Welcome to March! It looks like March is roaring in like alion in most parts of the US, hopefully that will mean he we go out as a lamb bringing April showers and May flowers in his wake. Everyone is being so productive. I have been enjoying seeing everyone's projects and seeing how much we can help each other with questions and problems, as well as boistering each other wiht  all the compliments. I have not been weaving much lately, but that will change next week with a 5 day workshop. Keep up the good work everyone - weave on!

Tina

Comments

Wed, 03/26/2014 - 19:28

Artistry

We worked on Doubleweave today, next month is Lampas.
Wed, 03/26/2014 - 19:46

endorph

to go and look up what Lampas is - really? Very cool

Wed, 03/26/2014 - 20:57

Tammy Hallman

Hi!!!  I'm getting back into weaving and spinning after a break for many years.  I just learned how to use a ridgid heddle loom, and now I'm wanting and drooling for a floor loom, but I'm going to master what I have before jumping into one of them!

Wed, 03/26/2014 - 21:22

ReedGuy

Lampas can be very spectacular when doing color studies. :) Some is double treadled and some shafts are not tied to a treadle in spots. I'm just an observer here, never tried it. Looking at 'Warp and Weft', Eriksson et al (2008).

Wed, 03/26/2014 - 21:23

ReedGuy

Welcome to our humble weaving home Tammy. :)

Wed, 03/26/2014 - 22:15

pammersw

I wove scarf number 125,647* last night, two more to go then some placemats. *Just kidding,  it only seemed like that many.

I'll post a loom question on another forum.

Wed, 03/26/2014 - 22:21

Artistry

This Drafting group has been just studying theory. Most of us though ( heck, what's one more thing, right?) are wanting to weave samples to present each month. So starting next September, when we reconvene I think that's what we'll be doing. We've been following The Complete Book of Drafting by Madelyn van der Hooght. I read it back to back many years ago, but a m rusty. This book is not for the light hearted, it is dense requiring concentration with her explanations, however excellent in it's excercises. My other project is with the Structure study group, who decided to take a painting Marc Chagall's Russian Village Under The Moon, and interpret it in weaving. No tapestry allowed. I don't usually like to look at artwork for inspiration for various reasons but am going with the flow. Now I'm excited about the possibilities, after the tap. Workshop next week I'll start working on it. Hi Tammy:)
Wed, 03/26/2014 - 22:16

endorph

feel free to share projects and questions and complaints and whining with us here - that is the reason for daily weaverliness! Take you time, the floor loom of your dreams will still be waiting for you when you decide to take the plunge. I started and the RH loom and still love it - slthough a floor loom has also come to live in our house!

Thu, 03/27/2014 - 02:13

theresasc

Finished threading the texsolv before work this morning - glad to have that over with.

Cathie, cool tapestry, great effect.  I hope I can learn to do neat stuff like that when I grow up:-)  Erica, isnt it great to finish UFOs, good for you!  Welcome Tammy!

Thu, 03/27/2014 - 03:13

loomyladi (not verified)

I started out on the run and will end the same.  Most every day has included sometype of weaverliness (yeah), I've done lots of weaving, but am not really pleased with much.  It's been a stressful month with several periods of extended travel.  Enjoyed a visit to Cincinnati where I had the chance to attend the Fiber Guild meeting - what a cool place!  Enjoyed catching up with friends (sorry I didn't get to meet Cathy!)  I mad dash to Bedford PA where I picked up a 20" Purrington AND visited the North American Coverlet Museum.  If you've never been, it is a must!  Enjoyed a great tour with Lazlo, helped put a loom together, and enjoyed a great meal with Melinda & Lazlo.  I've made a couple of trips to Beckley, WV and get to head back there tomorrow.  Beckley is home of Tamarack (Best of WV), a showcase of arts and crafts of WV, fingers are crossed that tomorrow goes well.   This weekend I will be presenting a paper on the life of Beatrice Bannerman a weaver of the 20th Century, at a national conference.  Fortunately, that event is only 20 miles down the road.  Hoping that April will allow me time to stay home! I've enjoyed reading the various posts, it's amazing how much weaving and weaving related work goes on out there.  This feels like such a solitary hobby most of the time.  I enjoy reading of the many projects that you are all up to.  

