Happy New Year! Some terrific projects came through here last year. Looking forward to what 2016 brings! Weave on. . . .

Comments

Sun, 01/24/2016 - 18:42

debmcclintock

Reedguy, you should put this lace setup photo seriesinto your projects so the photos and explanation can be found. How to' or travel photos for later retrieval work great in a project. otherwise your explanation will just disappear in time in this thread. thanks for posting. 

Sun, 01/24/2016 - 18:53

ReedGuy

I will work on something in the coming days Deb, thanks.

Sun, 01/24/2016 - 19:19

Queezle

My DH has agreed to let me steal the cord from his plumbob - thin and slippery - will report later this week.

Sun, 01/24/2016 - 20:29

Erica J

I love lashing on as well. I have been using the lashing on method with 16/2 cotton on several projects and have had not problem. I used a 5/2 mercerized cotton doubled for the lashing cord. I haven't had any problems. That being said I'm sure it depends on a lot of factors.

Tien, I am so envious that you'll have another pheonix woven by the end of the week. I've been weaving on my current sample all month! It is loop pile though, so you can't really compare, but your progress sounds even faster than warp speed (bad pun absolutely intended).

As it turns out, I only actually had one sleighing error, but didn't realized this until I had resleighed nearly the entire warp, ah well, good practice and didn't take long at all.

Sun, 01/24/2016 - 22:17

sally orgren

Keeping these kinds of records in your projects really helps!

Sun, 01/24/2016 - 23:08

ReedGuy

The fine yarn I used was 30/2 cotton. The yarn didn't break, but it didn't slip on the braided cord at all. This next go will be 8/2 for the towels.

Mon, 01/25/2016 - 03:26

tien (not verified)

The braided cord in your last photo looks like it might not be slippery enough. I use twisted mason line, like this:

twisted mason line

(pic from http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-18-x-225-ft-White-Twisted-Mason-Line-14087/202079597 )

It's super slippery and works pretty well, at least for me. I haven't tried fine cotton yarns with it - just silk. Up to 120/2 (30,000 ypp) it works fine.

Today's weaverliness was a ton of progressively more desperate finishing work on phoenix #1 to prepare it for a photo shoot in the afternoon. I did finish (barely) in time, and the photo shoot went really well. In addition to photographing the phoenix, Lieven (my critique partner) did multiple shots of the sea-turtle scarf and the musk ox scarf. He said he should be able to get them to me well before the Convergence Feb 1 entry deadline, so that's good. We'll have to do a second photo shoot with phoenix #2 once it's woven, wet-finished, and embroidered, so hopefully we can do that early the first week in February.

My non-weaverliness for the day is a growing sense of dread. The Super Bowl is in two weeks. And I live exactly 1.1 miles away from the stadium (!!!). Over 1,000,000 people are expected to flock to the Bay Area for the week-long pre-game festivities, and 70,000 people have tickets to the game itself. My plan is to stock up on food, water, and emergency supplies, and then not leave the house all week. I think I also need a dart gun so Mike and I can tranquilize and humanely relocate rampaging football zombies in search of brains (or maybe beer :-) ).

But if I don't leave the house, perhaps I'll get more weaving done...!

Mon, 01/25/2016 - 03:35

Queezle

The lashing went ok, but the slip knots were a pain!  Thanks, Tien, I think the cord was OK, but the slip knots kept coming untied, regardless of how hard I tied them.  It might be the bamboo - very slippery yarn.   But if I had not had to retie a couple times, it would have been much faster.

The slip knots were what was recommended on Peggy Osterkamp's web site - do you all use slip knots for your warp groupings, or some other type of knot?

Mon, 01/25/2016 - 03:45

tien (not verified)

I use slip knots. I haven't had trouble with them untying themselves, but I also haven't tried doing really super slippery yarns - if I were I would probably use double overhand knots (one knot in front of the other). I'm very careful to make the LOOSE end the one that pulls out the knot! Until I figured that out I was cursing my knots all the time. Duh! Well, nobody ever accused me of having good spatial sense. When I was a kid I was part of a study of gifted youth. They put me through a whole battery of tests and while I scored very well in most areas, I remember my spatial reasoning was only 30th percentile. Ouch! It hasn't improved much since then, either.

