Where, oh where, has the summer gone? In the Northern Hemisphere we are looking forward to cooler (hopefully) temps and the changing of the seasons. Southern Hemisphere is getting ready for spring and summer. I am hoping to get back to my looms - at the very least I know I will be weaving in October because I will be taking a workshop with Joanne Hall - woohoo! Will try and get some weaving done before then - maybe get the dish towels hemmed that I wove last spring! Weave on everyone! Tina

Comments

Sun, 09/01/2013 - 21:13

ReedGuy

Winter can't come soon enough. I've never frozen solid in 46 years. :D LOL

Now for some supper. Then tie up my next warp cord sampler.

Mon, 09/02/2013 - 15:00

endorph

to pick out colors for a warp and darn if I am not missing two of the colors I want - boohoo - my LYS is open today but they are having a sorghum festival out there today and I don't want to fight the crowds so will have to wait on that - so MW will remain nekkid for the moment - might have to rethink plans and put a warp on the RH - or maybe I will just get some towels hemmed. Or a nap. . . hmmmm
Mon, 09/02/2013 - 23:38

Weavingholiday

After a run of hot, humid weather (to which I am not at all suited, my ancestors knew what they were doing when they settled down north of warm) we had mid-20s C, beautiful weather today. A few fluffy clouds in a deep blue sky, barely a breath of a breeze... Went out and got all sorts of inspiration.

Tue, 09/03/2013 - 02:31

Monica Bellas (not verified)

Nap is what I did this afternoon.  Finally got my North Sea scarf off the loom; wet finishing is next, but that won't be until next weekend.  Hmph - why does earning a living have to get in the way of weaving?

Monica

Tue, 09/03/2013 - 02:56

Artistry

Up in Michigan, on a work trip closing up the summer house. No floor loom weaving, no tapestry, no nothing fiber related. Having extreme withdrawal! Can't wait to get back home on weds. And start work again!
Tue, 09/03/2013 - 09:40

sally orgren

I have been told that historically, children as young as two were taught to spin and weave. I had a 3 1/5 year old visitor to the studio this weekend, and she did a GREAT job on the Structo 240!

Cute Weaver

 

Tue, 09/03/2013 - 11:42

Artistry

Oh My, that is too cute and too wonderful! Pass it on, Sally!
Tue, 09/03/2013 - 11:56

endorph

wonderful photo Sally - what a cute weaver! Well, the nap won out at my house as well. I spent most of the afternoon working on a cross stitch piece for work. I agreed to make up two kits for the store to display - one is almost done the other at least started. The store manager gave me the two largest kits as well as the most complicated but that's okay. the complicated one is wildflowers and I am enjoying it, the other one is four flags of Texas and frankly it is boring, , , , They look nice but I hate stitching large blocks of color. Oh well, its for a good cause. Tonight, come heck or high water I am hemming towels!
Wed, 09/04/2013 - 14:09

jlread (not verified)

My 2nd garden flag.....late Summer>Early Spring

Wow...these are really easy and fun!

Wed, 09/04/2013 - 14:57

Weavingholiday

How pretty! Wonderful colour and texture, especially as the garden settles down for a nap!

Wed, 09/04/2013 - 18:53

Erica J

Great posts everyone!  I am working on the next sample for the commission. Slowly getting te warp wound in my spare time! I have wound 4" so far.

Best of luck in your Daily Weaverliness everyone.

Wed, 09/04/2013 - 18:53

Erica J

Great posts everyone!  I am working on the next sample for the commission. Slowly getting te warp wound in my spare time! I have wound 4" so far.

Best of luck in your Daily Weaverliness everyone.

Thu, 09/05/2013 - 14:31

Cotton spinner

Building a new wrapping board. It will be expandable so I can make long Warps if I care to. The one I have now only wrap 5 yards. And waiting for some yarn in the post for weaving baby blankets. Vince
Fri, 09/06/2013 - 15:08

fibrefare

Finally, I'm getting back to weaving and weaverly fun.  I received a new heddle and the second heddle blocks for my Kromski Harp yesterday and I'm going to get those on the loom and warp it. I can't wait to get going.

