Before We Weave Ahead

My Structures Study Group has moved ahead to another weaving technique. Before we head over there, here are a few more photos of my Color and Weave adventures.

Changing color order in the weft changes the direction of all the little stripes. This swatch is 16/2 cotton sett at 30 e.p.i. The draft is an 8H Shadow Weave, #271 from Stickler.

Here is an experiment using variegated yarns at regular intervals in both warp and weft. The draft is the same. This warp is 20/2 cotton sett at 35 e.p.i. These colors really sing, don't they?

These two photos are another warp of Stickler #271. This time I used 8/2 Tencel in Silver Grey and Hunter. The scarf is hemmed because I always have trouble with scarf fringes catching on things and generally getting in my way. The extra little bit here is woven with the opposite color order. I was sorry that there wasn't enough warp left to weave and entire scarf this way.

Now for the RANT portion of my message:

Why does everything always have to change? I was happy with the old light bulbs, toilets that effectively flushed, detergents that fought grease, so many things . . . There are those who consider change to be progress. I like tried and true. Old is not necessarily bad. If that is too stick-in-the-mud, fine. But it is my opinion and I will gladly stand my ground because it is my ground.

And now Blogger has changed. The old one was fine and even though comments seemed unworkable, I was happy with the old interface. Why do we constantly have to reinvent the wheel?

Okay, I put that out there and I do appreciate your patience with my rant. Fortunately, I was able to revert. Otherwise this post would not be published. It may not even look right when it does. We shall see.

Warp On/Weave Off,
RepWeaver

Yes, I Like Them Sam I Tum

This line (with apologies to Dr. Seuss) kept running through my head and adding to the fun of weaving Samitum.

Samitum Dresser-Top Runners
20/2 Perle Cotton Warp
10/2 Perle Cotton Wefts

Here you see Samitum runners intended for my grandchildren’s bedroom dresser-tops. They were woven way back in November. That is how far behind I’m running. I hesitated to send them because they have a tendency to curl up along the selvedges. That is how it sometimes goes with an uneven density between surfaces. Ah, well. I’ll think about it some more.

Several Cottolin towels are fresh off my loom and waiting for wet finishing. I think these are going to be very nice so I plan to tie-on another color-way. My loom has not been idle. There are more projects waiting for me to post.

Samitum Runner, Detail

We live in perilous times. Precautions are taken. Then we trust the Lord to keep us. Living in fear is not an option, at least it isn’t for me.

It’s a good time to take heart and count our blessings. Besides, the flowers are coming along and warmer weather is soon to follow. After all, what is a “stay-at-home order” to a weaver or a gardener? It’s what I would call an opportunity.

Warp On/Weave Off,

 RepWeaver

Next Comes Samitum

Samitum Sampler

While the rest of my Weave Structures Study Group continued with Turned Taqueté, I decided my next logical step was Samitum.

The difference between the two weave structures is slight. Using the Summer & Winter threading, add a third tie-down on shaft three and weave without throwing tabby picks and you have Samitum.

Samitum Sampler - Detail
I had only a tiny bit of the lavender-colored yarn.
In this way I managed to use it all.

Taqueté requires two shuttle tosses per pass. It is double-faced and reversible. But Samitum, because it has three tie-down warps, requires three shuttle tosses per pass. It is triple dense and not reversible. The twill tie-down structure is apparent on the surface of this cloth.

Having woven Taquete at 30 e.p.i., I began Samitum using 20/2 perle cotton warp at the same sett. Surprisingly this sett was far too dense. So I opened it to 24 e.p.i. then switched again for a final sett of 20 e.p.i. Still, the cloth has a tendency to curl in along the selvedges. If ever I weave this again I’d consider opening the sett even further.

Samitum Sampler - Detail
It appears this photo doesn't want to be here.
This is the third try at posting. My apologies if it disappears again.

What appears grey here is actually dusty lavender. It was interesting to switch the red and lavender. Color study is endlessly fascinating and it is one way to use up odd bits of yarn.

I am glad for having had the occasion to explore Samitum. With that third shuttle, it holds far more design freedom than Taqueté. On the other hand, it takes longer to weave. Time will tell when and if I get back around to Samitum.

Warp On/Weave Off,

RepWeaver

What, a Crepe?

