Weaving Workshop

These cones are the eight colors I've chosen for my single shuttle Crackle towels.  They're here because I have stuff strewn all over the place as I frantically work on my Echo and Jim projects for the Linda Hartshorn workshop.  I don't think the workshop is any less intensive than her traditional 2 1/2 day taught in person.  The only thing missing is being able to handle the fabric but I've said that before.

I'm about at the end of my warp and have already selected eight colors in reds and oranges for another warp.  If I keep this up I might have enough inventory for a sale in the future, if that ever happens.

This is a sample from the Echo weave part that we did on the first day.  If you see purple, your eye is fooling you.  The warp and weft are both 8/2 Tencel which is a form of rayon.  The tie-up is a traditional 8-shaft twill.

These are the colors I chose.  The warp is wound at 40 ends per inch - wowzers!  That puts four threads in each dent, and while I thought it was over my head, I only made one warping error and was able to fix it with a string heddle.  I'm so impressed that I even know how to do that.  I can't tell you how much I've learned since moving here and being part of an active weaving guild.

This is a sample woven in Jin.  The only difference is changing one harness on each treadle and the use of a second yarn known as a tabby, which is one shot of a different thread woven as plain weave.  That thread's function is to tie down the weft and keep it in place.  It's slower to weave but it's certainly interesting.   The tabby is where I made the most mistakes, which just tells me that I need to do it more to teach my muscle memory.

Linda recommended that we use a finer thread for the weft and I only had three colors in a size 16/2 bamboo, nothing else finer.  I bought it a long time ago because I was going to weave Huck lace scarves until I wove a couple and realized how time intensive they were.  We were instructed to add enough warp to weave a scarf after we had finished all our samples.  The black is the finer thread and from this sample I decided to use it for my weft.

I chose three patterns and alternated them.

This is the finished scarf.  I'm pleased with everything except the length.  I ran out of warp because I had woven too many samples.  It's not even 60" but it's still wearable.  Tomorrow morning we wrap up the workshop and review our projects.  Ian and I are packing our suitcases and will leave as soon as that it done for a short stay at Yachats on the coast.  We'll resume our babysitting responsibilities next week.

  

 

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition

 The towels are finished.  I've been trying for a faux crackle look and have decided to just try crackle one more time.  I met a weaver who dresses her loom for crackle but only weaves with a single shuttle.  That's my plan anyway.

My favorite uses bright yellow for pattern.

I did some towels in muted colors, still in summer and winter, and the two blue ones are in our bathroom.  I wanted to be totally done with this draft before moving on because Gilmore tie-up is a bear.

I find myself liking my projects in stages, but by the time the warp was ready, I was thoroughly disenchanted with this one.  I'm committed now though since I don't want to change tie-up again for a while.

I stopped this afternoon after the warp was threaded and slayed.  The guild meeting is in the morning and it's a weaver from Dallas who was supposed to be our program last month but got frozen in place.  She's going to speak about the design process and I'm looking forward to it.

Thursday morning is our orientation with Linda Hartshorn for a workshop in parallel weaving.  This is my sample and I am anxious to get started.  It promises to be the boost my weaving has needed.  I feel like I've been going around in circles.

Delaney's book is almost as big as she is!  She's in Reno with her mommy until the first week in March.  Sadly, her grandpa had a heart attack last Thursday.  Matt and Julia picked Delaney up early Friday with a dog and a fully packed car.  They hadn't drive half way when she got the unexpected, a call that her dad had passed away before she had a chance to say goodbye.  Her Grandma Sue told me that Delaney has been a light in the darkness.  She certainly has that quality.  

Into every life some rain must fall

 

I got my first shot of the vaccine last Friday and while I was there they ran out of the Pfizer and I was given Moderna instead which has an additional week between shots so my next one won't be until March 28th.  It's a relief to just have the first one!

I've been knitting a lot and finished this Martha Green Aran knit-along.  I wish I had made the next size up which would have created a cowl but it's comfortable to wear as it is.

I am very pleased.

I also finished Alexia's sweater which is a couple of patterns cobbled together.

It couldn't be cuter on her.

It was very important to her that she could raise her arms without exposing her belly, and it passed the test.  I wonder what she does at school that requires this gesture.

I'm doing another zoom weaving workshop in a couple of weeks, and the only reason I can participate is because of zoom.  My eight-shaft loom is too heavy to take anywhere.  I'm really looking forward to what we'll do next.  This is just the tie-on and it's awesome.

Into every life some rain must fall.  This is the Subaru Crosstrek that we bought last May.  I had to drop something off for UPS pickup and just as I was leaving the parking lot, a guy in a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado with a massive trailer hitch backed into me.

Actually he pinned my car with his hitch so that I couldn't proceed.  Believe it or not, the damage is extensive and we won't have the car back until the 18th.  Just some rain.