Sat, 09/07/2013 - 00:42

endorph

cotton pulled from the stash and a draft ready for some simple rosepath striped towels. I am using pg. 50 of Simple Weaves as the tarting point for my inspiration. I have a felling not all four towles will look the same!

Tue, 09/10/2013 - 11:09

Artistry

Going to be a busy couple of weeks! Giving a presentation about the Tapestry Diaries this week. Should be fun, get to talk about Tommye Scanlin, and Kendrick 53( with their permission ), plus two others. Show photos of theirs and mine. Talk to a study group about3 block ( turned satin )damask. Yikes, as if, I still remember how to do this! I swore after studying this so intensely and exclusively for two years it would be on my brain forever! But you don't use it you lose it, so they say, I'm scrambling, Demonstrating Weaing at The Wool Gathering at Yellow Springs ( home of Antioch College ) in a few weeks. THEN, I get to get back on my FLOOR LOOM, yay! Will be weaving a run of baby blankets I found on Handweaving.net these patterns from The Fanciest Twills of All by Fred A. Pennington . The patterns are hin und wieder. 16 shaft. Really lovely. I'm planning to do the blankets 8/2 cotton warp and weft, what do you think? The longest float is 5 threads a little longer than I would like but I'm anticipated it won't look long since it's 8/2. Will sample. P.S. Indigo Vat was a flop, that's why they call it an art:)
Tue, 09/10/2013 - 11:14

Artistry

Tina, I love your colors for your towels! Bockens one of my Fav.! They will be wonderful!
Tue, 09/10/2013 - 12:05

endorph

I love the colors too! I am lucky to have Bockens source just 15 minutes from my house! Questions for the more experienced weavers here - need to double my weft for the rose path - what is the best way o do this - wind two strands at the same time on a bobbin or get a double shuttle? Is there another choice - any and all suggestions, advice welcome - also - instead of using two strands of 16/2 doubled could I use one strand of say an 8/2 instead?
Tue, 09/10/2013 - 13:24

Artistry

I assuming your warp is 16/2? if that is the case, I would imagine opening up the sett a little bit on your warp to accomodate the larger yarn of 8/2 would be the easiest way to go. If you leave the sett as is you with have a higher angle on your rosepath, and the cloth may feel thick. I don't see a reason why 8/2 can't be substituted for the double 16/2. Sample!

Nothing wrong with doubling the weft. I have found that winding two wefts on one bobbin takes a little practice. You want to hold the wefts between two fingers and have them wind as closely together as possible. If not one weft will be longer than the other and loops at the selvedges will develop, constantly adjusting them. As you hold onto the wefts rather tightly, some people use a piece of soft leather to hold onto the threads.

Some people do use the double shuttle and love them. I don't have one, so I can't say how well they work.

It will be interesting to see what others say!

Tue, 09/10/2013 - 13:47

endorph

is 16/2 sett at 36 epi. I thought I might try winding a quill with two strands as well as trying the 8/2 and see what happens - I have planned the warp with a little bit extra so I can practice the pattern before I commit it to a towel!
Tue, 09/10/2013 - 19:45

Erica

On Sunday TJ had a very peaceful nap, and I had a very peaceful time in the studio! I worked on two warps and got a bit of weaving done on a project, which was started ages ago! I pulled out another sheet of packing material, so I think I only have one more to go!

One of the warps is for a tapestry diary. I only ended up with a 5" width. I'm wondering if this is too narrow?

Tue, 09/10/2013 - 20:36

Artistry

Tina sounds like a Plan!