Off to do some weaving before bed! That phoenix isn't going to weave itself, you know. ;-)

Mon, 01/25/2016 - 07:43

laurafry

Not sure where you are using slip knots.  If you mean the warp bouts, I tie overhand knots.  But I usually lash on very slippery yarns and do NOT want the knots to slip. 

 

 

Mon, 01/25/2016 - 07:43

laurafry

Not sure where you are using slip knots.  If you mean the warp bouts, I tie overhand knots.  But I usually lash on very slippery yarns and do NOT want the knots to slip. 

 

 

Mon, 01/25/2016 - 09:39

ReedGuy

I have some mason line tien. I have an issue with it easily breaking down under strain. What I mean is the second strand will slip down the first and make clumpy twists in the cord. If you follow what Lundel shows, she isn't using slip knots. The cord goes behind the knot. She uses overhand knots like Laura. The more pressure on them the tighter they grip.

The other way, the way I have been successful with, I start out with one wrap of the ends, snug up and make another wrap passing the same  group of ends under. I have a rectangular bar, so the knots I make at the edge closest to me. This grips the other group enough so it holds there an can be snugged later again then once done I make the last tie for a square knot for linen (because it's slipper stuff) or mainly use a half bow for cotton. I see some people in videos trying this with one wrap of the ends and that isn''t going to work. I drives me nuts to watch. LOL

Mon, 01/25/2016 - 12:51

Missus T.

Tien,

Being holed up to avoid the football zombies and general madness of crowds is similar to having a giant snowstorm without all the shoveling!  Would orange traffic cones and a "no trespassing sign" be of any use here?

btw we only got 12-14 inches here north of NYC in the famous snowstorm.  I think points south took the clobbering this time.

 

Susan

 

Mon, 01/25/2016 - 14:28

Queezle

Thanks everyone for your advice about knots.  Yes, Laura, these are knots on the bouts of warp that I am trying to lash instead of tie at the cloth end.  I will try the overhand knots on my next one.

Mon, 01/25/2016 - 14:55

sally orgren

and digging out the cars, I noticed that nature did some interesting work with the garden loom while I was holed up in the house weaving on the floor looms Saturday

Mon, 01/25/2016 - 15:34

sally orgren

In case any of you will be in the Atlanta vicinity in the ensuing months, there is an incredible show at the High Museum of Art now through May 15th - Iris van Herpen: Transforming Fashion.

I felt like I was at the crossroads of textiles, sculpture, and technology. Several of the garments incorporated 3-D printed elements, and the architecture of each garment's construction was an amazing solution to fit the garment to the body while transforming the human figure into these incredible shapes. The exhibit includes runway footage, so you can see how each garment actually moves when worn. (There were more than 40 garments on display, I believe.)

A quick peek - the garment below was made with umbrella spines.

The above garment was embellished with 3-D printed elements, a detail of which is below. Also on exhibit were "touch panels" – just like we have access to at Convergence. (Gee, when do you think we'll have the first 3-D printed submission as part of a handwoven textile at the conference?)

The garments that explored this "ice /crystal" theme were particularly fascinating for me since I am currently weaving "glistening snow" for a challenge due in March.

I was intrigued to learn the dress below was made from a handwoven metal fabric that was pleated and blowtorched to achieve the texture and rich color variations. Considering if was made of metal, it appeared light and diaphanous.

Big thanks to my weaving buddies for making sure I see shows like these, because like most weavers, they were not necessarily on my radar because they weren't directly weaving related. But I find the creativity they inspire is certainly worth my time and the experience was quite memorable!

(And if anyone else has a cool show happening in your neighborhood or in your travels, please share!)

Mon, 01/25/2016 - 16:24

theresasc

I have been mostly lashing on for the last few years.  Tom Knisley demo'd it in a lace workshop I took from him at MAFA a few years ago and it was an impressive demo.  Tyeing on has always been my weak point - trying to get that nice, even tension across the warp.  I too have been using mason twine and I weave with mostly 8/2 cotton and it works well.

