Sun, 06/14/2009 - 23:20

curiousweaver (not verified)

I'm Kaz, from Old Bar, Australia and was pleased that OZ and NZ are included here. I've been weaving since I was 19 years old (I'm now much older!) getting my husband to build my first looms and just trying every weave technique I could find out about.

I'm mainly self taught, living in an isolated area, and have a very large library of textile books and magazines. Handwoven magazine was very important in my study of weaving although it doesn't have that place for me now. I'm the author of "The Australian Weaving Book" and "Weaving Made Easy" and currently blog under curiousweaver.id.au. The internet has opened up new ways of connecting with others and learning more. Even the availablity of books from Amazon has opened up more possibilities for learning.

I have a two shaft Saori loom, 24 shaft computer Toika loom, many Inkle looms and frame looms. I'm interested in technicalities and puzzles in weaving and love colour. I dye and paint nearly all my yarns and warps and mainly weave with cellulose fibres. I also like to teach others but don't get alot of opportunities face to face so I use my blog to do this a little.

Weaving and textiles has enriched my life beyond what I thought was possible and has also provided a motivation to travel to unusual places like Bhutan. Though the lens of textiles, I can learn about other cultures and histories and build more understanding about the different ways humans live. Weaving and textiles can be approached lightly by creating small simple and useful projects or more indepth with study of old patterns and techniques, working out new structures and applying them in new ways or focussing on fibre selection and colour design. It has something for all types of minds and interests.

I hope this group will assist building weave textile knowledge and promotion in New Zealand and Australia in some way.

 

 

Sun, 06/14/2009 - 23:54

Knittingand (not verified)

I've added instructions for using the blank chart to make your own designs, plus added the numbers down the sides of the chart. I posted the wrong chart yesterday, sorry.

  http://www.knitting-and.com/blog/001674.html

Sun, 06/14/2009 - 23:54

Knittingand (not verified)

I've added instructions for using the blank chart to make your own designs, plus added the numbers down the sides of the chart. I posted the wrong chart yesterday, sorry.

  http://www.knitting-and.com/blog/001674.html

Sun, 06/14/2009 - 23:57

Glizzer (not verified)

Thanks Susan, and everyone who replied. I have managed to figure out the tie-ups and the problem I was having. (I thnk) I am very interested in the Vavstuga kit, although it does look easy to make. Thanks for the ideas and help everyone!

Mon, 06/15/2009 - 00:12

thumbelinaspins (not verified)

Hi I'm Rona from Brisbane, Australia, I found this site through Ravelry.  I've been weaving, spinning, knitting, embroidery and whatever craft sparks an interest for a very long time now.  I originally learned to weave at the University of Calgary then took some textile courses through the Textile school in St. John's, Newfoundland.  I'm not sure the school is there anymore but it was a great school--giving degrees in all sorts of craft.  But more than that it taught good basics of textile crafts.

I moved to Australia in 1988 and sold my larger looms at that time to cut down the cost of moving.  My thinking was that I would replace them when I got to Australia.  Well that has taken 20 years!  I've always had a rigid heddle loom and a few home made Salish looms to keep me going but as far as a floor loom I never did replace them until now.  I've just ordered a Saori 4 harness loom.  I'm hoping that it will prompt me to weave more and use up the stash of handspun fibers I have taking over my house.

I love to experiment and try new things so my weaving is often more of an experiment than a planned object most of the time.  Until recently I have not sold my finished products prefering to use them for gifts for family and friends.  As I settle down into this next sector of my life I plan to weave more experimental arty type things.  I have recently gone through cancer treatment and have decided to weave for the enjoyment rather than making something for somebody.   I'm looking forward to the arrival of my new loom.

At the moment on my rigid heddle loom I have an experiment in stash depletion happening.  I've taken some verigated commercial wool and thrown the colors in with no rhyme or reason.  It is actually starting to look pretty good.  I thin it will be destined for a variety of things and I plan to cut it up into little bits to add to wallhangings, garments and maybe even an interesting hat. Next project will involve cashmere for a neckwarmer for my mum.

Cheers

Mon, 06/15/2009 - 00:12

thumbelinaspins (not verified)

Hi I'm Rona from Brisbane, Australia, I found this site through Ravelry.  I've been weaving, spinning, knitting, embroidery and whatever craft sparks an interest for a very long time now.  I originally learned to weave at the University of Calgary then took some textile courses through the Textile school in St. John's, Newfoundland.  I'm not sure the school is there anymore but it was a great school--giving degrees in all sorts of craft.  But more than that it taught good basics of textile crafts.

