hot on the loom is the final overshot pattern for my coverlet squares. Named “Star of Bethlehem” it is an old traditional pattern.

As the squares have been woven by different people they will vary in size. They all have to be squared or made to fit without cutting and I have decided to handstitch them with a herringbone stitch — in red.    

There is a woven border at the top and bottom of each square and stitching into it makes a firm join. Of course when the stitching is done on the sides it will be into the pattern.

What do you think about the red?

Nine squares alternate, indigo and natural grey, handspun wool. I’m hoping the red adds a little something extra.

That’s my living room carpet in the empty spaces. I wanted to get an idea of what they would look like.

Photos are wonderful to show the patterns — and where it would be nice to make changes. Of course it’s too late!

Now it’s time to consider putting them together and how to deal with variations in size.

I considered using commercial fabric which seems to be the most common choice. But in the interest of stash reduction I decided to weave 2.75″ strips to stitch between the squares,  9.5 yards of it. This can be extremely boring, it should go fairly quickly but  still requires the same number of weft shots as is necessary for much wider fabric.

Cotton warp and weft, indigo dyed with the weft a little heavier than the warp — maybe it will weave a little faster.

Once  they are together I’ll decide whether to weave a wider border to go around the outside.

Think I’ll stock up on talking books!

Okay, so they did cost him an extra thousand bucks. But if he overshot the budget, he could always take an advance on next month’s salary. Like Surekha had said, a wedding is once-in-a-lifetime. Of course he knew that! Hadn’t he slogged 15 years for his turn at marital bliss?

Anyway, now that the cards were here, better hand them out immediately. Only a week to the wedding and none of the guests invited yet! If Surekha knew, she would surely throw one of her pretty tantrums.

Let’s get started with Mr. Ramesh – ‘Mr. Nice Blue Bag’ in his head. He took the card with a warm smile and a “Badhai ho!”

Kalyani Madam seemed a little surprised. But she quickly recovered and muttered “Congratulations” before hurrying to her regular seat. He felt proud of himself. 15 years in Bombay had taught him what the word meant.

And so it continued, all through the morning. Every time a passenger got on, he would stop them near the entrance. Carefully give out one precious card, say “Thank you” to their kind wishes, and then drive on.

Two hours later, he was done. The morning round was over, each passenger safely delivered to his or her office.

Manoeuvring the bus into its cramped parking spot, he turned the key in the ignition. He could see Bhola in the back, bending low over a seat. He liked Bhola; the new cleaner was both hardworking and friendly.

“Boss!” called Bhola, turning around. In his right hand, he held a few dozen of the invitation cards, some dusty, others still pristine, all of them clumsily stacked together.

“What do you want me to do with these?” the cleaner asked.

This overshot draft  has the first three blocks circled.  Overshot blocks overlap, the last and first ends of each block.

Block D – shafts 1 & 4 – twice (red)

Block A – shafts 1 & 2 – once (blue)

Block B is next on shafts 2 & 3

Block C on shafts 3 & 4  and so on

Once I have figured out the block sequence, I can write it like this – a profile draft where each square represents a “block” of multiple ends

Now that I have a profile draft I can substitute each block (represented by one black square) to a threading, in this case a twill where every block will be substituted with 3 ends – that makes the draft 3 times larger.  This profile of 16 blocks will become 48 ends.

Block D x 2  threaded as 10, 11, 12 (I am using a 3-end twill so that on 16 shafts I can thread the edges as a fifth block for a border)

Block A x1, threaded 1,2,3,

Block B x 1, threaded 4,5,6,

Block C x 2, threaded 7,8,9

Block D will be 13,14,15

When I substitute each square of my profile draft with the threading ( here I have  added the fifth block on shafts 13,14,15  at each side for my border ) this is the draft.

Then I add my tie-up and treadling to come up with

Using blocks instead of a full threading allows one to experiment with  arrangements of threading and treadling more easily and see the overall pattern without the distraction of all the individual ends.   Of course a computer program for weave drafting is a huge help and time saver, but it  helps to know the theory behind the moves.   I have used Fiberworks PCW almost as soon as it was out.  For me it was the most logical of the weave software available and the easiest to learn.  I also have ProWeave,  it has features I like for other applications and especially for damask weaving.

