The Power of Weaving

When I ask weavers what they don't like about weaving, most tell me the thing they like the least is making a mistake. (actually many say they don't like dressing the loom, but that is another story) When I accidentally cut one of my warp ends while weaving today, I realized something so very important. In weaving (unlike most other things in life) there is practically no mistake that can't fixed if you take the time.


Actually this is the scarf BEFORE I cut the warp end. For some reason the pictures came up in reverse order.

Although I fixed the warp end, I didn't photograph my method. If enough people request it, I will show you how I fix a broken warp thread. It involves a film can and a T pin.

I will share my dialogue: "Oh, I just cut a warp thread! Thank heavens I only cut one!! I really can't believe I did that. This is obviously a message from the Weaving Goddess telling me to pay attention. Message received."

New Workshop: Gamping With Bonnie

I have been working on variations of Gamping With Bonnie for over a decade. I used to call the workshop Color Horoscope Weaving. In CHW, the students would painstakingly create a winding draft from their personal horoscope and then wind their warp with 20/2 cotton which I provided. Then they would leave with their warps in hand to go home and thread their looms and weave. I discovered that 50% of the students never did weave their shawls, and I never got to see the weaving in progress or finished weavings.

Brainstorm! What if students gathered their own yarn, wound the warp at home where they could take their time and consentrate, threaded the loom and came to the workshop all ready to weave? Wouldn't this be more fun for everyone?

What I hoped:
1. Students would experiment with various wefts seeing other people's weaving in progress.
2. Students would learn about yarn and color selection.
3. I would be certain students would complete their weaving.
4. Students would have a fount of ideas for future weaving projects based on the same draft.



Hem stitching---something I have never done, but think is a great thing to do and plan to learn how to do it one day.

Susan, one of the happy weavers, experiments with weft colors.


And Carol actually finished her Color Horoscope Weaving!


All too soon everyone folded up their looms and went home.

I learned a lot about small looms. I was impressed by the variety of portable looms out there. If you have a workshop loom that you totally love, I would love to know.

I am still recovering from my birthday celebration---actually I am still celebrating, so goodbye for now.

Hello From the Sacramento Spinners and Weavers

I tried to get everybody to wave. Only about half did, but what a jolly good group! I am actually home now although I am going to bend time and give you workshop highlights in the next few days. It was a splendid trip in every way!

Lecture topic: Color Horoscope Weaving

The lecturer's eye view in the picture above shows 6 renditions of my own personal color horoscope weaving. From left to right: 1. partial view of horoscope in Bambu 12. 2. horoscope in 20/2 cotton sett 48 epi with ikat stripes between each house. 3. horoscope in rayon chenille (1300) from Silk City, sett 16 epi, with braided (not twisted) fringe 4. horoscope in 50/2 natural dyed silk (by Aurora Silk) sett 30 epi (ends tripled) 5. horoscope in 5/2 pearl cotton sett 20 epi 6. partial view horoscope in 20/2 pearl cotton, ends tripled and sett 24 epi (solid borders added)

Also, today is my birthday. Since I feel like I have been celebrating this past week, (old hippy that I am) I merely consulted The I Ching (or Book of Changes) and asked for useful suggestions and advice for the upcoming year. Here are some excerpts:

TAMING THE POWER OF THE SMALL changing to WORK ON WHAT HAS BEEN SPOILED

Only by small means of friendly persuasion can I exert any influence.

Refine the expression of my nature in small ways

PLEASURE SHARED IS PLEASURE DOUBLED

What has been spoiled through man’s fault can be made good through man’s work.

Grand schemes are out of the question

Stay close to the situation I wish to affect

No aggressive measures

Poor time for new business ventures. Wait for sign of sure success

Improve appearance or format of project

Hold back to a position where I have choice.

Through a cooperative and loyal friendship with another, I increase my resources mutually. In this way I can accomplish my aim.

REPAIR

Timing is excellent for making amends.

Only through intelligent deliberation can I be certain that the action I take is correct.

MARY MEIGS ATWATER

Mary Meigs Atwater and son Monty (Mary born February 28, 1878)

FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH, I AM OFFERING A NEW MARY MEIGS ATWATER KIT AS A FUNDRAISER TO SUPPORT WEAVECAST. (SEE SIDEBAR) Just as Mary did so much in terms of archiving and spreading the oral traditions of handweaving in the 20th century, so does WEAVECAST today.

Although the kit will provide instructions for just the horoscope portion, I will be happy to guide anyone who wishes to meld together Color Horoscope Weaving and Turned Weft Ikat.

Here is a little quote from Mary, "It was in Basin (Montana) in 1916 that I began my study of handweaving, not only to find an outlet for my own artistic impulses, but also to provide social service. .....My research finally unlocked the secret of the summer-and-winter weave---the most beautiful and the most distinctively American of the weaves used by our early craftsmen. This weave is now well known among modern American handweavers."



I AM HEADING TO SACRAMENTO ON MONDAY TO TEACH A COLOR HOROSCOPE WEAVING WORKSHOP, SO THIS IS MY LAST POST UNTIL MARCH 4TH (MY 67TH BIRTHDAY) WHEN I RETURN.

Wondrous Blanky The End

Woundrous Blanky Wash and Block

I held my breath and tossed it into the washing machine (after the tub had filled with water). I learned a bitter lesson having the water spill directly onto the fabric. I did one gentle cycle on cold and two rinse cycles (gentle cold) for a 25% shrinkage.

And here is my least favorite step and my most unflattering picture. (although it tells the story) I spent 5 hours blocking the blanket directly onto the carpeting. I literally wore the skin off my knees. I am happy to say I weigh 60 lbs less than I did in that picture.


Even if I moved all of the furniture out of my new place, I wouldn't have the room to block a blanket. I can't say I am sorry.

Woundrous Blanky Comes Together

No, that is not a tiny harpoon, it is actually a needle. The reflection of the metal from the camera flash distorted the needle shape.

Joining Tips: With most fibers, I find it best to join before washing. The big exception is chenille, but that is a story for another day. I have spread the two panels for photographing, but when I am joining I have the pieces stacked one on top of the other. It still amazes me to work folded, but then the weaving opens completely flat.

Always plan for a join to happen where there is a color change if you want the join to disappear.


Notice that I have brought one of the yellow warp ends from Panel #2 to be the first end in Panel #3. I discovered ( through painful experience) just how difficult it is to distinguish the warp from the weft when both are black.

When joining, I join pick to pick. I will sew through and join every single weft pick. It takes me between 3 and 4 hours to complete a join.

Again, I want to remind folks that this major project took me over a year to execute with lots of thinking time between each step.
I am really not that productive.