Weaverly

A Little History

The last thing we talked about at the network drafting workshop at LoftyFiber (see previous post) was jeans twill on eight shafts. I went digging through my archives last night and found a couple of drafts with that very characteristic: a network based on a 3-end initial, with patterns of 2/1 twill on a ground of 1/2 twill. Eight shafts. After I whip my studio back into shape, I think these will be next in the queue.

Every few years Erik posts this picture on FB. I never get tired of it. Sweet memory.

He says it's from 2009 at Garcia's on the Miami River. Sounds about right.

Network Drafting Workshop at LoftyFiber

After a lovely Mother's Day breakfast (thank you, Willy & Catalina), I am relaxing and reviewing some of the wonderful memories of the network drafting workshop at LoftyFiber over the past three days. Patti, bestest documentarian, has provided the pictures.  

Ten serious weavers and hosts Dawne & Barry got together for three days of real-world cut & paste, computer explorations, and a generous helping of loom time. Here's a sampling of how much fun we had. Great group, great weave-talk. Let's do it again!

A Departure and a New Beginning

The hemp/linen towels were washed, dried, and hemmed. Click to enlarge & see the pattern a little more clearly.

A few days later, the loom they were woven on found a new owner. 

The Octado is carried out to the waiting truck.

This dear loom has served me well over many years, and now is going to a good home with a new weaver. Happy weaving, Linda!

A Puddle of Cloth, and Some Other Pleasures

A cone of hemp yarn was almost—almost—enough to weave off the end of a cotton & linen warp. To eke out the little bit of warp left, I started using up partially filled bobbins of this and that. Cotton, cotton blends:

—and some fine yarns used double in this very useful (but heavy) shuttle:

The entire warp has been cut off, the colored parts separated from the natural parts, all raw ends secured before washing. There is a nice 4-yard length of the part with hemp weft. I threw it on the floor in a puddle to catch some of the shadows. It still has a lot of body and stiffness, which will change after it's washed.If you click to enlarge, you might see the amalgamated weave pattern, subtle but definitely there.

The absolute highlight of the week was the final rigid heddle class at OLLI, with much hilarity and celebration. This intrepid group of new and not-so-new weavers honed their skills and forged new links of friendship. 

In the book department, I have a recommendation for you: The Library Book by Susan Orlean. It is a fascinating read on many levels: part mystery, part social commentary, part bibliophily. I truly couldn't put this one down. About the Los Angeles library fire of 1986 and much more.

Another Option

I think I"ll be able to eke out another few samples on the turquoise warp before the loom goes in for minor surgery.

This weft is deep wine-colored cottolin, and the lift plan repeat is quite short.

Feathers, maybe?

Just finished a book I'd like to recommend: Rachel Cusk's Outline. A novel in conversations about life, relationships, and the art of writing. 

The Better-Behaved Warp

The turquoise warp is behaving better as it nears the end. Who can figure these things out? Here is an amalgamation sample with a magenta cottolin weft.

Meanwhile, at OLLI, the rigid heddlers are learning a triple zig-zag stitch for joining narrow woven panels. I've never heard the room so quiet!

A nice sunlit patch in a corner for better visibility:

Aha! Success.

And this morning, yet another weft, this time yellow cottolin, on the turquoise warp. Yes, it's still amalgamation, but with a very short repeat in the lift plan.

A closer view.

Warps: The Good, the Bad, and the $@%!!*#

Is it possible that I got a batch of bad yarn? I've experienced so many broken ends on this warp that I feel like an evil spirit is tracking me. The sample is a nice one, though; a new weft color, a tweaking of the liftplan. I do love the patterns I'm getting with this particular draft, but the breaks are driving me bananas.

Just click to enlarge and you'll see the telltale pin.

Meanwhile, the rigid heddlers are putting on new warps this week, amid much hilarity. This group is fond of puns and wordplay. Who knew warping could be so much fun?

An Inauspicious Beginning

A brand new warp, and I immediately broke three warp threads.

Repairs made. Moving on. Another weft. Now, that's better!

Oops.

Life is better in the Department of Books. I recently finished Barbara Tuchman's Stilwell and the American Experience in China. Quite a slog in places, but ultimately a very rewarding read. Highly recommended. Add that to Simon Winchester's The Man Who Loved China and Peter Hessler's River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze, and you will know more about China than you did before. 

Red Heddle, Monochrome Warp

The Red Heddle. Now doesn't that sound like a good title for a movie? There was certainly plenty of drama involved in its installation. Maybe a bad word or two. A challenge to my character. 

But the excitement is over. Now I am weaving a few yards of hemp weft (white) on this natural cottolin warp. The pattern barely shows up unless you light it from the side. But as in most things weaving, it will look better after it's washed.

Here's a closer view. Click to enlarge. 36 epi and 36 ppi. My spell checker insists on "correcting" epi into something else. Bad dog!

For the curious: amalgamation. Eight shafts.

Something Spiky and Something Soft

Get your greens today! Here's some new green in my front yard, displaying a wonderful contrast with the old green. I love their spikiness, and the fact that they look like a hastily wrapped birthday present. Happy birthday, you-know-who.

Now down to the studio. My 8-shaft loom is finally reassembled after its move, and it's in perfect working order. I put on a new warp this week, cottolin, for some amalgamation samples. It looks like an underwater pattern, quintessential network drafting. Click to enlarge.

And come even closer: