March went out like a lion in many parts of the country. Let's hope April settles down a bit weatherwise. As we start the 2nd quarter of the calendar year I look back on the first three months and have to say I am impressed with the amount of work you have accomplished so far this year. The projects are many and varied and all inspirational. It makes me happy to see the friendly interaction among the group - the support, encouragement, shared laughter and tears are all wonderful. Keep up the good work and weave on!

Comments

Mon, 04/11/2016 - 00:49

endorph

hearing about your Anya makes me sad. I always find it hard to lose our four footed companions.

I would be nterested in lurking in a color study group. I always learn so much from the conversations in here.

Erica - Your weaving for fabic for Oli's re-enactment clothing is fascinating and I am looking forward to seeing his outfit as it progesses.

Mon, 04/11/2016 - 06:04

laurafry

I now have seven students in the beginning weaving class this coming weekend, and seven in the Olds level one here in May.  :)

Mon, 04/11/2016 - 07:54

ReedGuy

Sorry about the dog there Cathie, our pets are like another good friend, hard to loose'm.

Shawn, the lotuses are coming along nicely. Any plans for the cloth?

Mon, 04/11/2016 - 12:44

Artistry

YAY, Laura!

More weaving tapestry today, actual rocks!

thanks.

Wed, 04/13/2016 - 11:49

Nassajah (not verified)

This is so beautiful!  

Wed, 04/13/2016 - 11:58

ShawnC

Cathie, can hardly wait to see your rocks in progress! Thanks for the comments. My oldest daughter wants a spider (spiderwoman, the weaver) and I had one that looked great on paper. The cloth looks more like a crab. Ha! I'll do some adjusting and try again. I think I need to elongate the pattern and change it a bit.

Wed, 04/13/2016 - 12:14

endorph

I think it looks like a spider - especially in the shot from farther away from the loom, but I think you may be right in elongating the body just a bit. The close up shot does look crab-like!

Wed, 04/13/2016 - 12:29

ShawnC

Thanks, Endorph! The underside of the cloth, where the spider is black, looks much better. I also changed the orientation for another leg, so hope this one will look a bit better. So much to learn about the drawloom, but so much fun.

 

ReedGuy, my daughter gets the multi-colored lilies to do with as she will. I'll be weaving some more in more muted tones for a light jacket fabric, or tunic. Some other pictoral stuff, too. I'm so glad I put on a long warp!

Wed, 04/13/2016 - 13:17

Nancy Everham

Just pulled off a scarf off my Macomber yesterday - gave it a wash and hung to dry. Looks so pretty in the sunshine!

Wed, 04/13/2016 - 13:18

Nancy Everham

Just pulled off a scarf off my Macomber yesterday - gave it a wash and hung to dry. Looks so pretty in the sunshine!

Wed, 04/13/2016 - 15:17

Queezle

ShawnC, I think its the legs that cross that can give the impression of a crab, but I just love it!  And I really liked the bigger view of your loom and helpers.

My obsession of the morning is a local classified ad that has a harrisville 22 inch direct tie up loom for $300 (and I would welcome thoughts about this loom, I do know its pretty light weight and that converting to 6 treadles would cost $275).  I've been wanting my own workshop loom.  Talked to Harrisville about what to look for when I check it out.  Now I need to focus in on preparing for my afternoon teaching, so maybe I can sneak away to look at it this afternoon. 

Wed, 04/13/2016 - 16:50

theresasc

My experience with workshop looms has been to use a table loom.  Generally the workshops that I have taken have been a more indepth study of a structure and I have found that using a table loom is great for that.  I really learned the way the structure interacted because I had to do each shaft lift on its own and was able to see how the structure developed and changed as I wove vs stepping on a treadle.  Even weaving 8-shafts worked for me in this environment.  I have been in workshops with folks that brought floor looms and if it was not a direct tie-up they ended up spending quite a bit of workshop time on the floor.  I have Kessenich table looms, and yes, they are heavy to cart around but are sturdy enough to handle Jason Collingwoods rug workshops with no problem.  Just my 2-cents worth on workshop looms.

 

Shawn - you are just a drawloom teaser!  I just love seeing the full shot of you at your new loom.  I am sure living through your weaving vicariously!  Keep those designs coming:-)

Wed, 04/13/2016 - 19:45

ShawnC

Thanks, Queezle. I really love my helpers, 4 and 2 legged. theresasc, I'll keep the teasing up, I'm sure. It's fun to be able to share with folks that 'get it'. Love to see a picture of the scarf, Nancy!

