Time for a new thread - everyone has been very productive - looking forward to seein what happens in February. Rmember to post photos, tell us about projects, vent, ask questions or just hang-out. All are welcome!

Comments

Sat, 02/09/2013 - 19:06

loomyladi (not verified)

Everyone has been so very busy and I'm jealous.  I have been squeezing in some  weaving.  I've rethreaded a 3" warp faced sash three times over the last three weeks.  It just doesn't seem like it wants to happen.  I've convinced my little 20" that it is an inkle,  I warp the bands  on 1 & 2 and don't use the beater.  I find this much quicker than my inkle, well usually, just not in this case.  Spent some time with Guild mates recently working on a loom.  We all drooled over fiber and equipment as we have been given a nice donation for "supplies."  We did all agree that it was the time to do a Color Gamp, I'm excited have wanted to do one for a long time and as our 8H loom is now open, we are all going to have some fun!  I don't know how others do it, but when we order materials for the guild individual members pay for the cost of items woven, so my portion of the color gamp will be like 1/5 of the total cost.  By ordering a larger quantity of materials we save.  We'll pay the money back into the kitty and will have it to buy supplies AGAIN!  It will continue to be Christmas over and over again!  I am off to spend a couple of hours in my studio.  The sun is shining and it is nice and warm in there at the moment.  Heading off to NY in a couple of hours and that will even count as weaverliness as I'm going to deliver a loom (8 H Tabletop Purrington) and maybe (fingers crossed) picking up a 32" Purrington.  Looking forward to the drive, I really am.  Roads have been cleared up there, so I'm told and I believe we are going to make a border crossing to check out Niagara Falls. 
Sat, 02/09/2013 - 20:20

ReedGuy

I way north of NY, but still remnants of a storm here. We only got about 2", but we have wind. The driveway is pretty much blown out by nature, what there was for snow. Didn't amount to beans so far.

Sun, 02/10/2013 - 17:59

r1mein54 (not verified)

The new job is getting more intense. Already had unintentional exposure to substantial quantities of ammonia and liquid chlorine in the past 2 weeks. We had 2 days of confined space training Thursday and Friday and got some 'hands on contact' with woven fiber. For part of the class, we had to learn tying certain knots in flat woven webbing (flat single and flat tubular) as well as 1/2 inch non-stretch rope with concentric outside braid woven cover. Still don`t have plans to weave yet, but will need to get out thread and steam iron and "tighten up my kilt" before Tartan Day April 6th ( job is making me loose weight). Happy Valentines to all this week.

Sun, 02/10/2013 - 20:06

warpology

Endorph: I bought the book Weaving a Zoo, Sorry can't remember the author. She had a pattern for polar bears so they were my project awhile back. Glad I had a rug loom to beat the weft in it needed to be very tighly woven. They all turned out different, personalities I guess. My sewing is woefully indequate but here they are:

Sun, 02/10/2013 - 20:25

SallyE (not verified)

Reed Guy must be north AND west of NY if he only got two inches.   We got somthing over 2 feet.   DH and I have spent most of the last two days shoveling.  My back hurts.   My sholder hurts, and I'm pooped.  

The guy who usually plows out our driveway broke his plow, so we had to do that by hand.  This morning I went out a 2nd floor window to shovel a flat roof area we have that has two sections of a higher roof dumping on it.  I only do that when we are expecting rain on top of a big snow fall, because snow acts like a big sponge.   I'd feel really stupid if that roof fell in because I was too lazy to shovel it . . . . .   Well, tomorrow it's supposed to be 45 and we are getting rain.

Not even the dogs like this weather, although Inky does like to eat the snow - if I bring it in for her!

 

 

Sun, 02/10/2013 - 22:59

endorph

the polor bears are adorable - I'm a sucker for anything polor bear! My teddy bear projec tis on a short break as I catch up on a couple of other projects. I have about half the fabric woven, need to weave one more panel. I have a couple of patterns I am going to experiment with - I tend to improvise a bit when I sew! Will try out the patterns on stroe bought fabric before cutting into the handwoven!
Sun, 02/10/2013 - 23:13

ReedGuy

Sally, way up in the NE. Not Nova Scotia, best North west of there in NB. If we had a good rain, all our snow would be gone. With this last storm I doubt there would be more than 5 inches total in the woods, and 3 inches were there before the storm in the form of hard crusty stuff you can walk on. Today it was warm enough for snow to melt on the south side of buildings.