Thu, 03/27/2014 - 18:52

sally orgren

Cathie,

I am about halfway finished weaving the Klee-inspired yardage. When I am starting the 4th yard and I still love it, (although it is 30 epi, with 6 shuttles and color changes every 1/2" or less), then I know the time spent designing and sampling was well worth it. In preparing my documentation to go with the yardage, I had a chance to review all the other Klee-inspired projects I completed this year, so in a way, that is my "tapestry" diary for March 2013 - March 2014. The color and structure choices took me all over the place, in unexpected directions!

In seeing the samples arrive from this exchange, there are so many ways one can interpret the inspirational painter or painting, from literal to abstract. It certainly gives your brain a workout to come up with a structure that honors the piece beyond looking at the color. I hope you come to love the challenge as much as I have! I plan to use the idea as an springboard for future work.

Thu, 03/27/2014 - 21:25

Artistry

Sally, Thanks for your words of encouragement and reminding me of a exciting sampling journey awaits! We unfortunately only have 3 months, I'm going to suggest December at the next meeting, so we can really delve into it more and have some fun! I love Chagall ! This painting has soooooooo much going on. My first move is making a gray cut out square and moving it around the painting and choosing a few areas I want to work with. My initials thoughts are Doubleweave of linen and silk, the silk would be a painted warp , playfulness and color, the linen would be 16/2 representative of the buildings. It's going to be my first try, we'll see:) Have to wait a week and a half until the tap. Workshop with Kathe Todd- Hooker is over, she's staying with me, too much fun!
Thu, 03/27/2014 - 21:34

Artistry

Theresac , thanks! It always feels so good to get those heddles threaded! Loomyladi , so sorry to have missed you! I think I was out of town for that one .
Fri, 03/28/2014 - 22:33

Weavejoyforall

 I'm loving my rigid heddle loom right now too.   I most likely will never get a floor loom since I do not have the space but I have found there are a world of things I still have not learned to do on my RH loom so I don't think I will miss having a floor loom for years to come ... However good luck on getting a floor loom when the time comes.  I'm sure you will enjoy either loom to weave on since I am just having a world of fun on my humble 24 inch RH loom myself.   Welcome... the folks here are friendly, helpful and some a great fun too.

Fri, 03/28/2014 - 23:28

endorph

to the weekend - I woke up this morning to an extremely itchy and painful rash all over my body - not fun. The Dr. shot me up with steroidsand I am trying not to peel the skin off my body. I have been spinning on the drop spindle cuz I can't scratch if my hands are busy. Hoping the itch will subside in the next couple of days - I have been thinking of winding a warp - think I might have to do thta task while the spirit is willing!

Sat, 03/29/2014 - 11:28

Artistry

Tina, how miserable! I hope you're feeling better very soon ! Yes now's the time to plan a pretty warp and wind it off, you'll at least have all that eye candy to look at and the excitement of a new project :) be well :)
Sat, 03/29/2014 - 19:08

sally orgren

Good thing too, as it is due in the mail on Monday.

What slowed me down was six shuttles with quick color changes, 120 pics = one repeat, and a single repeat only measured 4" of fabric. I carried three of the wefts up the sides, had floating selvedges, AND used a temple. It was a *tedious* six yards to weave. (I listened to two unabridged audio books. How many hours is THAT?)

Next, I have to check the yardage for errors, repair them, measure everything, wet finish, re-measure everything, calculate the take-up and shrinkage, fill out the required documentation (including yarn samples), and cut 32 6 x 6" swatches for the exchange. The rest of the yardage will be towels for the guild sale, unless I am struck with a better idea.

So, many hours are still left in this project, although the yardage is now off the loom. Woo hoo! This experience makes me appreciate a day job. As much as I love weaving, I don't think I would want to be a production weaver. (Or a production weaver assigned to weave off the stuff I seem to like to design... ;-)

Sat, 03/29/2014 - 19:15

Erica J

Tina, I really hope you are feeling better soon. I remember how miserable having the chicken pox and itching all over was!

I got to go to the Cambridge Weavers, Spinners and Dyers Guild Day today. Carol James is here this weekend and she came along with her sprang and finger weaving kit. She was a hit! Everyone is hoping she can give a workshop to the Guild when she is back in the fall!

