My triumphant return to the loom – thanks to two friends who decided to do a swap with me (I am not so good with swaps – just being honest!):  Jenna and Annie.  I bought the yarns, warped my loom, and within a matter of hours, the scarf was ready.  Why in the world did it take me so long to do this?

“Take Two” Scarf

Warp: Blue Heron Mercerized Cotton
Weft: 2 skeins The Fibre Company Organik / 2 skeins Noro Silk Garden
Pattern: 4-shaft twill pattern
Loom: Schacht Baby Wolf

I named this scarf “Take Two” because I took much of the inspiration from the scarf I made in July, the Silk Stripes scarf, which also used Noro in the block pattern.  This time, instead of using the tabby plain weave, I chose to do a twill pattern, effectively creating small V-shapes with the weft yarn.  It adds more texture and it worked up well in the yarns I chose.  The final product came out a bit shorter than I intended – it measured about 5.5 feet with the fringe – but Jenna loved it when I gave it to her last Wednesday night!  She came to town for a conference, and the timing was just perfect to give her the scarf.  I do wish I had a full-length photograph so you could see the blocks of color, but it was nearly impossible to capture it in the low-light setting.  Hopefully Jenna can show us one of her wearing it!

And now, I can’t wait to warp up my next project – this time using the same kind of yarns and the same concept (I guess I can’t get enough of it… it’s the Noro!) for Annie’s scarf.  Annie sent me some amazing homemade soaps in the summer (we love them!), and I have been so lazy about warping up the loom… I will be using another cotton warp, as they are strong and can endure the tension of the loom.  These are the colors I will be using for Annie’s.   I hope she likes them!

I will finally make good on my promises and fulfill these swaps… and in the process of doing that, I fell in love with weaving all over again!

_______

I had SOO much fun reading your responses to my last post!  Ooh, I got some great juicy secrets and guilty pleasures out of you all!  You all made me feel like I am in good company with my new affinity to vampire genre fiction (… ahem, I read Twilight yesterday in 5 hours…) and TV.  Thank you for all of your responses!

…and who gets the sparkly-glittery-just-like-Edward-in-the-sun hank of lovely yarn?

Manda at Knit Along the Way

Congratulations Manda!!

]]> http://lollygirl.com/blog/2008/12/08/returning-to-the-loom/feed 39 http://lollygirl.com/blog/2008/07/07/silk-stripes-scarf http://lollygirl.com/blog/2008/07/07/silk-stripes-scarf#comments Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:20:06 +0000 lolly http://lollygirl.com/blog/2008/07/07/silk-stripes-scarf Once I get a new warp on the loom, I can zoom right along.  It’s just getting that new warp on… the process takes a steady hand and a dedicated attention span – threading all of the heddles, sleying the reed, beaming.  Once I am in that zone, I quite enjoy the process of it.  Especially with a good audiobook* playing.

Silk Stripes Scarf 
Warp: Elsebeth Lavold Silky Tweed in Linen (2 skeins)
Weft: Noro Silk Garden in 249 (1 skein) & 269 (1 skein)

[more photos of the Silk Stripes Scarf here]

Each skein of the Silk Garden yielded three bobbins (to put in the boat shuttle) each, so with six bobbins, I alternated the striping patterns between the earthy colors of the 249 colorway and the cream variegations of the 269.  Each bobbin gave me between 7 and nine inches of woven fabric.  The deep colors of the 249 colorway appear to be three different skeins of yarn – but that is the true beauty of Noro!  Every time I work with Noro, I fall a *little* more in love with it.  (Sad side story:  Remember my Shinano cowl?  Totally loved that thing.  Well, I seem to have lost it somewhere en route to Nova Scotia.  I think it must have been at Dulles Airport somewhere…  I am thinking around the security check when I was hurrying to put my shoes back on… ack.  I loved that thing.  And now I want more Shinano to compensate!)

I am brimming with weaving inspiration right now – so many great ideas and designs out there!  Many thanks to Barbara at The Lumpy Sweater for sending a weaving book she found at a sale.  It is about Finnish weaving techniques.  I look forward to trying some… once I get a little better!

…

I had a nice holiday with the family.  We planned to go down to see the fireworks in DC, but the thunder and lightning kept us at home.  We played a few card games and Scattergories whilst munching on my leftover Friendship bread!  It was a fun night.  My sister Sarah and I made plans to get together the next day to check out the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.  The weather forecast didn’t look particularly pleasant, but it ended up being quite nice once we got to the National Mall.