Today I wound on my 10 yard towel warp, over 4000 yards of yarn. Lordy. :D Used a piece of yarn to make a cross. Tomorrow I thread. :)

Took my new sectionals, spool rack, and tension box on their maiden voyage.

Have a good one.

Thu, 02/14/2013 - 11:55

ReedGuy

Well, here we are. It's the middle of the month.

I've been on the loom a couple hours a day lately threading heddles. I have a couple hours of threading left. Takes me about an hour per 66 ends, which is a pattern repeat on this project. Time for a picture. As you can tell, I don't make work out of it. ;)

Have a happy Valentines Day all. Weave on! :)

Thu, 02/14/2013 - 13:26

endorph

ReedGuy - slow and steady wins the race!
Tue, 02/19/2013 - 16:10

Susanneroonie

Yesterday my McMoran Yarn Balance was delivered. I'm convinced I got the last one. The place that actually had them was deep on page 5 of my google search. Their website was kind of funky and didn't take credit cards so I had to call in my order. It made me a little uneasy. But they were very nice and what's more, they had the Yarn Balance in stock. I snapped it up!
Fri, 02/15/2013 - 14:38

endorph

lazy, lazy, lazy this so far this month. I have knitting homework I have to get done and that has taken precedent over the loom. However, this weekend I am hoping to get a bit more done on the pinwheel sample warp as well as try and get the MW warped - or started warping - so many projects to do and so little time - nice to see everyone else being so productive!
Fri, 02/15/2013 - 16:20

ReedGuy

I am just about to tie on to the breast beam bar, then tie-up. That should all be done by mid afternoon today and throw a few shots maybe by supper time. This will give me 9 yards of weaving, besides the 1 yard of wastage. :)

Fri, 02/15/2013 - 22:52

ReedGuy

I did get 16" woven before supper with verigated blue. It took me an hour to weave this bit and only advanced once, but just getting ready to advance for the final 8". This is not my yarn. Some I was given, and right away I'm not impressed by how it doesn't bring the pattern to life. In fact, if you didn't know it you would think there was an inconsistent beat just by looking at the photo. I will switch to a solid color next that I know will bring the fabric to life. But I will be using up the blue as well.

The project is over here.

Sat, 02/16/2013 - 02:23

DebD (not verified)

Reed Guy - I think it looks beautiful.  It has a delicate look to it.

Sat, 02/16/2013 - 09:09

ReedGuy

Thanks Deb. However, they'll be going out the door to another owner when done. :) There is also a shadow cast on the piece diagonally.

Sun, 02/17/2013 - 23:06

endorph

activity today is cleaning my new 12 dent SS reed - about 1/4 of the way through it - since my next warp is white I definitely need to clean this one up! I do have warp on the RH - need to re-tie it since I cut off a sample - might do that later.
Mon, 02/18/2013 - 15:36

ReedGuy

Yes, sometimes it's quite a chore. I find wool often times wraps all around the dents. A fellow should find a real fine open ended comb to comb the reeds. :D

Mon, 02/18/2013 - 00:26

loomyladi (not verified)

We made it to Rochester and back safely.  There was about 14" there, decided that since we were already that far north to visit Niagara Falls.  Beautiful, but slippery and I have the banged up knee to prove it.  It's been crazy since we got back, I did manage to wind off some yarn into balls, did a little weaving on an inkle strap and have found time to browse through some old issues of Handwoven at a friends house.  Has anyone done the Leno Bead Scarf from Handwoven May/June 2012?  It looks interesting and I think I'm going to put it on the loom next.

Mon, 02/18/2013 - 00:26

loomyladi (not verified)

We made it to Rochester and back safely.  There was about 14" there, decided that since we were already that far north to visit Niagara Falls.  Beautiful, but slippery and I have the banged up knee to prove it.  It's been crazy since we got back, I did manage to wind off some yarn into balls, did a little weaving on an inkle strap and have found time to browse through some old issues of Handwoven at a friends house.  Has anyone done the Leno Bead Scarf from Handwoven May/June 2012?  It looks interesting and I think I'm going to put it on the loom next.

Mon, 02/18/2013 - 13:54

Claudia Segal (not verified)

I'm still working on the alpaca/silk shawl and quietly cursing it.  It looks lovely and you can see the cat tracks but there is one shed that is impossible.  I have stopped and worked on resetting the loom 4 times in an effort to get it better balanced but so far no luck.  The shuttle falls through on treadle 6 every 10th time and I can't figure out why.  I have added a temple to the mix.  I did that on inch 3 and it helps.  I hope to reach the halfway mark today.

