Getting Ready

I ran out of the sample swatches I put in every kit, so this is Mary Meigs Atwater's horoscope weaving warp chains. I will be weaving this to cut up into little strips. I am using Bambu 7.

Below is a Woven Words piece I am weaving in exchange for 10 cashmere sweaters. It has been such a long time since I wound this warp I can't remember what words I am weaving. The recipient selected her favorite colors, and I made the wrapping for her before I wound the warp. And I have the perfect color of cashmere to weave through. Of course I will experiment with some of my other colors---especially beige and gray.


HEALTHY HAPPY FAMILY are the words in the warp. I just had to look it up. I will have a nice picture of the PEACE scarf that I recently cut off the loom, but I am working on a better way to photograph a scarf.

JUST 6 MORE DAYS OF THE MARY MEIGS ATWATER SPECIAL!

INSPIRED BY BONNIE Doubled

Bonnie,
I enjoyed the Color Horoscope Weaving workshop so much that I have a hard time thinking what I would want changed. The class was much more than I expected.
I am thrilled with my finished shawl, errors and all. The shawl really makes me feel good. Yea!
Thank you so much for a great workshop.
I highly recommend taking your class if anyone gets the chance.
Sharon Berglund


Hi Bonnie,

I'm sure you thought I was never going to actually do this project, but I finally got it done. This was a thoroughly enjoyable process -- the online teaching and coaching was fun; the warp planning was inspiring and meaningful (and when else can you say that??); and I was amazed at the way this technique blended colors. I have to admit that I was skeptical of the warp, thinking the colors not compatible (and, I know, I chose the colors from that watercolor, thinking how could nature be wrong!). Luckily I followed your suggestion to make a wrap. I made some adjustments in color and placement, but was still wondering. As I began to weave I became a believer -- wow! the colors looked gorgeous. So now I have 4 towels that are more than towels, because of the message they convey. And I'm a lot more comfortable playing with color! Thank you, thank you!

I'm glad you liked the towels -- they were such fun to do. I loved the woven words technique and plan to use it again and again.

Jane Yelvington

PS. Forgot to say that the warp words are "home" (on each side, mirrored), "health", "grace" and "peace.

Award!

Peg has done me the honor of nominating me for the Kreativ Blogger award.

Accepting this award means following some rules:

1. copy the Kreativ Blogger award to your blog
2. put a link to the person from whom you received the award
3. nominate 8 other blogs and
4. link to them
5. then leave a message on the blogs you nominated

Here are the eight bloggers I have selected in no particular order.

Constance Rose Designs

Woven~N~Spun

Buy-a-thread

Artistic Artifacts

Bonnie Samuel Designs

t'katch

NZ flax weaving

Argoknot

How I Fix a Broken Warp Thread

I take one of my handy dandy film cans left over from my kumihimo days, add coins to equal about 80 g., wrap a warp end around can, anchor with slip knot.


I pull one half of the broken end towards the woven part (below) and the other half towards the warp beam (above). Then I thread the film can thread through the now empty heddle and dent, and I lash it to my (can't live without) T-pin.


Then I just weave.


And the film can just hangs there.

Once I complete the weaving, I will needle weave the warp end so the two ends overlap for 2-3". I'll try to remember to take a picture of it before and after washing.

A Brag

My piece just won BEST IN SHOW at the RAGS WEARABLE ART SHOW & SALE

The 15th annual RAGS Wearable Art Sale and Show will take place March 13-15 at Larson’s Mercedes-Benz, and money will go to benefit YWCA Pierce County’s domestic violence programs.

A total of 70 vendors will take over the auto dealership to show off and sell their handmade wearable items such as clothing, purses, jewelry and other accessories. Vendors agree to give a third of their proceeds to the YWCA. Last year the RAGS Guild, which organizes the show, passed $85,000 on to the organization. This year their goal is to raise $100,000.

Although the larger part of the event has 70 vendors, there is also a gallery portion. I entered 2 pieces in the gallery this year. It is one of the few venues I continue to support. It certainly paid off.

This entire weaving is chronicled on this web log. I only have one post here, but it will give you an idea.

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.