Erica,

A tapestry diary can be anything you want it to be! Are you planning on doing a month and how long is your usuable warp? Some people like to do a square or rectangle a day and you could certainly do that but your tapestry diary would be long, if let's say you did your rectangles at 1/2 - 1/3 the width of your warp. 2.5 inches is a nice size rectangle because you can get some detail work in there.You could try new techniques.If you don't have much warp, You could also do 1 inch blocks, a couple for one day.If you did that you could play with color, lines, pick and pick. Or it doesn't have to be rectangles, it could be stripes with the number of the day of the week on it. You could also, abandon that altogether and do a composition that you work on daily.Most of the people I know who do tapestry diaries except myself and Kendrick53, do rectangles or squares. Some of the people I work with, do number the days some don't. Usually people have the number for the month( sometimes the year too) on diary at the beginning. Talking about numbers, Tommye Scanlin did her numbers one year in braille!

So, I think you can get away with a 5 inch warp. If it isn't that long I would suggest small shapes  ( ie squares, stripes ) if it's long then I would go for the rectangle and practice different tapestry techniques!

One last thought, I've been having trouble with long slits. So I pass this advice on to you. You might want to, if you had let's say 5 blocks, follow with a stripe, this would "close" all the slits or use an interlocking weft for the blocks. 

Hope I haven't gone on and on, the making of tapestry diaries are close to my heart :) Do you have some tapestry books? The T.D.'s are fun!

Cathie

 

Tue, 09/10/2013 - 21:25

kerstinfroberg

Tina, FWIW it is customary (here in Sweden, that is) to use a doubled weft rather than a "double thickness" for all kinds of overshot-ish patterns. We think two strands cover the ground better than one fatter strand - but as it is "common knowledge" we (mening: me) have not really sampled... Have fun!

Tue, 09/10/2013 - 21:33

endorph

I think I will try out both and see which I like best. Since I am half Swedish I think I should try the customary route as well as trying out the 8/2 - Who knows, maybe I will end up doing both!
Tue, 09/10/2013 - 21:50

Artistry

Kerstin,

I have a treasured overshot coverlet that my Great Aunt made , it's doubled weft,and you're right, it covers beautifully! 

Wed, 09/11/2013 - 00:32

Weavejoyforall

I want to tell all here that someone has become my fairy god mother... and gifted me with a lovley Kromski 24 inch rigid heddle loom that I recieved today by UPS..  By the way this person did this without knowing that last sunday was our (Hubby John and my) 29th wedding  anniversary the 8th of September and my birthday on the 22 of the month as well.  Dang good timing if you ask me....  ;) I have to say the only reason this kind person gave me was that their first loom was a gift when they could not afford one... and they felt they might pass that gifting tradition along to someone else... WOW!  How blessed am I ? Thats all I can say!  Kindness is not ( I repeat NOT) a thing of the past !!!   Goodness is still alive and well even in these tough and sometimes jaded times!!

Can't wait till I have time to put it together and start weaving.  

Wed, 09/11/2013 - 00:53

sarahnopp (not verified)

I spent the first half of the day at the Washington State Fair (aka the Puyallup Fair) helping with my guild's Sheep to Shawl day. There are 5 guild's competing this year. I am not a spinner, so I was a picker and a greeter, hence my morning shift. When my shift was up, a spinner took my place. But look at that lovely basket full of dyed Cormo wool! Just playing with it makes me wonder when I will finally become a spinner too :)

And of course a shot of the lovely warp, as it was being tied on.

Wed, 09/11/2013 - 02:16

Jan Bogue

Trying to find a yarn super store, but I can't figure out how to start a new topic called Walkin Giaint Yarn Stores.

 

Weaving yarn in Southern California

I think this is my third Google search for places to buy weaving yarn in Southern California.  As before I was able to find hundreds of "shops" and "nooks," but has anyone found a Weaving Yarn Warehouse?  I would drive some distance to be able to walk around with a shopping cart and pull off the shelf one pound cones of this and that.  Is online the only place to shop for yarn? I own a copy of Yarn Store in a Box from back east. This is great, but it would be fun to go to a Weaving Yarn grocery store in Southern California. :)  

Wed, 09/11/2013 - 02:39

endorph

got some towels hemmed - I wove these months ago - they are from a kit from Joanne Hall - Bockens 8/2 cotton - yummmmm.  I have one more blue and yellow towel and four black and red.