Meanwhile, I am daydreaming about fabric for a top.  I can't decide between shadow weave or twill.  I have 2 shades of cottolin.  One is a medium blue and the other a medium green.  I was thinking of adding 2 other colors for shadow weave.  The green blue would be warp and I would use cotton for the weft.  I am considering gold and a lighter shade of blue for the weft.  But is shadow weave too bold for a top?  I'm not young and I don't want to look like a buffoon.  I will definitely do a sample and will absolutely weave it on my weaving software before I start to wind a warp.  I'm open to suggestions.  I have a pattern for a top with a cap sleeve I really like.  The top is for a conference in June.

Claudia

Mon, 02/18/2013 - 14:22

endorph

Claudia for hanging in there on the shawl project. I am almost through cleaning the reed so may start to warp the MW this evening. May go ahead and rough sley with my 10 dent reed so I can get the warp beamed on and start threading heddles. I was feeling lazy so purchased one of Joanne Hall's towel kits with the warp already measured and chained - now trying to decide it if I want plain weave and 2/2 twill, or herringbone and goose eye - need to decide before I start threading.
Tue, 02/19/2013 - 04:00

Monica Bellas (not verified)

I finally figured out how to re-size my photos so I could post them under "Projects."  Yee-haw!

Tue, 02/19/2013 - 10:08

Artistry

The delphinium tapestry Is about 3/4 done. I've also been working on the backs of the other " tapestry diaries" getting them ready for the presentation to the study group in April. I know , who looks at the backs? You'd be surprised! Getting ready to thread for the tea towels, beaming today. Nursing an over use injury, tendinitis, in my left wrist. Grrrrrrrr! Had it real bad last year. Couldn't weave for 5 months! It's not bad now, so I'm being really careful! Cutting back my hours, it's driving me crazy! Monica, your towels look great over in projects. Glad you figured out how to resize them, it took me a while too:)
Tue, 02/19/2013 - 14:45

sally orgren

For dishtowels. 8 yards. I want the marled yarn to stand out, so I am looking at an option for threading where you don't actually thread one set of warps on any heddle at all, just through the reed. The technique creates a half shed (or two different narrower sheds). One has to be careful with the shuttle path when weaving, making sure you are in the right shed. This is just an alternative to get 5 shafts out of a 4 shaft loom. Credit goes to Marjie Thompson for this idea, which she introduces in her "Woven at Home" historic weaving workshop.

Claudia, are you heading to MAFA in June? (If so, I am already signed up!)

Warpology, if you like making woven animals, here's an inside scoop—one of my guildmates has developed a new book, which should be out soon. It will be professionally published, with an into by Daryl Lancaster. This person isn't a household name in the weaving world, but she used to weave and sew items for Handwoven articles, so she is quite accomplished. I have seen some of her preliminary book projects/critters from time to time at guild meetings. She does an *excellent* job of coming up with fabrics/drafts that match the skins of animals she created. (You may even find some of her postings of early projects here on Weavo.) When it hits the shelves, I'll encourage her to post notice.

Tue, 02/19/2013 - 14:50

sally orgren

r1mein54,

What is the new job that sounds so fascinating? And on your profile, I like your "oatmeal" response to the question, "favorite fiber?" (Mine would be "Kashi Go Lean")

Tue, 02/19/2013 - 14:57

ReedGuy

Still waiting on my order of cotton yarn. ;(

But, a positive note here, I still have several yards of runner and towel warp to weave. :)

I was moving snow this morning, 7 foot, hard, wind driven, snow to the shop. Took two hours to bust a 200 foot path out with a walk behind and a shovel. I had to cool off for a bit when I came in before washing up. Another mess coming tomorrow....wheeee. :D

Tue, 02/19/2013 - 14:57

endorph

you have me intrigue with the marled tarn and the half shed.. . . I finally fnihed cleaning the new reed aso will be able to start warping the MW - but first i have to clean out the cupboard under the kitchen sink so the plumber can install a new garbage disposal - heavy sigh! Well and before that I have to finish my day at work and after work taking the dogs to the dog park then the cupboard and then if time allows starting on the warping. Or maybe some knitting to get caught up on my knitting homework. . . .too much to do, too little time!
Tue, 02/19/2013 - 18:19

sally orgren

But not 7 feet. I glanced out the window to see it coming down by the bucket load. Gee, it was sunny and 28 degress at 7 morning. I think this will turn to rain. Then probably freeze about rush hour.

