What is everyone working on? After I finished my double weave wall hanging for Spook of the Loom / Double Dares, I made two scarves for birthday presents and then made a thrid scarf in a class on using chenille. That was very fun and very informative and the scarf if wonderfully soft and cuddley. It too is a present but this time for Christmas. The loom is now warped for waffle weave towels. I won a kit from Halcyon and even though it says for a 4 shafts I am making them on my rigid heddle loom. Had I been good I would have used two heddle to get 20 epi but I was feeling lazy and double sleyed the 10 dent reed instead. The weaving is going faster now that I have the pattern stuck in my head and I am excited to get these woven and see the final results. Happy weaving to all!

Tina

Comments

Thu, 11/03/2011 - 21:06

Erica J

Tina,

You have been very productive! I'd love to hear any advice you have on weaving chenille. I've got some from Webs that I'm a bit timid about weaving. I'd love to see pictures of this and your Halcyon Waffle Weave Towels!

Cheers,

Erica

Thu, 11/03/2011 - 21:45

EvaHall

I still have an empty loom after the halloweave project is finished, and I really do not like an empty loom. It looks so sad. I have been spinning a bit, at the moment I am trying out different fibers, and I find it very interesting to see how different techniques the different fibers require. I am not a very experienced spinner, and till now I have mainly spun  merino tops. I usually spin a thin worsted yarn, because I want to use it for weaving. I have been spinning some silk hankies, and now I am spinning alpaca. It is fun.

I have promised my daughter to weave a rag rug for her. It is to be 4,5 meters long. I have ordered a warp form Sweden, where I can get it ready made. I am going to use some old curtains from the hospital, where I work. I have dyed them in different shades of black and grey, as my daughter wants it, and tonight I have started cutting. So, soon I will be riding again.

Eva

Thu, 11/03/2011 - 22:49

endorph

we used a fine chenille sett at 16 epi - we double sleyed an 8 dent reed but you could also use two 8 dent heddles. We had no problems with the chenille getting hung up on the holes. The biggest tip we got was keeping tension on the warp while winding on - we direct warped the looms. We packed at 16 ppi with a single strand of the yarn for the weft. But don't pack too tight! We also used fabric strips in the whole length of the fringe, the last four rows at the beginning packed very tight and the first four rows of fabric at the end packed very tight. Then cut off leaving enough warp at the end to tie knots up againt the fabric strips to hold everything together - does any of that make sense? Then wet finished in a very warm water with a few drops of fabric softener for 30 minutes, then rinsed with cold water. I then ran mine through a spin cycle in the washer and then 30 minutes in a very hot dryer until the scarf was completely dry. The fringe comes out looking like a tangled mess but as you pull on the knots it straightens out. Carefully remove the fabric strips, tie knots to fringe and trim to desired length. I have a picture of it on the loom as well as the finished product on my projects page. Our teacher did let us know that chenille can be temperamental and if not treated nicely tends to worm - Tension and good packing are key to a good end result.

Fri, 11/04/2011 - 15:45

Looming

When I warped my Quad rigid heddle loom for Halloweave, I put on twice the amount of silk warp yarn I needed for my project. So now I get to weave another scarf without rewarping. Woo Hoo! I found a gorgeous cashmere sweater at a moving sale this summer, and it's the softest, thickest cashmere I've ever felt. There was a tear in one sleeve, so they sold it to me for 50 cents. I'm going to dye it, unravel it, and use it for weft. I will probably dye the silk warp, too. Some day I'm going to keep a scarf for myself, but past experience tells me I'll probably give this one away. Which is fine--I like to share the warmth.

Sun, 11/06/2011 - 02:56

endorph

waffle weave towels are coming along - slowly but so far so good - I have two complete and one left to weave. Am having some tension issues but nothing that a couple of fishing weights can't help solve. I am excited to get these off the loom and see the finished product. Hopefully they will waffle well!
Sun, 11/06/2011 - 23:24

endorph

So the kit said I could get three towels out of the warp but I think I will be able to get three and a smaller one too - maybe a bread cloth - I think it is probably because I will not have as much loom waste as they calculated. The jots of a rigid heddle loom!
Mon, 11/07/2011 - 06:38

B P (not verified)

Hi

I'm turning my attention to weaving some samples of Bedford Cord. My local Guild's Weave Structure Study Group has chosen this to be the next weave topic. I've never come across this type of weave before, so I'm busy checking out all the references I can find in weave books.

Beth

Mon, 11/07/2011 - 11:50

sally orgren

Loved it! Check out Dini Moes version in her book Uncommon Threads. Also, Cross Country Weavers has a sample book out there of nearly 30 interpretations. I think there is a traveling notebook, and a second set of samples hoised at the Frey library in the Handweaving Museum, Clayton, NY.
Mon, 11/07/2011 - 12:21

Erica J

Endoroh,

Your explanation makes sense. I'll check out your project pictures. Thank you, I know that chenille can be tempermental while warping. Now I feel more confident knowing that keeping it under tension while warping is key.

Beth! I'm glad to hear that the Guild Study Group is focusing on Bedford Cord. I'll check with you privately about meeting dates, this is a structure I haven't done before. I'm definitely interested in joining in the study group if there is space!

Thank you,

Erica, who is off to do my Guild Membership forms! :)

Mon, 11/07/2011 - 13:04

endorph

I wish I would have taken pictures during class so I would have a record of exactly what we did. Since I tend to warp quickly the instructor was using my piece as the example to show everyone warping under tension etc. Photographs would now be useful - oh well. Wen I warp my next chenille project at home maybe I will do a better job of photo documantation!

Tina

Mon, 11/07/2011 - 16:40

B P (not verified)

Sally

Thanks so much for those references! I'll check them out.

Beth

Tue, 11/08/2011 - 00:20

endorph

off the loom, hemmed and currently being wet finished. I need a project I can get done before class on Saturday so I have decided to make a Christmas runner for my mantle. IT will be plain weave with some leno, and brooks boquet and trellis hemstitch for a border. It will be dark green with a thin metallic gold stripe every couple fo inches in the warp. Tina
Thu, 11/10/2011 - 20:58

ChrisWeaveMaine (not verified)

Now that my Halloweave pickup stick placemats are off the loom, my daughter put in a request for cotton plaid placemats, so the loom is warped with chocolate brown, light blue, navy blue and cream colored worsted weight (Peaches 'n Creme) cotton, sett at 8epi.  Nice to be doing a simple plain weave plaid. 

 

Thu, 11/10/2011 - 21:36

endorph

is a great combination. Make sure you post pictures as progress!

Thu, 11/10/2011 - 21:42

Looming

What finished dimensions are you aiming for with your placemats?