Thu, 09/12/2013 - 00:36

Weavejoyforall

 Today I put my new Kromkski 24 loom together !(really did not take all that long...the video says about a half an hour... ahhhh well maybe a bit longer then that for me ...LOL . Well, almost all together the frame part is done ...with heddle blocks and all. All I really need now is to get the beaming strings put together and go out and get a set of warping sticks. I'm so excited. It truely is a lovely loom. Marybe 24 inchs does not sound to large to some of you folks who have large floor looms but to me....The width is Massive...since my little brio has only a weaving width of 5 1/2 inchs.  I love the look of this loom so graceful and delicate looking but let me tell you its a real work horse or so I have been told. It is very nearly a work of art with its rounded and turned parts but I wanted a loom that was sturdy and would last a long time I think I got one. Next stop Home depot to have a set of warping sticks cut for me(I did the same thing for my little brio it cost me so much less to have them cut from Pine screen molding (then to buy them made from Krosmski or Louet and no shipping charges either ) :0) I don't mind a little extra work to smooth a couple of edges and sand them.I just can't wait I might actually have a chance to get them tomarrow...If not friday is out but monday or tuesday next is possable.  Right now I am putting my little brios woven strips together to make a carry bag for my new Rigid Heddle, shuttles and pick up stick and such. It will keep my new heddle and accessorys from getting dinged up or scratching up my new loom while folded.

Thu, 09/12/2013 - 03:39

Artistry

Oh there is so much you can do with 24 inches! Enjoy your new loom!
Fri, 09/13/2013 - 18:49

Erica

Cathie,

Thank you do much for all the grand advice! The warp is 3 inches long. As I'm not sure I can guarantee I can finish a particular design each day, I thought I would keep with the Zen weaving thrme and try sonething new each day with what time I can squeeze in. What do you think?

I have several tapestry books, Kristen Gladbrook and Kathe Todd Hooker, if memory serves me, which it probably doesn't 100%. :)

Fri, 09/13/2013 - 23:43

Weavejoyforall

I have not yet made up my mind but before I put my little brio away I had planed a nice little four color plain weave scarf but Im sure i can adapt the draft for 7 inchs without to much work....a little math will not kill me!

 The original scarf plan was worked out for 48 ends divided into 4 color screem could add a light or dark boarder to take up the remaining ends...that might work.  but we shall see.... 70 ends might just work for this since I am working a ten dent heddle 10 epi balanced weave would make a good warm scarf.  :)   anyone have any advice ?

Sat, 09/14/2013 - 00:05

endorph

your plan sounds great - it is so escorting to see someone breaking in a new loom! I am finally at the warping board this evening. One warp chain down, two to go. 696 ends at 5 yds. long - 16/2 Bockens cotton. I will get the other chains done tonight - I will, I will. . . . Well, at least one more tonight - maybe both.
Sat, 09/14/2013 - 00:41

sally orgren

My big accomplishment last week was learning about wrestling jello, which comes in green, and is the consistency of tapioca. We photographed students on campus participating in a "jello jam".

Sat, 09/14/2013 - 02:08

endorph

you do the most amazing things! LOL I managed to get all three warp chains wound - tomorrow I start warping - woohoo! I definitely need to find a warp winding fairy - I enjoy warping the loom - not so wild about winding the warp!
Sat, 09/14/2013 - 06:41

ReedGuy

I wound some spools last night to begin winding another 3.5 yard sampler of warp cord. This time keeping all yarn weight the same and grouping the padding as three ends per heddle. The sleyed sett will be 40 epi in the body and 24 epi at the selvedges. The last sampler worked out fine, but the 4 ply cotton padding was not mercerized and gets a bit fuzzy when washed. But there is quite a difference in price to get mercerized 10/2 at least, about double the cost at Walmart. This time I'll make a narrower piece.

I'll not comment on the jello festival. :D

Sat, 09/14/2013 - 13:50

Artistry

Erica,

Go for the Zen!