Tue, 02/19/2013 - 19:51

warpology

Working on a warp to tie onto my dimity scarf below. this time in yellow for the dominant color. The three other for the stripes are yellow and green, varigated with yellow,  and tan/brown.I want to explore this structure  and the end of the warp is coming in sight. Still debating about putting a warp on the Glimakra for crackel, but I want to move the looms around a bit so it is on the back burner.

Gorgeous warp Reedguy!

Tue, 02/19/2013 - 22:21

ReedGuy

Sally, it snowed for days here, but not 7 feet. That was drifting snow. We got less than a foot of snow fall. The fields here are down to the mud with the wind moving off all the snow over the last 3 days. Lots of wind erosion, dirt/dust on white snow.

I think the next storm has been down graded to snow showers.

Warpology, your scarf looks nice. Thanks to for your approval on my latest warp. ;)

Thu, 02/21/2013 - 00:56

sally orgren

I am getting my weaving wheels back under me, despite work travel. Tonight after work I beamed 8 yards (solo) of the 16/2, in just under an hour. (Wish I had a full trapeze, instead of using a modified method. It would have gone much faster!) I enjoy listen to Car Talk podcasts when doing these kind of tasks.

Thu, 02/21/2013 - 01:32

ReedGuy

Sally, was that a sectional warp? You musta had your spools already wound because on my latest project I had to wind 24 spools with over 4000 yards before anything got warped. :D

Thu, 02/21/2013 - 09:01

Artistry

Sally, you're so fast! Is the 16/2 unmercerized I've had terrible luck with 16/2 cotton unmercerized and tangles while beaming. Wind an inch then tangles in the cross, finally got it on but by then it had awful " fuzzies" Secret? ReedGuy didn't mention that I really like the design you made. It's very elegant.
Thu, 02/21/2013 - 11:47

Artistry

Delphinium, 3 more petals to do and more background. Should be done by the end of the month. I think I'll do pansies next month, but I'm going to the flower shop to see if something else strikes my fancy. What an excuse, almost as good as a yarn store:) Start threading the tea towels today, No Mistakes this time! Have the Structure Study Group today, Twills, my subject is Network. Have the back of the Rose finished , so it's all ready to mount on a frame. I use one of Tommye Scanlin methods, if anyone wants to know how to do it I'll explain, rather lengthy, don't want to bore:) Sally, your marled warp with the warps that don't go through the heddles, really like having a bunch of floating selvedges going across the warp, right? Car talk, NPR? Love NPR.
Thu, 02/21/2013 - 12:07

endorph

can't wait to see the new tapestry - pansies would be very nice! Sally - you are a speed freak - I too love car talk! REed Guy - great towels - lovely pattern and colors. I am still plodding on the sample warp on the RH loo, have not started warping the MW yet - spent lasy evening on my knitting homework figuing out a new (to me) technique for knitting in sleeves! Weave on all - weave on!
Thu, 02/21/2013 - 15:47

sally orgren

I do have a sectional beam, but not on this loom. I used a warp board for this 8 yards. As this is 30 epi, 21" wide, it is not that bad for a total warp count. It took me two evenings to wind the warp, because I could only pull from a single source for each color. (And I have to admit, one night I quit early to crawl under a heated blanket and watch TV!)

Beaming is really a piece of cake if you have the right tension on the warp. I use water weights—in this case, 32 oz for each 3" bout. (14 pounds for this warp). You have to experiment with what is the right ratio, it can't be so heavy that you can't turn the beam! The higher from the ground you can suspend the weights, the less time you waste having to walk to the front of the loom to adjust them back down, and the faster the beaming goes. (Again, I don't have the trapeze yet, but would love that!)

I won't say the 2/16 unmerc cotton went on as smooth as butter, as I still had to watch the cross. But the lease sticks do slide more easily, there are far less tangles, and I had virtually no "handcuffs" at the cross. I thought the marled stuff was going to be troublesome, but it behaved. So far, anyway!

Oh! A "non-traditional" thing I do to prevent tangles—I don't chain my warp bouts. I used to drop the bouts into baggies right from the warp board, but now I don't even bother with that (i.e. no cats in this household). I just drape the warp chains over my arm, slip the cross between my fingers and slid the warp bout loop from the first peg onto my finger, or directly onto a rod. I do the same with the cross, sliding it onto a pair of lease sticks. When all the warp bouts have been slid onto the rod and the lease sticks, I bring that over to the loom, affix to the back beam, and I am nearly there! (I use choke ties one every yard or so.)

