Hey, wow, it's March already! What are you weaving?

Comments

Tue, 03/31/2015 - 14:17

tien (not verified)

Hi Sally,

What color sequins? I have white yarn with gold holographic sequins, and another with silver holographic sequins, which was sold to me as being 6200 ypp - I think that's the base yarn, without the sequins. I have 1400 grams of the gold sequin yarn and 950 grams of the silver sequin yarn. (The sequins are not tiny, however, they are the "standard" size of sequin.)

If either of those will work for you, I can send you some. Just let me know how much you need.

Tue, 03/31/2015 - 14:30

tien (not verified)

My weaverliness for today will be (trying to) finish the qiviut scarf! I am about 2100 picks from the end...about 16 inches. I have a craft night gathering tonight and am hoping to bring the scarf along so I can twist the fringe.

I did a bunch of katazome work the last two days - the first day is chronicled on my blog. Hoping to write up Day Two later today.

And I am happy to say that my Secret Project is almost wrapped up. I can't wait for it to be done so I can tell everyone all about it! It should be finished tomorrow. Thursday at latest.

Tue, 03/31/2015 - 15:00

Queezle

Thanks for the feedback about bateman - I definitely need to seek out his other monographs.  And wow - I had no idea about the rental kits.

Here in Utah, March came in like a lamb, stayed like a lamb, and is exiting like a lamb.  At the beginning of the month we wondered "what happened to winter?" and now we wonder "what happened to spring?" .  I think we hit 80˚F yesterday, but in a typical year we might still have snow.  Hang in there, east coasters, spring will eventually arrive.

Tue, 03/31/2015 - 21:17

tien (not verified)

Secret project is DONE!! A day ahead of expected, too.

I just bought a TC-2 jacquard loom!!

(It won't arrive til August, though, which is good because it will take that long to clear space in the garage for it.)

I hadn't intended to buy until September, when I'll get a good chunk of money from the Google acquisition of my company, but the dollar is so strong right now that the price of the loom is down 20% (!!) from the same time last year. So Mike (my husband) and I talked it over a week or so ago, and agreed that it made sense to buy now, before the exchange rate can change again. We scraped up enough cash together to buy the loom - and here I am!

I feel a bit guilty about spending so much on a loom, but amortized over thirty years of weaving, it doesn't sound that bad...and it will let me weave amazing things that I never could have done otherwise. And I definitely plan to put it to good use. :-)

A jacquard loom! Someone pinch me, I'm dreaming!

Tue, 03/31/2015 - 21:24

tommye scanlin

The TC-2 was definitely in your future--I knew it immediately when I saw you using the thread controller loom at Convergence!
Tue, 03/31/2015 - 21:24

ReedGuy

Wowsa! Congrats to a big step up. Happy for you tien. Can't wait to see the creative juices flowing on that loom. :)

Tue, 03/31/2015 - 21:37

Ruby Leslie

Hi Sally,

Southwest Trading Company has a yarn called "String Me Along" (100% polyester with sequins). According to their website, it's "a fine thread with petite sequins;  doesn't change the gauge of your project but adds a scrumptious bit of sparkle." The white one has multi-color sequins.

Things to think about when using a yarn such as this in your project:  whether it is compatible with your finishing process (you won't be able to do a hot, hard press), and whether it will take up at a different rate than your other yarns and possibly cause puckering where you might not want it to happen.

I was given a ball of it, and would love to use it, but its construction and fiber content is not compatible with my finishing techniques. So it sits near my loom, daring me to figure out a way to incorporate it!

Tue, 03/31/2015 - 22:42

sally orgren

You have given me a lot to think about already!

I think I am envisioning "cool" sequins, (so not gold, or anything warm-toned). In my head, I image those nearly transparent, iridescent plastic kind, much smaller than "regular" sized. I have such a clear vision, I keep thinking maybe I actually saw the yarn someplace?

Wet finishing considerations is also a very good point. The only vague thought flitting through my mind was differential shrinkage effects could occur, but not in a good way.