I was excited to wind a warp for this overshot rug here. I shoulda known better than to try to get this done right on my Harrisville Rescue loom. A rug requires a firm (read: as hard as a grown-ass man can) beat. I have not the power nor the wrist stability. I have not the weighted beater. I have it on the wrong loom to even have a chance of it being a sturdy rug.

Let’s see. I wound the warp of 8/4 cotton carpet warp in natural. I have plenty of the same thread for the tabby weft. I ordered the 3-ply rug yarn in a marine blue in a generous amount. I am thrilled to be doing this project as I have admired it in Handwoven since the issue came out in March/April 2007. I have never woven overshot but that has never stopped me before. It is not my favorite weave structure but what the heck, I love a new thing. And I ended up liking the overshot process.

What did I realize?
1. I can wind a warp with 2 threads held together with my finger separating the threads and have the threads not twist.
2. I can get the warp on the loom in record time, making nary a mistake in the process.
3. I can tie the warp onto the front beam and even out the warp tension without stressing about it.
4. I can recognize that I have gone wrong with the tabby and can unweave and start over because it looks intuitively wrong.
5. I can read numerous resources and decide (thank you Mary Black and Mary M. Atwater) that I had started off with the wrong tabby shot. It made a difference.
6. I can realize this is a learning process and keep on with it in spite of realizing that it is not what it started out to be.

Wait. Go back to #6 and read it again. Yep. I knew it from the beginning and went on to spend time and materials weaving it anyway. And as I went along the beat was never right but it was consistent. The repeats measure the same size. I got 7 repeats instead of 10 on this warp length: the beat, the warp and tabby weft being a little fluffier than what was called for, the beat, the pattern weft being non-fuzzy and therefore not filling in the spaces well.

7. I should always wind an extra yard of warp just in case when working with something large like this rug.
8. Mary M. Atwater says that overshot rugs are usually too lumpy bumpy to be of any real use.

Here it is in a few pictures. It might make a good wall hanging.

9. And I can wind a ski shuttle to hold a huge amount of rug yarn.
10. I didn’t expect to like the actual weaving of overshot but I wanted to do it anyway. Know what? I liked it.

Project from Handwoven March/April 2007, pp. 32-34. Draft is Orange Peel from Josephine E. Estes, Miniature Patterns for Hand Weaving, Part I, 1956, p. 10.

Blue heathered wool by Jaggerspun

The yarn was left over from a cooperative project that I participated in with some other weavers.  All of us wove a 20″ X 20″  square of an overshot design of our choosing and we exchanged the squares with each other.  Supposedly to make a friendship coverlet — however some members of this group never quite finished, so I am left with a partial coverlet.

The overshot design I chose was called “Four Leaf Clover”.  Here is a detail of my woven square.

Detail of handwoven square - "Four Leaf Clover" pattern

I’m still wondering what to do with the handful of coverlet squares I do have.  All of them are beautiful, but just not enough to sew into a coverlet.  I may frame them…

Back to the current project. I decided to weave a pattern called “Shaded Twill” which is described in Marguerite Davison’s A Handweaver’s Pattern Book. This is what it looks like on my loom at this moment.

Shaded Twill Weave Scarf on Loom

Very unusual for my handwoven scarves – not my style at all. In my weaving, I tend to favor lightweight fibers like cotton, bamboo and tencel.  My colors generally lean toward the lights and brights, sometimes even neon. And my patterns favor texture often with floats to break up the monotony of a repetitive weave pattern. But I had to use up that wool yarn and I already had a warp chain wound of the natural silk and wool blend yarn. And this is the result.  Pretty pattern with a suggestion of quiet elegance,  and the wool is  soft and comforting as well.  I will weave the one scarf, then I’ll be back to my old funky self – color and texture – the two characteristics that drew me into the weaving process to begin with. But change is good sometimes, and this shows that even unplanned change in a new direction can have its merits.

]]> http://betweenthethreads.wordpress.com/2010/02/20/vav-magasinet/ Sat, 20 Feb 2010 22:01:40 +0000 betweenthethreads http://betweenthethreads.wordpress.com/2010/02/20/vav-magasinet/ For Christmas, I received a subscription to the Swedish Magazine, Vav Magasinet.  I had heard so many wonderful things about this beautiful publication.  Yesterday the second issue came in the mail.

Of course I get the English language edition which they started publishing about four years ago. Because Vav is European, it has a very different feel to it from an editorial standpoint.  It’s friendly and informative with a slightly formal but respectful approach.  They truly honor their national artists and there is great attention to detail.  One of the articles from this issue caught my eye.

