Weaverly

Old Friends, Best Friends

Yes, it's time to weave lampas again. After I finished working on the lampas monograph (see sidebar), I put lampas aside for a few years. Then there was a pandemic. I consoled myself with some old friends. As I recall, there was lots of chocolate.

And long walks close to home.

But a few days ago I was surveying this evidence of stash-busting in my garage:

And a little voice said, "it's really time for more lampas."

And so I put a new warp on my 8-shaft loom...

...and started sampling lampas blocks. Warp is a mixture of 10/2 cotton and 8/2 tencel for the primary warp, and a fine wool/tencel blend for the secondary warp. The weft is 10/2 cotton for primary warp and sport-weight 2-ply handspun wool for the secondary weft. 

The structure for the primary blocks (ground) is plain weave, and a jeans twill for the secondary (pattern) blocks. Shafts 1-3 for the jeans twill, shafts 4 & 5 for Block One plain weave, shafts 6 & 7 for Block Two plain weave, leaving me a handy shaft 8 for a selvedge. There is some tying going on in the secondary blocks (so there's no true double weave here), which is causing some blips which I'll have to address later. Also a few misbehaving selvedges. But this is a first run I'm showing you. 

Nice to see you again, Lampas, my old friend!

Department of Books

I just finished reading Plunder: A Memoir of Family Property and Nazi Treasure by Menachem Kaiser.

Too Hot to Think

The heat is not as bad here as elsewhere, but it does slow me down a bit. 

This used to be a color that cheered me up, but now it's almost too much.

I toned that color plan down a bit for a new warp on the dobby loom. Loom had been sitting naked for a while. 

Straight draw on 16 shafts, nothing fancy. Just to keep her clothed. This is #12808 from handweaving.net. It has a delightfully pebbly texture on the front.

A night view.

And now for something a little cooler. To me this says melting snow. #7467 if you want to try it out.

I found the following two pictures from an old blog post that was written but never actually posted. Oops. It was from a field trip to several antique stores. Very spooky stairway. I did not go that way.

But I did go upstairs.

Department of Books. I just finished reading Donna Tartt's The Secret History. 

Jin and More

I've been away, and now I'm back. I was lucky to see my beloved Fie Top again after way too long. The sky is so vast, the vistas so long. I feel restored.

Back home, my luck still holds. My neighbor tends this beautiful garden in the back yard. She does all the work, and I get to sit on my back porch and enjoy the view. Win win.

In the studio, I have finished a jin scarf. It's a curious blend of slub cotton, black & white nub rayon (warp), and pink tencel (weft). 

It was drafted on a networked threading, based on a gently sloping line, and then a liftplan constructed in Photoshop Elements ®. 

Department of Books: I have finished reading Jane Stern's Ambulance Girl.

After two iterations of the runners based on Bateman Park weaves, I was totally bored and decided to weave off the remainder of the 8-shaft warp in plain weave with a hemp weft from my stash. 

To the bitter end!

And then I cut it off (cutting-off photo credit to Bruce):

After hemming and wet finishing, here's one of the runners on the porch floor:

The plain weave section yielded two nice towels. 

And finally, time for a walk, despite the drizzly weather.

Twists and Turns

Yesterday morning we got up early, fixed a breakfast of bagels & lox, and sat down to watch the F1 Grand Prix from Monaco. I love it all, the commotion, the drivers, the announcers, the brass bands, the chutzpah.

While I watched, I twisted fringes.

 

Polyvalence. After a wash & dry & pressing, I was able to compare the first version (white warp, black weft) with the second version (4-color warp, black weft). 

The addition of color is truly amazing. A hidden aspect is revealed. There are now four distinct color images, each one slightly shifted widthwise from the previous one.

It reminds me of those pictures you have to view with specially colored glasses in order to make sense of them.

 

Department of Books: Have finished reading The Privileges by Jonathan Dee and I Came All This Way to Meet You by Jami Attenberg.

