Prize for the Ball

I had been making and with the local Ball coming up I thought I would donate a couple of weavings, it felt good to give two pieces I had made, for the raffle and know two new owners would get a hand made created in enjoyment, using local wool yarns.

The above has been won by my friend which was funny result, but a very happy person.

I have woven two like the above but they are different slightly due to colour used in weft. one has been won and to which I was honoured to have say will be worn with admiration, the other I have given to Stephen as he was first pulled out but as he is on the team to the ball, redraw, so he received the other one which he's wearing around the house as proud as punch.

Collection of Winter Warmer

 

The three weavings of throw lengths and trialing out the size tags has come to an end. Yes I am still using the size tags - I measure and put small price tags in at 20cm lengths until I have reach the loom length required. I have woven and sold this weaving which is very encouraging.

To now be on the final section of weaving has meant I will consider all the different ideas that I have trialled - uneven hems/fringes, combining yarns, vibrant colours, slightly different lengths are a few. I like all of them and are very happy with what I have woven.

This shows how the weaving looks before washing.

Trios from a warp

 

trios weaving - throw under is part of a set to be shown at another time.

These came about from a couple of weaving's exploring combined colours in a warp. I use a finer warp than weft and clasp weaving method that I feel gives interest and difference in pattern.

100% wool warp and weft, red (two different reds) and two- thirds dark green and pink in the left and centre weaving, the combining of clasp-weft and putting in other colours give interest to my weaving. I also tried out a couple of fringing ideas from two threads the same colour to twisting options.

These are what has inspired the trios above.

 

Two lengths using clasp-weft and is one way I do free form, in which it is done by eye and is very enjoyable.

Weavings from a Rigid Heddle Loom

I recently received a gift of a rigid heddle loom and I have woven these two items on it whilst being away from home. This orange cotton and viscose was the first and it took a little to warp up as I was blending a couple of ideas on ways to warp up. But I wove this at the local artist market where I have a stall. It was a very winters day and weaving away gave both my hands and mind something to do that didn't involve the cold. I have tried a rough version of hand Leno at different points to see how the loom handled it.

A very happy piece and I was soon back at the rigid loom with more ideas abound for the future. For now I am trying a combined colour warp and another threading method after watching a few ytube video's. I found a slightly quicker way and was soon weaving away.

The way to yarns interact is something I find fun and are happy exploring, along with how different plys with different colours make for a rich textile piece wether that is light or heavy in both yarn and or colour.

Thank you

Stainless Steel & Silk Warp

This length has taken some time as I have been seeing what white yarns I wanted to use on a stainless steel and silk warp. I had been collecting small amounts of the stainless steel and silk over the last couple of years through sampling and shipbuilding as they have been kind to let myself  know about the fabulous yarns from Avril and Habu among a few others. The introduction of Saori weaving from Sampling has opened many possibilities from my ideas head space. So I wind the warp - To which I am still a bit naughty in not working out too many figures like the number of ends per inch and sett, but that's me. I did write down somewhere the number of ends I ended up with but alas it is now in a new safe place.



On the Table Loom,  looking at the light coming through.



I have such a lovely time when sitting chatting to the two companion's that keep myself company on this textile journey - while I explore what happens when ?????? ya that was interesting.

A square of stainless steel and silk to give a feature of some sort.

I still have tension issues and edges that look like waves to which I am learning to live with, forever viewing them as expressions of my emotional and other parts of me coming through.

Unwashed - detail of one end, what wrinkles and where did they come from? 

The weft is a combination of vintage white boucle Paton's (?1950's), wool 3-4 ply, silk and cotton blend, silk gima, cotton, tencel and possibly a couple of other yarns all of which could be brought as white yarn. Along with stainless steel and silk as the open squares to gain shape and movement in the piece or at least interest for me on how to weave them as I go along.



Finished unwashed length laid out in hall.



The only place which is long enough to see the length. Images a bit bright, yet it is a very sunny day and I was glad to see the total length. I kept the fringes longish to see what will happen when wet finishing is done, the only bit will be to sort out knotting.

Thanks

Dye - Natural

I attended a Natural Dye day at the local Handspinner and weaver's group near home. A bit cool still, but what colours we created from natural plants and natural dyes.  We took some carrot tops and 8 skeins of 10gm wool from my stash of whites. It gave myself the chance to see if hubby would come along and understand what I mean by natural dyes. We were given a list of items to bring along, with a plate to share, which was a nice way to meet people.

I must confess I took Hubby along, hoping he might enjoy the day. It seems like he did, as he was in at the different dye pots seeing what happens. He came away with a few samples for himself, I wonder if he'll make something. I had asked him along hoping he might as well get some practise with the process, for then he could help here at home. Also that it may make sense to him, my often strange requests in the creating process.



My samples with labels



We mordant a few samples and then into turmeric with two and one into the indigo (blue). Some non-mordant samples into eucalyptus  (what I call a rust red) and turmeric (yellow) and when ready carrot tops (green). I also put into indigo a couple of non-mordant and for varying times to see the shades of blue.

After the mordant the turmeric samples we kept one yellow and put the other one into the indigo to make a bright strong green.  With the carrot tops - I took out one sample and with another, when other ingredients where added to the pot to change the strength of greens. Our dye day was cleaned up and ended with my plate of delectable natural dyed yarns.

What a lovely day to which more natural dyes made be done at home, at the colours were bright and lovely. 

Sorting of some Yarns

We have been painting the inside of the cottage that I have a loom in, to make it more inviting and since we have been here for a few years, it needed decisions to be made about what sort of environment I want, need and what is to be for the 1860's building that has had a hard life at times.

But the one thing that has happened is some of the lovely yarns that friends have brought back from their travels for me, is now - not in a travel/emergency bag (we are in the country and with recent wet and fire) BUT in a doored bookcase with only a small amount of the white yarns, along with the black and the odd linen's that I have collected.

So the waking of a creative space that is suitable for visitors, is what we have been leading up too. This is where I can develop my works of weaving, glass, tapestry, experimental (almost everything) and share a space with Stephen. Also a space to just enjoy the sun coming in the door, with the view of nature.

Saori

White bubbles

This saori was fun to make, while exploring more of my white 'n' white idea. the clasp weaving with inlaying of a thick and thin yarn white is supposed to felt, but having used before does not very much. I wonder if it was because of being used more for knitting which would allow for more shrinkage.

The Square

While weaving this one I was wondering how the Alpaca that I had dyed would look like together. there is something very touchable and compelling about this piece. The squareness is what I call freeform with constrained as a harmony comes to me while I was making.

Red

To plan for three weaving from the one warp, which gave me a freeing from just patterning by the lifting of shafts to how or what yarns I use will give individual looks to of a different nature is fantastic.

Bamboo

Bamboo and wool what happens well a very soft drapable length of material with the greens giving another element to this piece.

This is another of the three which goes with the red saori which I think of as motion with the two yarns. The way a variegated yarn shows up both as a stripe and balancing the pink side and the demin together.

The making of these saori pieces by myself had given a passion in how many more ways can I create colour, texture, patterns and excitement.