It features information and drafts on some beautiful overshot as well as doublecloth pieces with hand embroidery added.  Vav features up to 13 different weaving projects.  This year will explore the theme of textiles and ecology, a surprisingly diverse study of fibers, chemicals, agriculture, and eco-practices such as making quality clothing that wears longer reducing the need to buy more.

It’s always a special day when Vav arrives.  I spend many happy hours pouring through this extraordinary quarterly.

Here is the back of the Delta, where I am just coming to the end of a sample warp. The first apron rod (I have two lashed together with spare bits of texsolv) has passed over the back beam; the corrugated card for separating the warp layers had been attached to the warp beam with masking tape, but the tape is beginning to unpeel itself under the weight of the sagging cardboard; the last of the floating selvedge is hanging down the back with the hook and washer coming into view.

At the front of the Delta there is a peg which holds the shafts steady when you want to change the tie-up. Mine is home to this little bird, a present from my friend Jim who brought it back from — I think — Slovenia.

He is the perfect adornment for my loom and they get on famously. If I zoom in, however, you can see that an accident has left its mark and the bird is missing one of his lovely delicate feathers — next to the heddles, on birdie’s right hand side. That will be my fault, though I can’t remember the details. I am ridiculously clumsy for someone who spends their free time threading hundreds of heddle eyes.

The Ashford still wears the hemp warp, although I had to cut off and re-tie. The gap between the breast and cloth beams is not that large and it rapidly filled up with my large-scale squidgy overshot: something to remember in future.

I have tried lots of pattern wefts, but am still hankering after that mad bobbly one which changed colour on me. It looks even more fun after washing. Here it is writ large (loving my new camera!) and showing off its splendidly wobbly interlacements. In fact the hemp tightens up beautifully when it’s washed. Not that there is any reason it shouldn’t, but stiff yarns always look so gaping on the loom that I am greatly relieved to find that they do actually turn into cloth.

“new year’s looms” was posted by Cally on 1 Jan 2010 at http://callybooker.wordpress.com

]]> http://callybooker.wordpress.com/2009/12/06/bobbly-weaving/ Sun, 06 Dec 2009 12:03:10 +0000 Cally http://callybooker.wordpress.com/2009/12/06/bobbly-weaving/

So we’re threaded, sleyed, etc and away.  I am playing with a variety of big fluffy pattern wefts, as a contrast to the very business-like natural hemp. This particular weft is from a big hank of unidentified yarn which a friend gave me. I wove her a chunky scarf with some of it, but there was masses left.  Anyway, the result is a big bobbly splurge, in which the pattern is quite hard to discern, but I don’t mind that. At 12 epi I had to cut the threading blocks down so that the floats wouldn’t be too long, and I am still working out what the number of picks should be to give me a nice balance: I am running at two-thirds of the original pattern at the moment. I should really be telling you all about the choice of pattern –  what it is and why I want to play with it — but first I need to find the words to do this, so not yet. You may of course recognise it, bobbliness notwithstanding….

“bobbly weaving” was posted by Cally on 6 Dec 2009 at http://callybooker.wordpress.com

It is all linen with a 2 ply warp, singles weft and doubled 2 ply in blue for the pattern. I think it was sett at about 32 epi and woven at about 38 ppi. The pattern is a Wheel & Rose, Young Lover’s Knot. There is a twist in the centre row between the delicate hemstiching.

It looks as though it was never used. So sad in one way – lucky for me though.

I think I am experiencing a reality check. I have had the excitement of discovering I can weave, the amazement of seeing patterns appear as if by magic. I have struggled with my impatience, learnt to take time with each stage (still difficult as I want to get on with the weaving bit!!) But I am dissatisfied with where I’m at. I have become caught in a ‘copying the books’ trap. I was telling myself that it was necessary to get to grips with the language of weaving and important to try out different threadings and treadlings. This is all all true but am I just avoiding  sitting  down, concentrating and working  out something truly my own? 

I have made use of the library at my local guild. It is well stocked with weaving and spinning classics.I have recently borrowed Mary Black’s “The Key to Weaving” and E. Worst’s “Foot Power Loom Weaving.”  He has a wonderful stock of traditional patterns including pages of Overshot and examples of traditional linen weaves which look wonderful. I have ordered second hand copies through Alibris as both are out of print.

