Category Archives: Weaving

Bronson Lace #2

Posted on April 13, 2018 | 6 comments

After a botched posting, I’m back to share. Off the loom now is this black, white, and gray, Bronson Lace weave. You can see the center of this towel design. I love lace weaves, this is the first time I’ve woven this design. It began with a pattern found in the Weavers Book of 8 Shaft Weaves: Carol Strickler. A Bronson Lace design on pg. 186 #619. I modified the design found in the book to arrive at this pattern.

The next batch of cottolin towels will use these colors; the deep coral will be for the weft yarn, with a surprise color used in the weft for some of the towels.

The outdoor Amaryllis was in full bloom for Easter. It’s not looking so good now but has one bloom yet to open. What started with 3 bulbs a couple of years ago, has now become six. It maybe time to separate.

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Posted in 8 harness weave, bronson lace, cottolin, Handwoven towels

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Oh no now what

Posted on March 20, 2018 | 6 comments

Some days it seems one won’t ever get to the point of weaving beautiful cloth. A simple 8 shaft turned twill makes weaving fairly simple. There’s no need to even use the Tempo Treadle to help with weaving. Just treadle 1-4 two times than 5-8 two times and vala pattern repeat is done. One shuttle to throw so weaving goes quickly.

Weaving did go quickly but a few problems needed fixing first. I discovered when threading that there were not enough heddles on 2 of the shafts. Oh my! I could rethread so the heddles could then be moved around on the shafts. Instead I added string heddles which is a fairly easy fix.

A change in weft colors and varied treadling helped appease the boredom that can set in when weaving multiple towels on a longer warp.

The towels are off the loom and being hemmed. Some will find their way to the CHH gallery at the Guild House in Houston this weekend.

Now to setup the looms for the next projects.

This Amaryllis is blooming on a 24 inch stem. Normally their 10-16 inches tall. The bulbs outdoors are just beginning to send up their buds.

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Posted in 8 harness weave, CHH Guild House, Handwoven towels, Twill Weave, Uncategorized

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Scarves

Posted on February 20, 2018 | 3 comments

Sunsets and sunrises inspire this scarf. The hand dyed yarn used in the warp was a former convergence purchase, a fiber combination Rayon/Linen, which I had not woven with before. The 8 harness twill floats show off the warp colors. A magenta tencel was used in the weft.

So why weave two scarves alike? The second scarf on the warp I used a olive green Tencel for the weft. Much more subtle. This scarf was also treadled differently, using the same tie-up. When finished the scarves had a nice hand and drape. The Linen gave a sturdier feel than a scarf from all Tencel/Rayon.

Thoughts of spring flowers.

A trip to the garden store, found beautiful daffodils and tulips. I came home with snapdragons, marigolds, and petunias for the flower pots on the deck. Flowers I hoped would last longer as our temperatures fluxuate.

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Posted in 8 harness weave, Handwoven Scarves, Inspiration, Twill Weave, Uncategorized

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Weaving away winter blahs

Posted on February 8, 2018 | 7 comments

The weather has been cold and dreary. The lack of sunshine makes photography very difficult. The above shawl is a 12 shaft advancing twill, woven with 8/2 Tencel. Two colors in the warp and 1 in the weft. I love the movement the pattern creates. After I wove it though I couldn’t decide what side I liked better.

So what do you like better, the brighter side or the side where the purple weft stands out?

The fringe felt like I would never finish twisting; 6 ends per group, 236 groups per shawl. Thank goodness for fringe twisters.

We took a trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. A nice break from the dreary weather. Walking the beach is something I have always loved doing. Very few seashells and those to be had were small. Couldn’t go in the Pacific Ocean here, Riptides. Galveston, is one of the closest beaches to where we live but the water is muddy, not as beautiful as the above beach on the pacific coast.

The trip included shopping and the purchase of this piece. I was attracted to the design and colors. Probably won’t use as a table runner as I assumed it was meant. Instead, it maybe cut up for bright pillows.

Back home I’m wearing sweaters and waiting for spring to plant flowers.

A sunset dinner sailing cruise was a memorable time.

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Posted in 12 harness weave, Advancing twill, Handwoven Shawl, Travels

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Ringing out the year

Posted on December 31, 2017 | 5 comments

The last project of the year, cotton towels is off the loom and waiting for the hemming to be done. The Spring loom is not empty though, a project to be woven in the new year is almost threaded so weaving can begin.

I had given myself permission in 2017 to improve my weaving equipment and I followed my plan. An 8 shaft Spring loom was acquired and I added 4 more harnesses giving me a total of 12 harnesses. I also added a Tempo Treadle to the 12 harness Spring and to my 8 harness Baby Mac. Now I have fewer weaving errors and can weave more complicated patterns.