I took an Inkle weaving class yesterday, with my new to me Mullarkey loom. We turned it into a kind of backstrap because it couldn't really be a true indle set up. Sally, do you know about this? It's was tons of fun and my teacher was so knowledgable..

Next step is to learn how to learn how to use the tablets.

first project and first attempt!

 

Larger picture next time, promise:)

Sun, 09/15/2013 - 21:35

endorph

getting ready to start threading heddles - woohoo - feels good to be doing something weaverly
Sun, 09/15/2013 - 23:30

Monica Bellas (not verified)

Jan --

I've not found any place (yet) in SoCal that allows "walk-ins."  I've been up to Solvang (Village Weaving) and perused their yarn, but the 4 hour trip is a bit long.  (I order from them online whenever possible.)  October 12-13 is the Vista Fiber Festival, and there are lots of supplies there. Although most of the yarn is more suitable for knitting, I purchased some killer alpaca yarn and made some scarves on my rigid heddle loom.

Mon, 09/16/2013 - 02:10

endorph

to be having a good trip - was Inky along for the ride as well?
Mon, 09/16/2013 - 11:01

Artistry

Great Photo Sally! This reminds me of Deejen's in Big Sur, it's Norwegian Cabins to stay, it has a long history. I'm studying your Mullarky loom and how you have it set up. I have Candace Crockett's book in my lap and JM workshop handouts that came with my new to me Mullarkey loom. So I'm starting with 10 cards. Wish me luck, I am so inspired by what you,rosearbor, weavingholliday and many others are doing with card/ tablet weaving!
Mon, 09/16/2013 - 13:22

sally orgren

Cathie,

I initially learned from Candace's book. Robin & Russ has a good pattern book available, too. Doing lots of tablet weaving (and yes, some unweaving) is helpful! I am very appreciative of the help here at Weavo, and the SCA folks who have posted tutorials and design software over the years.

As you discovered, a tablet loom doesn't necessarily replace an inkle loom, but an inkle loom can stand in for a tablet loom. (You must have had a great teacher if s/he figured out a way to modify your tablet loom to weave without cards!) If anyone wants to use an Ashford Inklette with tablets, I suggest using the small Lacis tablets, or the small ones John sells. 

Inky stayed home last week, as I was worried two looms in my bag might not fit in the overhead of the airplane. But maybe I will give it a shot (bringing both looms) on one of my upcoming trips.

Cathie, what are you NAMING your loom?

 

Tue, 09/17/2013 - 01:34

Artistry

Sally, Thanks for the info! My teacher set my loom up as a backstrap style, it was great. Names? I'm taking suggestions........she's so pretty, with a lovely carved swoop, I've been thinking about names! She's much smaller then any of my other looms!
Tue, 09/17/2013 - 08:12

Erica

Sally and Cathie ,

Your conversation here really warms my heart! As many already know, Ireturned to weaving when I joined the SCA in college.It still plays an important role in our lives, because SCA folk are as kind and generous as Weavolutionaries ! 

As for names lets see. Demi, Grace, Tinker Bell? I always think looms weave bates when they hare names.

I was able to work on weaving off my original Halloweave project, yes rather embarrassing but true. I ran out of the original weft and changed to another weft. Istill don't know what I will use the fabric for, but I wish I had started with the second weft. I should have enough of both to use them as coordinating fabrics so it's not dire. It also reinforces the practice of sampling! :)

Tue, 09/17/2013 - 16:06

Artistry

Erica, Like those names! Will try them out and see if I get any response:)
Wed, 09/18/2013 - 02:17

endorph

552 to go - I strained my back at work so I can only do short bouts of sleying - tonight 30 minutes was my limit. Heavy sigh - At least I am doing something weaverly!
Wed, 09/18/2013 - 19:37

Erica

I wove off my old Halloweave project! It turns out I Changed wefts halfway throu So depending the final finish it might make a funky scarf!

You're Welcome Cathie!

Good luck endorph!

Group Audience
Daily Weaverliness