There are some comments in Mary Black which have made me think. I am weaving some Overshot place mats at the moment. I have taken the design from the  book  published by Interweave  “Overshot is Hot”, which is why  I feel personally addressed by the following about Overshot:

” Of all the weaves,this one seems to have the greatest appeal to new weavers and as a consequence has probably been more abused than any other.

“Fortunately, present-day weavers have a keener appreciation of design and use their weaving knowledge with greater discrimination and effectivness.”

That statement contains some personal truths for me and has made me think. I have been fascinated by Overshot, at first finding it fussy and old-fashioned, but then getting absorbed in the connection with weavers past and the intricate swirls and blocks. Though I have not attempted to create my own design and haven’t really fathomed out how it all works. There is so much existing material that it is quite difficult to be adventurous. Are my table mats which are copied from a book being ‘discriminating and effective’ ? I have chosen my own colour scheme , ecru and black and actually I like what I am weaving. They look good with plain white everyday china. They are rather fussy but as long as the china is plain I think that’s OK. I would appreciate any comments as I am not sorrounded with friends making helpful criticisms

I am repeating the central pattern three times instead of the once shown in the book  (does that count for originality!!!) as my prototype mat shrunk an inch each way and I want them larger than the place setting. The joke is we hardly ever use table cloths let alone mats but theres always a first time for civilization to hit. I am hoping to get four out of the warp…..the dining room table won’t fit more people anyway!!

I have been analysing my best china, which my mother passed on to me recently. Its pink Spode and needs a plain weave mat with some surface texture. I also have some pink and blue Royal Doulton. It comes out at Christmas and the rare occasions when we entertain.

 This is a pudding dish in Spode Camilla. I wish it was blue Spode but never mind. I think it needs a deep pinky red textured weave. There are 12 of everything all sitting in the back of a kitchen cupboard. Enough for 12 for dinner and 12 for afternoon tea !!!!!! I don’t envisage weaving place mats for 12. Where would they all sit anyway?

                                                            I also have a smaller set of Royal Douton which is also mainly pink but has some deep blue and a green mixed in…

I have to now accept that the creative process has started and just needs some thought, experiment and time to develop a pleasing weave. It will not be Overshot but possibly a Swedish lace. I have recently played around with a sample piece using one of Ann Dixon’s patterns and found it makes a lovely fabric

This is Swedish lace, it would look a little better if not whipped out of a bag where its been folded up  for a few days and was pressed. It is actually very pretty.

 Its funny  that I started writing this with heavy heart and here I am planning something new and feel quite turned on by it. I am interested in a Russian psychologist called Vygotsky (1896-1934) He promoted an experimental method in which the tool used is the result. So here I am researching my lack of creative energy and attempting to define what I need to get moving. In the process of analysis (i.e. writing this post) I have found myself rekindled, planning future projects, using personal imagination, and feeling a lot better!!!

The sun is shining and I have just wandered out to the garden with my camera. The spring  flowers look wonderful. The colours are dynamic. Thought I might share them with you.

I am going to a weekend weaving workshop this Saturday, so with one thing and another I am back on track.

Well, there’s me. There’s Anthea in the Handweavers and Spinners Guild of NSW. The guild meets in the church hall behind St Paul’s Burwood (a suburb of Sydney), which has bells. Anthea heard the bells one day and went up the tower to see what it was all about.

There’s been an article in Handwoven which I came upon by chance – “Oranges & Lemons Say the Bells of St. Clement’s”, Pauline Drake, September/October 2000, pp. 32-34. The author used the simplest change ringing method (or pattern), plain hunt, to select stripe colours. However on checking I find she learnt about ringing from a book.

There’s a draft on handweaving.net with the note “I have a cousin who is an enthusiastic change-ringer. This is one of several patterns I’ve worked on as a gift for her and her “happy ringers.””

I’ve also found a project exhibited at Liverpool Cathedral UK in 2008 – an artist worked with ringers and “weaving technicians” to produce banners depicting bellringing methods.

So I haven’t discovered a lot, although I’m still convinced about similarities:

• An attraction to patterns and permutations.
• A love of process, not instant results.
• A somewhat unusual interest – although something most people know a bit about (or think they do).
• A wealth of jargon with very specific meanings, some of which is used rather differently in “mainstream” language.
• A lot of underlying theory that can enrich the experience, but you don’t have to know to get along.
• A certain level of dexterity required and some physical demands.
• With both I try for an “alert rhythm” – physically repetitive motions that benefit from constant fine-tuning, plus following a pattern where your mind can drift a bit but with the risk  of undesirable results.

