Back in the saddle...sort of...

October 30, 2011

Things have been crazier than you could ever imagine girls and boys.  I am trying to get settled into a very small room and a very difficult situation.  Moving definitely sucks!  

I did, however, find a little down time.  Actually, after days of breathing paint fumes and cleaning chemicals, working my job, packing, unpacking, bending, lifting...etc...well, I am sure you get the idea, I was actually plain old exhausted and took a couple of days at my leisure.  I still have tons to do, and of course finding a place to tie up my backstrap loom is once again a dilemma.

So I mounted it onto the copper pipe loom so that I could at least complete the piece I was working on.  Now I can concentrate on finding a proper tie up.  I don't care for weaving on the copper pipe loom, I don't like the sounds it makes, or the smell of the copper on my hands after I am finished weaving for starters.  But the piece is woven.

It is the skull piece for my friend KraftyMax's son.  He is 6 yrs. old and I was just fiddling around trying to save a botched plain wv dbl wv attempted warp.  I did post some progress pics a while back, and now it is as finished as I can get it for now.  I was thinking maybe a belt, but out of the 36 in. warp I only got 22 in. of woven web.  Not quite long enough.  It is also, in all probability, too wide for his belt loops.  Again, it was an adjustment thinking and technique trying to save the warp from the trash can.  It may turn into a pencil pouch or something else for him when it grows up...still thinking on that one.

So here are the pictures of the completed band.

Warp face double weave, so reversible.  I only did one 'cross bone', because I didn't like how it turned out.  But I am quite happy with my little skulls!

I am working towards my standard Monday, Wednesday and Friday postings, but may still be a little sporadic for a time.  Please hang in there with me, I will get back on schedule as soon as possible.

Completed project!

August 25, 2011

I completed my copper/espresso/bridal white current project.  It is 4 3/8 in. wide, 17 1/2 in. woven web and 19 1/2 in. with fringe.  It is also, a pleasant surprise, reversible.  It is done on the backstrap, in simple warp float technique.  Although I wish I had had enough of this yarn to make it larger, I think it will make a lovely holiday gift as a table topper.

I need a new camera, or to at least go outside to take the pictures.  These just don't do it justice.  I call this side the front.

This is the backside.

I love the spots on the back!

I really hope that you can see the copper peeking through!  It is a mystery yarn, maybe even silk.  It looks hand spun and just shimmers like crazy in the sunshine.  I will try to get a better picture!

New project, Double weft double weave.

August 16, Tuesday

This piece is a bit of an experiment.  I am using #3 mercerized cotton for the outside plain weave portion, and #10 for the center double weave area.  I want to see if this will make the ledge between where the two meet less acute.  

This means that I am doing double wv in the dreaded fine yarn... :-{ which we all know isn't my favorite thing.  But I happen to have alot of #10 and I need to just get over it.  There is a sort of variegated #10 on one side that I have been hording since Christmas.  I am hoping to get an interesting effect.

Here is the 30 in. warp laid out on my bed being secured to the warp beams.

Just a close up of the colors.

This is the side I am looking at as I weave.

Here is the backside.

I haven't really decided if I want to do pick up designs yet...maybe I will just let the variegated yarn speak for itself...

Pink pebbles!

Monday August 15, 2011

Finished the pink pebble piece some time last week.  Not happy with it at all.  I still find 'pebble weave' fiddly and difficult to setup, and I haven't put alot of effort into a design motif because I dislike having to reach through to the bottom shed to do the lifts.  This technique does give a double sided/reversible fabric, but I don't have much need of double fabric in the first place, and if I do I prefer double weave because of the solid background.

I decided to finish it out with just plain stripes, it is off center and off balance at both ends.  It seems that when I don't enjoy something it doesn't turn out as well as I would like.  Surprise, surprise...lol.

Pink pebbles.

Notice how where I doubled the weft in the stripes, it changed the weave considerably, but not the width of the fabric.

I even got hour glassing on the pebble design...different weaves, different results in the same piece.

Here you can really see the hr. glassing.  The piece is actually a consistent width all the way from end to end.

New pebble weave warp!

