The scarves are coming along. It looks like I will indeed have a shop update middle of next week!
Archive for the ‘On the Loom’ Category
Loom Shot
December 5, 2010
on the loom
November 4, 2010
Over the summer I found myself drawn to plants that were green and purple. Not flowers really, but an odd assortment of plants that had rich hues of purples and greens. I couldn’t quite tell if I liked them. I’d be walking down the street in Manhattan, see such a plant and literally stop and stare at it for a while.
I even took photos of a few as you can see here. I otherwise didn’t think much of my curiosity.
But then look at what showed up on my loom this fall!
something new
October 26, 2010
I have been working hard on learning a new technique for winding warp. I have heard for quite some time that when using the same draft (pattern), I could just tie on a new warp to the old one and pull it through the heddles and reed. This would save me the hassle of having to rethread all the heddles and reed. Of course the new hassle is tying all those tiny knots! (The photo above is the knots just about to pass through the heddles.)
After reading about it and staring at my loom for quite some time, I figured I would give it a go. Being my first try, I’m not sure that I saved myself any time (especially with all that staring), but it worked pretty well! I only had to tweak a few things here and there and was back to weaving. If I can get faster at tying knots, I just might up my productivity all together!
slow going
September 1, 2010
I have a monthly weaving quota. It is broken down to a bi-weekly quota, which is then broken down to a daily quota. Working from home with two small children, it is extremely important to have a schedule and stick to it. I was doing great until a bizarre turn of events (or more like a flip over someone’s back) left me with an inflamed disc in my neck. All my loom time has been filled with urgent chiropractic visits and massages. Now that my neck is doing better, I am about 5 days behind schedule. The good news? I got a jump-start on the September to-do list by starting a week and a half early. Barring any more injuries, I should be right on track!
(You may be wondering how is it that I was flipping over someone’s back in the first place. No, I am not an MMA fighter. I am also a Lindy Hop dancer and just over did it in a rehearsal last week.)
back to work
August 26, 2010
The constant changing of colors is keeping me entertained.
friday loom shot
July 30, 2010
There are lots of tools and gizmos used to dress a loom. A few very official looking tools, but mostly odds and ends. Whatever works for the result you want. While threading the loom, I need the shafts lifted to make the heddles eye level. This book works perfectly.
And now a proper loom shot. My mother requested a larger shot, so here you are Mom. I am sampling some treadling sequences before officially starting more scarves. We shall see what the weekend brings!
(Thank you to Rilla for reminding me it’s time to update the blog!)
friday loom shot
July 16, 2010
I love the color of this scarf. A color called “Grey Teal” is right up my dusty color alley. There is just one problem. This scarf has a halo which is bad news on the comfort front. Mohair and alpaca have the yarn-loving world divided. Some find mohair to be the softest of all yarn. It is ethereal and light and oh so pretty. And then there are others (like me) who can’t even have the slightest percentage of it. I have a pair of socks made with 15% mohair and they are 15% itchy.
Alpaca does not typically seem to have a reputation of being itchy. If anything, it seems to be the wonder fiber. It’s light, warmer than wool and very soft. I have knit with some alpaca that was just deliciously cushy. I recently took a poll of some friends and they were split down the middle. Alpaca has far less of a halo than mohair, but once a person is sensitive to hairy yarn, they are always sensitive. So even if a yarn is soft, those few hairs that poke out of the yarn can make a person itch, especially when wrapped around the neck.
This may change some of my plans for scarves I want to make.
So tell me, do you think alpaca is soft or does it make you twitch?
process
July 12, 2010
It always amazes me that no sooner do I have a warp on the loom that my mind has already wandered off and I’ve started designing the next scarf. I love how the ideas are growing organically as I experience the fibers as they turn into fabric. I am keeping my plan fairly loose to see how the collection evolves. I am hoping that sometime soon process will meet production and I will have some scarves to sell come fall!
dressing the loom
July 9, 2010
Happy weekend! I will be, you guessed it, weaving.
On the Loom
June 20, 2010
Wow, this week has flown by, and so has my shuttle! Weaving shuttle, that is. I have been so busy working on a new sample that I’ve lost track of days. My current obsession involves grouping warp threads to create a textural change in the fabric. It’s a super easy trick that works all sorts of magic. I just love it. Right now I am using a traditional threading, following a recipe, so to speak. I’ve tweaked my plan and am now trying to kick this one woman sweat shop into high gear. As long as my 3-year-old continues her interest in vacuuming, I may actually get a lot more weaving time!