The towels used 8/2 cotton, sett at 20 epi, I used a 10 dent reed with 2 ends per dent. When weaving this 12 harness shadow weave pattern Some of the towels were treadled differently. So if you compare the 2 pictures the patterns are different. Also I used different weft colors.

No new equipment is on the horizon for the coming year. Instead I will be trying to down size some of my stash and equipment no longer being used.

A Happy Creative New Year to all!

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Posted in 12 harness weave, Handwoven towels, Shadow Weave, Towels

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Autumn colors

Posted on October 16, 2017 | 4 comments

IMG_6265Every autumn I weave a set of towels in colors of changing trees. There’s not much inspiration here, but my eye can take me back to the years spent in Minnesota.

The towels are a twelve shaft shadow weave, of 22/2 cottolin sett at 20 ends per inch. I used any where from 3 to 5 colors in their weaving. 3 colors in warp, The weft colors were changed as cones were used up to avoid adding to the stash.

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The box above is the 4 shaft extension kit for the Spring loom. Not what I expected for all that money. Anyways it arrived a few days before Hurricane Harvey so was not assembled for several weeks. A few choice words were spoken during assembly.  ( Have you ever assembled IKEA pieces?) My recommendation is if you think you want 12 harnesses invest up front and purchase a 12 shaft loom.

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This bundle of joy arrived a month ago to my Son and Daughter-in-law. We are lucky to live 5 hours away, making it easier to visit my first grandchild.

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A Baby blanket was woven and gifted.

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I’m finishing items for the CHH Annual Sale. So if your in the neighborhood visit and support the Fiber artists participating as well as the Contemporary Handweavers of Houston guild.

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Signs of the coming winter with the Blue Heron returning to the community lake.

 

 

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Posted in 12 harness weave, 8 harness weave, CHH Annual Weaving Sale, CHH Guild House, Handwoven towels, Shadow Weave, Twill Weave

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What I’ve been upto

Posted on September 5, 2017 | 9 comments

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Hurricane Harvey and it’s aftermath have caused a slow down or halt to any weaving the past 2 weeks. I’m lucky our house was not flooded. We were in a mandatory evacuation zone. After attempting to get out of town but finding roads blocked by rising waters. (A very scary situation) the  night was spent in a hotel parking lot. The next day we were able to drive to a hotel in another area. This was our home the next 5 days. Before leaving our home we tried to move what furniture we could to the 2nd floor. Furniture too heavy or big, stayed down. Two of the looms were on the first level. One was placed on top of the dining room table that was on blocks, and the second on wood blocks.

The above scarves were completed before all this drama. It is my first attempt at Echo and Iris.

 

It’s hard to believe there are 2 colors of 20/2 mercerized cotton in the warp that alternate. And 2 different colors in the warp that alternate. The color blending that occurs creates totally different colors. The different colors in each scarf are from changing the weft colors used.

So yesterday I spent some time weaving. I’m amazed at how calming I found that time. My thoughts and prays are with those who have suffered from the storm.

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Posted in 8 harness weave, Advancing twill, Echo and Iris, Handwoven Scarves

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Innovations in Weaving – Tempo Treadle

Posted on June 29, 2017 | 7 comments

IMG_0903In March of this year I decided to buy a Tempo Treadle  from Lofty Fiber  to create error free weaving on my Baby Macomber loom. So what is Tempo Treadle ? It involves adding  magnets to your treadles, (attached with velcro), that are detected during weaving by a sensor array strip placed below the treadles. The array strip is connected via a ribbon cable to a “System Unit” or small computer with display that sits on the castle.

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So what does the System Unit do? WIF files containing the weaving design are uploaded to the system unit, which also contains the system software which is customized for your loom type and model. The unit can be used to track threading also showing warp thread colors and progress. If you stop before completing your progress your place will be saved. It will list harnesses that should be tied to treadles. Allowing double checking for tie-up errors. Tracking weaving and detecting errors is my motivator to purchase.

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When I chose  to weave more complicated weaving, often it resulted in undetected errors or ones that required a lot of unweaving. I was beginning to wonder if it was still rewarding to weave. The Tempo Treadle has brought joy back to my weaving. It beeps when the correct treadle has been depressed and  released during weaving.  A different sounding beep is heard when the wrong harness has been depressed and released. These sounds can be adjusted or turned off. It will save my position when stepping away or turning the unit off. It allows me to now weave a long complicated treadling. The above picture of a woven Bateman Blend fabric has a treadling repeat of 104, including the tabbies.