 

Thu, 04/14/2016 - 13:46

Artistry

Tendinitis in left wrist badly, gosh when it rains it pours:( I'm thinking of accupuncture.

ShawnC, crab, spider, like them All! You are really tempting me with your designing on the Drawloom! I also adore your helpers in the studio, both so lovely:)

Queezle, I like Theresac's points and have observed the same. When it comes to workshop looms , it is so nice not to be on the floor changing tie-ups!

Nancy, good for you! So satisfying to get that project done and wet finished.

well, since I won't be weaving, now is a good time to plan the baby blanket warps:) I'm inspired by the work that repweaver does with the miniature overshot and will have 4 shafts to work with this summer. So color play, and we know I don't like to do that:)

have fun!

 

Thu, 04/14/2016 - 19:18

Queezle

Hi, I've been trying to upload images to update my project.  Over the past 24 hours, I keep getting this error message:
An HTTP error 0 occurred.
/filefield/ahah/project/field_project_images/1

It happens with both firefox and chrome, on both my laptop and desktop computers (macs).

Thu, 04/14/2016 - 19:31

Queezle

I understand your points about workshop looms.  This one is a direct tie up, and the kind people at harrisville design told me what to look for in assessing its condition.  it would require at least $100 to get it working, and it seems to be a loom that doesn't travel well when warped.  But it would be good for a new weaver.  I am going to bring it to the attention of the guild.  Thank you all for your advice.  

Thu, 04/14/2016 - 19:47

ShawnC

Queezle hope you got the photo issue resolved. Direct tie up would be nice for workshops. I think that's why Schacht originally offered the Wolf Pup only with direct tie up. But being portable would be a bit essential!

 

Cathie so sorry about the wrist. That's just no fun, particularly when you've got your rythumm going. I hope it clears up soon.

 

The drawloom is just too much fun. I'm restricting myself right now to things I can do with the current arrangement of units on pattern shafts. I'm sure I won't exhaust the possibilities before I run out of the warp. I never really liked long warps, I got bored. But no worries about that now.

Fri, 04/15/2016 - 01:36

Queezle

I couldn't upload photos because my file names had characters disliked by weavo - I made shorter names and it worked.  The offending character was an apostrophe!  So glad to have solved that little issue.

Cathie - I had tendonitis after building my chicken coop, too much hammering I think.  It was terrible.  For me, a physical therapist helped alot, as did learning to prevent curling my arms up when I slept.  

Trying to clean up my studio, such as it is.  Am loving the longer days.  Happy weaving, friends.

Fri, 04/15/2016 - 14:54

theresasc

My experience with tendonitis in both my elbows has been ongoing since 2012.  I did months of physical therapy, was taking super strong anti-inflamatories and was getting nowhere with it.  A few sessions of accupuncture and I have more movement and almost no pain.  I am kicking myself for not trying it sooner.

My weaverliness has been weaving on rosepath towels.  I think I am a little burned out on tapestry right now.  Since I can see my tapestry loom when sitting at two of my floor looms I can still think about it and kind of plan my next moves.  I just need a break from it for a bit.

Sat, 04/16/2016 - 15:41

Erica J

Well I am back to the winding of warps stage of my daily weaverliness!

We also took a trip to Cornwall earlier in the week. I broke from my norm and took my spinning wheel instead of a loom! We stayed in a cottage that is part of a light house and it was much more conducive to spinning. We were out and about most of the time, so much easier to pick up and put down spinning. Though I did wave a tubular tablet weaving sample on the drive down.

Anyway, I'm nearly done winding my next warp repp warp. Hopefully I have taken the sett/scale into account better this time and hopefully I've chosen better colors!

I need to wind my wapr for the Cambridge Guild's Chariman's Challenge next, because I need to have that done in a few weeks! My challenge may end up being just a series of samples, but hopefully a scarf will be the end result!

Sat, 04/16/2016 - 15:49

nancy3terrific (not verified)

Wow - pictures look great - I will let my guild (SJGSH) know about it.

