November? Really? Where did the last 10 months go? So we are on the countdown to the holidays. Are you working on presents or is it just the normal routine? I did not accomplish as much during Halloweave as I wanted but I did advance on the towel warp - the never ending towel warp - that has been on the MW for 2 and a half years. That will be off the loom this week and I am getting ready to warp the loom for the color challenge project. Share your progress, lack of progress, frustrations and triumphs as we near the end of the year. Weave on!

Comments

Queezle

Halloweave was so good for productivity, and I am hoping I can keep my momentum.  My franken-loom has a bamboo warp intended for two scarves.  I think I will get one lovely cashmere/bamboo one, perhaps extra long, and repurpose the rest of the warp.  My son has become a fan of dungeon and dragons, and carries around an old ratty box with his dice.  I am hoping I can keep my zipper skills by making him a nice handwoven bag. 

Anyone else with an eye toward the holidays?

10ashus

  1. Convince someone into building me the rag rug loom. (Curses on you, Cancer. If not for you, I would build it myself this Thursday.)
  2. Brainstorm design ideas for my personal history blocks.
  3. Nov. 15, my back ordered fibers should arrive. Some of it may fulfill needs of the Color Challenge. 

Gone

Well it's about 4.5 more months til SPRING! November has a way of diminishing my drive, but it's better than 6 months!! The temperatures are great. I could take this all the way through February!

I'm torn between towels and rugs to weave next. Can't decide what to make. Meantime just cleaning and re-arranging for the new arrival.

 

theresasc

I have so much going on, I don't know which way to turn.  I really want to finish up the projects that are currently on my equipment:  bath towels, tote bags, a tapestry, and a leash.  So instead of working on said projects,  yesterday I signed up for Rebecca Mezoff's Little Loom on-line class and today, really BIG yeehaw here, the parts to expand my Glimåkra Standard to a 10-shaft,  10-treadle loom arrived.

Tonight instead of weaving or braiding, I put together the expanded jack box, cut and installed the new cords for the jacks, and mounted the jack box on the loom.new parts

Queezle

I have snuck away from work to attend a 3-day workshop from Anita Mayer.  With the emphasis on making clothes, I am hopeful that my time spent in Doctors Frankenstein's house has given me the confidence to have the workshop be more than just an intellectual exercise.

10ashus

Bad news. The long awaited backorder is dead. The supplier informed Halcyon that they will no longer produce the Caso Bay Worsted. C'est la vie.

Queezle, hurray for hookey!

Erica J

I have been quite, but I checking in here and I have been busy!

Very exciting news on several fronts. I am thrilled for you Theresasc, expanding the Glimakra is well worth putting off a bit of weaving on other things. :)

Queezle, I've been thinknig about holiday gifts, but not making much progress on them. Since I have to mail all my family holiday gifts, other than for Oli and TJ, I reall yneed to set a reminder to start on 2017 holiday gifts in January! :)

I am winding a 9 meter warp for more re-enactment fabric, diamond twill to finish the tunic for Oli, an apron dress for myself and hopefully another shawl. I have half th warp wound and am rough sleighing the reed as I go.

I finished all the pattern weaving for my warp faced taable runer, and just need to weave the think pick hem tomorrow. :)

10ashus

I meandered the byways through the Texas Renaissance Festival today, a fun day celebrating medieval times. A slight disappointment in the Market section. Instead of handwork demonstrations and sales, it was mass- produced products. There was not even one spinner or weaver represented.

I am starting Operation Salish Loom tomorrow. Make the shopping list for materials.

Queezle

It was a lot of fun to be in a 3-day workshop with Anita Mayer.  She makes elegant and fun clothing, using handwoven and non-handwoven, many embelishments, and using creative solutions.  Funny thing - after conquering the zipper - she feels that they are not needed.  Lots of good ideas, and I've been wanting to learn how to join fabric panels, and the last bit of today was spent fagoting.  Maybe this is what I need to get up the nerve for tackling the tablecloth.

endorph

you made me laugh with your holiday reminder in January remark. I agree completely. I am usually farther ahead in my progree thatn I am this year. My family will be lucky to get anything by Christmas this year. Like you I have to mail everything.