This morning I wove a pirn worth of picks on the 3/2 towels and an inch or so on the Hokett tapestry loom.  I have not been doing a real lot of weaverly things the last week or so other than following everyone here.  Time to get back to it!

 

Mon, 01/25/2016 - 20:25

Sue in VT

Getting ready to warp my second linen towels warp and will try again with back to front.  I'll remember to tug or flick before I wind on but also, I was fussing to no end with my lashing, knot by knot.  It WAS almost as much fuss as tying the knots.  So glad to read about the slippery cord.  I learn something new every time I look!  

Mon, 01/25/2016 - 20:38

ReedGuy

I think it was worse when I first tried. LOL I'll see how it goes with my next attempt and I got some florescent orange to try.

Tue, 01/26/2016 - 14:26

tien (not verified)

Sally, that is an AMAZING and inspiring exhibit! Thanks for sharing it with us.

I have just realized (3600 picks into the piece) that the "extra bout" of warp threads that I used to replace a 1/2" section of the piece may actually have been a different yarn. It's not visible from the front, but from the side there is a difference in that section. I'm hoping it's just that it was weighted at a tighter tension than the rest of the warp (fixed now) and that this will not produce a visible difference in the finished piece. But at this point I don't have enough dyed yarn to redo it, and I'm 2/3 of the way through the piece anyway, so I'm just going to forge ahead and finish it. I'm really hoping I don't have to do a FOURTH phoenix...those suckers are a LOT of picks! I'd like to get on to my cat placemats...

Tue, 01/26/2016 - 17:53

laurafry

Just delivered my company to the airport and she should be winging her way to Vancouver right this minute.  

The house is very quiet.  :(

Now if I only felt better - I think I'm coming down with a cold.  Do I dare try to thread that fairly simple draft on the AVL?  Or veg...

Tue, 01/26/2016 - 19:03

Missus T.

Today I wove about 5 inches on my rug which is on my Navajo style loom.  I was listening to a book on tape, or so I thought, but when the book finished I realized that I had not understood anything!  The rug is just a beginner's stripey rug and I'm about finished with the second 6 inch stripe. 

Wed, 01/27/2016 - 00:38

sally orgren

I caught it in Arizona the weekend of January 16th.

 

Knowing my luck, it's working its way east, and I'll catch it again at the end of February, when it arrives and my resistance has worn off!

 

I vote for veg.

Wed, 01/27/2016 - 00:59

tommye scanlin

Sally, I'm so glad you got to see the Iris van Herpen pieces at the High!  I was there about 2 weeks ago... absolutely AMAZING work.  And to hear her, in one of the videos, talk about the importance of the handwork to her pieces was very wonderful.  Someone with that vision and creativity who can work collaboratively with others to execute the scope of those garments and yet know the value of the hand in the making--a special gifted individual there, in my opinion!

I thought when seeing some of her shoes in the exhibit that Lady Gaga must surely be a client... did a web search... yes, Lady Gaga has worn her designs!

Tommye

Wed, 01/27/2016 - 16:23

theresasc

February challenges, so that means working on my Hokett weft-interlock sampler and I have an inkle loom warped from some previous pick-up work that has worked out well for creating warp-faced hearts.  It was fun doing the pick-up design on graph paper - lots of erasing involved.  LOL

Wed, 01/27/2016 - 19:29

Missus T.

  

 

 

I've been weaving on the Navajo style loom this morning and am almost finished with the blue stripe.  This is my first full size warp on this loom.  Also pictured is my handy dandy mulberry stick shuttle.  The second photo shows the twined selvedge.  In the blue area near the selvedge you can see where I had to correct warp spacing which was drawing in slightly.  I'm a little less than halfway through this rug.

Thu, 01/28/2016 - 00:21

ShawnC

I love all the inspiring posts! Sally, I love the garden loom dressed in snow! Also great exhibit. I posted elsewhere (double harness group) about my first attempt at Skillbragd/Smålandsväv on my Berga. Here is the most recent photo. Slow weaving and have been running errands. So much fun!

