Dictionary

Dictionary 

I have come to the end of 'this' dictionary. Perhaps you would want to create your own. Or maybe you might add to mine.

To me, weaving is an on-going learning experience. Having a dictionary at my fingertips helps me understand the words used. If I know what twill means, I am better able to weave and create twill. If I know the meaning of half-Rya, I can do that. What does overshot on opposites mean? What are thrums? What is the difference between set and sett?

Knowing the meaning of words in the context of weaving helps the learning process.So the next time someone says, "this rug has a nice texture", know they are taking about the nubby or rough surface of that rug. You wouldn't say an Oriental rug had texture as its surface is smooth. But it does have texture. So knowing the way the weaver speaks and thinks is assisted by weaving dictionaries.

One of the very first things I learned was weaving had its own language. And the next thing I learned was that weaving words were used as a way to explain the ways of the world.

"Z" is for Z-Twist

"Z" is for Z-Twist

When the single thread was spun in a clock-wise direction a "z" twist thread was made.

In India, cotton is always spun with a "z" twist which causes greater shrinkage in the setting process. According to tradition this makes the resulting thread stronger. (Swatch Page, Spinning Helps & Hints, no date given).

Two z-twist threads plied together in the s-twist will give a very stable yarn.

"Y" is for Yarn

"Y" is for YARN

"The structure of a fabric or its weave - that is, the fastening of its elements of threads to each other - is as much a determining factor in its function as is the choice of the raw material." This great quote is from the book On Weaving by Anni Albers.  

Yarn is the weavers raw material! You can cut up a pair of blue jeans and bring it to the loom and it is now thought of as 'yarn'. You can grow your own cotton, spin it and it becomes yarn. Shear the sheep and make a roving and weave with that, it becomes your yarn. Spin gold into thread. Place nettles in the tapestry. Sweet grass not only looks exciting woven into a mat, it smells good too.

Yarn is made out of most things under the sun. And some yarns are even made in a lab. 

Look around for your yarn. Look around your pasture. Look on the street corner. Look when you are at the creek. Look when you take a walk. Look for a vendor. (my favorite way!)

If it can go through a shed, it just might be yarn. 

"X" is for David Xenakis

"X" is for David Xenakis

Back in the 80's there was this really great weaving magazine called "The Prairie Wool Companion." The editor was David Xenakis. A wonderful resource. He favored rigid heddle looms, but the magazine also showcased 4-8-12 and more shaft looms.

So if you wanted to weave, didn't have a lot of money or room for a large loom, you could still create great things. Then when that magazine left the scene, the magazine "Weaver's" came to be and he was the contributing editor for it. He even put out a monograph on rigid heddle weaving. Neither one of the magazines companies are still around, but if you can find them in your local guilds, through Complex Weavers, or even HGA you need to check them out.

They didn't just do one page of info and one page of photos, they explained and helped you understand what you were doing. They wanted you as a weaver to explore and maybe even learn something.

"W" is for Weaving Conferences

"W" is for Weaving Conferences

There are several conferences out there for weavers. Some are big affairs and others are small gatherings. Here are few I think you might consider going to. The learning and networking with others weavers cannot be understated. This is just a sample of 2016 and 2017 conferences. Check out a location near you!!

http://www.weavespindye.org/
Convergence 2016 in Milwaukee, WI, July 30-Aug 6. This is put on by Hand Weavers Guild of America.

http://www.midwestweavers.org/
Midwest Weavers is one of my favorites. It is small and personal and most times is close to me. June 12-17, 2017 in Indianapolis.



http://www.complex-weavers.org/
Complex Weavers is an online guild that holds conferences too! You can find them in St. Charles, IL June 17-19, 2016.









http://missourifiberartists.org/
This is by the Missouri Fiber Artists in St.Louis, Missouri April 13-14 for pre-workshop with Judy Dominic, Conference April 15-17, 2016.

"V" is for VAV

"V" is for VAV magazine

This Scandinavian weaving magazine is a great resource for weavers. They put out 4 issues a year. And they even put out books. It is always interesting to read about weavers who are 'across the pond.' But several American and Canadian weavers have great articles too. I love looking at the advertisements. So if you get a chance, pick up a copy and check them out!

In my personal library I have these two copies, 4/11 and 4/12. And also I have the book "HAPPY WEAVING from VAVMAGASINET"."  This book is just full of inspirations as are the magazines.

"U" is for Umbrella Swift

"U" is for Umbrella Swift

It is hard to take a skein of yarn and wind that on the warping  board, but this little beauty will help you get into a ball which is easier to work with. Works with most sizes of skeins. A great time saver!

"T" is for Taquete

"T" is for Taquete

According to the book Weft-Faced Pattern Weaves, Tabby to Taquete by Nancy Arthur Hoskins, weavers of the Near East and of Coptic Egypt in the 2nd century-7th century A.D. wove two and three-color weft-faced patterned taquete textiles.