I also got about 2" of damask woven today. I need to get about 12 woven tomorrow. :)

Sat, 03/29/2014 - 21:29

Artistry

Erica, The purse for your friend will be beautiful !
Sun, 03/30/2014 - 12:50

Erica J

Thanks Cathie,

I got the fabric woven. It's in the wash now. Photos to follow later today! :)

Mon, 03/31/2014 - 00:45

ReedGuy

Packed a few things to take to the other house. Raddle, warp sticks, warp reel (comes apart), swifts, supplemental beam...roller ... and end blocks, temples  etc. A car full of wood I know that, and a lot of it 5 feet long. Makes me dizzy. :D

Sun, 03/30/2014 - 14:21

tien (not verified)

I've got my shuttles on the bench. I have a couple of trays on the bench with useful tools, pens, etc. in them, and I simply lay the shuttles on the bench. Kinda like this:

Tien's loom bench

The  trays hold the shuttles in position, and they are Velcroed down to the bench. Each tray has a strip of Velcro glued to the bottom, and I have Velcro straps wrapped around the top of the bench. Voila! Removable bench trays that don't slide.

Sun, 03/30/2014 - 14:34

tien (not verified)

I forgot to mention in my other post - the "bench trays" are actually drawer organizers that I got at my local hardware store.

The color study is humming along nicely - I've posted two parts of it on my blog already. The first one I posted was about rhythm and repetition in woven designs, looking at the effect of stripe patterns in a purple monochrome warp. Here's a montage of the four samples:

Four samples of different rhythms of stripes

In the top left, all stripes are equal width and the color rotates through. In the second one, the stripes are not all equal width but are nicely symmetrical, resulting in a regular plaid. In the third one, the stripes are in Fibonacci sequence and are woven "as drawn in" - the same sequence of colors/stripe widths in warp and weft. The fourth one is irregular in both warp and weft. It was remarkable how different the four monochrome samples feel, based only on the rhythm and repetition.

I don't have a composite of the black and white monochrome samples, but here are two photos from it. One is nearly pure black and white - which produces a stark, rather sterile feel:

sample in pure black and white

And here is a sample on the other side of the spectrum, with a jumble of values (light/dark):

black and white woven sample with a jumble of values

Unfortunately my grays came out rather blue, but you can get the idea.

You can read more about the black/white monochrome study in this blog post, and about the purple monochrome study in this blog post.

I'm really enjoying this series of color studies. I didn't originally feel I was getting much out of it, but after looking at the different compositions with a closer eye, I'm finding much more to it. It's not the act of weaving the samples that is enlightening - it's taking a keen look at them afterwards.

Sun, 03/30/2014 - 17:51

Artistry

Tien, Thanks so much for sharing these samples and your comments about them. Your none slipping bench trays are brilliant, I'm doing the same on my bench ! ReedGuy, Don't envy all that moving :( but more room to weave, that's a good deal:) I have been slowly plugging away at tapestry because of my wrist. It's definitely doing better, but being careful anyways it's not totally healed. I have a tapestry workshop start on weds., I'll just do what I can do, maybe work on design or something the rest of the time. I worked 1 1/2 hrs on Georgia this a.m. Then stopped. I'm so close to finishing it it's killing me!
Sun, 03/30/2014 - 20:27

theresasc

Hemmed some towels woven on a point twill variation.  This is some more stash-busting, woven with organic colored cotton that I had picked up at a MAFA a few years back.  I am happy with how they came out.  I have used organic colored cotton before and know that the colors deepen when wet-finished but I was surprised by how deep the buffalo came out.  I am glad that I have more of this yarn:-)

Oh, and I decided that just because I am not adding anymore yarn to my stash for a while does not mean I cannot add shuttles, so 2 AVL end-feed shuttles came to live with me this week:-)

Sun, 03/30/2014 - 22:40

pammersw

I agreed to buy a loom, although we haven't signed the payment agreement yet. I'm getting a 48" wide 8H/10T Pendleton, built in the late 70s. The current owner has had it since it was new.

There isn't much information about them out there, but it looks good. She has to finish her current project first before I bring it home.

It comes with an 8 and a 10 dent reed. I'll probably eventually buy another reed for it as well, but it comes with nearly everything else. I'll make one of those rocking benches recently pictured here under homebuilt equipment. 

Mon, 03/31/2014 - 09:48

Erica J

Wow! You all have been up to amazing things this weekend! I finally feel like I was able to keep up!

ReedGuy, Oliver's shop is finally done!!! Thank you so much for your earlier tip on insulating and heating vs. uninsilated unheated. Your knowledge helped us make the decision to leave it uninsulated for now at least. If we find he needs heat then we'll save up for insulation and a heating system. We had friends over Sunday who helped us move all the woods, tools, etc. out to the workshop. The Coach House is now available for a dedicated play room and for guests!!!!!!!!!!!!! This also make it a lot easier for me to access my dye workhsop in the Coach House kitchen!!

