A new month - if the rest of the year is as productive as January has been for everyone, I predict 2014 to be a very weaverly year. Weave-on all!

Comments

Thu, 02/13/2014 - 07:21

Grethe

Both samples are beautiful. It's hard to make a decision, I'll vote for sample 1.

Thu, 02/13/2014 - 13:32

MMs-and-OOs-Ha…

One of the best yarns I have ever woven with was a 50% wool/polyester yarn I got, I think, a long time ago, from the Yarn Barn. It was about a 2/6s maybe thinner. I got a cone of black and a heather grey and did shadow weave. It was a mill end. I made a threading error that I was too lazy to correct but it actually made the pattern more interesting. I made the yardage into some large pillows and a giant floor pillow. I put zips on them and have washed them from time to time. They still look great, a tiny bit of pilling that I attribute to the washing. I still have some of the material enough to make more.
Thu, 02/13/2014 - 19:19

endorph

even though sample  2 is nice as well, sample 1 really speaks to me

Fri, 02/14/2014 - 00:40

endorph

and spinning on my part this week - tomorrow and Saturday I am in a spinning class - learning more about our wheels - combing and carding wool and ofcourse actually spinning! Love seeing all of the activity in here - you are all so inspirational

Fri, 02/14/2014 - 04:24

loomyladi (not verified)

My vote is tablecloth of #1 and placemats of #2.  Or perhaps scarf of #1 and vest of #2.  I just can't decide, they are both stunning in their own way!

Fri, 02/14/2014 - 06:41

Cadenza

1! I love the first one,  Sally!

My husband was sick last weekend and he shared.  Boo! Really, really hoping the kid doesn't get it. Anyway, it sort of put a damper on weaving plans. I finished weaving my towels today, but I am debating whether I have enough weft for a couple of washcloths or not. I am thinking yes...

Also spent some time spinning. 

 

Fri, 02/14/2014 - 19:01

Walkingquail

One! Maybe its too late to vote and I actually love both. Isn't it fun to use art as inspiration?

I am working on dishtowel # 3 where I weave a bit of plaid. I am getting so much better at throwing the shuttle which I don't really do with scarves. It feels nice to improve a bit with each project. I am feeling a little time pressure for the gallery exhibit but I"ll have enough, I think!

Tien, your new loom looks amazing!

Sat, 02/15/2014 - 00:35

sally orgren

It was on my project post that several of you encouraged me to pursue sample #1 when I was going to bail, just based on the computer draw-down and simulation. (Goes to show why sampling is always important!). Yes, I really have had fun with this project all year long. Next year will be a structure challenge, but I am not sure of the specific topic yet.

I can't wait to pull my Echo samples off the loom! I allocated a yard to play and I am nearly done experimenting. I plan to wash (wet finish) the samples and then decide which weft to weave off the last two yards for a scarf. The warp is tencel.

I happened to be at Webs on Wednesday, and I got to talk to Barbara Elkins. It is her echo peacock scarf pattern from Handwoven that is currently on my loom. I got a fantastic tip from her about finishing the fringe. No worries, I'll share when I am done.

Sat, 02/15/2014 - 08:43

Artistry

It's been great reading and seeing what everyone is doing! I'm in Chicago. Anyone know of weaving stores close to downtown?
Sat, 02/15/2014 - 17:08

Erica J

While watching Olympians slide through the skeleton races, I sleighed the reed for the proper sett on my damask samples. I do have a sample at 24 epi to show you all, but 30 epi samples will definintley look better!

Thanks to everyone who has shared great weaving and inspiration so far this month!

Sun, 02/16/2014 - 07:33

Nassajah (not verified)

wove terry cloth using an additional back beam that may be helpful: http://fiber-fever.blogspot.com/2010/12/slow-cloth-terry-cloth-pile.html  I think there's an article in Handwoven, the Slow Cloth issue that talks about it as well.  But, it really is inspiring to see other weavers take up new challenges.  I've only wove towels with a thick/thin weft to get a 'bumby' appearence and absorbancy.  

I hope the towels come out the way you hoped. 

