2018 will soon be here

I so badly need to start keeping a record of my weaving projects.  Maybe, just maybe, 2018 will be the year.

To start I guess I should maybe make a list of items I wish to produce in the coming year:

     Standard items
     1.  Of course towels
     2.  Place mats
     3.  Baby blankets
     4.  Shawls

     New items
     1.  Wearables - Ruanas, tops etc.

     New processes
     1.  Double weave
     2.  Rep Weave
     3.  Krokbragd

I also need to start taking and posting more pictures.

Like the first time I wound a warp on my sectional
beam and all the sections came out the same length.

It doesn't take much to make me happy.

Until next time I'm
Weaving and Lovin' It.

Busy, busy busy

Sunday we had our cricket club meeting.  It was a week early since I will not be available next Sunday.  We just sat around weaving and talking about what processes we would like to cover in the next meetings such as hem stitching, using pick up sticks for design elements, studying and perhaps doing a sampler in various yarns to see their body and drape and a new to us process called clasp weaving.  Looking forward to the next meeting ladies.

Monday I spent at the Appalachian Art and Crafts Center winding the warp for the napkins I plan on weaving for the Tuesday Weavers to put in the shop.

Tuesday was back to the Craft Center for our regular get together.  For the first time in a couple of months I was actually able to sit at a loom.  I wasn't able to weave yet but the heddle count has been set up with 200 heddles on shaft 1 to accomodate an Atwater Bronson Lace pattern.  When I get back to the center after 2 weeks away I will be ready to set up the treadles and start threading.  I have really missed weaving at the center.

After leaving the center I met Karin, Sharon and Sandy at the Clinch River Yarn Co to take a lesson in inkle weaving.  Karin was kind enough to share her knowledge with us and we were her Guinea Pigs on her first time teaching inkle weaving.  She did an excellant job and I am enjoying yet another type of weaving.  Hey, Karin, look what I did!

Decision Made

It finally hit me,  I want to weave napkins!

It just so happens there was another challenge issued to the Tuesday Weavers.  On July 7 this year we are to bring a handwoven napkin to use at lunch that day.  Since I have never woven napkins I decided that would be the "next" warp.  Now that wasn't so hard really.  Why, oh, why can't I do this without stressing about it so?

Today I wound the warp. 10/2 cotton, this also is a first for me.

I will be doing an Atwater Bronson Lace draft from A Weaver's Book of 8-Shaft Patterns by Carol Strickler.  Concentric Squares #610 page 184.

Problem Solved

What to do for my next weaving project was solved for me.  My son, Alan, called last night and asked "how long does it take you to weave a scarf?".  Answer, on the ridid heddle loom it will take 1 day if I start early enough, why?  A friend at work is retiring and he would really like to give her one of my hand woven scarfs.  After playing 20 questions we settled on a drapey tonal green scarf.  No bright colors, no intricut patterns just a nice simple scarf.

Do I have the yarns in my stash for this scarf?  Of course not, so off I go to Clinch River Yarn Co.  To see Sandy and pick out the perfect yarn for this project.  We came up with Berrocco, Folio 65% Superfine Alpaca and 35% Rayon for the warp (12epi dye lot #20) and Madelinetosh hand dyed yarns, Tosh Merino light 100% Superwash Merino Wool, colorway Jade, for the weft.

"

I think it is looking pretty good.  I do hope it is what Alan is looking for.

The Loom is Empty!

What a warp this was!  So many learning opportunities:

   *  Make sure you measure your warp properly
              1.  Planned to do 10 yards, did 20
              2.  Planned on being 16" wide, did 15

    *  Wind on with a good even tension

    *  The last lesson learned?
                You know how you try to help teenagers by giving them advice about things you have learned over your life time.  They don't listen because they know everything already.  Well, this apparently pertains to some of us weavers also.  I have been told, and I have read "do not weave too close to the reed because you will not get a good shed".  Well, quess what, all those people know what they are talking about.  Out of 20 placemats 7 had errors that went all the way across the pick, something I did not see until they were washed and dried.

This was the third tie-on for this warp.  Bad tension can really mess you up.

That 20 yard warp is off of the loom finally.  Now comes the time that I have been dreading.   I HAVE to make a decision as to what will be on the looms next.  Help me, I can't make up my mind and when I do decide I have to wind the warp (my least favorite part of weaving).

Rainy Days and Fridays

Rainy days and Fridays equals finishing 12 placemats.

After spending the morning on my iPad looking at Ravelry, Tuesday Weavers Blog and Facebook, all of which were showing me lots and lots of finished weaving projects, I decided it was time to stop procrastinating and finish my challange placemats.

First comes serging 12 placemats-

Then comes hemming 12 placemats-

 

Followed by washing, trimming off ends (which I prefer to do after washing and drying), repairing errors that do not show up until after washing, and finally a good pressing.

I am still in a quandry as to what to work on next.

Cricket Club Meeting

The third Sunday of each month the  Clinch River Yarn Co hosts a Cricket Club meeting from 2pm until 4ish.  Today is the third weekend in January.  There was a nice healthy sized group of 13 weavers in attendance.

Before the end of each meeting we try to reach a consensus as to what we should work on during the next meeting.  Last month it was decided that the theme for the today would be the Hounds tooth pattern.  This pattern is enjoyed by many and is a fairly easy pattern to accomplish.

The loom is warped with 2 dark warps followed by 2 light warps continuing across the desired width of your project.  If you are new to rigid heddle weaving what this means is that you pull a loop of dark through the slot in the heddle to your warping peg followed by a light loop in the next slot continuing for your desired width. When you have completed pulling your loops through, wind on the warp, cut the loops and thread one of the yarns in the slot in the adjacent hole, you will have 2 dark ends followed by 2 light ends.
Wind 2 shuttles, one in dark yarn, one in light.  Weave 2 picks of dark yarn followed by 2 picks of light continuing until your project is completed.

A lot of good work was done today, however, I was only able to get a couple of pictures before everyone left the shop.

We also did a lot of visiting, sharing, comparing and a little eating.

My addition to the party

is made with Atomic City Fibers handdyed Superwash Merino fingering weight in Reyleigh's  Violet Skies and Sandnes Garn, Alpakka fingering weight white.  I am warping 6" in a 12 dent heddle.  The length of my warp is 94" (72" scarf,  2-6" fringes and 10" of loom waist)