August 11, 2011

This warp did not come easily!  Not only did I have threading problems and have to manually re-pick the sheds, but I ran out of heddles, twice.  So TWICE I had to stop and make more.  Basically it took me all day just to do the heddles. 

As this is only my second pebble weave project, I am still happy with just the pebbles.  No designs yet.  I like it so far.  I forgot to take pictures of the other side, but will do so soon.  It is a reversible weave.  The other side is light pink with dark pebbles, opposite of what you see here.  This is a perle yarn, and as a result has lots of shimmer.  Difficult to take good pictures, so I hope you can see it reasonably well.  I will work on better pictures.

You also get to see a picture of how I am tying up in the new digs.

Unfortunately the very end corners of the window sill (there are 3 huge windows) are the only ones deep enough for a C-clamp to catch and hold.  So I am using only one fixed point, another learning curve to be sure as it wants to wobble a bit.  The red piece that you see is a piece of rubber to protect my friend's window sill, the clamp is also red so a little difficult to see.

Purple Peace signs!

August 5, 2011

I have finished the purple 'Aye' strap with the purple peace signs. 

I have it folded but not sewn up yet.  To the right you see what was left over warp and I just kept weaving.

Notice that the hearts are both right side up!  Next time I want to get all of the motif's running in the correct direction.

Here you get to see the back side.

Dana is doing pebble weave!

August 2, 2011

I have kept in touch and collaborated with Dana on Pebble Weave!  This girl is a whiz kid when it comes to this weaving thang!

Aye's envelope bag! Purple peace signs!

July 30, 2011

Originally I wanted to alternate purple heart, white peace sign both right side up, then white heart and purple peace sign both upside down.  Well it turned out that I didn't like the way the white motif looked.  Also turned out that my charted peace sign was VERY elongated.  So lots of un-weaving, per usual...LOL.

Then I did indeed get a peace sign completed that looked almost right, now I have also done the second one and it is even better.

I actually have a plan for this weaving.  I knew when I warped about what width I would get.  I also knew about how long and wide I wanted the envelope bag to be.  What I didn't know was how large the motif's would be, so there are going to be some wingin' it going on there.

It is intended to be for my friend KraftyMax's daughter, Aye.  Her favorite color is purple, of course.  I want to make it where it is carried over one shoulder and since 'peace signs' are her thing I thought hard about how to make them show up right side up on the side where the closure flap is.  So far so good.

Notice my home-made loom bars and sword!  Even the pick up sticks are double pointed needles I made myself!

I absolutely love the way double stranding two threads of the same color but different shades gives that steaky look!

This is all I got out of the Hand spun warp!

July 30, 2011

I got 10 in. of woven web...what a waste.  It just keep shredding and breaking the warps.  It is the blue and white stripe piece.  Just have to spin it even tighter and firmer next time.  12 in. total length out of a 66 in. warp.

So here is the new warp.  I have charted up a 60's style peace sign and warped in the favorite color of my favorite 11 year old.  I will be making her an envelope bag with it.

The purple is double stranded, I love to do that and get that streaky look to the warp.  You can see it a little better in the pictures below.

One more Envelope pouch!

 July 10, 2011

Today I finished up my favorite of all time long band.  I made it into a wonderful envelope pouch.  Selfish as it is I am keeping this one for myself.  It is actually the largest so far and can be carried as a small purse.

It is made with cotton and silk.  The strap is removable if I need to also.  

It just has a string tie.  I couldn't find a button I thought would do it justice.  So I decided to let the bag speak for itself.

This is the last one for a while.  I am all out of bands that are suitable for making any more.  I am very happy to have found a purpose for all of the bands that started out intended for the failed poncho project.

Dana came by to show me the progress on my 'purse' that we are doing together.  It is going to be so awesome.  It makes me very sad to move away from her.  I have so loved having a 'like-minded' friend who understands my passion for the weaving/fiber arts.  Instead of always having to explain what I am doing, or watching someone's eyes glaze over as they pretend to be interested.

Dana you are the best.

I've been a very busy little girl!

July 5, 2011

I sat down and made 6 envelope pouch's out of my warp face bands, some were done on a Gilmore Wave, some on a backstrap.  I am ahead of the game when I need to give a gift!