The major difference I can think of is that weaving is solitary while change bellringing is done in teams (one per bell – or one person per two bells with handbells).

My overshot experiment is finished. I first described it here. I was working on my four shaft table loom, so had four blocks possible.

Without getting too distracted by ringing theory, on the left is the beginning of Bristol Surprise Major (diagram created in the online method database). The bells start by ringing once in turn, highest note to lowest. Then we ring again in a different order according to set patterns or methods. The path of the treble (bell with highest note) is shown in red. The path of the 4th bell of the eight is shown in blue – and the same path is traced in the bookmark I wove.  It’s repeated because I wanted some width and also to experiment with creating a visual break with limited blocks (any pattern of the black weft is hidden by the black warp).

It’s more a novelty thing – I don’t have a lot of use currently for such heavy fabric (cottolin sett at 48 epi). I’m now interested in the possibilities of summer and winter – especially given my big loom has 24 shafts to play with. Initial experiments in my weaving software (Fiberworks PCW) gives this possibility for the beginning of the path of the 4th bell in bristol major.

If I juggle with three shuttles this could be possible – the path of the treble in red as well as the 4ths place bell in blue.

Maybe fun for teatowels . Step two is lots of sampling and playing in fiberworks – for a start this is the back view and I’ll probably have to flip things around to avoid getting a mirror image. Plus all the treadling options to explore – Leigh has some wonderful posts on Summer and Winter, including this one.

Step one is finishing the undulating twill  currently on the loom – more on that another day.

I wasn’t able to take advantage of Lynnette‘s suggestion to reduce the warp tension. I dislike blaming my equipment (classic sign of a poor workman), but my little table loom went straight from my standard tension to sloppy and unweavable with just one click of the ratchet.

This overshot was woven on 4 shafts. The warp threads on two adjacent shafts form a block which gives 4 blocks – A= (1,2 or 2,1), B= (2,3 or 3,2), C= (3,4 or 4,3) and D= (4,1 or 1,4). When designing you can repeat blocks, say AABBCCCD, which is 1,2,1,2,3,2,3,4,3,4,3,4,1.

The warp ends highlighted in red are at the change of blocks where you miss out a thread rather than repeating. So the red 2 is the last thread of the A blocks and the first of the B blocks. This has the advantage that the ends alternate on odd and even shafts, which means you get plain weave by lifting 1+3 then 2+4.

The pattern is produced by using twill lifts: 1+2, 2+3, 3+4 and 4+1.

Generally you alternate two shuttles. One shuttle has yarn similar to the warp and produces the plain weave background. The second shuttle weaves the pattern using twill lifts and the yarn is generally a contrasting colour,  soft and compressible so it squeezes down when it goes between warp threads but spreads out to cover the plain weave with the floats. The sequence could be:
1.  lift shafts 1+2, use pattern weft
2.  lift shafts 1+3, use background weft
3.  lift shafts 1+2, use pattern weft
4.  lift shafts 2+4, use background weft
5.  lift shafts 2+3, use pattern weft
6.  lift shafts 1+3, use background weft
7.  lift shafts 3+4, use pattern weft
8.  lift shafts 2+4, use background weft

In this example picks 2, 4, 6 and 8 give the plain weave background so you have a stable cloth. The pattern picks are the decoration and given the repeated blocks and twill lifts you get the pattern weft floating (shooting?) over areas of the cloth. You get areas of colour (the weft float), areas of non-colour (where the weft float is on the underside and the background cloth is showing) and areas of “half-tone” (at the edges of the float which are the adjacent block and the pattern weft actually does plain weave).

The sampler design in the sampler is Ancient Rose Design from Marguerite Porter Davison’s A Handweaver’s Pattern Book.

Right near the end of the warp I returned to the attempt to get a square ground. This time I used a finer weft – 8/2 cotton (Borg’s Bomullsgarn) instead of the 22/2 cottolin. It’s not quite but very nearly there and has the plus of being a slightly different pink which adds visual interest. You can see here I also used a brighter pink weft, although still Bendigo Mills classic 2 ply. Another not-so-successful aspect of this sampler, in that I originally planned to go for neutrals in the colour scheme. I need to change my shopping habits to address that.