Sat, 04/16/2016 - 15:52

nancy3terrific (not verified)

Hi everyone! I recently retired and to celebrate, I am starting a new warp on my 8-shaft 16 treadle Macomber - 10/2 beautiful hand-dyed tensel. Can't to finish the warping - then I will send pics (I hope) - I tried to post a pic of a finished project but was a tad too large! Boo!

Sat, 04/16/2016 - 17:54

Queezle

Nancy - I would love to see your finished project and the warping of your new one!  There are several ways to re-size a photo.  On my computer, I can import a photo into adobe photoshop and precisely resize it, or on my apple computer, in iphoto, I can export and then specify "large" or "medium".  Its a bit fiddly, getting photos up here on weavo, but once you've done it a time or two it gets easier!

Sun, 04/17/2016 - 16:41

WeaverGrace

Queezle, I loved my Harrisville 22" loom when I built it from the kit. It was my first loom. However, I felt annoyed when the harnesses advanced with my wool warps, and when it didn't make a clear shed, because the harnesses weren't heavy enough. You might want to consider weighting them, if you don't mind the resistance on the treadles.

Mon, 04/18/2016 - 10:04

ReedGuy

Working on what will probably be the final warp for a few months as bush time is about to happen with the snow going and roads drying out. Second time using lots of color in sequence, so I did use the spools and tension box, but spread over two sections so I just had to thread the box one time with 8/2 cotton. It's mainly a plan weave with spots of 4 x 4 basket weave with four floats in each. And also a warp stripe between with diamonds along the length. It's a wide towel, maybe I'll call it a beach towel or picnic blanket. There will be lots of weft changes as I want solid color in the diagonal where warp/weft color intersect. I also have the second beam warped with 16/2 cotton warp where the diamonds are woven along, with 8/2 weft. 968 ends and I have two setts, 21 epi for 8/2 and 32 epi for the 16/2. To make it easier on my brains to dent the 8/2, I'm doubling the first and last dents in an 8 end sequence. Everything is in groups of 8 across the warp by color and size. 16 dent reed. Short warp, only 4 yards. So it will likely be just one big one.

 

Mon, 04/18/2016 - 16:26

theresasc

warp Reedguy!  A great way to finish off your weaving season.  Looking forward to seeing this one woven up.

I did some loom maintenance on my 6-shaft Kessenich.  Kessenich looms have a couple of areas where you can oil the shafts.  Mine were starting to squeak, which drives me batty while weaving.  So I oiled the loom up, and now the shafts are gliding so smoothly.  I seem to forget to do that until the looms start talking back to me.

I also ordered the latest issue of Weaver's Craft - I was really glad to see that Jean Scorgie put another issue together.  I have always enjoyed this publication, I find it packed with great information.

This weekend I finished weaving one towel and have started on the next, nice to see progress on the warp.

Mon, 04/18/2016 - 18:20

ShawnC

ReedGuy, so looking forward to seeing this woven! Sounds incredible. theresasc, that would also drive me a bit nuts. One reason I'm selling my old Structo (among many), is the noise! I can weave on my large floor looms while folks sleep, but this one wakes them up everyting.

 

I'm back to the lotus flowers. Want to weave some yardage of orange fabric. I'll do a couple yards of this color, then take a break and weave some of a brighter orange. I'll be working on a better spider (and web now, I guess), some bees and other insects. Should keep me from being bored with the yardage. It takes me so long to weave a yard!

Mon, 04/18/2016 - 22:38

sally orgren

My 8 shaft M's&O's.

I guess I am just not a blue person.

What was I thinking, putting on 7 yards? This will be agony to weave off. The upside is it is the first one shuttle weave I have done in awhile.

Tue, 04/19/2016 - 01:26

ShawnC

Oh, but Sally, it's so pretty! But why I rarely put on long warps. This drawloom warp is the longest in a long time. But it's easy to change what I'm weaving.

 

Tue, 04/19/2016 - 13:10

nancy3terrific (not verified)

It is taking forever - double weave so 48 EPI - although only 16" wide, so for every inch I do - I take a break. I read the post from Tien on color - excellent advise! This scarf is definitely a color study - I really loved the hand-dyes so bought an array of colors from Just Our Yarn (JOY). Also - can't wait to see pics of the tapestry - sounds wonderful! Can you post pics of work in progress?

Tue, 04/19/2016 - 22:43

tien (not verified)

Wow, ShawnC, those lotus flowers are AMAZING!! Just gorgeous.