The themes this year were Bhutan, Texas, and NASA.  Very disparate themes, but a good mix for a day of learning.  The SFF seems to always include a rich textiles display, and that offers some amazing photo opportunities.  So full of color!

[All photos from Festival here]

 We saw several demonstrations, heard a few discussions (a particularly interesting one on the environmental sensibilities of the Bhutanese people and their Gross National Happiness) and in the Texas “Opry” pavillion, I got to dance.  The band was playing some polka music, and this older gentleman came up and held his hand out to me.  I hesitated and pointed at my sister, but he pointed right at me.  So, I polka-ed with this man (who didn’t speak any English… I believe he was actually Polish) in front of a large audience.  Even though we lived in Texas for a short while when I was young, I guess I didn’t realize that polka was so “big” there.  The band was pretty good, and my dance partner was getting quite into it.  He kept on saying things to help lead me in the dance (but I did not understand!) and I just stepped around in a square figure.  He even twirled me around a few times!  what a charmer!  (…but Kris should have no cause for concern…)

*I listened to The Man Who Loved China whilst weaving my scarf.  Fascinating and engaging story!  (Psst – anyone else on Goodreads?)

I had virtually no problems with this yarn and warp combination – the tension stayed steady throughout, and it gave me a boost of confidence considering some of the other “learning experiences” I have had with the loom of late.

This time, I chose a very textural yarn, Pingouin Minou, that has been in the stash for some time. It is a thick-and-thin cotton/rayon blend with the little slubs of cotton, and the shiny ply of rayon. I picked it up in a trade last year from Sarah – but as to the provenance, I am not sure. The tag says “Made in Brazil”, but a Google search reveals very little, so I am assuming that it is long discontinued. Too bad, because it was definitely a treat to weave with…

Loaded up two episodes of This American Life podcast, set the pedals for a plain weave, and a few hours later, I had a finished shawl. Seven feet long, fifteen inches wide finished shawl. Weaving is meditation, but it is also production – it just goes so quickly compared to knitting!

I have to admit, this was yarn/warp initially slated to be a baby blanket. However, as I worked it up, I realized it was not the right kind of fabric for a baby – too drapey and with uneven textures. So, what kind of garment works well with drape and textures? hmmm… a wrap. A wrap for me. Perfect. (Baby can get booties or a bib, just like all the others!)

(More photos here)

Bonafide love for my new wrap. Not only is the color amazing, but the texture! I am definitely a happy weaver. The yarn definitely looks better in this form than sitting in a bag on my stash shelf!

…and when I finally did it yesterday, it all came together so quickly…

I wound a three yard warp of the linen I purchased from Webs. I sleyed and threaded. I wound the strips of jeans onto the large rag shuttles. I made a rug for my front door. It was simple and relatively quick to complete.

The rags were quite bulky, and much of the beating was actually done by hand. The unevenness of the strips and the frequent bulk of the seams made it nearly impossible to beat with the loom’s beater. I tugged and beat the strips down with my fingers, and they held up well. I hope that means that the rug will hold up well for all of the feet that will be walking all over it:

Humans

Canines

Felines

I loved making something so functional. I love knowing that it will be right inside my front door when I come home. The ease and simplicity of the process were just what I needed to give me a little boost of weaving confidence. I am hoping that with more practice, the pieces will just get better. The real beauty of working with rags is that it will never look perfect. It has the homemade look: scrappy and asymmetrical. It is supposed to be that way! For a beginner, this is a gift!

Brooke at The Daily Purl has made some fabulous stoles and scarves with Habu warp and weft yarns, so those are definitely tempting me. But, then so are Olga and Vanessa’s Habu knit creations…

With the help and advice of some weaving friends I met through Ravelry and Flickr, I decided to add a few specific weaving yarns to my stash – just to avoid some of the tension problems I have experienced of late. I am hoping to warp up this linen soon and began work on the denim rag rug!

There is no doubt about the strength of this yarn: 100% linen! It should make a great rug warp, and I liked the natural undyed color to go with the simple indigo of the jean rags. I picked this up from WEBS, along with a few other weaving yarn goodies.

Valley Yarns CotLin 8/2 cones

I really liked the springy combination of these colorways, and the three of them came with a dishtowel drafting pattern for the loom. If I can find the patience and wherewithal, I will attempt the plaid dishcloth! With 3000 yards each, I can afford to experiment a little and play around on the loom.

And as I learn more about my loom and its capabilities, I am also looking at my sock yarn stash in a new way. After seeing some fun store samples woven up at The Mannings, I think it would be a blast to experiment with the colors of sock yarns. After a winter sock “drought” – my last pair being the Autumnal Equinox socks for Socktoberfest – I finally cast on for a pair of socks yesterday after feeling the urge to see how this yarn would knit up. Definitely wanted to knit with this one – there was no thought of using it for weaving.