What else? Did you notice the threading issue in the earlier photos? (Just noticed the second photo is of the back of the cloth, which is why the problem moves). I missed out 2 threads in the draft – in the pink photo the centre “flower” on the left is lobsided. This was a mistake at the computer during planning, when I was doing a copy and paste and didn’t repeat a block the right number of times. I didn’t notice until I’d done quite a bit of weaving.

It’s not all bad news.  Here are some variations which I find interesting. From top to bottom:

* Polychrome – two pattern picks (different colours, adjacent lifts eg 1,2 then 2,3) followed by a plain weave pick.

* Feather stitch – 3 picks in a sequence: pattern, plain weave, pattern (same lift as the first) eg 1,2 then plain weave then 1,2.

* Shadow fashion – the pattern weft is fine (I used aurifil 12/2 cotton sewing thread). I used the same cottolin plain weave weft, but in theory should have used something heavier.

I don’t expect to use anything directly from this sampler any time soon. So why was my very next warp also threaded as overshot?

I am a bellringer – not tunes and such but change ringing. Without going into a lot of detail, bells are rung sounding in a pre-set order or method. I think every bellringing weaver has looked for ways to represent ringing methods in weaving.

I came across an article by Leslie Killeen:  Fiesta Cloth – coloring by numbers in March/April 2007 Handwoven. The fabric is a non-traditional overshot, warp dominant so the half tones don’t show, and a single thread is used for both pattern and plain weave. The cloth in the article looks like “plain hunt”, so I had to give it a try. In the photo is “plain bob minimus”. This is attempt 3. The first was set at 36 epi and too loose. I cut it off and re-sleyed at 48 epi – much better, but I hadn’t mixed up the background colours well. Off that came and I did some judicious swapping. There’s still a way to go, it’s not quite what I want – but I will be coming back to this.

First cab off the rank – overshot. The warp and tabby weft are cottolin. The pattern weft is two strands of bendigo woollen mill’s two ply classic wool. The threading is Ancient Rose Design from Marguerite Porter Davison’s A Handweaver’s Pattern Book. My original intention was to change pace and try using neutrals, but on checking my shelf it became apparent that my shopping is rather skewed and slightly dusty pink is the closest I had.

I’m having some trouble with getting the beat right. The warp is set at 18 ends per inch, so I’m aiming at just over 16 picks per inch while under tension on the loom. This is only considering the pink tabby weft, which is intended to produce a nice balanced plain weave. It ignores the claret wool pattern weft, which is meant to smoosh down in between. Trying to beat harder didn’t actually do the job, and the little table loom and my shoulders and neck started complaining. Plan B is to put the weft in at a steeper angle – the greater length allows the weft to move up and down around the warp threads more and so pack down better. Sorry, I can’t give proper attribution for this idea – I’ve been reading lots about overshot in the past week and can’t remember the source. However, it is helping. I’ve found it slower since I don’t have a lot of space in front of the beater and have to fiddle about. I only need to do it for the tabby – the pattern weft started looking a bit loose and messy on the floats.

Extra ideas welcome – and to those who aren’t familiar with overshot my apologies. I’ll try to give a bit of an explanation on how it works when the sample’s done and I can review what I’ve learnt.

I attempted to pick out some of the colours by gazing at the sofa cover. I ordered the mercerised 2/6 cotton, wanting  add a little  shine to the texture. Sadly  I was a disappointed with the colours when they arrived. The coral turned out to be a bit too pink, well more like salmon actually, and I realised it did not really tone in  with the gold or blue. The gold is the easiest shade to start with and at least reflects the chair colour . I have measured a warp of 3 yds which will give me three cushion covers.

 I have been sampling Overshot recently, and though I feel its possibly  rather a fussy  tecnique I think it will add a traditional feel to the chairs. I think the ghost of great aunt Margery may be hovering as I believe she specialised in designing and sampling these traditional designs. The Bergman just wants to get on doing what it is used to….I will steer it into other paths next warp!!

I continue to find getting all the warp process accurate and methodical a tension making task.( in more ways than one) I have great trouble counting anything and calculating ends and amounts a challenge. I tried warping front to back this time rather than using my raddle. I am not sold on pre-sleying the reed and think I will settle for the raddle next time. I am still mixing in old cones of knitting yarn and though quite pleased with my efforts will give more thought to colour in future. Somehow these tones are remeniscent of 1950s soft furnishings, but what goes round comes round!!