I moved to Australia in 1988 and sold my larger looms at that time to cut down the cost of moving.  My thinking was that I would replace them when I got to Australia.  Well that has taken 20 years!  I've always had a rigid heddle loom and a few home made Salish looms to keep me going but as far as a floor loom I never did replace them until now.  I've just ordered a Saori 4 harness loom.  I'm hoping that it will prompt me to weave more and use up the stash of handspun fibers I have taking over my house.

I love to experiment and try new things so my weaving is often more of an experiment than a planned object most of the time.  Until recently I have not sold my finished products prefering to use them for gifts for family and friends.  As I settle down into this next sector of my life I plan to weave more experimental arty type things.  I have recently gone through cancer treatment and have decided to weave for the enjoyment rather than making something for somebody.   I'm looking forward to the arrival of my new loom.

At the moment on my rigid heddle loom I have an experiment in stash depletion happening.  I've taken some verigated commercial wool and thrown the colors in with no rhyme or reason.  It is actually starting to look pretty good.  I thin it will be destined for a variety of things and I plan to cut it up into little bits to add to wallhangings, garments and maybe even an interesting hat. Next project will involve cashmere for a neckwarmer for my mum.

Cheers

Mon, 06/15/2009 - 00:23

painty1 (not verified)

I am from Tyler, TX, in the beautiful north-east TX hills, woods, azaleas and roses.  We don't have a guild, but do have a weaving shop, Rosepath, just north of I-20.  I started weaving over 25 years ago, while living in Houston.  As such, I am a member of the Houston, Dallas and TX Guilds.  Weaving wool rugs is my very favorite weaving, followed by band weaving(tablet, braiding, inkle and ethnic pick-up.)

Mon, 06/15/2009 - 00:32

Caroline (not verified)

hi Thumbelinaspins, waving madly from Adelaide,  nice to see another Aussie here! I've been looking at the looms as well but have not found a price list on any of the sites I have found so far. I think Karen Madigan in NSW has one, I've done a quick search of her blog and website but cannot find an index or search tool, grrr, but if you scroll down this page:

http://curiousweaver.id.au/?s=krokbragd

yu will get to a pdf file on the subject. I know she had photos on her site along with a blog entry, last year perhaps?

cheers, Caroline

 

 

Mon, 06/15/2009 - 01:11

Caroline (not verified)

hi everyone, I'm Caroline from Adelaide and owned by several looms. I built my first few looms and still do, but always hankered after a floor loom; once I had the time and space to actually use it, I no longer had the physical capacity, which has given me an opportunity to experiment that I would not otherwise have had. I have several rigid heddle looms, including a brand new Knitters Loom with the 2 heddle set up, and lots of little looms, as well as a 2 metre triloom and a 1 metre square loom that has yet to be tried out. I  also have a couple of four shaft table looms so I can work out which is the easiest for me to work with.  

My current project, small tapestry MP3 player cases, are woven on a pin loom  and I am using my own handspun sari silk so I can get longer runs of the same colour. I'm not sure where that line of spinning  will take me, but I enjoy spinning my yarns up and seeing the colours and textures in the fabric come to life as I weave with them. I like my handspun to look and feel organic and hope to transfer this to my weaving so that whatever I weave begs to be touched.

Mon, 06/15/2009 - 01:11

Caroline (not verified)

hi everyone, I'm Caroline from Adelaide and owned by several looms. I built my first few looms and still do, but always hankered after a floor loom; once I had the time and space to actually use it, I no longer had the physical capacity, which has given me an opportunity to experiment that I would not otherwise have had. I have several rigid heddle looms, including a brand new Knitters Loom with the 2 heddle set up, and lots of little looms, as well as a 2 metre triloom and a 1 metre square loom that has yet to be tried out. I  also have a couple of four shaft table looms so I can work out which is the easiest for me to work with.  

My current project, small tapestry MP3 player cases, are woven on a pin loom  and I am using my own handspun sari silk so I can get longer runs of the same colour. I'm not sure where that line of spinning  will take me, but I enjoy spinning my yarns up and seeing the colours and textures in the fabric come to life as I weave with them. I like my handspun to look and feel organic and hope to transfer this to my weaving so that whatever I weave begs to be touched.