Thu, 01/28/2016 - 15:54

Artistry

So much going on like usual around here :)

Sally, the exhibit is amazing! Thanks so much for posting it! 

MissusT, I really like the twined edge on your rug:)

ShawnC, your weaving does look fun! From what I could get from your comment is it's double harness? I like the pattern.

so the cold is going around! Husband, Ed , caught it and then it turned into something really nasty 10 days later. He's on his 2 nd course of antibiotics! From the guy who hardly ever gets sick. Be careful !

so I have moved onto the string heddles on Beauty, Yeah! Jump for joy! They are easy to thread because I can do them with my fingers :) so I will be weaving on her when I get back from Florida :)

my guildmate/ student is doing tremendously on her 16 shaft overshot! She has really picked up the software design program, she already knows a fair amount  about weaving, and is having so much fun making up her own designs and making sure they are weave able, that's the trick, right?

I'm getting one of my Mirrix looms set up to take to Florida so I can participate in  the Tapestry Study Group. I'm going to be making a color sampler, now to pack the suitcase! Little does Ed know I'll probably be taking more yarn than clothes for our 3 week jaunt :)

 

Thu, 01/28/2016 - 17:12

theresasc

was spent getting the Tissart tapestry loom ready for February's color study.  Cut the old weaving off, tied back on and wove the header.  I am always so surprised at how much grief a warp can give a person trying to get even tension all the way across the web.  Weaving under such high tension, I really want it even all the way.  It was a bit of a battle, but it is set and ready to weave.

Yesterday I finished up some inkle pick-up and posted it as a new project.  I find inkle pick-up to just be fun, fun, and more fun!

Thu, 01/28/2016 - 19:24

sally orgren

Missus T,

I loved that soft, deep thumping the fork makes when packing in the wool weft in on a nicely-tensioned Navajo loom.

Shawn C,

Skillbragd/Smålandsväv has been on my radar, but just bumped up a few ticks when I saw your post. Who/where can one go for a hands-on class or workshop?

 

 

Thu, 01/28/2016 - 22:20

ShawnC

Cathie. sounds like you're having fun!  Theresa, I've always wanted to try using a Navajo style loom, but just haven't had the chance.

Sally, glad I've sparked your interest! I took the long way round-reading books over and over again to get the idea. Workshops would be so much fun. I always wanted to work with Joanne Hall. But Vavstuga also offers a workshop and I think Jette Vandermeiden. Those are the only folks I know of. Hope you are able to attend one. It's quite fun!

 

Shawn

Fri, 01/29/2016 - 18:46

laurafry

After two days of sitting around feeling like a leaking garden hose, I'm determined to get back to the studio.  Still congested, but no where near as bad...and the threading I am using on the AVL is fairly simple.  Wish me luck!  

Laura

going stir crazy from weaving withdrawal...

Fri, 01/29/2016 - 19:09

ReedGuy

Pinwheels on the loom. The pinwheel lead crystal vase is part of a 14 piece collection I'm selling. Fitting for the cloth. :)

Fri, 01/29/2016 - 19:17

sally orgren

February 1 is nearly here, and weaverly folks may not realize there is funding available for weavers who are looking to attend workshops and conferences, or seek resources for promoting weaving & fiber arts in their communities in the coming year.

The opportunities I know about:

3 different HGA (Handweavers Guild of America) grants are available:
http://www.weavespindye.org/grants-scholarship

• Due February 1, 2016 (postmarked)
 

MAFA - MidAtlantic Fiber Association also has an offering:
http://mafafiber.org/grants.php

• Due January 31, 2016

In March – when these awards are announced – I hope to learn that someone took advantage of these funding opportunities!

P.S. On both sites you can see who received funding in the past.

Fri, 01/29/2016 - 22:26

ReedGuy

Tien, the mason line worked for the towels. The process takes some getting used to, but it did work with my 8/2 cotton.

Thanks for helping.

Good luck with your masterpiece pheonixes. :)

Fri, 01/29/2016 - 23:14

Missus T.