I have some flexibility, because this is a design challenge problem, it is not like I am trying to make something specific. However, if I end up using some kind of knitting yarn, a shawl might not be out of the question.

---

Ruby,

I just checked the site, this looks to be a contender.

Does anyone know of anyone at MS&W that carries SWTC yarns?

Tue, 03/31/2015 - 23:03

laurafry

Got started weaving warp #5.  Each warp is 9 meters and produces three shawls.  

Wed, 04/01/2015 - 08:55

Artistry

Laura, Warp # 5 Deep Purple Haze is just calling my name! It's beautiful! Glad you're back on the loom. Tien! OH My Goodness, I'm positively thrilled for you! I don't know anyone else than you who deserves this more ! I just know you'll do magnificent work! Plus what a challenge, so exciting! I actually was able to work for an hour setting up a tablet loom this weekend. Yay! Today I see the radiology oncologist who's going to do the big zap surgery before I have the other.( don't have cancer, thank goodness) .we're just talking today. Hopefully dates for surgery will be set up after this.
Wed, 04/01/2015 - 09:08

ReedGuy

I get a kick out of this fellow's videos. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxzk8K_co2I

Wed, 04/01/2015 - 09:19

ReedGuy

Hi Laura, the shawl(s) looks great, nice and airy to. Wool? Great that you are getting back to form (weaving). :)

Your shawl weaving reminded me of the youtube and weaving a V shaw in my previous post. I'm sure the technique was from Kerstin's book. :)

Wed, 04/01/2015 - 09:48

Artistry

ReedGuy, u tubes are great, thanks ! C'est toi, n'est-ce pas?
Thu, 04/02/2015 - 12:32

tien (not verified)

Thanks, Cathie! (and everyone else, too!)

Just wanted to wish you good luck with the surgery - and SO glad it's not cancer!

My weaverliness for the last two days: I finished the qiviut scarf, and am plowing straight into my second sea-turtle scarf. This one I'm weaving with a white ground weft and a dark blue pattern weft. Previously I used an aqua ground weft, but I think the white ground weft produces a crisper design with more contrast. Will post pictures when I'm done!

I'm also reading through Digital Jacquard Design by Julie Holyoke, and will start re-reading The Woven Pixel by Alice Schlein and Bhakti Ziek. Gotta get ready for that new loom!

Thu, 04/02/2015 - 15:34

Artistry

Bhakti Ziek, one of my all time favorite weavers! A very long time ago I got up my nerve and wrote to her and inquired if I could study with her one on one for a short period. She was too busy though. Shucks! These people whose Work I admire, get there through study, study, study, experimentation, hard work, it doesn't just happen. I admire that about that too! My thought for the day:) Excited about the lace weaves this summer. Queezle, it is Donna Mueller's lace book I have, which is very good just haven't read it in years! I also got Madelyn van de Hooght's DVD, which I'll review for you guys, if you want. Tien, I love white and blue. Your turtles have so much detail I'm sure they will stand up well against the white background. Sally, could someone spin this for you? Or would that be too pricey? I should know by Monday when my surgeries are, yippee! It's going to take 3 dr.s to coordinate their schedules. But they all reassure me I'll be all healed up by June to go fly fishing with my Dad:) Thanks Tien.
Fri, 04/03/2015 - 16:01

sally orgren

Cathie,

Since the idea I have is still pretty raw, I'd like to see some options in person before I go much further. I am thinking MS&W might be a good opportunity if I know which vendors to target.

Ruby Leslie has also steered me toward some contenders.

As this challenge isn't due until March of 2016, I have time. And, I can change the parameters of this vague idea if I see something that catches my imagination, but might not fall within the specs I envision at this early stage.

Cathie, as you know, this is kinda my favorite part – the design process. And with an early (general) idea and a long(ish) timeline, I usually end up someplace unexpected and interesting!

Fri, 04/03/2015 - 17:07

Artistry

Ah then Sally, you have lots of fun ahead of you!
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