Fri, 06/12/2009 - 20:45

kathkol (not verified)

 You are right, Caroline, our little silk purses could be related - but for a few thousand miles.  Giggle!

The blanket stitch is a good idea.  Thanks!

Fri, 06/12/2009 - 21:05

dorothystewart (not verified)

 Hi there ! I live in the south west of Scotland and have been weaving for about 5 years, since I retired !

I brought a Harrisville loom home from New hampshire and then built it up here in Scotland. My weaving is all self taught and I have learnt a lot from Laura's blog just recently and from the on-line groups.

I have just finished a scarf project using Shetland yarn. I tried Laura's suggestion of basket weave edging with a twill draft instead of floating selvedges. I was very pleased with the result once I learnt to leave it alone and not fiddle ! A couple of questions for Laura if I may ? 

Do you ever use a wider band of basket weave on the selvedge and can this technique be used with any draft, not just twill ?

Looking forward to being part of weavolution and this group

Dorothy

Fri, 06/12/2009 - 21:10

dorothystewart (not verified)

 Hi there ! I am Dorothy, living near Lockerbie in south west Scotland. Been weaving since I retired about five years ago. My loom is a harrisville 36" floor loom with 4 shafts. I also have an inkle loom.

Have done a lot of cotton tea towels and also woollen scarves and wraps. 

I subscribe to handwoven and Weavers craft and am also a member of the on-line weavers guild.

Looking forward to being part of this site and this group

Dorothy

Fri, 06/12/2009 - 21:35

kendrick43 (not verified)

 I'm in San Marcos.  A new weaver, just a few months.  I'm really loving this new hobby.  I also spin and knit.....  I attend a weaving study group in Wimberley twice a month.  Are there more groups like that out there?  Lydia

Fri, 06/12/2009 - 21:39

RV-Weaver (not verified)

What is the reason for using metal dowels?

Glenda

Fri, 06/12/2009 - 21:39

RV-Weaver (not verified)

What is the reason for using metal dowels?

Glenda

Fri, 06/12/2009 - 21:40

saorifun (not verified)

Hi Caroline in Australia,

I'm Chiaki in Minnesota U.S.A.

I know it is far away for you even though this is happening in Australia in the end of this coming August.

There will be a group of SAORI people going to Perth for a SAORI tour.

I am not sure what they are going to do, but there is a lady who is a little bit of SAORI experience.

I went to see and train her last summer.

If you would like to know more about it, I can contact my friend and let you know the detail.

I am located the west side of the Great Lakes.

Happy Weaving!

 

Chiaki

Fri, 06/12/2009 - 23:27

BridgetJ (not verified)

Although my teacher based what she taught us from that book, she simplified things considerably - for instance, we didn't do a multi-colour warp, so in our samplers we didn't do anything more complicated than 2-1 and 3-1 twill, basic tabby including  some moorman inlay, and double weave as a tube, open on one side and open on both sides. That was more than enough in order to learn the technique!

This important things to get from the McKinney book are 1) how to warp multiple heddles so that the warp threads aren't crossing, and 2) how to open all the possible shed combinations - in other words, how to "translate" a treadling draft - that are needed to do the 4-shaft (and 3-shaft, obviously) patterns. It is possible to get them all (so, more than just 1 up, 2 up, 3 up, 4 up... you can do 1&3 up, 2&4 up, 1&3&4 up, etc). Sometimes it involves putting one heddle on the block, holding another heddle up with one hand and letting the middle one dangle while you throw the shuttle. But it is definitely do-able, and as with anything, it gets faster with practice.

In short, you can do any pattern on your RH, using three heddles, that can be done on a 4-shaft loom. Using 2 heddles, you can get any 3-shaft pattern.

Once you get into it, if you have any questions, I'm happy to answer as best I can, even if it turns out to be a lengthy reply. ;)

I'm hoping (within the month, if I'm lucky?) to get a RH explanation of the drafts for the two patterns above, at the very least, including the warping instructions. When I do, I'll post it here.

Fri, 06/12/2009 - 23:27

BridgetJ (not verified)

Although my teacher based what she taught us from that book, she simplified things considerably - for instance, we didn't do a multi-colour warp, so in our samplers we didn't do anything more complicated than 2-1 and 3-1 twill, basic tabby including  some moorman inlay, and double weave as a tube, open on one side and open on both sides. That was more than enough in order to learn the technique!

This important things to get from the McKinney book are 1) how to warp multiple heddles so that the warp threads aren't crossing, and 2) how to open all the possible shed combinations - in other words, how to "translate" a treadling draft - that are needed to do the 4-shaft (and 3-shaft, obviously) patterns. It is possible to get them all (so, more than just 1 up, 2 up, 3 up, 4 up... you can do 1&3 up, 2&4 up, 1&3&4 up, etc). Sometimes it involves putting one heddle on the block, holding another heddle up with one hand and letting the middle one dangle while you throw the shuttle. But it is definitely do-able, and as with anything, it gets faster with practice.

In short, you can do any pattern on your RH, using three heddles, that can be done on a 4-shaft loom. Using 2 heddles, you can get any 3-shaft pattern.

Once you get into it, if you have any questions, I'm happy to answer as best I can, even if it turns out to be a lengthy reply. ;)

I'm hoping (within the month, if I'm lucky?) to get a RH explanation of the drafts for the two patterns above, at the very least, including the warping instructions. When I do, I'll post it here.

Sat, 06/13/2009 - 00:48

Robweaves (not verified)

I have almost no drawing skills and have found using collage techniques helpful -- cutting out colored paper, arranging and rearranging.  Lately I have photographed the collages and played with the images online.  That's about technique.  As for where I get inspiration for my cartoons -- I look at lots of nature photography and lots of images of other people's artwork.  A friend is weaving a lovely small tapestry based on a painting she saw -- a New Orleans painter did a series of paintings of San Antonio, where we live, and she selected one to interpret in a tapestry.