Joanne Hall

You might find some nice Christmas gifts in the February round robin workshop at Homestead Fiber Crafts.  They are planning a lot of different towel warps, table toppers. napkins and a fabric for making aprons.  They are calling it "Kitchen Linens".

Joanne

endorph

to figure out if I can take that workshop Joanne. I would really like to but will have to see if I can get that week off from work. Sounds like fun.

Erica J

Great idea Joanne!! Endorph if, you go you know we'll all want to see photos! :)

Erica J

Scratch my post from yesterday, an inch into the thin pick hem, I flipped back through the workshop notes and my drafts, I'm half done with my table runner! It is a good thing I realized this mistake when I did!!! :)

Queezle

When I signed up for the Anita Mayer workshop, I thought it was to learn new weaving structures, etc.  Then when I learned it was more about surface embellishment and clothing design, I almost backed out.  However, I am now so glad that I did it - about half of the workshop activities felt like pure play, and the other half I learned things that I might actually use. 

And when I came home home, about 6 pm last night, I was excited to push on my weaving.  I actually wove 38 inches on the Frankenloom, finishing up the gothic cross warp.  I have new ideas for making a zippered bag for my son, and how to embellish it in a deeply personal way. 

And as a final note - I finally got into a rhythm on the walking loom, and was delighted to find how I eventually didn't even have to think about treadling, and it just poured out of me.

10ashus

Queezle got me enthused. I looked her up to learn more and was even more interested. I have asked my librarian to search for her book or dvd.

This is a quote from a 2010 exhibition at 

Inspired by ethnic & historic garments, Anita Mayer designs original clothing in her Anacortes studio, infusing the work with her creative spirit. She believes there should be something magical & unique in what we wear each day & she wants to share this concept of clothing with others.

Mayer says of the work in this show:

This exhibition presents the role and situation of women in the contemporary world through the fiber arts. The garments speak to my personal experiences regarding growing older, marriage, death, and other markers of whom we become during life's journey. We live in a youth-oriented society and I want to share and celebrate the joys of self-discovery that come with age. I was to embrace the years we have lived, because I believe that gray hair, lines on the face, and gnarled hands signify that a woman has had a full and challenging life; and with the years, gains knowledge and wisdom...These garments are my tribute to women of the world who need to be recognized and respected. Inspired by ethnic & historic garments, Anita Mayer designs original clothing in her Anacortes studio, infusing the work with her creative spirit. She believes there should be something magical & unique in what we wear each day & she wants to share this concept of clothing with others.

Mayer says of the work in this show:

This exhibition presents the role and situation of women in the contemporary world through the fiber arts. The garments speak to my personal experiences regarding growing older, marriage, death, and other markers of whom we become during life's journey. We live in a youth-oriented society and I want to share and celebrate the joys of self-discovery that come with age.  I was to embrace the years we have lived, because I believe that gray hair, lines on the face, and gnarled hands signify that a woman has had a full and challenging life; and with the years, gains knowledge and wisdom...These garments are my tribute to women of the world who need to be recognized and respected. 

10ashus

Queezle got me enthused. I looked her up to learn more and was even more interested. I have asked my librarian to search for her book or dvd.

This is a quote from a 2010 exhibition at the Dennos Museum in Michigan (U.S.)

Inspired by ethnic & historic garments, Anita Mayer designs original clothing in her Anacortes studio, infusing the work with her creative spirit. She believes there should be something magical & unique in what we wear each day & she wants to share this concept of clothing with others.

Mayer says of the work in this show:

This exhibition presents the role and situation of women in the contemporary world through the fiber arts. The garments speak to my personal experiences regarding growing older, marriage, death, and other markers of whom we become during life's journey. We live in a youth-oriented society and I want to share and celebrate the joys of self-discovery that come with age. I was to embrace the years we have lived, because I believe that gray hair, lines on the face, and gnarled hands signify that a woman has had a full and challenging life; and with the years, gains knowledge and wisdom...These garments are my tribute to women of the world who need to be recognized and respected. Inspired by ethnic & historic garments, Anita Mayer designs original clothing in her Anacortes studio, infusing the work with her creative spirit. She believes there should be something magical & unique in what we wear each day & she wants to share this concept of clothing with others.