When Seattle’s Nordic Heritage Museum packed up the old place and moved into their shiny new building they unloaded old, non-museum-quality stuff. You know how it is during a move. They offered several boxes of cut/torn rolled rags to my weaver’s guild. Two of the boxes found their way to me.

Toothbrush rug from narrower rag strips

Enter the toothbrush (rug). Well, I don’t actually use a toothbrush since the old style is virtually extinct although one at last has been found and properly carved into a point. But that is beside the point. The name has very little to do with the technique being the name of the old homemade tool used to make these rugs.

Toothbrush rug, detail

Normally toothbrush rug technique calls for rags strips 1½ to 2 inches wide. The rags I’d been given were only 1 to ¾ inches wide. But they were worth a try.

Here is the result: a finer rug than the usual. It looks good and works well in our Powder Room. If it holds up I will switch to narrower rag strips in future toothbrush projects.

A study group I attend is studying Crepe Weaves. Having very slim experience with this structure I began thinking it would be a quick study. Did I ever have a lot to learn. It isn’t!

First attempt at weaving crepe

Putting together a threading from one source and a tie-up from another that seemed like a winning combination. Choosing two similar shades of green 10/2 perle cotton I chose a sett of 30 e.p.i. and dressed my loom. The result produced the required overall pebbled crepe effect. But the cloth seemed heavy and did not satisfy me. It’s time to think again and head back to the drawing board.

May the learning continue.

Warp On/Weave Off,

RepWeaver

(P.S. What a difference a comma makes!)

Weaving and Wishing for Spring

Wishing for Spring Cotton Towel

This has been a tough winter with more snow, colder temperatures and more freezing nights than I can remember. Added to my Midwest Polar Vortex adventure, spring seems a very long time coming. Yet it is still early March. Guess it’s time for patience. In the meantime, I’ve planted several seed trays indoors. Anticipation grows.

While awaiting spring, indoor color adventures continue. Here is the second warp using the Strickler draft #760. The turquoise 10/2 unmercerized cotton had been on my shelf for some time. With 10/2 perle cotton in Porcelain Green, 20/2 UKI mercerized cotton in Banana and 20/2 cotton in a variegation called Spray I think this is a winning combination.

Wishing for Spring Cotton Towel, reverse side

I don’t usually complain about the weather and a few crocus have been blooming. Patience is a virtue, right? Still, I’m very happy that this winter will soon be over – at least according to the calendar.

Warp On/Weave Off,

RepWeaver

Wee Coverlet in Action

Grandbaby enjoys her Wee Coverlet

This is our newest grandchild snoozing beneath her Wee Swedish Coverlet. Mama says little one spends time examining her blanket, looking at pattern and color changes, and doesn't cry right away on waking. This makes her GrandMama very happy.

Next you see another photo of the six Wee Coverlets from my bright green warp. It was very special to me that one of my weaving friends wanted the yellow one for her new grandson, Jasper. I wish him many pleasant slumbers over a long happy childhood.

The third color way of this warp is in progress. I'm not sure if I will like this version, the colors are a bit dark. But who says baby colors must be pastel? I don't understand because babies are good at making stains. Why shouldn't their clothing and bedding be colorful to begin with? That way keeping baby things looking nice and clean is easier for parents. Colorful wraps set off a baby's natural beauty. Bright colors are happy colors.

Another view of bright green Wee Swedish Coverlets

I intend to offer one or two Wee Coverlets at the Seattle Weavers' Guild annual sale October 27-29, 2016 at St. Marks' Cathedral. If you are interested and in the area, please stop by. Our guild is a group of many talented weavers whose incredible work will be on display. Even if you do not wish to buy, you will not be disappointed with the show of beautiful handwovens. And, as a bonus, weavers are very nice people. Stop by and say hello.

Warp on/Weave off,

RepWeaver

Each One Precious

Wee Swedish Coverlets for Baby by RepWeaver

Weaving Wee Coverlets takes time. Each one is a labor of love. And that is how it should be. Time spent weaving these is perfect for contemplation. For me it really, truly is about devotion. It is my way of adding color, texture and warmth to new lives. Most importantly, it is my expression of love for little ones. Babies are so very precious. May babies and children ever be wrapped in love; may they ever feel precious and cherished. That is my wish for every child wrapped in a Wee Coverlet.

