinking colors and shapes for the next one.

 

10ashus

Today I played with the Weaving Calculator.

Apologize for going off topic. I could not find where to ask question about the Weaving Calculator.

Halcyon noted to allow 15% shrinkage in the 8/2 cotton I purchased. On the craftsy.com class I took the Takeup and Shrinkage was one figure. The Weaving Calculator has 2 figures in the Warp Calculation step, Takeup (default 10%) and Length Shrinkage (default 10%). Is that 20% total? Or, do I change the default on both to 15%?

laurafry

I usually allow 10% take up, then a further 10% shrinkage.  Of course your mileage may vary, depending on density and weave structure...

Queezle

For me, it would be far worse to weave something and end up short, than it would be to finish a project and have some additional yarn left.  But in my younger and poorer days, I was terrified by the price of yarn, and was always pushing the limits.  As Laura says, YMMV. 

The best advice is to take  good notes on your projects, and over time you will get a sense for it.  That said, I have notebooks full of notes which I never review.  For me, time is my most precious commodity - so instead of reviewing my old notes, I now just over estimate. 

 

theresasc

I have finished tapestries!  That is so exciting for me.  I cannot even remember how many tapestries I have started and not finished so it is a major accomplishment for me to have a woven work on the wall.  Actually, I now have 3 that I have completely finished!  Whoo Hoo!

This is the first African Violet that I tried to weave, I am mostly okay with it.

First violet finished

Here is the try in geometrics.  My camera just does not pick up the true colors very well - that is a dark green in the corners and the small diamonds and a deep purple, not blue as the darkest color in the violet range.

geometric finished

This one I am pretty happy with.  It came out as I had seen it in my mind's eye.  That does not happen very much for me when it comes to tapestry.  I am going to do some more work in this style, it was fun to do.

 

endorph

tapestries Theresasc. Thank you for sharing abd kudos for getting them finished. I still a tapestry on the loom I started at least two years ago!

theresasc

lingering tapestries, my copper pipe loom has something on it that I think is over 10 years old!  It's a really good feeling to cut finished pieces of of a tapestry loom.

 

 

Queezle

Those are beautiful,  theresasc!  I especially like your geometric, and the way the two diamonds intersect.  Its a lovely piece, colors and scale. 

I am in Austin, but unfortunately, I now have meetings scheduled each day and so cannot sneak away for a day of weaving.  Well, maybe if I had not brought students with me, I could have snuck away.  But I am feeling that I would be a really poor role model if I skipped out on a day of the meeting. Cry

But that does not stop me from thinking about weaving when the talks get a bit boring, or when my brain feels full.

10ashus

The two tapestries are very different. What was the biggest challenge in each? Wonderful that the geometric fulfilled the image seen in your mind.

10ashus

In spite of an error causing me to rewind 200 yards back to the cone, I am enjoying the warping board. 300 ends. Eek! Completed one warp (100 ends) on Sunday; another, today. One more to go.

Artistry

Theresasc, beautiful tapestries! The geometric is particularly lovely with the choice of color and design! Here's to finishing tapestries :)

Cathie

sally orgren

I wound part of a warp. Then set it aside. It is 4 yards long, with a cross at one end. Is there any way of folding the warp in half and introducing a cross at the other end, to end up with a warp half as long, but twice as wide?

If it can be accomplished without picking the second cross thread by thread, I will be astounded.

ShawnC

Oh, Lovely Theresasc!! So excited for you. I love pictoral tapestry but also geometric. I really like the looks of these. Makes me want to dedicate a loom to tapestry. Instead, I'm finishing up packing as the move is in 11 days! Eeek. Working at weaving off the drawloom fabric so I don't have to waste warp before breaking it down.

 

 

laurafry

Colours aren't quite true to life but DH got this pressed on Sunday.  

10ashus

Those colors are so peaceful. They remind me of under the sea with the anemones. Subdued vibrant? Is that a color quality? Can you tell I am coveting this fabric? It has activated my senses. Will you be posting it in Projects? I would like to mark it as a Favorite and use it for inspiration.

theresasc

and the structure really fits the yarn, as always, well done!

10ashus - I found the geomtric tapestry to be really fun to weave and it wove well without giving me too much grief.  The organic tapestries that I was working on, finished one, gave up the other, drove me to place my big tapestry loom on various lists for sale.  The warp that was still on it taunted me til I wove the geometric piece and I have decided to hang onto the loom - and stay away from trying to weave organic shapes!  LOL

10ashus

I am practicing how to weave a little bit. I used to like to do any craft or house project from start to finish, even if it took 23 hours. You folks are good examples for me.

I wound the dish towel warp into 3 bundles of 100 ends each. Put the first bundle through my rigid heddle today. Tiny white thread. White heddle. What was I thinking? If it got cooler here, I would definitely stick to yarn projects.

Artistry

I was weaverly today:) I was able to get on the warping board and start the warp for the first baby blanket. It's sett at 30 epi , 16/2 cotton, so I'm warping bouts of 30 ends. I was able to get 5 bouts done today! Yay! That will be about my daily pace. I'm doing Overshot,Weaving Designs by Bertha Gray Hayes, " Primrose" pg. 142, design 44. It has a modern feel to it by my eye. The warp is 3 different greens intermingled, tabby 16/2 medium blue ( soft) , and pattern weft 8/2 bluish lavender. All the blankets will be the same pattern but diff. warp colors. Just plan to tie on . I hope I don't run out of summer!

10ashus

Cathy, you have good ideas. I will be watching here to see your progress. Consider a Project page to document your blanket details- color choice, pattern choice, fiber choice, and more. I just learned to look there when I start a new project for what worked, what did not work, and why. A baby blanket is on my list.

Artistry

Thanks 10ashus. Will post with details when finished on a project page. Here when on the loom.

Project Pages are a wonderful, inspiring , educational resource on Weavolution! Glad you discovered them.

warped yesterday! And off to the loom right now for more warping, no wrist problems with the brace on:)

Cathie

theresasc

I have put a new warp on the Tissart loom.  It seems that tapestry is the direction my weaving is taking lately.  I have not even touched a floor loom since I started messing with geometric designs.  I am sure one of my floor looms will end up distracting me again, but I figured I will ride this interest for a while.  That is one of the advantages of having more than one loom:-)

Cathie:  glad to read that you are back to weaving.  Your blankets sound beautiful.  Baby blankets are one thing that I have not woven so I always enjoy seeing what other weavers do for them.

Artistry

Theresasc,  so glad that you discovered geometrics for tapestry weaving!

5 more bouts today, slow but sure :)

I had it suggested to me that the straight vertical warp of tapestry maybe what's doing my wrist in. That I might consider putting bricks under the front of the Shannock for a 5% tilt backwards. Something to try when I get back to Ohio. Hopeful. 

 

10ashus

I finished winding the warp for dish towels. Many new experiences...

  1. Changed how I hold my warp hook.
  2. Tried the direct warp method from the video, Slots and Holes . Biggest difference for me was you cut the ends near the cross. It was horrible in the beginning. By the end number 150,  I was in the flow with slightly choppy waters.
  3. Amazed that the bird nest tangles of thin cotton thread actually untangled in the end.

Queezle

I am so happy to be back home.  My 4-harness schacht standard is all cleaned up and ready to go - so am putting on a bamboo warp, gothic cross, in eggplant.  My plan is for two cowl scarves and a bit of space for playing with color.  I boosted up my yarn stash, so lots of possible color combinations.

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