Saturday was the Cambridge WSD Open Guild Day. We were lucky to have Carol James in visiting. She and I went to the Guild day and she was a hit! Carol also recorded her first Sprang class, so keep an eye out for that on the classes pages. If you don't know what sprang is you must see Carol's site! She makes bags, sweaters, scarves, sashes, and her famous leggings all with sprang!

As for me I wove 16" of damask on Sunday and made this purse for my friend!!!!

Mon, 03/31/2014 - 13:52

theresasc

congrats on the new loom, sounds like a beauty!

Mon, 03/31/2014 - 14:50

tien (not verified)

Congrats!! I hope you enjoy your new loom!

I just finished writing my article for the Designing Fabrics Study Group. That was the last of my deadlines! I have a deadline-free April. My goal is to finish weaving off the color study warp (this time at a leisurely pace), then warp up with a fine thread warp to see how well Emmy handles 140/2 silk. I think I'm finally going to weave those sea turtles I designed a couple months ago!

Mon, 03/31/2014 - 19:58

Artistry

I finished Georgia , she's on the other Thread of finished things. Now, I have one day to get the other tap. Loom ready for the workshop !
Mon, 03/31/2014 - 20:30

endorph

heading over to the other thread to see Georgia!

Mon, 03/31/2014 - 21:05

ReedGuy

Received the rest of my yarns today from Yarn Barn. Got some of those 4 lb cones, boy are they huge. :) I got enough yarn to make towels and coverlets for the whole town. :D

My Sapphire blue 18/2 worsted wool came to, for my upholstery weave. As well as linen for my chair back (back side).

Tien, I could never keep up with all the work you have ongoing. I would be way behind. Your sure a busy bee. Do you have enough shuttles? :) Your latest weavings posted are interesting along with the explanation. I don't know where you find the time. :)

Cathie, glad you finished up your chair tapestry. I'll have to peak at it sometime. Right now I'm dead tired, I'm about to fall on the keyboard. :) Shoulder is mending I think, and that's half the being tired issue. ;)

Erica, glad your in your new studio. Nice purse and other drawloom weavings you've been working on.

10 yards left on the webbing. Sore shoulders don't make good incentives to push hard at the loom. ;)

Oyster Rockefeller for supper, so my belly is full for the night. Nice warm wood fire on. Sleepy now. :)

Mon, 03/31/2014 - 21:45

Artistry

ReedGuy, Sorry about the sore shoulders, but what's this about oysters Rockefeller? My fav! Sleep well:)
Mon, 03/31/2014 - 23:32

tommye scanlin

Janette Meetze has written about the daily tapestry practice some of us have been doing in an American Tapestry Alliance website article: http://americantapestryalliance.org/education/educational-articles/the-tapestry-diary-its-about-time/ Look for Cathie and Lydia's work there! And mine, too. This daily habit can be quite addictive--in the best way!!
Tue, 04/01/2014 - 00:42

endorph

sharing the link on this - it was an interesting article and so fun to see everyone's work.

Tue, 04/01/2014 - 04:11

sally orgren

I took March 31st off, no weaving. After a trip to Staples, my stuff was in the mail by 10 a.m.

ReedGuy, I can emphasize. After a week of weaving more hours than I actually wanted to each day, I have a few sore spots. (And I go to the gym daily, so it's not like I am a total couch potato.) 

While weaving, I certainly was reflecting on Laura Fry's focus toward more ergonomic techniques. If something started to bother me, I stopped and tried to figure out an alternative to move my body in a more balanced fashion. And I *tried* to remember to take breaks. 

I also discovered not all my AVL EFSs weighed the same—one is definitely heavier. Toward the end of the warp, I switched to boat shuttles for their lighter weight and lower profile (resulting in less loom waste when the shed got smaller.)

Looking forward to April and new weaving adventures (along with better weather) I hope!

Tue, 04/01/2014 - 09:13

ReedGuy

Sally, mines not weaving related. It's lifting heavy objects, like a 400 lb snow blower. It's slowly getting better.

I often times walk 4-8 miles a day during the winter and in the summer/fall/spring it's hard to say how many miles I walk when I cut brush on every square inch of 75-100 acres of forest with a brush saw slung over my shoulders. :)

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