Mayer says of the work in this show:

This exhibition presents the role and situation of women in the contemporary world through the fiber arts. The garments speak to my personal experiences regarding growing older, marriage, death, and other markers of whom we become during life's journey. We live in a youth-oriented society and I want to share and celebrate the joys of self-discovery that come with age.  I was to embrace the years we have lived, because I believe that gray hair, lines on the face, and gnarled hands signify that a woman has had a full and challenging life; and with the years, gains knowledge and wisdom...These garments are my tribute to women of the world who need to be recognized and respected. 

sally orgren

That means finishing up loops on towels plus any other odds and ends, tagging, and making the inventory sheets.

laurafry

Just finished show #2 of this season (we are only doing three this year).  Unfortunately doing #3 means packing our personal items tonight, trying to get some sleep, leaving before the crack of dawn (if we can get going), driving 450 miles, unloading, then collapsing into bed for set up Tuesday.

Ah, the glamorous life of an itinerant weaver!

For anyone interested in the business aspect of doing a 'high(er)' end craft fair - see my blog post today http://laurasloom.blogspot.com

Queezle

That is an eye-opening account - I hope the fair is/was great, and that the customers were excited to open their pocketbooks.

Queezle

I am going to make a small zippered bag for my son for the holidays - something to hold his dungeon and dragon supplies.  After completing a scarf this weekend, I wanted to make a fabric for this bag, using my eggplant-colored bamboo warp.  I found that using 20/2 unmercerized cotton in what lunatic fringe calls Dijon, but I call gold, was perfect.  It is a lovely masculine fabric that looks brown from a distance, and purple-gold, depending on angle, up close. 

I am making some bag mock-ups to send to son, to make sure the bag is neither too big nor too small.

[email protected]

The iridescent appearance of the fabric is fabulous.  Did it result from deliberate decisions?  Workshops about designing such fabrics attract my eye on conference agendas but hasn't been in the cards for me yet.  Special color effects would be a good adjunct conversation for color challenge.

 

Queezle

I was hoping this might be what people call iridescence!

I had warp left, and enough for one or two bags.  I wanted a somewhat masculine fabric, and I wanted a non-thick fabric, so looked over my 20/2 options.  Why did I ever order a color called dijon, when I don't particualarly care for dijon mustard?  Maybe to check the color against my colour card for the challenge?  Anyway, I was going for something I thought my son would like, and the regal combination of purple and yellow seemed like a possibility.

I couldn't see the iridescence until I got it off the loom and washed.  It was then quite startling.  I'm thinking it would make a nice small purse for a night out on the town - oh but I might need a band loom to make an appropriate strap!

(edited to add) - the hand of the fabric is also quite wonderful.  The rest of the warp was woven with a cashmere weft, and my daughter thinks this cotton weft fabric is softer than the one made with cashmere.

theresasc

Really stellar!   Love the whole look of it.  I am glad to see you getting the hang of bags.  They can become a bit of an addiction to make, but usually fun and useful. 

10ashus

My brother-in-law surprised me with a trip to Waco for the Homestead Village. I cannot do much without tiring. My must see the Weaver's Shop.

Queezle

I'm so envious.  Have a great time!

endorph

it is a wonderful place. And the staff are wonderful. I am out there almost every Saturday to knit for a couple of hours. That is where I learned how to weave and spin. Fun, fun, fun. And a meal at the cafe is well worth it! If you have time stop by the Research Center at the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum ( assuming you are here on a weekday) and say hello!

endorph

weekend it to get the never ending towel warp off the mighty wolf. It is time for a change!

Queezle

The tension and shock associated with the election has led me to spend more time and focus at the looms.  My MW towel warp has two completed now, and my franken loom is being warped in an inexpensive wool-synthetic blend, a sample for a possible blanket that would survive a rough college experience. Its for my daughter, a high school senior, and making this seems to be symbolic for her.  I've promised her she will be able to trade it in for a nice wool blanket some time in the future.