 

Near and Far

It has been a busy week, with comings and goings, highs and lows, that sort of thing, but today I vow to get back on a regular schedule, and concentrate a little harder. First order of business is a walk. All is now fully green, the weeds perhaps the most picturesque of all. 

The polyvalence sampler is now off the loom & washed & dried. Fringes twisted. The circles are definitely down the middle. Thank you all for the input. You were right.

I've changed each successive circle four pixels to the right, so there are now four distinct variations, repeated 2 1/2 times. I may just pick my favorite and stick with it. TBD.

The next step is tying a four-color warp onto the white one. Here it is last night, just before bedtime.

Here it is this morning, at first light. Tencel & cotton.


In the Department of Books, I just finished reading James Salter's 2013 novel, All That Is.

Small Victories

Morning in the woods. The first thing that popped into my head when I saw this tree was "V for Victory." Does anyone say that anymore? It did make me think a good day was in store.

Honeysuckle is everywhere. If you put your face right up close to the monitor you will be able to smell it. Delicious.

No, I did not pay this gentleman to pose with his bicycle in front of the gazebo. Isn't he perfect?

Some of my friends are Master Gardeners and know the names of every plant and tree and weed in the woods. Not I. I don't know what this one is, but it is very showy right now, and I love the way the leaves light up when the sun shines through them just so. 

Back in the studio, I'm working on a third runner (towel?) on the Bateman variations warp. I've modified the draft a bit, slightly elongating the blocks. The pattern weft is pink slub cotton, and the tabby is red tencel. 

A closeup. The little diamonds show up more clearly with this yarn combination. It's always fun when that happens. There's never any predicting it.

I recently received this book in the mail. It's got a number of interesting overshot drafts in it, drafts which are a little different than the American ones I am familiar with. My copy is already bristling with blue sticky notes.

Here's one I am interested in sampling. It's my modification of a draft the authors call "Dalkulla." What do you think?

A Day in the Life

A day in the life. Maybe a couple of days, actually.

It's been really busy around here. Some wonderful folks have come to visit, and it's been such fun to show them around my studio. I love it when I get the really good questions. My favorite is the one about how I got started weaving. I always credit Mrs. Julia Loso, my 6th grade teacher. Thank you, Mrs. Loso. Thank you thank you.

The Bateman weave (Park Weave, specifically) is off the 8-shaft loom, washed & dried. It looks pretty good after its bath. Nice squishy texture. It will be a good towel.

Around the lake, everything is looking extra verdant, especially after the recent abundant rains.

Farther afield, C and I have been exploring. This morning we strolled along the streets of Slater Marietta.

Here's the old Post Office. 

 

Some of the signage is showing its age. 

The residents have a fine sense of humor.

Always good to share adventures with a friend.

Back at home, I am very intrigued by the concept of polyvalence, as introduced by Olivier Masson. Many thanks to Muffy & Beryl for guiding me along this path. I'm still not sure of my way, but every day brings new insights. This afternoon I added color to a warp, and was very surprised at the result.

Turtles & Such

This morning I spied thirteen turtles sunning themselves on an island in the lake. Count them! (Two are near the lefthand margine).

And speaking of turtles, my doodling is veering in that direction. But sadly, my dobby loom isn't wide enough to weave this.

In the Department of Books, I have just finished reading Eleanor Catton's Birnam Wood. Recommended.

Brown and Friends

On this miserable, rainy day it feels right to welcome brown and its many warm friends: amber, chocolate, burgundy, mud, and gold, to name a few.

My favorite photographer and I had lunch at the Asia Pacific. I started with a pot of lovely oolong tea. 

Then there was stir-fried squid and vegetables. Delicious. The sucker pattern on the squid tentacles is noteworthy.

Just by coincidence, the Park weave I am doodling with this afternoon has its own pattern of little circles in half-drop pattern. Or maybe it's not coincidence.

In Studio Annex Three (otherwise known as the guest bathroom) I am giving the Conestoga project a nice warm bath.