Sun, 02/16/2014 - 17:00

ReedGuy

Funny how some folks have wooden skewers in the cupboard. I've never had on in my whole live other than in a restaruant every 20 years. :)

I looked at the article in the blog, thanks for the link to that. I have not begun my towels yet, I have a warp sampler to finish up sometime for face cloths. Was going to space the loops slightly clother. However i have used that first cloth several times already for washing. ;) I will be making a supplemental beam for the towels and probably use the live weight idea because I want to do cord warp curtains in the future.

Right now I have been planning my new house. My head really hurts. I've draw out at least 6 layouts to get anything liveable. I'm downsizing to 1200 ft2, from 2800 ft2. Anything smaller just put me in a camp on a lake. :D

Sun, 02/16/2014 - 18:47

Erica J

I have resleighed the reed on the damask project. When I started weaving the header today, I found several threads are crossed. As my back is a bit twingy today, I put a thread under the crossed warps and went to the living room to rest up.

Sun, 02/16/2014 - 20:40

endorph

weekend learning basic spinning wheel maintainence, carding and combong wool, blending colors and,of curse, spinning. Here are my mini skeins that I made Friday and Saturday

Mon, 02/17/2014 - 06:46

Queezle

I've woven two S&W samples, and really learned a lot. In my previous weaving life, I made one S&W dishtowel - just following some instruction, perhaps on Handwoven.  It seemed so amazing and magical, but I didn;t really understand.  These samples have been a relevation.  Now on to dish towels.

Mon, 02/17/2014 - 14:26

tien (not verified)

I always keep wooden skewers in the cupboard! They are useful for so many things - as a long lighter when you need to relight something at a distance (water heater pilot light, misbehaving gas range, etc.), as a disposable stir stick for small dyebaths, as small hanger for fabric dye samples (stick it through the fabric and you're done). I don't use them for cooking much, but having a bunch of small pointy sticks is frequently handy!

I have been working hard on a handweaving project all week but have nothing to show for it (yet). I am doing a color study with 16x3 color changes in the warp. There are 16 sections, each with three colors, striped in varying arrangements - equal stripes, rhythmic stripes, irregular stripes, and Fibonacci stripes. So I started by winding the warp in three bouts, then tied off each bout every 24", carefully lining up the three bouts so the color changes would occur precisely where I wanted them. Then I painted it (48 sections in 34 colors - oy vey!).

Now I'm dyeing weft skeins - 45 of them in 36 colors! (It was easier to do multiple skeins of one color than keep track of which colors were done two times, three times, etc.) I have another three or four hours to go on that. I'm estimating that I'll have 40 hours into this project before the warp even touches the loom.

But I think I'll learn a lot from this color study, so hopefully it will be worth the time I'm putting into it!

Mon, 02/17/2014 - 14:52

endorph

keep wooden skewers in the cupboard. I use them mainly for crafty stuff but you never know when you might need one!

Mon, 02/17/2014 - 15:06

Jo Raymond

in pieces in my kitchen and elsewhere. This weeks project will be to clean and assemble her. Then, since she is already has a rug warp on her, I think I will start with some rag rugs. 

Mon, 02/17/2014 - 20:35

ReedGuy

I guess I don't have any of them skewers because I'm in the forest products industry and have access to all kinds of wood from lumber to trees on my own woodlot. Heck, I even make a hand made stylus for my GPS (the original lost long ago) from a sugar maple twig. I make a fresh one every season from another twig, better than a real one. No need to buy some wood products, when your surrounded by your own trees. :)

Tue, 02/18/2014 - 00:52

ReedGuy

I received some more yarn today. 44/2 linen, 20/2 and 10/2 non merc cotton. I've got to get weaving. (rolls eyes) ::)

Tue, 02/18/2014 - 01:01

Artistry

I always keep bamboo skewers too! Most often used, as Tien said, for dyeing. Tien your color study sounds fascinating and all that dyeing is making me just itch to get back in the dye studio! You're an inspiration! In Michigan now, plan to do tapestry all week, bliss!
Tue, 02/18/2014 - 06:32

Cadenza

Spinning the wool I bought and dreaming of dyeing and carding. I keep thinking I should dye my wool, but also keep not doing it and spinning away instead.  I think it will eventually be a scarf or shawl weft, with a purchased warp.

My husband is possibly getting some llama fiber from one of our friends at work for me to play with!  

Next up,  waffle weave! Then I want to play with something other than mercerized cotton. 

Tue, 02/18/2014 - 16:46

weaver1126

I spent the holiday weekend putting together my new Weavebird 24 harness loom.  Took a long time, but went together easily.  It all works.  I am so excited to get it threaded and see what I can do.

Tue, 02/18/2014 - 18:17

sally orgren

and the second Paul Klee sampler was completed just before I went out to shovel yet AGAIN today. A final sampler for the Crimp & Create needs to go on the sample loom this p.m., and then I can start winding the BIG warps. I think in the last month I have woven seven different samplers. (I am ready for some mindless shuttling.

Tue, 02/18/2014 - 19:15

Jo Raymond

Weavebird, how exciting! Sally, your sampler is beautiful.  Cadenza, I don't think I could be patient enough to spin, but I know what you are talking about. All of you are an inspiration to me.

Thank you! Jo

Tue, 02/18/2014 - 20:23

tommye scanlin

I was emailed a link today by the filmmaker to the short video that was filmed here in my studio for use at a church in Atlanta. Here's the link: https://vimeo.com/86152558 The scarf I posted at the first of this month's thread is what I was weaving. It's interesting to see how the filmmaker used the 8 or so hours of filming he did while at my studio over a couple of days and "interwove" the closeups to create the video. The mistakes I made in the weaving of the fabric aren't visible in the video, thank goodness! It was sort of hard to see what I was doing because of the lighting. And, the spinning was an impromptu thing... by no means do I claim to be a good spinner! But I can get my wheel up and going with roving. Tommye
Tue, 02/18/2014 - 20:53

tien (not verified)

What a wonderful video, Tommye! I thought it was very well done, and the snips of you weaving are lovely.

For myself, I spent twenty-four hours in the dyepots over the long weekend - twelve on the warp and twelve on the weft - and now have both warp and weft dyed and ready. The warp is 13 yards divided into 16 sections - obviously I couldn't get a photo end to end, but here is a composite showing the three colors in each section, for all 16 sections:

Composite photo of warp for color study

And here is a shot of the 40-odd weft skeins, drying in the wind:

40+ dyed weft skeins

They looked so luscious, swaying in the sun!

I probably won't be able to get the warp on the loom until this weekend, but I am SO looking forward to weaving this up!

Tue, 02/18/2014 - 21:04

ReedGuy

Some day I'll be able to watch them videos. Just dial-up here for now. But some day. :) I can upload small videos, but do that at night when I'm fast asleep. ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz  :)

Tien and some others as well, that sure is a lot of work. But it's like some wood worker types, especially guitar makers. They dry their wood themselves to make sure it's done right, the way they want it. ;)

Tue, 02/18/2014 - 23:56

endorph

the video was lovely - Tien - the dyeing is the die for - loveliness all over the place

Wed, 02/19/2014 - 00:28

WeavingRose (not verified)

I have been handfinishing one of my weaving projects today.  I have been getting to the bottom of my finish pile and it feels good!

Wed, 02/19/2014 - 01:42

Queezle

I am so envious of all of you - those colors, Tien, the sampler, Sally, and the video!  Here is a snippet of my latest summer and winter sample.  When I get home from Las Vegas (working, not play), I am threading a larger dishtowel warp, based on this design.  A bit daunting, over 600 ends, but I know this is nothing for most of you. 

Thu, 02/20/2014 - 18:57

sally orgren

Ratio, proportion, and viewing distance is all part of weaving fabric, too! So, here are the two Klee samples, side-by-side. What do you think? Sample 1 on the left, sample 2 is on the right.

Both are made from the same materials & colors. There is some variation in the colors and treadling throughout each sample. (I have been considering removing some of the ivory and replacing it with natural to "brighten" both textiles in the final rendering.)

I like both, but for different reasons. The hand of each cloth is excellent. (16/2 @ 30 epi, cotton.)

The original challenge was to weave a fabric based on a painter or painting. After that, anything goes!