This is the first batch.  the black and white one is my first pebble weave piece.  It was done on a backstrap using a circular warp and is on it's way to Las Vegas, Nevada to my daughter for a birthday gift.

The teal and brown piece was my first 'simple warp float' piece on the backstrap...I disliked this piece from the start, but my friend Carol wanted it.  Yesterday she said to me "I think I will make a pouch out of this for my cell phone accessories."  My response? "Well, I just happen to be getting out my sewing machine this evening anyway, so allow me."  I love the end result.  I especially like the buttons.  My friend Dana's fella sliced a tree limb for me and drilled holes to make them into buttons.  Very rustic, I sanded them a little and orange oiled them for good measure.  I like the way the orange oil made the wood grain show up more.  

The warp teal and bridal white piece with the Greek Key design, I am keeping for myself.  I absolutely love it!  My sewing skills are coming right along.  Thanks you Dana, for encouraging me to sew.

I really gotta work on getting my signature hearts to be right side up. :-(

The little red and white one works great for female...well you know...stuff!  It was the first successful double weft double weave.  The other two, they both started out as double weave.  I still hadn't yet gotten the hang of it yet and when I failed, I simply plain wove the double stranded warp.  It was a way to keep from throwing out the warp, and I think they even made pretty good little pouch's!

Just about the right size for important papers, or make up in your purse.  These three don't have homes yet, but will probably be gifted out to some of the folks who help me with my coming move.  shhhhhh!

And then I plied the wool/silk roving.
For "Tour de Fleece".

Dana is making a scarf out of her own hand spun wool and this isn't really enough for me to do anything with, so I gifted it to her to trim out the scarf with.  Or whatever else she can come up with.

My second 'pebble weave'!

July 1, 2011

I tried all kind of new skills today.  I warped a circular warp on my new warp board.  That little board works like a charm.  I used a new method of lease sticks, also worked like a charm.  I made three sheds, one plain weave, pebble one and then pebble 2.  I only had one tiny mistake...two crossed warps in the same shed, fairly easy to fix compared to redoing the entire shed system.  And here are the results.

Here is the new warp board with my circular warp on it.  Please notice how straight the pegs/bolts are.  Absolutely no leaning (which means consistent tension)!  I warp tight too, so this is a wonderful wonderful thing!

Here you get to see my new 'lease sticks'.  The metal rings make this so much easier than tying bow's with string.  Less waste also.  Another plus.  These are just shuttles that I made years and years ago from Home Depot paint sticks.  Free is good too.

Here you see that I am all warped up and ready to go.  The lease sticks are now on their side and tied to one another.  This keeps my plain shed wide open, very easy to get the sword inside.  You also see string heddles on pebble shed one and pebble shed two. 

I am tied onto the dresser, but once I am off and running my feet will brace the stick that the blue band is tied to.  This is why I did the circular warp.  It is actually twice as long as what you can see on the top.  Now, when I have woven as far as I can reach, I will rotate the warp around so that I can weave some more.  So I never have to roll up the woven part closest to me.  This way when I want to I can brace the furthest bar with my feet and the warp never changes length.  It just rotates around the bars.  This makes me part of the loom and self sufficient.  I won't need to try out what to tie up to a sturdy fixed object (it needs to very strong for those who are not aware), which can be difficult to find at times.

 

Here you get to see my nice clean shed! 

Here you get to see the 'Pebbles'!  My head is gonna bust I am so excited.

More Warp Floats Galore.

 June 27, 2011

TADA!  My second warp floats galore.  The hook design Laverne did last week in black and white is definitely on the list!  And I did it on the backstrap!  Woohoo!  The warp is 3 ft. and I still have plenty to do, but going more narrow seems to be helping!  No more stripes if I don't want them. Odd how I figured it out after the stripes stopped bothering me.  It isn't free form but it is what I wanted it to be at that moment...and a struggle to get there!

FYI to all of my wonderful followers...I am in the process of a move back to FL...starting tomorrow morning as you are reading this.  I hope that I have enough posts to keep you happy until I can get back on line.  I will miss you all and be back as soon as possible.  Can't wait to see the Ocean!