Ecce tela! Shawl update
Posted: September 28, 2012 Filed under: Spinning and weaving | Tags: Warp, weaving 4 Comments »Ecce tela! That means “Look, cloth!” in Latin, or it could mean weaving or web, or I could have it totally wrong. 
Anyway, I got the warp threaded and started the shawl and look how pretty it is going to be!
A warp, a tip and a bun!
Posted: September 28, 2012 Filed under: Spinning and weaving | Tags: angora, bunny, tip, warping, weaving Leave a comment »First, the warp!
It is black, or very dark blue, it rolled on like a dream and took about a half hour to measure and beam. Yay me. Once again, I have proved that proper materials and proper tools save time and frustration. You think I’ll remember that next time? You can see what happened the first time here. This is going to have the really cool green, pink, blue and orange cotton slubby yarn as weft, where it belongs.
Now the tip:
I have figured out how to count while warping. Tie into bundles the number of “rounds” you have per inch. For this warp I am going to use an 8 reed (8 ends per inch) so each loop of the warping reel makes 2 ends. So I count out 24 ties because I want 24 inches in width and then go around the reel (or you can use a warping board) 4 times and then tie those 4 loops. Continue until you are out of ties. This probably seems really obvious to anyone who isn’t numbers-challenged but I used to count two or three times, okay, maybe four times as I was measuring.
And the Bun!
Those of you who have stayed with me this long get a treat — Bun E. Duncan! Since the kitchen is still in progress and Scott is spending his time wiring, Bun has not gotten out to play as frequently as he should. Scott had the idea that I should put him in his x-pen in the kitchen during the day a few times a week but I decided he could have his x-pen in my studio all day every day. He loves it. He gets to hang out at dog-eye level and he is such a good, clean bunny. He has his litter box in there with him and when I put him back in his crate at night there is nothing to sweep up. Gracie licks him through the bars now and then but he seems fine as long as those bars are there. — Inga
Weaving update, or Disaster looms
Posted: September 27, 2012 Filed under: Spinning and weaving | Tags: cotton, scarf, shawl, Warp, weaving 2 Comments »
Disaster looms
So, I present another one of a kind weaving. For those unfamiliar with my creations, one of a kind means I did not enjoy the process and will not undertake another. You may remember that I ended the last post on a positive note. Very shortly after that early success, everything went manky, with warp breakage, tension issues, the works. So it ended up 23.5 x 44″ which is a nice scarf size.
That was a learning experience, what I learned is that experimentation with warp yarns isn’t worth it. I remember an exchange on Ravelry where a new weaver commented that “old weavers” didn’t really “get” the fun of weaving with all the new knitting yarns and how much they were missing by not using sock yarn for scarves. An “old weaver” retorted that perhaps it was because they had experimented with them all when they were young and had determined that experimentation wasn’t the best way to enjoy their weaving time. I’d have to agree. You know, I have all these nice spools that say “warp” on them and I am going to pretty much stick with those for now. The next project will be a shawl, black warp and this cotton for weft, I am looking forward to it!
p.s. sorry about the awful pix, I will replace them tomorrow when I get some light.
What is looming today? A new weaving project
Posted: September 23, 2012 Filed under: Spinning and weaving | Tags: baby wolf, cotton warp, Heddle, Loom, shawl, weaving, Weft, yarn Leave a comment »What is looming today? A new weaving project! Sorry about the pun.:)
When I bought my Dorothy table loom on Ebay the shipping box contained cones of yarn in each corner as “padding,” three are chenille that I haven’t been brave enough to attempt using yet and the other was this variegated, slubby cotton. I am assuming it is cotton anyway. I knew it would make a pretty weft so I measured out a black matte cotton warp for it but then decided to try the variegated yarn for both warp & weft. I have only woven scarves so this is the widest warp, at 24 inches, that I have used. This will be a shawl about 23.5 x 72 inches woven on my Baby Wolf loom. Read the rest of this entry »
The FO!
Posted: November 1, 2011 Filed under: Spinning and weaving | Tags: boucle, gracie, red, scarf, scorpio, sock yarn, Spinning and weaving, weaving 1 Comment »Finished Object, that is! I decided to finish it as a scarf. I usually think of a scarf as a large swatch, a good way to try out yarns, gauge, etc. and to test finishing. Well this is one is a keeper. Once I got it off of Scott long enough to wash and dry it, I could see that it didn’t need any other finishing. It is squishy and soft and has a nice hand. I think this fabric would make a very comfortable vest or jacket.
Lessons learned:
I love the raddle for warping.
I need real lease-sticks. The wood I am using worked fine for the cotton warp but is not smooth enough for sock yarn.
Be careful with your tension as you wind warp onto the warping reel. Sock yarn is stretchy and I’ll bet you could end up short if you would it tightly.
Beat gently and with an open shed. I had a lot of trouble with my selvedges in the beginning until I figured that out. The boucle acts like velcro and won’t slide in the shed at all.
I love my Baby Wolf!
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- Gracie thinks this is a boring hobby!
The Great Pumpkin
Posted: October 30, 2011 Filed under: Calendar | Tags: Calendar, Cooking, Halloween, holiday, Home, Jack-o-Lantern, Martha Stewart, pumpkin, recipe, smoothie, Turnip, weaving 2 Comments »
The Farmer’s Almanac says that Pumpkin carving began with the Irish tradition of carving turnips. They would put candles in them and place them in windows to scare the ghosts away on the Hallowed Evening. When they moved to the US, they discovered the more plentiful, easier to carve pumpkin and the rest is history.
My Latest Project
Posted: October 27, 2011 Filed under: Spinning and weaving | Tags: Lion Brand, Loom, spider, Spinning and weaving, weaving, yarn 1 Comment »I just started the new weaving project and it is beautiful, Robin picked a twill pattern for me and showed me how to tie up the treadles. You can’t really see the twill pattern unless you get really close (see pic) but it makes the fabric feel different than plain weave. I love the color and how supple the material is even before finishing. I had planned on a stole but maybe I’ll just get some more sock yarn and make the jacket out of Small Loom and Freeform Weaving since my width is just right.
The orange warp is exhausted
Posted: October 24, 2011 Filed under: Spinning and weaving | Tags: crochet, inlay, Loom, Moorman, orange, sari silk, Spinning and weaving, weaving Leave a comment »The warp is exhausted but I am ready for more! I made two scarves, a table mat and got a bunch of nice “ties” from the loom waste. Since Robin had me tie up the treadles 4, 3, 2, 1, I was able to discover two techniques, weft floats and inlay on my own. I later found a blog describing the same treadling pattern and calling it Moorman Technique. What is cool about it is that it leaves the sari silk on the top layer and the cotton makes a smooth backing, see pix of table mat below. Next up I will try a stole. The warp will be dark grey cotton with dark red boucle as weft.
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- freeform scarf
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- orange warp with aqua cotton weft
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- detail of aqua scarf
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- table mat
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- detail of inlay table mat
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- back of mat
Weaving!
Posted: October 13, 2011 Filed under: Spinning and weaving | Tags: baby wolf, Loom, orange, Spinning and weaving, Warp, warping, weaving, yarn Leave a comment »I warped my Baby Wolf loom all by myself this morning which means….Robin is a really good teacher! There are six main processes that have to be completed before you can weave:
- measuring the warp
- winding on
- threading the heddles
- sleying the reed
- tying and tensioning the warp
- weaving a header Read the rest of this entry »