When UKI discontinued 20/2 perle cotton in colors, I ordered several cones from The Georgia Yarn Company. Choices were limited and, without sample cards, color names were all I had. Maybe there was a thumbnail shot of each color, but screens vary. So when the yarn arrived I was surprised at the intensity of this green. The color name is “Kelly Green”. I’d imagined it would be darker. Here was a challenge.

Wee Swedish Coverlet by RepWeaver
Showing Front Side

The warp and Tabby are Kelly Green with purple and yellow stripes plus occasional variegated ends. This particular variegation wasn't as bright. It has teal green, yellow, purple and white and was a bit of a stretch. The two sides of each piece are very different from one another. Variegated ends show more on the underside.

Wee Swedish Coverlet by RepWeaver
Showing Reverse Side

Recently I showed these latest Wee Coverlets to a group of my weaving friends. One of them asked if I thought there were any bad color combinations. I took this as a compliment as it is an excellent question. After a moment’s thought I replied, “Yes”. My idea of a bad color combination is one in which color values are too similar. If value and intensity are too close, pattern and structure can be lost. Scale also plays a part. Equal parts of similarly valued colors compete equally for attention. It is better to use more of one or the other. The “bad colors” question is food for further thought. What a great question!

Weaving this warp of Wee Swedish Coverlets was pure joy. The brightness of the warp and frequent color changes in the included variegated ends added interest. I wish for these six little blankets to swaddle six precious infants well into childhood. Younger siblings may enjoy them, too. That is if the older isn’t a “Linus”, clinging to his blanket for security. Or perhaps a beautiful beloved blankie will be too treasured to relinquish.

Warp On/Weave Off,

RepWeaver

Wee Swedish Coverlets by RepWeaver

Finishing Touches

Trimming ends with appliqué scissors

When I take cloth from my loom I hem or edge finish the pieces before I wash them. After that  they go right into the washing machine with warm water and regular detergent. Next they go into the dryer until nearly dry. After that I press them until dry. 

It isn't until then that I take a close final look at each piece. Next comes trimming off all the little loose ends left from refilling shuttles or changing colors. I think of it as akin to writing "The End" after the final chapter of a book, not that I have ever written a book. But the final step in a project is satisfying, a certain kind of fun.

Do you have one of these? This little appliqué scissors is made by Gingher. Its sharply pointed and curved blades make trimming ends neat and accurate.

Right now I am about half-way through weaving a second warp of Swedish Wee Coverlets. The color is eye-popping. Some tiny children are going to love these. Let's hope their Papas and their Mamas like them, too.

Warp On/Weave Off,

RepWeaver

Swedish Kitchen

Swedish Kitchen Towels, Warp #109 by RepWeaver

Here, at last, are additional photos of Warp #109 towels mentioned in the previous post. Choosing colors and watching them interact gives me great joy while weaving. Having a few variegated ends in the mix mulitplies the fun.

Once these come off the loom there are always "Aha" moments. Colors and combinations that appealed most to me while weaving aren't always my favorites when finished.

Nine Swedish Kitchen Towels, Warp #109 by RepWeaver

Red pattern weft washed out the effect of
red in the variegated warp ends.

Since the variegated ends in this warp were a combination of red, brown, gold and forest green I thought the brighter red pattern weft would be my favorite. But it turned out to compete too much and washed out the effect of red of the variegation. The darker maroon pattern weft was far better, causing the brighter red in the warp to zing.

Swedish Kitchen towel by RepWeaver
Two shades of green that did not seem happy together
Here you see both front and back sides of the towel 

The green towel below was my least favorite while weaving. Its blue green pattern weft seemed to fight the yellow green in the warp and tabby. Do clashing colors set your teeth on edge? That is what these greens did to me as I wove. But in the finished towel the colors worked. One of my weaving friends even said the green one was his favorite of the lot. Green pattern weft does a fantastic job of highlighting the red variegation in the warp.

The reverse side of Swedish Kitchen Towel with Maroon pattern weft
This color combination proved a favorite both on and off the loom

Warp #110 with marled (navy and white plied together) warp ends used where before there were variegated ends

This is the current warp on my loom, the one I wrote about in the last post. I tied it to my two previous warps. The marled warp ends don't seem to be working the way I'd have liked. Maybe this will be another case in which the finished product outshines the work in progress. Let's hope.