Erica J

I did not weave as many patterns as intended, but I fnished weaving the table runner! It is long enough to cover most of our table without the leaf in it. As we rarely actually use the dining room table, I think this is OK. I really need to get onto my next warp. Warp repp is cool, but not ery cool to weave on a table loom! :)

KnittyKitty

I'm a new weaver.  Can anyone tell me the differences between the Green and Red books?  I'm not sure which one to get.  Thanks!

10ashus

Warp repp is cool, but not ery cool to weave on a table loom!

What type of loom is easier? Why?

×××××××××××××××××××××

Rug loom building is on hold. My Russell has decided the repair for leak in the roof must get built first. Can you believe that? Some people have skewed priorities.

;o)

 

Erica J

I think any type of floor loom would be easier. As the warp is so dense all the shafts were pulled up almost every time. So I had to push down the unwanted shafts each time. If you are weaving a fairly consistent/traditional design a countermarche loom would seem best.

For experimenting and sampling a table loom or compudobby is best.

Queezle

Floor looms are definitely easier for most weaving (hands + feet instead of all-hands), and while I have limited table loom experience, they do not seem to hold tension as well as a floor looms.

I am trying to thread the franken loom, my first time since raising it and making extra-long treadles.  Those treadles are now in the position where I typically set my stool, and the loom is higher, so the stool is no longer perfect.  Given that I need to figure out threading again, I rewatched Laura Fry's video, focusing on threading the heddles.  Whoa.  Learning her technique required going back and forth between video and loom a couple times, but it is brilliant.  Maybe twice as fast, if I can get the hang of it.

Still working on the boulevard-weave warp on the 8h mighty wolf.  And still loving it.

theresasc

The last couple of days, I have been playing on my Glimakra, getting it all set up with the expanded treadles and shafts.  I finally finished cutting all the texsolve tie-ups and have all 10 shafts hanging.  Here are some things that I figured out.

Here is a little background:  I am a self-taught weaver learning on jacks looms from mostly books and trial and error.  Over the last few years, my loom herd has changed, where I used to have 4 jack floor looms, I know have 1 jack, 2 CM, and 1 CB (this is the tapestry loom).  As I have changed looms, I have learned some new techniques that have shown me that those Swedes really know what they are talking about when it comes to dressing a loom.

First I learned to warp b-2-f through lease sticks and a raddle and that really improved the quality of my warp.  I had read to leave the lease sticks in while weaving and that just gave bonus points to keeping great tension for the entire warp.  Then the first CM loom came home, and I struggled with beaming until I added weight to the warp by making a trapeze and WOW, what a difference that made.  Last night I had a warp ready for the Glimakra loom so I rough sleyed a reed, beamed using the trapeze and I now have one of the best beamed warps ever.  Rough sleying was a bit more tedeous than using a raddle, but being that it was the first time it could be just from learning a new skill.  I had gotten some reed blocks with another loom, sold one set and for some reason kept one set.  I don't know why I kept them because I never warp f-2-b, but they sure were great to have to rough sley the reed.  I am now threading a 10-shaft pattern on a beautifully beamed warp and it is going well.

One other thing - my Glimakra has hand-tied heddles.  I was not sure about them to begin with.  I despise the texsolv heddles on the Cranbrook but I am finding the hand-tied heddles really easy to work with.  I had to move a bunch of them last night when hanging all the shafts and they were fine to deal with and I find them easy to thread.  Plus it is easy enough to tie more if I need them.

Okay, that is enough for a morning babble:-)

 

theresasc

I have finished installing all the parts, have a warp beamed, tied up, and weaving.  My 110cm Glimåkra Standard is now a 10-shaft, 10-treadle loom and I am quite pleased with the whole thing.  Tieing up all those treadles and lamms took some time but now that it is done and everything is adjusted, the loom is weaving beautifully. Glimakra Standard 10/10

 

debmcclintock

The green one is the one you want.  Be sure and read the words before each chapter.  And make sure you read the technical part where they explain how the drawdowns relate to the loom (as in up or down in the tie up).

Can't remember what the red book is, I think more historical based.

10ashus

are so innovative with your adjustments and building of equipment. My mister has worked as a carpenter and he has nodded in acknowledgement of all the recent experiments. Good logic and common sense and engineering.

Queezle

Nothing standard about that loom - it looks like it is all top rate.  I really enjoyed hearing about your warping experiences. 

