The loveliness of a long warp. It carries you through to a new year and beyond. Here on this 4-shaft friend I am weaving towels.
The original goal was stash-busting, but I love the little rabbit holes I am getting into. Like how about just a simple point twill treadling with this pale blue cotton that refuses to get used up.
The blue yarn is too fine to use singly, so let's use the double shuttle, please.
I love it when the selvedges work out OK. That doesn't always happen.
In the Department of Books, I have just read Riverman by Ben McGrath and Day by Michael Cunningham.
I am practicing amalgamation in TempoWeave. Learning a new program is like learning a new language, but doing one draft a day is helpful. This one is for 8 shafts.
I love viewing the cloth this way.
My 4-shaft project (seen in the background) sits idle. I did take time out to bake a loaf. I am practicing scoring.
In the woods yesterday (today it is raining, and I'm not averse to walking in the rain, but I got a late start today) I found this delightful display of darks & lights. Sometimes it depends on how high the sun is in the sky, or time of year, or some other factor, but when it happens it is such a gift. Seize the moment.
This packing material arrived with some fragile item from A-----, and when it's pulled apart it makes a terrific scrunchy grid. It will make a great mark-making tool in my next gel printing session. And it's biodegradable.
Mimosa. When you search for it on the web, the first things that pop up are drink recipes with orange juice and whatever. But out in the wild it thrills a weaver's heart. So threadlike. Zoom in to examine more closely.
Can you believe this? I am falling in love with plain weave. It started as a way of destashing and emptying a zillion bobbins, but I somehow got into the rhythm and I'm having the best time just throwing the shuttle. It also helps to have a loom that is friendly to the body.
In the Department of Books: I have abandoned The House of the Seven Gables. It is just too, too much!!! Enough said.
Pausing amid all the strife, the noise, the madness.
In this place: only risers and sinkers.
If you prefer the rectangular rather than the circular, there is this.
Here it is woven.
And then there are fresh starts.
Currently in the book department, I have just read Moon Tiger by Penelope Lively, Reuben Sachs by Amy Levy, and Eat the Document by Dana Spiotta.
After struggling with this project for many weeks, I had finally had enough. First of all, I was having trouble keeping track of the treadling sequence, with the result that I was spending more time unweaving than weaving. Secondly, even though I was using sturdy floating selvedges the outside inch or so of mostly tencel yarn was shredding badly, incurring constant warp repairs.
Making the same mistakes over and over again with the same results is not smart behavior. That dog must go.
I cut the outer inch of warp on each side and wove off the rest of the warp in plain weave. It went very quickly.
I then washed the completed fabrics, put them aside for a future project, and felt much better!
I as then able to put a new warp on the loom and start some swatches in canvas weave for a study group.
The warp is 8/2 Lofty Cotton, white, and weft is the same in cloud gray.
This should pouf up nicely and the canvas openings show up better when washed.
More to follow.
While thumbing through one of the books I consider weaving treasures, I came across this sweet little draft composed on a point threading for 8 shafts. After making a slight correction in the treadling, I offer it here.
It's draft # 65 from Praktisk Vävbok by Nona von Engström. All in Swedish, but easy enough for English speakers to follow from the photos & diagrams. I am also adding an easy variation which can be accomplished by wrapping the tie-up one place to the left.
Here is a variation of the amalgamation from previous posts.
Another variation. Stripes! From repeating just 4 of the weft picks ad infinitum. There are areas of twill, areas of double weave, and also a few unknown hybrids, all for little or no effort.
Out in the woods, we have found the Bunched Arrowheads. After four years of searching, have finally come to the right place at the right time. The red arrow points to the minuscule white flower in the swampy area. There were hundreds, but so tiny that they are easily missed. What a beautiful spot. And how do you like that wonderful twisted branch?
And on the trail there were a number of these juicy thistles just bursting forth. Click to embiggen.
Back in the studio, I've finally moved things around to make room for my long unused sewing table. Now I plan to finish several WIPs, which have been languishing since the pandemic.
And there just happens to be another warp percolating.
Have finished reading High Wages by Dorothy Whipple.
Yesterday's bounty in the woods.
How can you not stop?
The draft I showed you in the previous post... here it is again, structure only, no color. It gives you some idea of the various micro-structures.
Here's the first woven version, after washing. The fabric is much too loosely sett, although some of the wonderful little passages are evident here.
I resleyed it, then tied on another warp, this time all tencel. The iridescence is starting to show.
A close-up. I'm in the habit of making my floating selvedges black.
Washing will be the final test.
I have just finished reading The House in Paris by Elizabeth Bowen.
Yes, it has been a long time, but for all the best reasons. I am working on spending less time with screens & such, and more time with the yarn. How's it going, you ask? The jury is still out.
The outdoors are calling. It has been a great spring.
I spend as much time outdoors as possible.
But when I come inside, I am working on this. Eight shafts.
The loom is all warped and ready to go. The yarns have a mind of their own, and I have no way of predicting what will happen. The washing machine is the final arbiter.
I have recently read Ann Cleeves,The Long Call, and Ursa Sigurdardottir, Last Rituals
Yes, here we are, not in the path of totality, but around 80%. I think the back yard will be the best place to view it this afternoon. Report to follow.
Meanwhile, here's yesterday's azalea report.
And on the 16-shaft dobby loom, the one I was trying to sell, I've gone back to work. For some reason I'm back in love with it again. The endless warp is still endless, but perhaps approaching partial totality. It's certainly calming to just sit down and throw the shuttle mindlessly back and forth.
Did you know that if you keep your phone in your pocket while you weave, the pedometer will count your weft picks as actual steps walked in your daily health report? True fact.
The draft is a faux huck on 16 shafts. Here's a little explanation. Straight threading. You can figure out the rest.
Odds and ends in the warp. Why the yellow selvedge on one side? Frankly, I don't remember. I wound that warp a long time ago. It had something to do with stash reduction, no doubt.
Not very high tech, but it works for me:
Summer & Winter, two blocks on four shafts.
Various rayons & cotton in the warp, 16/2 black cotton tabby, 6/2 light blue cotton pattern.
The past two days were spent in NC at the Biltmore House & Gardens. If a few daffodils and tulips are good, a few hundred thousand are better.
In the conservatory, a sublime designer at work.
Then back home to tie on a new warp.
Beamed.
Don't you just love a new warp?
Ready to weave.
Now out to dinner at Il Ristorante. This is what eighty-five looks like.