Tapestry workshop!

Friday morning, February 18, 2011

Last night was tapestry workshop night.  The Art Center also 'Open House', more of a fund raiser than anything.  

Dana brought in the wash cloths that she did on her rigid heddle per the Betty Davenport, Textures on the Rigid Heddle Book, (I think I remember the title correctly).  They are simply awesome.  She does beautiful, exacting work.  Now I want new wash cloths.  She is having greater successes with the loom than I ever had in all of the 5 years I owned it.  I knew she would though, once I knew her educations and career are built around textiles.  She is a seamstress and I knew drapeable fabric would definitely be of interest to her.  

I pleases me that the decision to sell her the Kromski was a good one.  She is much happier using it than I was, and I am VERY satisfied with what I am learning on the Gilmore Wave Looms.  I call that a 'win win'.  

I also met a lovely lady from Ravelry via the phone.  She was having some difficulties with her warpface/Inkle weaving and I offered via Ravelry to try to help her via phone and she accepted.  She is a lovely lady and of course by the time I could call her she had pretty much already figured out her problems all by herself.  She was using wool a.k.a. stick yarn that grabs.  Once she put on a yarn more suitable for warpface structure she was well on her way.

In speaking with her I learned that she is also an avid yarn spinner.  She love silk and when I said I had never tried any, she sent me some.  Wow!  Very generous of her!  It is a beautiful hand dyed, hand spun PURPLE!  It is plied, slightly varied in shading and slightly nubby.  Stunning!  I am not sure it will work for warpface, so I will definitely have to get out the tapestry or the rigid heddle very soon.  I am going to have to think on that one though, this kind of yarn is expensive by my standards and I certainly wouldn't want to waste it.

In return, when she found out I predominantly use cotton, she asked for some ginned cotton.  I sent her a box packed full of it!  Can't wait to see what she does with it. 

As for my spinning efforts, they are a bit sporadic for now.  Space is at a premium where I live right now, so I am constantly shifting equipment up and down those very steep attic stairs.  Spindles and puni's for now.  No problem.  I should have enough cotton spun for a wrap soon, might already.

Anyway, that's what going on in my world!  Here is a picture of the beautiful purple silk!  Thank yo so much Catseye03!

 

The camera bag is still coming along.  We are re-thinking the design of the construction part for a moment.  When it is at the next stage you will be the first to know!