I've been all-jack in my looms, and I think I'm about ready for something different.  Although perhaps more important is to get a dobby loom, as I am terrible at following any treadling that isn't simple. 

My threading is nearly done on the frankie; I'm a bit unsure about this project, as it uses an inexpensive wool-acrylic mix that is really stretchy.  But this is the reason for samples.

theresasc

The decision of which direction to go in regards to the type of loom is a hard one.  I started on jack looms because that was what was available to me for a reasonable price.   I have had all Kessenich looms, they are a heavy, solid well engineered loom capable to weave the type of cloth I wanted to weave, and being a midwest built loom, there are a lot of used ones in good shape where I live.

The more I wove and the more I learned, I found that weaving full-width with all 8 shafts on my 46" jack loom made for challenging treadling.  I just didn't want to work that hard.  I debated whether to get a CM or a dobby, and for the type of weaving that I do, the CM won out.  When I come across a pattern with a giant repeat or a zillion treadles that I like, I think that a dobby would be nice, but I have not seen enough of that type of patterning that I want to weave to justify a dobby loom.  

On the other hand, now that I have the Glimåkra,  if I get a big enough bug regarding patterns, I can (gasp) get a draw attachment for it.  Then I can go crazy with 50 shafts!  When I was adding the additional shafts to my loom, I realized that I do have the physical room to add a draw attachment, but if that ever does happen, it is well in the future.

It is so fun for me to see what people choose to weave on all the different equipment that is out there.  It is just like a giant, never-ending puzzle that just keeps getting better and more interesting the longer I weave.

Gone

Beautiful Theresasc!  Congrats on getting all together. If your loom was facing the other way with the seat to the railing, you'd have a 'built in' trapeze!  Just run it over the railing!  ;-)

ShawnC

Love the loom upgrade, Theresasc! And you can add a dobby attachment from Toika to a CM loom, Queezle ;-) Though really, I think the drawloom is the way to go. I love mine.

I've been pecking away at the drawloom, and my son helped me move loom parts from the garage to the basement in preperation for winter. Now have both looms put together and one almost ready to weave. I want to do a faux sheepskin with a lovely fleece.

Queezle

Its true that I only know that, 28 years after happening into good deals on schacht looms, maybe I should try something else.  The used Toika (12H) is marked down to $1000.  So tempting, but tempered by the observation that the current owner was never able to figure out how to make it work.

I mostly weave after work, when I am tired, and unless its a straight pattern, I know I make mistakes.  I need to try more looms, and learn more about the extra harness that allows you to do such amazing work.

ShawnC

Ah, what make of Toika? There are folks here that can help with set up. Once you 'get it' it's really not difficult. That's a great deal!

 

I started on jack looms years ago, then stumbled on a used Toika. Took me a bit, but fell in love with CM looms. Now have 2 old Varpapuus (almost exactly like the Toika) and an Oxaback drawloom. One of the Varpapuus came as a counterbalance. I'd never used one and heard all the myths. I actually prefer it for any 4 shaft weaves now.

 

Happy weaving!

sally orgren

Anyone know why you might want to be in Reno, Nevada, on July 6-12, 2018?

Queezle

I am really happy to say that a trip to Reno is very likely to be in my future. 

Gone

Yeah I'm bummed about that! Last I heard they were talking about Tennessee. Oh well.

I'm just plugging along on the Toika with tieups, etc. Got a 6 yd warp on. Need to tie on, then start the process of tieup. I've got a nice 4 shaft draft that will give me at least 2 cool patterns. I'm more into getting the 'hang' of the tieups. I do have the Toika instructions and several others too, so the process is making sense - I just have to do it a few times. No hurry tho. Right now this is the 'learning' loom. I still have my Mac to get some towel weaving done for the holidays.

Joanne Hall

On Toika looms, the lamms are all the same length.  So, when you are ready to weave and you pull the locking pins out, note how far the shafts fall, if they do, and let us know.  It does not create a big problem, but the treadles will rise when the shafts fall and some weavers prefer to weight the lower lamms to keep the treadles from rising and being uncomfortable to treadle.

So, let us know how it goes.

Joanne

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