Currently it  is not available for all types of looms. The sensor array is loom specific, but the System Unit which is purchased separately from the array can be used on any loom that  has a Sensor Array on it.
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When  I started this journey with Dawne and Barry from Lofty Fiber a Sensor Array had not been designed specifically for the Baby Mac. They had me make many measurements to determine placement of the sensors and Sensor Array strip to customize for the Baby Mac. The loom needed to be placed on raised legs to create space for the array under the treadles? This is only done for some loom types. The array is bracketed to the side supports so it does move. The only draw back with this arrangement is that to move the loom requires removing the Sensor Array and brackets and legs. There are many additional features to the Tempo Treadle I have not discussed that ease the weaving process, click on TempoTreadle.com to learn more.

Now to get the other 4 harnesses that I have on order for my Spring loom,  then a Sensor Array can be added to it for error free, stress free weaving too.

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Posted in 8 harness weave, Bateman Blend

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Catching up

Posted on June 20, 2017 | 2 comments

IMG_4290How time flies. A weaving state conference, an out of state wedding attended, and recovering from a virus, all in the last 3 weeks.

The Houston weaving guild hosted, the Contemporary Handweavers of Texas Biennial conference 2017, in Sugarland, Texas. I was an attendee and volunteer, helping with the fashion show. As one of the behind the scenes people, I helped  with the preparations, judging and models, to pull off this event. A sigh of relief when at the end of the conference all the garments were picked up by their owners and my duties were done.

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This shawl was my entry in the members exhibit, and modeled in the fashion show. You may remember it from my previous post “All that Glitters“. It was very difficult to photograph. The metallic threads play with the light. I finished the shawl with hemstiching, twisted fringe and gold beads.

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My first class was Exploring  Scandinavian Art Weave, taught by Inga Marie Carmel.  I really enjoyed this class. In my first sampler my bird has issues due to adding to many weft repeats within a block. The second sampler at the top of the post looks much better. This is slow weaving, but I believe you’ll see more in my future.

 

The second day a class by Anastasia Azure, “Woven Metal Jewelry”, filled the day.  Never having taken a jewelry class I found this a bit challenging. On the final day I filled my morning with a Kumihimo class with Rosalie Nielson. An interesting lecture followed by a small hands-on project.

The following weekend my nephew Max & Kelly were married in Madison, Wi. The morning of we explored and found the National Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wi. It was quite interesting, even if you don’t slather mustard on everything you eat.

Sunday on our way back to Milwaukee we stopped and toured an estate known as “Ten Chimneys” in Genesee Depot, WI.  It was the home of Lynn Fontanne and Alfred Lunt who were Broadway legends.

The evening was topped off with a fantastic German dinner at Mader’s Restaurant, in Milwaukee.

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Posted in CHT Conference, Swedish weaving, Travels, weaving workshop

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First project

Posted on May 25, 2017 | 7 comments

IMG_5674After a trip to Aruba I finished setting up the Spring loom to begin weaving.  It required learning new skills to get this far. Yes, I’ve been weaving for over 30 years but there are always new things one can learn about ways to use equipment.

Back to front, Front to back, how do you put on your warp. I had been warping from the front for over 30 years. It started when I was using mixed warps. Then I just got comfortable with doing it that way. So with the Spring I forced myself to learn once again how to warp from the “Back”.  The raddle with all the small divisions on the Spring seemed tedious, but that warp sure wound on nice. Threading texsolve heddles is quite different than metal heddles. After threading almost 500 Heddles I seemed to find a way to hold them to make threading more efficient.

Monday I sat down to weave. Of course 3 threading errors had to be fixed before continuing. My first 3 weft throws were good. Then I depressed the  4th treadle, or so I tried. I could not get a shed. I was  perplexed. Everything appeared fine. What had I done. The loom is tied up like a countermarche loom. Every heddle gets tied to a treadle whether used or not. Here in lay the problem. That particular harness had been tied to both a rising and sinking Lamm. A harness should only be tied to one or the other. Problem found and solved.

My first warp on the loom is for these cheerful towels. The warp and weft are both 8/2 cotton threaded 24 ends per inch.  An 8 harness overshot. By the time the warp is woven off I should be much more familiar with my new friend.IMG_4065

The view from our room in Aruba. The hotels were all along the beaches on this side of the island.

On the other side of the island the beaches are covered with dead coral. The water here is much rougher.  The second picture is a large volcanic rock.

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The sunset made for a beautiful evening dinner. The next two nights were cloudy, so this was our best sunset.

 

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Posted in 8 harness weave, Handwoven towels, Overshot, Travels

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