Taquete is also known as weft-faced summer and winter weave, weft-faced polychrome summer and winter without tabby, and weft-faced two-tie unit weave.

Items from rugs to fine thread clothing can be woven with this structure.

"S" is for Shuttle

"S" is for Shuttle

The tool that carries the weft through the shed is called the shuttle. There are many different kinds of shuttles for carrying the weft yarns. Boat shuttles are faster and more expensive, and stick shuttles are slower and less expensive. But your shuttle needs to fit the yarn. You wouldn't use a boat shuttle with fabric strips when weaving a rag rug. The rags just would not fit a boat shuttle. And on the other end, you would find it bothersome to weave 100/2 silk using a rug shuttle. It could be done, but a boat shuttle would work better. And no way could you use a ski shuttle on your inkle loom.So match your shuttle to the weft yarns used and even the loom. It will make life and weaving much better.

Double boat shuttle, boat shuttles and one lone flat shuttle for an inkle loom.

From top to bottom: ski shuttle, rag shuttle, rag shuttle, flat shuttle. 

"R" is for Rya Knot

"R" is for Rya Knot

First off.... my spell check doesn't know the word: Rya.... Who put this dictionary on my computer? Me thinks he/she forgot some very important words,

To begin, cut your yarn to individual lengths. Maybe use a cardboard or mat board to cut the yarn to uniform lengths. Or a neat trick is to use already cut yarn lengths sold for rug hooking.

On a closed shed, place a length of yarn around two warp ends.

(The needle is just to hold the threads because I couldn't take the picture and hold the threads too) Hold the ends together in one hand.. (the part under the needle), and with the other hand separate the two warp ends and pull a loop of yarn through the center of the two warp ends.
 

Pull the ends of the yarn through the lifted loop.

Pull down knot to tighten. Weave at least two rows of plain weave before beginning another row of knots.Then you can go back and trim to length before you began another row of knots or even wait until you have finished weaving the project.

"Q" is for Quills

"Q" is for Quills

I have never used quills, but from reading I have found out that they do not have sides like bobbins and can be made of cardboard. I found several web sights telling how to wind them. I found a place that sold them 10/pack for $6.50. Maybe I need to try them?

"P" is for Project Notes

"P" is for Project Notes

Not too many of us weavers just jump onto the loom bench and start weaving away. We have had to do a bit of prep work before hand. If you are weaving a project either you own or another, you will probably follow a "recipe." This recipe is considered project notes.

Information we will need before you begin may include:
1. Technique (weave structure)
2. Warp yarns and size
3. Weft yarns and size
4. Reed, and ends per dent
5. Selvage- doubled, single, needed or not
6. Warp sett
7. Weft picks per inch
8. Width in reed
9. Number of ends needed
10. Weaving length on loom that includes any finishing to the ends, sampling, shrinkage.

You many never weave this same project again with the same yarns, but by keeping project notes you are working through your project and hopefully will not find any surprises when you are finished.

So even if you follow a "recipe" from a book, magazine, the internet, or one you create, it really-really helps to keep project notes. Note in the margin if you changed anything from the printed recipe. It will help you be a better weaver.

Here is how I keep my project notes. Because these are my notes, some info may not be written down, such as selvage used, just because I know me! Or I may not even say to use tabby, but I will know, because it is something I dreamed up. So if you think my notes are skimpy... they may be, but they work for me.

I find working with a computer weaving program works for me. There are several out there, find the one that works for you. Keep notes that work for you!

"O" is for On-Opposites

"O" is for On-Opposites

We have heard this expression "on-opposites" and maybe not been real sure what it was. If you have ever woven plain weave you have woven on-opposites. You weave one equal half the threads against the other equal half of threads. You may have put your threads on shafts 1 and 2 only for a two shaft weave or plain weave. You may have put half your threads on shafts 1 & 2 in the case of summer and winter. In that case you would weave shafts 1+2 versus all the other shafts. Or you have put your tie-up in a two-two twill.

If you have your tabby treadles tied up as above, to weave on-opposites, you will weave 1 versus 2.

On a four shaft loom with a balanced twill tie-up (2/2) is divided into two pairs.
Shafts 1 & 2 versus 3 & 4
Shafts 2 & 3 versus 4 & 1

The treadling order pairs up the two blocks or sheds that are the exact opposite of one another.

 So you can think about weaving your plain weave web on opposites, or think about the different blocks you are weaving. If you want to weave on opposites ,or in pairs, you will need enough treadles where you have two different treadles for each block used.

"N" is for Novelty Yarn

"N" is for Novelty Yarn

Just what is Novelty Yarn?
Novelty: a small manufactured article especially for personal or household adornment, usually without intrinsic value or merit.
Yarn: any spun thread (wool, flax, silk, cotton etc.) prepared for weaving, knitting, rope making etc.