Knitted Shaker Dish Cloths

Here is a good way to spend time when away from the loom. These are knitted Shaker Dish Cloths. Leave it to me to find another way to incorporate variegated yarn! These work well and are fun to use. Knit some for yourself or to give as gifts. The pattern is available for free at Very Pink. Look for other great patterns there as well including "World's Best Kitchen Scrubbie", one of my favorites.

That's what I'm up to today. I wonder what will happen tomorrow? One can never be too sure.

Warp On/Weave Off,

RepWeaver

Back in the Saddle (Or Back on the Loom Bench)

Hello, again!

Swedish Kitchen, Detail

It has been a long, long time. For several weeks I have been away. I spent three weeks over Christmas in Washington, D.C. Then most of February I was with our daughter and son-in-law who just gave us our third grandchild. Their new little sweetheart joins an older sister and brother so they are a very busy family. Mine was a working visit but loads of love and fun.  Now I am home again and missing them, yet, home is the very best place. And I am back at my loom.

Here are a few quick shots of my latest towels. I will take more but first I need to iron that stack of towels. Here also is a shot of the third iteration of this design. I am going out on a limb here and using a plied yarn in place of the usual variegated ends. Time will tell if it works. I will be sure to let you know.

Swedish Kitchen Towels by RepWeaver

There are no travel plans in my immediate future but there will be visitors. Oh, and we will be having our siding replaced and the house painted. Neither of these will take me away from home but may limit weaving time. The excitement continues!

Warp on/Weave off,

RepWeaver

Warp #110

Blogging Along

Here is one case in which the third try was certainly not the charm. It isn’t that the results do not please. I was simply pushing the design without a full understanding of the structure. Further study is in order and I aim to revisit Colonial Patterned Double Weave before long.

These are the result of my attempt to add border effects. This time I took inspiration from Bertha Gray Hayes’ draft “Springtime Fancy”. The design worked very well in double weave. But the way I tried to add the borders did not. The first coaster shows the border and the next two or three show errors as I tried and tried to rethread the warp without the experimental part. Eventually I righted the whole mess and came out with some nice little pieces.

I continued playing with the idea of using two shades of the same colors in warp and weft. The green/teal version appeals most to me. The variation adds depth and kind of hints at shadow weave.

These are the best size for coasters of my three warps. I wove the long piece specifically for a narrow shelf. Plenty of hand woven textiles help make a house a home.

Coasters from three Colonial Patterned Double Weave warps

It's always nice to have an assistant in my busy little studio.
Latest rugs in progress on the loom.

By   the way, the other day I made an exciting discovery. A photo in the Spring/Summer issue of Handwoven Magazine attracted my eye. There on page 27 were two beautiful towels woven in the “Norse Kitchen” design from “A Handweaver’s Pattern Book” by Marguerite Porter Davison – the draft that inspired my miniature version of the same draft. What fun!

Last time I wrote about my little weaving studio. Here it is in all its messy glory. I’d be happy to spend every day there and so would my cats. Perhaps you can spot Squeak in one of her favorite spots?

Warp On/Weave Off,

RepWeaver

Back-Blogged

Colonial-Patterned Double Weave

Does this happen to you? A pressing goal in one area of life causes neglect in another? That is how blogging slipped to a lower priority. I may not be the first to think of it, but “Back-Blogged” is how I feel. The demands of gardening during an unusually early spring, the possibility of a cross-county move with necessary reduction of accumulated stuff, and a rug design request/challenge from our son and daughter-in-law have kept me hopping. Life is never boring.

Contemplating the move has been particularly worrisome but also exhilarating. I find myself looking around the studio at my “stash”. Space is at a premium and I have squirreled away far too much yarn and equipment for comfort. My studio is actually rather a small room, about 10’ x 12.5’. And you know how it is with available space – easily filled. I’m afraid there are tough decisions ahead for this weaver. On the positive side, the move may not happen right away. Panic has not vanished; it has simply been delayed.