The feminine companion to the other GGH socks I made for Kris… another thanks to Debi for sending these (now discontinued) yarns in a trade almost two years ago!

After seeing a parade of beautiful socks by Chawne, I felt the time was right to finally cast on for some socks. I was waiting to finish my sister’s sweater, but I thought: why delay happiness? These socks are making me pretty happy! I started them on the train while I was traveling downtown to see Amber, who was in DC for work. We had a yummy Ethiopian dinner. And while we did not knit or take photos of our outing, we had a great time

So, as I look over my stash, I am thinking about all of the possibilities and all of the fabrics – both knit and woven – that can be created. It excites me. It’s like a newfound spirit of adventure: seeing my stash with both weaver and knitter eyes!

Knitters: this is the equivalent of getting enough courage to move past garter stitch and trying the knit-and-purl action of stockinette!

I am experimenting with twills. On my own. (Yes, I did twills under the supervision of a very capable teacher, but this time it is 100% me – I tied up my treadles, threaded it, knotted it and set it all up!)

The loom is like an organ or a piano. If you think of it that way, you can visualize the mechanics easier. SIX treadles / pedals. Treadles 1 – 4 are tied to two of the harnesses (the frames that move up and down and create the shed, for you to pass your shuttle through to create the fabric – there is a whole new vocabulary that comes with weaving!) to form the twill pattern you see here.  Treadles 5 and 6 are tied up in a plain weave pattern (also called “tabby”) which is your standard over/under woven fabric.

You can see that I did a twill pattern for the top portion, creating a kind of diamond or flame effect. Twills can take a number of different shapes, and this one is a common pattern. After the twill I moved back to a plain weave pattern. I chose to do these twill stripes with little bits of plain weave in between to add some dimension.

The eagle-eyed among you might have caught my “oops” in the first photo: the left side had a broken warp thread. The whole “warp thread breaking” has become a frequent occurrence around my house. I have a theory that it is because of the reed I am using.

My loom came with a 6-dent reed, and I have been using it steadily since I got the loom last month. However, I am realizing that it may not be the best fit for finer threads and smaller fabric widths that I am working with… Each time I bring the beater back to put the weft threads in place, the reed is weakening the threads at each end of the warp. Eventually, they break because the reed is too wide-spaced and slowly wears the thread down to its last fiber. *snap*

So, in case there are any weavers reading today: is my theory correct? is this why my threads are breaking left and right? do I need to make wider projects with more ends per inch? would a second reed – a 10-dent, perhaps? – be the key?

I still have so much to learn!!

…and I want to finish this one up so that I can get that rag rug warped up!

PS–Many thanks for your comments on the last post. I am still smiling, and I sincerely hope that you are too!

),

I had been planning to repurpose the jeans in some way for awhile. Most of the jeans are the ones that I wore before my weight loss, with a few pairs from Kris with holes in the knees and pockets. At first I was thinking about a quilt, but I just have never gotten the real urge to try quilting… so, with my new fascination and love for weaving, I figured the jeans would be a great way to practice rag rug weaving! My used loom came with several rag shuttles, and after reading the aforementioned books, I think the process sounds like a lot of fun. So… I just shredded my jeans. Here’s how I did it

Gathering all of the jeans up, I determined that the best way to repurpose the fabric was to cut in continuous strips. I started the process by cutting off the hem of the jeans. Of course, the hem could be used, but I thought that the double layer of thickness would throw off the texture of the final project. *snip snip*

This process is tough on the hands – especially around the heavy seams, so take frequent breaks to stretch your hands, and expect a little soreness in the morning. Your best bet is to get some strong sharp scissors.

Because the pant legs are tubular, you are going to cut left to right, at a slight diagonal. This will help you maximize the fabric for your strips, and make it one continuous piece. When the cuff (hem) is cut off, make a cut next to the side seam, about 1″ or 4-5cm. From there, begin cutting on the diagonal.

Just like your old cut-off jean shorts, the strips are going to be a little raggedy. If you want a cleaner edge without the fray, it may be better to use some other kind of material for your rag base. I have a pile to t-shirts and old cotton “work” shirts” that are next in line for rag rug weaving.

As you work your way up around the pant leg, you can decide how far you want to go. I chose to go up to the hips, where the inseams meet between the legs, and where the back pockets were added. This still leave quite a bit of material – but it is harder to use – and to cut – because of all of the seams. If you want to use all of your scraps, you may look into some other denim crafts. I have seen some versions of pillows and even tote bags and purses that use jeans.