But, we know novelty yarn can be fun, silly, expensive, hard to find, lovely!

And we know we can weave and create fun things with our novelty yarns!

I hope you have fun weaving with novelty yarn. Maybe you add a few ends in the warp, perhaps a few shots in the weft....

Here my friend, Bo, has used ladder yarn and other novelty yarns in this awesome scarf!!

"M" is for Motif

"M" is for Motif

If you are a lover of coverlets and overshot, you are likely aware of the different motifs that make up those patterns. I think most of the weavers I know fell in love with overshot from the very beginning of their weaving adventures. I know I did. The drafts usually were for a four shaft loom and was a great way to learn to 'square your motifs' , 'weave as drawn-in' , 'use two shuttles' , 'connect with the past'. The motifs were combined and rearranged to create wonderful textiles. And who couldn't love some of the names for the pattern: Missouri Trouble, Alabama Beauty, Orange Peel, Wandering Vine, Indiana Frame Rose, Rose in the Wilderness, Dutchman's Fancy, and Lee's Surrender.

Here are a few examples.

Wheel

Table

Rose

Leaf

"L" is for Lindsey-Woolsey

"L" is for Lindsey-Woolsey

A course, stout material, made with linen warp and wool weft on a twill threading. This fabric was used as skirting by the British peasantry while it was most commonly used during the Civil War era in America for outer clothing. The name is from the components of the cloth produced.

Back in 2007, I took a week long class at John C. Campbell Folkschool where we studies 18th Century Textiles. This was my first time working with linen. The teachers were Barbara Miller and Pam Howard. We learned how to put linen on the loom and treadled different twill patterns using a wool weft.

The hand of this cloth isn't very soft or pleasant, but it was its durability that was important.

My samples woven at the school showing a washed sample and an unwashed sample.

"K" is for Kumihimo

"K" is for Kumihimo

Kumihimo is a Japanese interlaced braid technique. While on a weaving loom the threads are woven with a horizontal and vertical structure, the braids made with the TAKADAI have a diagonal structure known as oblique interlacing. This Takadai is one piece of braiding equipment developed in Japan. The braid is usually flat and be several inches wide.

This is the Takadai loom.

If wanting to explore this braiding technique a couple of small hand held  'wheels' or 'plates' have been fashioned to create the round or flat braids.

Using these small looms, you can create round braids to make a 'frog' for that evening jacket. Or a flat braid for an evening scarf, or a narrow strip of accent on a yoke. Lots of application for round or flat braids. 

One of my guild members (Rossanna) has been exploring kumihimo. Her introduction of beads into this technique is very exciting. So grab your takadai or disk or plate and create something exciting too!

One resource book - Making Kumihimo Japanese Interlaced Braids by Rodrick Owen. copyright 2004. 

"J" is Just For Fun

"J" is JUST FOR FUN

Sometimes, don't we all just weave for the fun of it? Sometimes we weave to learn a new technique, sometimes it is for a gift or sometimes it is just to feel the shuttle in our hands and see the magic unfold in front of our eyes.

With this cute little guy I was learning to weave ticking. I had woven off the blue and white warp and tied on with black and white. Then I wondered what would happen if I took the fabric to the dye pot. So that is why the fabric is yellow and black stripped. So now I had this piece of dyed fabric and it told me it wanted to be a dogie. This is what turned I got!






When I took him outside for his photo session, he wanted to hold a flower I had made from a small twill sample. I think he was enjoying the cool crisp morning air out on the back porch. So remember to smell the flowers and weave a little for fun today!

"I" is for Inspiration

"I" is for Inspiration

Just where do we, as weavers, get our inspirations? From books, from calendars, from the view out our windows? Here are a few places I looked.

This small wall hanging was inspired by this Missouri Conservationist magazine. It's a little bit Bateman, clasp weave, plain weave, and embroidery work. And just look at the really cool piece of wood from Linda!

These towels were a project that used 'strips'. I was trying for the Santa colors.

I had this bird feeder in the back yarn. Love all the colors in this one photo. I can see these colors blended into a jacket.

This came from a calendar. Who wouldn't love a scarf with these colors?

"H" is for Halftone

"H" is for Halftone

There are three areas of traditional overshot: pattern, background and halftones. When the pattern weft does not float above or below the rest of the fabric, but is woven in just as the tabby shots are, we call these areas halftones. This over-under alternation of your pattern weft ties the pattern weft securely to the ground cloth.

Notice the halftones on both side of the solid block. The solid white blocks are the background, the solid red the pattern blocks, and the 'spotted'  blocks are the halftone block. 

This awesome example is by Jeff Reynolds (Best of Missouri Hands),.