The End and Show and Tell



Do you see what I see? I see knots!

 Looking from the back of the loom, you can see 'the knots' have gone almost as far as they can go. Sometimes when I finish a warp, I am really glad. And some times, I wish I had just a few more inches. With this 6 yard warp, I needed more. But I will move on. I was able to get my 21 samples and a couple of runners. I will have to wait and see how they 'wash up'. After all, "it isn't finished until it's wet finished", said Laura Fry. And she is so right!!

I like to make bookmarks. They make great gifts for family and friends. But my stash has run low, so that may be the next project I tackle. Here is the show and tell for the day:



The top bookmark is overshot with beads! Who knew you could add beads to overshot??
The second bookmark is plain weave.
Click to enlarge.



Final Draft, maybe

Boulevard, Six-Thread Blocks

This is the draft I am using to get my table runner and samples for my Complex Weavers Bateman Study Group. I looked back over Dr. Bateman's examples and saw that he usually treadled each pattern shaft twice before moving on. So with this draft I have done the same.

I did not add the tabby picks to this image, it just made it to busy to see what was going on. Also, I can't figure out how to get browns with my weaving software, hence the green. But this give the general idea.

More Sampling

OK, this Boulevard warp is being difficult. Or maybe it's the operator! I just can't seem to get the look I am after. I don't know if it's my treadling or the colors I have chosen to use. I re-read Dr. Bateman's definition of Boulevard to see what I was missing.

* Boulevard is a unit weave.
* It has a tie group of three threads always on shafts 1-2-1
* The tie group can be used to separate the blocks or can be woven in tabby giving a stripe effect
* The six blocks (I am using) are arranged in Tag form

OK, I get that. But how does he work with the treadlings of this weave? One way he says you can weave is as-drawn-in (which I was not doing). So maybe it's my treadling and not the color choices I have made.

So I have woven pattern treadles 8-9-10-9-8  (with tabby).  This is getting closer to what I am looking for.



I am using the same color for pattern weft as pattern warp with a dark brown as tabby.



Recharging



Today's photo post is brought to you by DH (Merlin).

 Still trying out different wefts on the Boulevard warp. What I had in my head isn't transferring to the loom. Wonder if others have this same problem???? I did get one small runner that is OK. But I am looking for 'wow, that's nice' ! To me, my warp speaks "Thanksgiving". So I do have a few months to get it right.

Sampling Boulevard

Sample! Sample! Sample!

I had picked out the threads to use for my table runner, and guess what? Didn't work. (These are the reasons we sample!!)

I found that the pattern weft I had picked out was to thin. It was a 10/2 cotton. I have replaced it with 5/2 cotton 'near' the same color. I think this will give me the weight of cloth I am after. After all, you don't want a table runner to slide off your table during a light breeze.

You can see from this close-up view the cream 5/2 cotton pattern weft. Click to enlarge.

Progress

Almost done with threading.

Tag, you're it!

I am working on a six block Boulevard weave with six threads in each block. The first three threads of each block are always on shafts 1-2-1, and are the tie-down threads. The pattern-group of three threads are in point twill order.

This is the list of blocks I am using:

Block A= 1-2-1, 4-3-4

Block B= 1-2-1, 6-5-6

Block C= 1-2-1, 8-7-8

Block D= 1-2-1, 4-5-4

Block E= 1-2-1, 6-7-6

Block F= 1-2-1, 8-3-8

I have arranged my draft in a point twill profile. Dr. Bateman says when the blocks are arranged this way the blocks will be woven in tag form. Blocks DEF will 'tag' the ABC blocks, because they have threads in common.

I am using my 8 shaft Baby Wolf, so I can sit at the front of the loom and thread front to back. I select the six heddles needed for the next block in order and thread them, push them aside, then select the next six. This way I cut down on my threading errors.

Reed

Well, I got the reed threaded. I decided to use a 15 dent reed and sley 30 epi. Can you see how I have used the loopers to tie the warp to the beam so it won't move while I thread the heddles?

Now to get busy on threading the heddles. I will need help again, so I am calling on my friend, Rossanna... I think she is ready to begin!

Getting Ready

Getting my loom ready for the next project. I have counted out the heddles needed for this Bateman project. I am using paper clips to hold back those heddles that I don't need. I don't know who shared this tip with me, but I have been using it for years.

Socks

When you can't be home to wind your warp: knit socks!!

Bateman Weaves

Another of my Complex Weavers study groups is based on Dr. William G. Bateman's Manuscripts. This year our Bateman Weaves Study Group will tackle Boulevard, Chevron and Combination Weaves. Edited by Virginia I. Harvey. Shuttle Craft Guild Monograph Thirty Eight.

I have been working with the six thread six blocks that appear on page 29 of this Monograph. Dr. Bateman says the blocks are arranged in tag form. I have kept to his general idea and created my draft. My goal is table runners (and study group samples).