I have been pretty quiet the last five days because I have been frantically working on revamping my website! Wordpress 4.5 broke my navigation menus, and because my theme (which controls the appearance of the site) was old and crufty and no longer supported/updated, I decided to change my theme. And, while I was at it, I completely reorganized the navigation, redid the home page, added a portfolio of my work, and, well...you get the idea. You can see the revamped site at http://www.tienchiu.com . It took me nearly 5 days of nonstop work to get it ready, so I hope you like it!

If you have a chance to poke around, let me know what you think, and let me know if anything is broken! I'd really appreciate ideas for how to improve the site.

Tue, 04/19/2016 - 23:38

Sue in VT

I loved reading parts of your website tonight, especially the detailed story of your stunning wedding gown and its new home!  Your essay on crafting is very thought provoking for me.  Loved some of your travel stories, and the pictures add so much.  You are truly a high- energy multi-talented young woman!

Wed, 04/20/2016 - 08:58

ReedGuy

I have begun weaving with a couple repeats yesterday afternoon. Here's what I'm seeing so far.

I've glanced a bit at your new site tien, I intend to read further. Quite interesting the things you have created and new ideas you're now pondering. :)


Your project looks nice Sally, keep going with it. It's still weaving. ;)

Wed, 04/20/2016 - 11:43

ShawnC

Thanks, Tien! I'm really enjoying the process of learning the drawloom. As a bonus the Oxaback is simply a joy to weave. I'm looking forward to wet finishing this cloth to see how it changes.

I do love the changes to the website, Tien. Much more intuitive. It was fun to go back and read some articles I didn't get to last time I visited. As always when I visit, I am feeling inspired. So many ideas, so little time!

ReedGuy, your cloth is quite lovely! I love the play of color and structure!

Fri, 04/22/2016 - 15:47

Queezle

Tien, I always enjoy reading about your work - whether its weaving, chocolates, or stash reorganization.  Your new site is lovely!

Here in the intermountain west, there is lovely spring weather, and based on the paucity of posts on this thread, I'm guessing its much the same for the rest of you.  Nevertheless, I am winding on my mothers' day project warp, and trying to get my orange Ms and Os woven off. 

Sun, 04/24/2016 - 11:31

Erica J

For years, I've wanted to weave a shawl inspired by Van Gogh's wheatfields series. Well I think I've finally come up with a design, in part thanks to seeing all your design processes and partly from the Online UKWSD Sketchbook workshop. It looks like I will very well end up weaving my own series of shawls/items based on various sections of color in these paintings. I'm starting with the sky. I chose 2 blues and design an undulating shadow weave. I am doing a small sample before delving into the full width shawl.

Today I finished winding the warp! This is NOT for my certificate portfolio, so I will be sharing photos. I just need to get back in the habit of taking my phone to the studio with me. I also wove about 6" on my current damask project!

Sun, 04/24/2016 - 11:42

ShawnC

So look forward to seeing these projects, Erica J (well, all of them). You've been quite productive!! I've been a bit side tracked by gardening weather. I can't manage much, but my son and daughter have been helpful. It's been so beautiful that I've been imagining a place i the country with a loom shed-open to the air, but protected from the elements.

Sun, 04/24/2016 - 13:09

Artistry

ShawnC, it's so great to hear that you can do what you can ! Yes, the weather in Ohio has been outstanding :) Considering the extensive surgery you had, it sounds like you're healing well, slow but sure. P.T. Still, right?

Erica, I, too, can't wait to see your samples! I'm sure we will enjoy and learn from them. I am so impressed with your discipline and determination to get your portfolio done! It's been 20 years since I did the COE level ll . I can honestly say it was one of the most exciting times of my life. The learning was tremendous, boundless , only limited by one's own imagination.

Tien, I love your website! It is easy to navigate, I honestly can't think of anything to add. The story of your wedding dress is inspirational. You remind me , that if you don't know how to do something ( couture sewing) you get someone to teach you! There are many obstacles that surely can be solved! Oh , it's stunning as well, and I'm so glad it's in a museum where many people can enjoy and study it. 