Second group of Colonial-Patterned Double Weave coasters

In the mean time weaving continues. Here are a few snaps of my second Colonial-Patterned Double Weave exploration. With this warp my goals included:

1.     To weave slightly larger coasters

2.     To develop my own design using the “Colonial” technique

3.     To avoid “opposite colored” hems while maintaining tube structure

4.     To further explore color interlacements

5.     To improve my beat to weave “squared up” overshot patterning.

Left - Warp and Weft colors alike
Right - Brighter red used as weft, improved selvedge using floaters

Draft #64, “Queen Anne’s Lace” from Weaving Designs by Bertha Gray Hayes: Miniature Overshot Patterns inspired the threading draft from which I formulated three threadling variations. I added two repeats of straight twill at each selvedge and included floating selvedges. The resulting pieces are a bit on the large side for coasters. Other than that, they are a success. Using slightly brighter colored wefts produced interesting effects. 

Weaving this warp was lots of fun and bears further exploration. This structure would make wonderful placemats.

Warp On/Weave Off,
RepWeaver

Double the Trouble, Double the Fun

My friend Susan showed our Rug Study Group some intriguing coasters she had woven. They were from a draft by Judie Eatough on page 62 of the book “Best of Weaver’s: The Magic of Double Weave”. The structure caught my imagination. Except for a pick-up sampler many years ago, I hadn’t woven double weave.

"Colonial" Double Weave Coasters -- Design by Judie Eatough

Now I am navigating the unknown waters of “Colonial” or “Overshot Patterned” Double Weave. The structure is related to Overshot only in the sense that double weave drafts are created using the designs in overshot drafts. How it all works is still a mystery to me but I aim to figure it out. With this goal in mind I have woven three “Colonial” Double Weave warps.

The first one is the same as the one in the book that Susan showed me. The other two are designed by me using inspiration from “Weaving Designs by Bertha GrayHayes: Miniature Overshot Patterns”.

Reverse Sides of "Colonial" Double Weave Coasters

Detail of "Colonial" Double Weave coaster
Motif not woven to square. Bother!

Here you see the results from my first warp and it is confession time. My beat was way too firm and the design is not square. This is not an overshot structure but rather a double-layered twill structure. I tend to use too much tension in all my work. Here you see the result of my natural tendency -- squished motifs. ARGH!

After this experience I made several changes for my second “Colonial” Double Weave warp. Watch for details.

On/Weave Off,

RepWeaver

Norse Kitchen Miniature - Second Warp

Miniature Norse Kitchen by RepWeaver, Group photo

Miniature Norse Kitchen by RepWeaver, Group photo

Norse Kitchen in miniature was such a satisfying weave project I couldn't wait to get back to the loom for another round.


This time I chose a warp of 20/2 UKI perle cotton in color #52 Chestnut. To this I added variegated ends at specific spots in the draft across the warp. These warp ends range in color from brown to gold to olive green to red. Click on the detail photos for a closer view of how these variegated colors seem to magically appear and disappear in the finished towels.


Even though overshot is a two-shuttle structure, weaving these was a lot of fun. Watching the variegations morph from one color to the next adds interest during the process. When warping I don't try for any Ikat effects but sometimes this happens. Serendipity is part of the fun.

Warp On/Weave Off,
RepWeaver

Norse Kitchen Miniature
Detail showing variegated warp ends

Norse Kitchen Miniature
Detail showing variegated warp ends

Norse Kitchen Miniature
Detail showing variegated warp ends

Conundrum Solved

How did I solve those four problems that bothered me about "Norse Kitchen"?

Miniaturized "Norse Kitchen" (red)
"Norse Kitchen" original towel (blue)

Recently I have been inspired by the work of Josephine Estes and Bertha Gray Hayes and have been weaving a lot of Miniature Overshot. So the ideal solution was already on my radar - write my own miniaturized version of "Norse Kitchen".


Once I'd finalized my Mini "Norse Kitchen" draft I needed to adjust the number of center repeats to maintain the same width as my original towel warp. Then I cut off the first few towels I'd woven using the old draft and rethreaded the remainder of that warp with the revised design. This required three additional warp ends. I also decided to add one more twill repeat at each selvedge which added another eight ends.

Miniaturized "Norse Kitchen" towels

While I was at it I changed the direction of some of the border twill lines so each border is symmetric. You can see the change in the red towel above the original blue one. It is even clearer in the detail of the magenta towel below.

Weaving the rest of the warp was thrilling because the result brought me great joy. Never again will I view an overshot draft without wondering how it would work in miniature. Such fun!

Miniature "Norse Kitchen" - Detail

Miniaturized "Norse Kitchen" towels showing the reverse sides.
It's hard to decide which side is my favorite.

Warp on/Weave off,

RepWeaver