Each leg that I cut yielded a good amount of fabric. I did not count the yardage, but one pant leg made a nice ball! As I cut more, I had many cute little denim rag balls to play with…

Now comes the fun part. I need to choose an appropriate warping yarn. I am planning to use cotton, probably some of the Sinfonia mercerized cotton in the stash. Just need to measure it out and then put it on the loom… I am hoping that the cotton will be strong enough. I have had a few problems with broken warp threads lately… any tips from seasoned weavers out there?

I am hoping to have the same kind of success as Felicia had with her denim rag rug - although my strips are a little larger than hers. My loom should be strong enough to handle the heavy beating that is required to make rugs. (It handled the heavy beating of the weft-faced sampler I did…) I know the previous loom owner used it for rugs (hence the rag shuttles) so I am gonna give it a go!

Of course, rags can be used in a number of ways. Weaving is only one of the many (see the Worsted Witch post about rag weaving). There is a great rag rug in Mason-Dixon Knitting, and a number of ways you could use the recycled materials for knitting, crochet, or braiding. There are a number of helpful books on the subject too – full of ideas and inspirations to reuse and repurpose old, outgrown, or holey clothes.

Some resources:

• DIY Network’s Crochet Rag Rug
• Knit and Crochet Rag Potholders/Hot Pads
• “Rag Rug” article from 1871
• A tutorial about using cotton flat strips for rags

What can be more rewarding than making something new and functional out of something old and raggedy?

…and until I get that warp ready, I will just practice my juggling…

Remind me of this moment. When I think it is a good idea to use alpaca yarn for the warp threads of a project, please remind me. The funny thing is, I know the properties of alpaca – I read my Knitter’s Book of Yarn – and I know that alpaca drapes beautifully but doesn’t have the resiliency of cotton and wool. However, I seemed to have briefly forgotten those things in my haste. I cut up two balls of yarn and put them on the loom, only to have some major tension issues later. The fibers did not stay “put” in the weaving, and when it got snagged, it was a very ugly sight. So, because I had 8 inches woven, I did not rip back – I just got the scissors and did the deed.

Now, I have some very pretty and soft pillow stuffing.

If only I had just thought about it – the alpaca would have made a lovely weft yarn. Weft yarns don’t hold the same tension, and can really be any kind of fiber. Luckily, I still have 2 skeins left in the same colorway, and I am pretty sure that those should be reserved for knitting a nice hat or some mitts.

So, I took a break from the weaving and started to knit. I had been planning a birthday present for my sister, and was initially going to cast on for the Minimalist Cardigan (from the Fall 2007 Interweave Knits). It is a great versatile knit, and I could see her wearing it all of the time; however, with her spring birthday, and her temperate climate, I asked her about the possibility of a lighter weight cardigan. I showed her the previews of the new Spring 2008 IK. I had my eye on two garments that I knew she would love – and she called and told me that she loved the same ones! So, I researched my options and ordered some yarn. Once it arrived on Friday afternoon, I immediately cast on for the Printed Silk Cardigan. I did not want to waste any time – her birthday is one month from today!

The pattern calls for Fiesta Yarns La Luz, which is undoubtedly a gorgeous yarn. However, I have seen my share of store samples knit up in this yarn, and unfortunately it does not stay “gorgeous” for long. I talked to Connie, the designer (and a wonderfully sweet and resourceful person), about yarn substitutions. Then I found Frog Tree Pima Silk. The numbers were right, and I took a chance. Luckily, it worked out perfectly! I easily got gauge with the recommended needles sizes, and I started on the first sleeve that night. Now, I am working on the sleeve cap itself – it is a pretty quick knit.

I am very happy with my yarn choice. The yarn has a beautiful hand and feel. It is slightly splitty, but that is not uncommon of cotton/silk blends… so, as long as I pay attention, the fabric comes out looking pretty good. So far.

…and just because I wanted to dust off and get back on, I also wound a new warp last night. This time it is wool in a deep burgundy shade. I think it will look great, once I get around to putting on the loom…

I started the Phyllo Yoked Pullover from Knitting Nature a few days ago. The stockinette is like an old friend: so comforting and peaceful. I am really enjoying the chance to work with the lovely yarn too – this is the Elsbeth Lavold Silky Tweed that I picked up at the beach last summer. The yarn was supposedly discontinued – which is really too bad, but seems inevitable – once I start loving something, it goes away! The colorway is an amazing rusty red (#15) and I am a little worried about yardage as I don’t quite have enough for the pulli. I am hoping to get a few hanks from a contact on Ravelry – or I will get creative and play with the sleeve length.

