Just for a few days I have an embarrassment of weaving riches.
Nearing completion is my colour and weave sample started in weaving class last term. I’m playing around with other colours to finish up the warp. This is on a 16 inch 8 shaft Robinson table loom that I hired from the guild after the unfortunate Monk’s Belt experience. Once the colour and weave is done I’ll return the loom to the guild – I hired it because I was using my own table loom on home projects, but now those will go onto the big loom.
Yesterday I dressed my table loom ready for our next class sampler – a series of finger manipulation techniques – leno, spanish lace, soumak, clasped weft and more. I used grey cottolin for the warp. The loom is a 24 inch 4 shaft Robinson, a bit heavy for carrying to class (which involves stairs) but manageable.
Finally, progress continues slowly on the big loom. I went to a 2/2 twill for a while, working on selvedges and beat. As that improved I noticed that the shafts were lifting erratically – some sticking and repeating, some missed lifting. Geoff and I tried some trouble shooting and decided the major issue was inconsistent tension in the wire cables that run past the control box, with some contribution from weaver inexperience treadling and maybe the carpeted room (Kaz’s floor is wooden). I emailed Kaz for advice and received a gentle comment about her “crisp” treadling. Hmm… “crisp”… let’s try a bit more trouble shooting… yes, that would be 99% user error causing the problem. I found I was resting my right foot on the pedal all the time. Lifting it off cleaning solved the problem. Progress!!!
Judy,
Just found your blog and read about your shadow weave scarf. I am a member of the Pioneer Valley Weavers’ Guild, from which you got the draft. It is exciting to hear that our guild and its website provided you, across the world in Australia, with this information and inspiration. You did a beautiful interpretation of this structure! We are located in the USA in Western Massachusetts. Keep up the beautiful work!
Thank you Barbara, and thanks also to the Guild and its members for sharing their work.
Judy
Circles! The seduction of multiple shafts. Looks like you’re doing really well with your setting up!
I got the Thrilling Twills CD from http://www.fiberworks-pcw.com when I got the fibreworks weaving software and it’s like a box of chocolates – lots of exciting flavours to try!
The circles are lots of fun, especially since they highlight my “creative” (aka uneven) beat.
Judy such beautiful weaving, your results look like you’ve been doing it for a long time and I love the blue circles. As a tapestry weaver I know how hard it is to do good circles. I look forward to seeing them at the Palm House.
I’d love to know more about the colour and weave sampler. I’m teaching myself weaving and have just started winding a warp for a colour and weave sampler, but haven’t been able to find much information about such samplers in the books I’ve got. It’s actually taken me about a year to work out what “colour and weave” means!
By the way, I love the photos of your weaving, and hope you have lots of fun with the new loom 😉
I love circles too, I am also working on the at the moment. Thrilling twills is great, every time I play with it, it’s like it’s my birthday
Your weaving is great.
Cheers
Shirley
http://www.shirleytreasure.wordpress.com