Well, left wrist is still messed up, thank goodness it's the left! ( dr. Tomorrow. However after conversations with Rebecca Metzoff who's tapestry workshop I'm going to in June ( Vermont!), I'm still going weather hand is recovered or not. she and I will work on design and values for my next Travel Log; Maasai Dissapearing. It's a 5 day masterclass and I'm very excited. She said that she was hoping some people would just come to design:) plus I love to design, so it's a match! I'm very happy! Of course it won't be woven for a year, I will finish Patagonia first.

flyfishing in Michigan is going to have to be bagged, but I'll catch them next year:)

Sun, 04/24/2016 - 21:53

sally orgren

688 ends of 16/2 cotton, threaded, sleyed and ready to weave! Photo to come shortly. The M's&O's were supposed to cover three sample exchanges due in May and June, but I decided at the end of last week I wanted to do a different pattern for the third exchange, so I started the process after work on Friday. 

 

Also, we had a loom donation over the winter to our NPS historic site and with the warmer weather arriving, I got a chance to go and check it out. It is a lovely 4 shaft loom (no maker's mark) and it weaves beautifully. I can't wait for our volunteers to weave on it! It has a small footprint, barely bigger than a table loom with a weaving width of about 20". It came with a bench, drum carder, spinning wheel, and various other weaving tools.

Thanks to guildmate Betty G for arranging for this wonderful donation, and the blue check curtains seen in the background were woven by guildmate Margriet C.

 

P.S. If anyone recognizes this loom, please let me know of the manufacturer.

Sun, 04/24/2016 - 21:55

sally orgren

The pattern is from Davison and I opted not to tie up the reverse (since  I am weaving on a jack loom) so the pattern is on the underside of the fabric. (It was easier to just lift one shaft, not three, by keeping it the way it was drawn.)

 

Because this yardage is going to be cut into samples, I redesigned the pattern to look like the sample shown (right side up) in the foreground. This needs to be off my loom in less than a month - hence the haste!

Mon, 04/25/2016 - 18:33

Erica J

Yes, I finally have time to weave more things of which I can actually share photos!

So here is my damask, based on the simplest medieval damask I have studied to date. This will line a collar of estate for the Royal Artisan position in my medieval re-enactment group. :)

Here is my shadow weave warp.

Tue, 04/26/2016 - 04:13

Gone

I just finished up a batch of towels. Some pinwheels and houndstooth and a couple waffles and some experiments. All of which turned out pretty good. Towels are fun!

 

Tue, 04/26/2016 - 05:36

Queezle

TomZ, those are great towels.  An even dozen?  That is a lot of towels, whatever the number.  And I always enjoy a peek into the medieval clothes; my brother used to participate in revolutionary war reinactments. Sally - love the honeycomb.  The white and green remind me of foot prints through snow that fell on spring grass (and what I saw this weekend - 2 inches of snow!).

I'm trying to get a mother's day gift onto -and off- the loom over the next week.  I managed to get the warp measured out over the weekend, and tonight I managed to weave off the orange turned Ms and Os.  The bright orange and purples were wonderful to see each day.  Some corrections still needed, but those can wait until after Mother's day. 

 

Tue, 04/26/2016 - 12:59

sally orgren

Was that the draft for these towels TomZ?

I'll bet they were fun to weave!

Tue, 04/26/2016 - 16:06

Weavolutionary6

Where did April go? I look forward to seeing what everyone accomplishes these last few days and what we all get up to in May!

Tue, 04/26/2016 - 17:11

laurafry

https://www.facebook.com/TheMuseumAtFIT/videos/10154172609583092/?pnref=story

Tue, 04/26/2016 - 17:21

Erica J

Link worked perfectly, Laura, and is very interesting! :)

Thu, 04/28/2016 - 16:54

theresasc

are falling off the back of the warp beam this morning.  That is always a good thing, a few more inches and the Rosepath towels will be woven. 

Thu, 04/28/2016 - 18:26

sally orgren

It ain't pretty, but it works.

You'll notice the component facing the replacement piece has already cracked and somewhat splintered on the end where the wood is thin, so it seems to make sense to make another replacement piece for the near future.

This loom is handmade, could be over 100 years old. Came from Iowa, traveled to New Jersey, spent 10 years in Vermont, and came back to New Jersey a few years ago. It's a sweet little loom, with a great shed and holds great tension.

Thu, 04/28/2016 - 18:29

sally orgren

It's just over a week from now.

Is anyone going, and if so, where can we find you? Should we schedule a gathering?

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