This pullover was part of a little knitalong that Jody, Kelly, and I had planned last year. We talked about starting in mid-February, and I just couldn’t quite wait, so I started last weekend. I am looking forward to seeing their progress on their pullovers too!

I also started a new weaving project – this one is a turning point. I am getting (slightly) more confident in my skills, so I felt that I could actually use some pretty (and pricier) yarns for my warp and weft. I also wanted something that would fit in with the theme for Project Spectrum. My eyes fell on the lovely Rauma Chiri Alpakka, a beautiful Scandanavian-produced alpaca that I received in a trade with Strikker Kris a few years ago. I warped up an asymmetrical striping pattern and threaded it through the heddles (seen above). I started a plain weave and I am still deciding whether it works…

The pink-on-pink seems appropriate for this Valentine’s Day… I didn’t even plan it that way. I am just going with the flow on this one. We’ll see where it take me. I am calling it “Alpaca Asymmetry” because of the asymmetrical striping pattern, which you can see better in this photo.

… … …

I was completely surprised and grateful for every single comment that I received in my last post. Thank you for taking the time to leave those encouraging words about my article and my blog. You are all amazing!

The 25,000th commenter was Jaana from JaanaMaa, a beautiful Finnish blog that I discovered last year. I met Jaana through Flickr, and followed her amazing pictures over to her blog. She writes in Finnish, and while I can’t read her words, it is her photographs that speak volumes. She has created some amazing things – most recently a hat and mitten set in a gorgeous gold color. She chose the red Tess sock yarn, and it is on its way to her now!

As promised, I also rewarded the two commenters who were on either side of the 25,000th – Margit was #25001, and Hege was #24999! Margit started quilting last year, so she was happy to accept the Denyse Schmidt quilting book and kit! I can’t wait to see what she makes! Hege got the Yarn Place laceweight, and I am really excited to see what she does with it!

…and because of the surprising number of comments, I decided to give one more prize…

#25100 was Moni from Blatherskite. Moni is a long-time blog friend – I’d say we are going on three years, huh? She is a fellow librarian, an extremely talented knitter and photographer (check out her shibori-style scarf and her photo stream !) and a friend. She is also a seamstress, so I am sending her a copy of Sew U: The Built by Wendy Guide to Making Your Own Wardrobe. I am excited to see what she will create next.

Thank you so much for being a part of my life – your encouraging words really made my day!
~Happy Valentine’s Day~

:: threaded bobbins ::

This yarn was not my only inspiration, however… another inspiration came from the ancient weaving traditions of the Zapotec Indians, indigenous to Oaxaca, Mexico… My father visited Oaxaca last December, and he brought back many lovely souvenirs, stories, and photographs. Among the souvenirs was this amazing woven rug, which he gave me for Christmas, made with naturally dyed wools, in a traditional geometric design.

It is the technique of the rug that was particularly intriguing to me. It is called weft-faced or warp rep, because the weft – the fibers that are interlaced horizontally through the warp (vertical threads) – is compacted and beat closely together, hiding the warp threads below, and making a dense and sturdy fabric, perfect for rugs, or other items that will see a lot of wear.

I read a little about the technique, and then I decided to give it a go for myself. I warped the loom with an ivory wool yarn that I picked up on clearance at Springwater. There were no general markings on the small cone, so I do not know any more about the yarn. I wound up my bobbins with the fiery wool yarn above – so perfect for FIRE – and loaded up the boat shuttle to start weaving.

I got a great rhythm, and the piece was finished in about 2 hours. I had a minor setback – my first of its kind! The last warp thread on the far left side broke in the middle of the piece. I tried not to freak out too much, and I managed to fix it, although it is not as seamless as I would like. The broken thread caused some major tension issues, which later caused the left edge to ripple like lettuce… but hey, at least it was pretty. More practice needed.

“Me llamo ‘Caliente’”

I thought the name was fitting – the deep oranges and reds in the yarn definitely look hot, just like fire. I love the little black and blue bits thrown in there too. I am happy with the way that this certain colorway worked up. The variegations are pretty even, with very little pooling. The closeup of the stitches shows you just how textural this piece is.

The piece measures about 29 inches long, and about 5.5 inches wide. I am planning to lightly felt it – hopefully keeping the stitch definition – and then cutting it to make potholders and/or coasters. I think it will be a beautiful and functional woven piece!

PS–Handknit socks make the best loom treadle pushers