I have been using Ann Dixons Handweavers Pattern Book and this is “Small Honeysuckle”. I got a bit carried away experimenting with colours. I would like to try it with brighter clearer tones in a thinner yarn next time.

I went to a Guild meeting last week . I am really enjoying these. People have been so helpful and encouraging.  I have met a wonderful 80 year old lady at these meetings who runs workshops from her house, she has a studio in a barn. She is a retired Occupational Therapist ( she was principal of a training college) but was a  weaver before that. Her workshops are very popular and I have put my name down for the New Year. She is rigorous and demanding as a teacher but I have seen the results in examples of work and can’t wait.

I borrowed some wonderful books from the Guilds library, another treasure house of out of print weaving books, all kept securely locked in a rusty metal cupboard in the outer reaches of the hall where we meet. Amongst the ones I took away with me “Swedish Hand Weaving” by Malin Selander and Mary Meigs Atwater’s “Recipe Book”. Both are out of print and seem to be very expensive second hand. I love them and its set my mind off planning futute projects. I have been thinking about the way weaving has grabbed me over the last few months. Part of it is the endless potential available. Modern textile technology , sewing and knitting machine demand extra attachments and endless expenditure to keep up to date. A loom comes with hundreds of years of experience, design and history. You can start very simple and develop to intricate. The variables are endless, and I find it exciting, to the point of not sleeping due to planning and imagining.

Reading them and absorbing drafts and design ideas I have come to a realisation. I want to weave thin, light, and airy rather than thick, heavy and no doubt quick and easy. My husband made a lovely comment when he looked at my cushion covers.”Fantastic but why does weaving look so rustic? ” Well I’m not sure I want to be rustic….. which leads me to imagining more delicate warps!! I love the Scandanavian style. I yearn to try textures and linen…….I think I have a tendency to look back and to imagine I am weaving a bottom drawer of linens and bed spreads!!

I also bought half a fleece as I think I should refresh by spinning skills. I once went to classes but have never spent much time spinning. I started when we kept sheep but got bored trying to spin enough to knit a jumper. My spinning wheel was also Margery Fulleyloves and is beautiful It spins a very thin yarn and the wheel goes extremely fast.

I had a cone of off-white 2/22 mercerised cotton and some thin browny mauve Italien wool. I have started a scarf and its not at all rustic. Its smooth and resembles fabric. As part of educating my weavers head I have threaded up another Ann Dixon draft, a twill on p71 which makes little twill squarish diamonds and looks classy !! I am weaving all hours in a freezing converted garage which is my work room trying not to use the heating which has pricewise gone through the roof.

I am almost ready to thread up the other 4 shafts which are piled up on a window sill just waiting.

One last thing. The University of Denver contacted me to say they had by chance read this blog and wanted me to know that they have a photo of Margery working at her loom. I have seen it but am not sure whether I can post it here because of copyright. Unfortunately her loom is not the one I am using but a much larger one and not a Bergman as far as I can see.

Americans die in Guatemala crash

Five US aid workers are among 10 people who died in a plane crash in Guatemala on Sunday, police in the Central American state say.

The Guatemalan pilot and co-pilot were also killed when the small aircraft crashed about 90km (55 miles) east of the capital, Guatemala City.

Four other Americans injured on the plane were airlifted to hospital.

Initial reports suggest engine failure was to blame for the crash of the single-engine Cessna Caravan 208.

Victims’ bodies were reportedly badly burnt, making it difficult to identify them and establish their nationalities.

‘The engine just stopped’

The pilot reported engine trouble about 45 minutes after take-off and tried to make an emergency landing, Civil Aviation director Jose Carlos said.

The survivors were evacuated by helicopter from the site

The plane, which had been en route to El Estor close to the Caribbean coast, came down in a field of crops.

The survivors were ferried to Guatemala City by helicopter.

US citizen Sarah Jensen, 19, said her father and brother had been killed and her mother badly burned on her arms and legs.

“Ten minutes before [the crash] the engine just stopped and then we coasted,” she told Reuters news agency, as she limped across the tarmac.

“We tried to land in a field but we overshot. The people on the left side of the plane were okay because there was a big door.”

Ms Jensen and her family had been on a mission to build houses in a village near El Estor. ]]> http://buyathread.wordpress.com/2008/08/17/weave-of-the-week-3/ Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:03:30 +0000 buyathread http://buyathread.wordpress.com/2008/08/17/weave-of-the-week-3/