Now for the colorway. My inspiration was from the December 2011 Missouri Conservationist and a photo taken by Noppadol Paothong.

My warp will be multicolored. I am using brown for the 1-2-1 tie-downs and gold for the pattern shafts. The weft pattern color will be the cream with the blue as tabby. But of course, I will have to sample to see if this will work. 

I am off to wind the warp!

Finished

The scarf is finished! I washed it in the sink with warm water and dawn dish soap. After letting it almost dry, I used a dry iron and gave it a hard press. I am very please with the hand of the scarf. It feels like slick butter and has great drape.

I think changing the tabby from the Bambu to the silk was the trick. The samples I have done for my tied weaves study group will work great for a table runner. They don't have quite the drape I like in a scarf.

Here is the purse that inspired the scarf!

(click to enlarge)

Finishing Work

I have hemstitched and cut the scarf off the loom leaving a 6 inch fringe.
Now that the scarf is off the loom and I am adding some black threads to the fringe area. Using a crochet hook, I am pulling the loop through at the hemstitched area making a simple slip stitch.

Then I will cut to the correct length.

Now I will use my trusty fringe twister.

Cutting Off

Finished with the 6 yard warp! I got my 15 samples and a scarf out of that length. Now for fringe twisting for the scarf before I throw all into the washer.

Rolling On

It's hard to tell in my photo, but yes, that is bubble wrap. I have used it to help get a smooth surface to wind the finished web onto. I use it when the warp isn't very wide.

Weaving Diva pillow

I am still working on weaving my single two-tie scarf. I did want to share that I have changed my tabby thread for the scarf. My tied weave guru, Su Butler, said that weaving in dukagang fashion might be a bit dense unless you use the right combination of threads. So I have changed the Bambu 12 with some 140/2 spun silk. But don't know if I picked the right way to go. Seems that the weft, Bambu 7, is packing in more. Maybe I should have gone to a bigger tabby. Well, now we know why we should sample! I will know for sure once I get this off the loom and wet finished.

In the mean time, take a look at this adorable pillow/pin cushion. Was a gift I received from one of the Weaving Divas at the Weaving Diva Christmas party. Thank you Linda!

Dukagang fashion of weaving

I am weaving these samples for my Tied Weaves Study Group in the dukagang fashion. Weaving 15 samples  of the same thing over and over is a great way to really see what your draft and treadling is doing. Anyway, it is for me.

Single Two-Tie (aka Summer and Winter) can be woven in several different ways to get really different effects. I usually weave my tie downs in 1-2-2-1 order or 2-1-1-2 order. But with these samples I am weaving with using 1-1-1-1 order. That is what I am calling 'weaving in dukagang fashion'. (I could have used only tie down 2). I like the looks of the clean blocks, and the speckled background reminds me of the specks you get in the background of overshot or crackle.

How cold is it?

It's so cold I had to put socks on my chair.

This also shows what you do with all those overshot squares that didn't turn out to be so square... you turn them into pillows! Or a chair seat!!

Sample once, cut twice

Measure once, cut twice?... or is that sample once, then sample again!

After sampling my draft, I decided it didn't have enough motion in it. It looked to block-y. So I have changed the original treadling. The photo shows only 1/2 of the repeat of the two samples. But I do like how it will look when the repeats bump up against each other. I think that will help give me the motion I am after.

I am weaving in the dukagang fashion. I have also used a skeleton tie-up, so I step on two treadles at a time when I weave a pattern shot. And since I am using my 8 shaft Baby Wolf, I don't have far to go to get to all the treadles. Once I get into a rhythm, it goes smoothly.

Ready, Set, Sample

Ready

Set

Sample

Heddle Help

Everyone needs help with threading the heddles!

Cross Holder

I have started to sley the reed with my tied weave project. I am not sure which Handwoven this tip was in, but I use this cross holder all the time.

Warp wound

Warp is wound and I am using a really great tip I got from Kathy H. (She got it from Jeff R.) They are pot holder loopers! Not the cotton ones, but the nylon ones. They work great and I have been using them with all kinds of fibers and they do not slip or loosen until I want them to.

Choke ties using loopers. Click to enlarge.



The Beginning

I will jump right in and tell you about my latest adventure. I belong to Complex Weavers and have three study groups I participate with. I am working on the Complex Weavers Tied Weaves Study Group samples today. I have a draft and have picked out my fibers. I am going to combine single-two tie with bamboo. I have some Bambu 7 and Bambu 12 left over from another project and will use this for my samples and a scarf.  This lovely yarn is from Cotton Clouds (just a satisfied customer). It's always fun to work with yummy threads.

This is the draft I will be working with. I am going to try this with the warp and tabby the same and a different color for the weft. I have a couple of different colors in mind, but haven't made up my 'mind' yet.

I like when Laura Fry tells us what she is reading, so I will do the same. I am reading Inherintance by Christopher Paolini.