ReedGuy,

It is wonderful to see that you are inspired by a crystal pattern to weave pinwheels!  You take artistic suggestion from your world and this is something utterly foreign to my way of thinking.  I aim to take a page from your book in this!  I will use my sight to gain in-sight. Happy weaving!

Sat, 01/30/2016 - 19:20

MJWallace

My 'weaverily' thing I did today was to travel into Toronto and go to the science centre.  It is the 210th birthday of John Campbell and his jacquard loom up and working at the centre.  He was using this loom in the 1850's to weave coverlets.

Lots of volunteers were explaining and demostrating on the loom as well as spinning.  Plus a table loom for the children to use. We got there when the doors opened and went straight to the loom. so I had lots of time to watch and talk to the weaver before families got to that section of the centre.

Sat, 01/30/2016 - 21:28

Artistry

I love Toronto ! What fun!

I worked tapestry on the Mirrix today doing a color gradation for the Tapestry Study Group since I'll be travelling Monday and Tuesday and won't be able to explain anything. 1/2 way done, pix tomorrow:)

Laura, I'm happy to say 3 of my friends are taking the Olds program in North Carolina ! I didn't realize it was offered out side of Alberta. Anyways, one of my friends sent me the handbook of the 3 levels, I don't know what the other 2 are to comprise the 5. I'm so excited for them! I've always known it was a great program , and it was fun to see the actual requirements. They've got their work cut out for them :)

Sat, 01/30/2016 - 22:36

laurafry

The spinning course has been offered off the campus for a while - this is the first time that I am aware the weaving class (four levels) will be offered.  Kind of exciting to have one in NC and one here in BC.  :)

Sun, 01/31/2016 - 02:37

tien (not verified)

Glad the mason line worked, ReedGuy!

I can't figure out how to embed a video, so here is a link to yesterday's blog post, which has four videos of me weaving on the TC-2. Two of them are "regular" videos of me weaving with four shuttles, one shot from the side and one from up higher. The other two, which are hilariously fun, are time-lapse sequences of about 30-45 minute weaving sessions. I look like I have twelve arms! But you can see the phoenix growing towards completion - it's actually pretty cool.

http://www.tienchiu.com/2016/01/phoenix-4-complete/

I have now finished phoenix #4, which is the final phoenix, and tomorrow morning I will fix any errors before wet-finishing it. I actually finished it yesterday, but since the Convergence deadline has moved out, I took today off. :-)

Sun, 01/31/2016 - 02:42

sally orgren

Might have been one of the weavers you met! She has presented on jaquard looms at the Weaving History Conference and The Coverlet College.

Sun, 01/31/2016 - 08:47

Artistry

oh, I'm so glad the program has opened in B.C. ! Congratulations, on being included as a B.C. Teacher! ( previously I thought you'd be travelling to Alberta, glad I'm wrong, though it is pretty thier !) 

Sun, 01/31/2016 - 10:24

ReedGuy

I like watching weaving videos, especially on looms that can do so much more than regular floor looms. I do like time lapse to on such fine cloth.

Your pheonix looks like a winner to me. :)

 

Sun, 01/31/2016 - 14:19

ShawnC

Oh, thanks for the videos, Tien! They are all fun. It's so nice to see the phoenix grow! Also to get a bit of understanding of how your TC-2 works. Exciting!

Sun, 01/31/2016 - 16:14

laurafry

Cathie, I am also hoping to teach at the Olds College Fibre Week in June.  I asked to do Level one here partly because several locals were unable to take the class in June, partly because the college is hoping to grow the program.  It all hinges on getting sufficient registrants to make it go. :). 

Sun, 01/31/2016 - 22:44

Artistry

Color gradation

Well here's hoping!

here is my color gradation tap. For the Tapestry Study Group starting tomorrow. First tap. I've woven in 1 1/2 years. So glad my brain is fixed and my hands remember what to do:)

All is good!

 

Sun, 02/14/2016 - 19:53

Gone

I use a trapeze (or a modification thereof) on all warps. Thank you Laura Fry - you're such an wonderful enabler  ;-)

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