The primary goal is to cut this up into samples (roughly 6.5" square) to complete the exchange, but I plan add a few extra yards to make dishtowels (Sample 2), or yardage for a garment perhaps (Sample 1).

No, I am NOT willing to weave BOTH before my March delivery date! ;-) (But I may weave the alternate fabric at a later date.)

Do you stand by your original vote — or want to change your vote at this time?

Thu, 02/20/2014 - 20:58

Grethe

I have change my mind. I think no 2 is more true to the Klee painting.

Thu, 02/20/2014 - 21:36

weaver1126

My new loom is threaded and ready to go.  When I get home from work tonight I am going to try it out.  Work is really going slow today.

Thu, 02/20/2014 - 21:38

tien (not verified)

I still prefer #1. The small scale is more suitable to most garments, and will work well for dishtowels as well (which are typically viewed at arms-length, at least if they are actually used). If you were making a wall hanging, I'd go for #2.

JMHO, of course!

Fri, 02/21/2014 - 01:40

Artistry

Sally, Now that I'm getting an arn's length view , I'm changing my vote too, to # 2, as I echo Grethe's comments , more true to Klee's painting. Both are beautiful, as you say for different reasons. I like the visual impact of the larger design. In #2, Also like the right side more than the left for the same reason, it's more striking. Cathie
Fri, 02/21/2014 - 01:45

Artistry

Tien, Your dyeing is magnificent! Queezle, Awesome sampler! Can't wait to see the dishtowels!
Fri, 02/21/2014 - 17:56

theresasc

The tree is taking shape.  This has been very challenging to figure out which area to work on when to keep things going the way they should.  This is nothing like weaving on a floor loom where the pattern and yarn placement has already been decided - still it keeps me going back for more.

winter sentinel

Fri, 02/21/2014 - 21:17

Artistry

theresasc, Wow, you've gotten so much done since I last saw your tapestry! I like the shading on your tree and, btw, nice selvedge! What kind of yarn are you using? Cathie P.s. I agree, tapestry is very challenging, that's why I love it so!
Sat, 02/22/2014 - 05:28

Weavejoyforall

Thank goodness I am back to weaving once again...  Was going to do some patterning and such but decided to go back and weave another scarf first. I will work on my salvages on this one ...so as to make them as even as poss. and get a good even weave.  I remember my feelings about  warping and dressing my rigid heddle now  (after my third warping on this new loom) warping is not a problem and dressing is kind of fun too. So now learning is in my furture and I am going to get my salvages right is the next lesson as in all things,practice may not always make Perfect but it does make BETTER...and better is always BETTER.... so off to my next scarf and more practice on good even tabby.    I love weaving ... REALLY I do.

Sat, 02/22/2014 - 13:29

tommye scanlin

I really like the natural (or white) blended into the brown for the tree.  Yes, your comment "This has been very challenging to figure out which area to work on when to keep things going the way they should " is totally true!  Like a jigsaw puzzle... except you have to lock each piece together as you go... can't put that piece of the sky in with blank space around it!

Tommye

Sat, 02/22/2014 - 14:25

Kate in Scotland

Sally, I love your crimp cloth. Could you also post the Klee image that inspired it? Great work.

Sat, 02/22/2014 - 14:30

Kate in Scotland

Tien, I love your skeins in the wind. Inspirational!

Sat, 02/22/2014 - 14:30

Kate in Scotland

Tien, I love your skeins in the wind. Inspirational!

Sat, 02/22/2014 - 16:52

theresasc

I appreciate the comments.  I am using a hodge-podge of wool for my tapestry, some of it is a finer 2/9 wool I had planned to use for fabric and some is various  weights of 2-ply rug wool.  I guess this makes it a challenge within a challenge, to weave a complete tapestry with the yarn at hand.  My weft bundles have varied from one to five strands, I have been trying to keep them all roughly the same size.  Getting the colors to work right has been something else too.  I am trying my best to only weave with stash yarns this year and it is giving me a pretty bizarre and limited color palette.  What in the world was I thinking when I bought some of this yarn?!?  LOL

Sat, 02/22/2014 - 21:23

Leslie M (not verified)

The one on the right, by far, Sally! The part with heavier black. It has the character and color that's in the painting. Nice job, Sally.
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