Yep, when threaded, this *should* look like a layer of floating selvedges across the warp! Fingers crossed. I don't anticipate the threading will go nearly as fast as the beaming, but then again, I am only threading 1/2 the total count!

Thu, 02/21/2013 - 15:59

Joanne Hall

Hi Cathie,

If you purchase two or three tubes or cones and wind the lease cross 2/2 or 3/3, the beaming goes on so smoothly that you will never again wind just one thread at a time.

Joanne

Thu, 02/21/2013 - 16:45

Artistry

Thanks Sally and JoAnn. JoAnn , I usually do warp several threads at a time, I guess that's one of the places I ran into trouble, thanks for reminding me!
Thu, 02/21/2013 - 18:29

endorph

my lunch hour to run to the store to get one or two items I still needed fro my tapestry workshop next week. Five glorious days of weaving with Joanne Hall! Yippee! Tonight it is more knitting since I am supposed to have two sleeves done by Saturday and have barely started on the first one! but I am going to try and get a few picks doen on my sample warp - I need to get it woven and off the loom so I can get to a real project!
Thu, 02/21/2013 - 21:45

ReedGuy

Any of you fine folks use drying racks for your wovens?

I need one (or more) for drying my wares. I hate draping things on furniture or rigging ropes across by hallway.

So anyway, I looked on-line for some ideas. Most are a little narrow. So I'm going to make larger hardwood dowels so I can go wider. Of course it needs to fold up so it can be stored. I always tend to go big, but heck who wants to have something insufficient for the task. :)

Anyway, I never hear of anyone using drying racks on the forum. Was just curious.

Fri, 02/22/2013 - 00:36

endorph

shower rods over the bathtub or on narrower projects I stretch them out over seral plastic hangers. I do not have anywhere I can lay flat to dry!
Fri, 02/22/2013 - 03:22

Artistry

I had a drying rack, but it was too small for my projects and too flimsy. Now I use my project tables, 3ft x7ft . Put down bath towels, and then the hand woven's on top. Flip when top is dry, put down dry towel underneath.
Fri, 02/22/2013 - 08:49

ReedGuy

With large wool blankets, queen size, they are heavy when wet and huge. They don't take long to dry though. I really don't like clotheslines. The plastic on the line breaks down and you have rusty wire in contact with your stuff. Plus, hard frozen fabric takes a long time to dry in winter. Then there is the bird factor, when you have a lot of perching places in yard trees, and bugs in summer. ;D

Fri, 02/22/2013 - 14:36

MaryMartha

My father once made a rolling shade table for my mother's earth boxes --  a wooden table frame, on casters, with a wooden lattice nailed to the top, that she can roll it into place when the sun beats down.  Sorry I don't have a picture. We have found it very useful when hand-washing small oriental rugs, because the lattice rather than a solid top allowed for better air circulation.  I doubt any commercially produced drying rack would be robust enough for your purposes.

Fri, 02/22/2013 - 14:42

sally orgren

I found this HUGE one in VT last Christmas, at Dean & Wit's, one of those typical New England handware stores that has everything practical.

21 dowels. 30.5" wide. 

When folded up, 8" at base, and 58" tall

When open, 47" at base, 40" tall.

I will try and post all three photos, but if only one shows, you will know I had trouble posting.

 

Fri, 02/22/2013 - 14:53

endorph

great idea for a drying rack MaryMartha - I might have to investigate that option further! And Sally, what a find - its beautiful!
Fri, 02/22/2013 - 15:15

sally orgren

The dowels on this product *could* be sturdier. What I like is how the dowels all stagger when opened, so you can drape woven fabric that is many yards long in a small amount of space, with good air flow between layers, and not too much fabric weight being suspended in one place, like with a clothes line. ReedGuy, if you need more detail photos, let me know. 

Fri, 02/22/2013 - 23:53

ReedGuy

Sally, you and I think alike. That is the style I will be building actually, only bigger and longer hardwood dowels. :)

Sat, 02/23/2013 - 02:32

sally orgren

...would be if it were slightly wider than 45" (the width of my widest loom) and the dowels were a bit meatier. However, with these changes, the contraption might not squeeze into the laundry room when in not in use, and might also be significantly heavier to move around.

After taking a night off, I am threading for a bit tonight. I will have half the warp threaded before tomorrow, and hope to finish tomorrow evening. Then I can be weaving Sunday! Tomorrow, one of my guilds is having an all-day finger weaving workshop—if we don't have another weather postponement, like last week.

How is everyone else doing?

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