Snow day here in SE Wisconsin, supposed to get up to a foot of the white stuff so that means a weaving day for me.  Going to plan the warp for Chapter 2, MWS and hopefully work on the bath mats.  Stay warm!

Comments

Tue, 02/17/2015 - 20:14

MMs-and-OOs-Ha…

So what exactly is wrong? Not sure I can help but extra brain power
Wed, 02/18/2015 - 02:10

Queezle

Cathie - that sounds like an interesting book!  I interviewed at Occidental years ago, its a lovely and interesting campus. 

I got diverted on Sunday, trying out painting with melted crayons.  OK, I confess that I might also be one of those crazy people - but it was really fun.  Now I'm back to my twill sample and hopefully soon, maybe some dyeing (GA cotton is on its way!). 

Wed, 02/18/2015 - 06:08

fiberassociations

Sally, like you I am the crazy one in my Guild ( Golden Gate Weavers, oldest in CA), but I am also lazier than you. Did you consider putting on a dumy warp with 70 end and tying bunches of 4 warp ends to one dummy end? I want to think this through now before I need the info. Today I wove 5 inches of natual colored 10/2 organic cotton for a top I'm designing/making. I wove right up to the point that I needed some green cotton I had ordered from Cotton Clouds. The kind post man arrived at noon and I had to leave, so tomorrow will start a green "yoke" with tiny bits of pick up.
Wed, 02/18/2015 - 15:06

Artistry

The snow and bright sunlight is my absolute fav time of year! I don't care if it's cold, I love it. I feel energized today so will be tackling my tapestry loom today trying to finish up the tying on and start the heddles. First time I've been able to work since Christmas, let it snow. Manitoba Girl. Tien, yeah, what's wrong? We might be able to help you . Cathie
Wed, 02/18/2015 - 15:38

sally orgren

fiberassociations,

Good thought about grouped ends for one dummy warp, but in this particular case, I needed an end for an end, because the warp was entering the castle and the active heddle area.

I have three projects in the hopper, with two additional warps on the way, and a sample exchange due in March. I need to get warping!!!

Thu, 02/19/2015 - 17:41

theresasc

I have been side-tracked again, on another loom.  I was weaving on the twill sample for MWS and enjoying how the yellows and blues were coming together and got to thinking (which is generally trouble).  My small weaving group wove an 8-shaft shadow weave sampler towels a number of years ago, and everytime my S-I-L sees them, she comments on them.  She loves blues, so I thought to do the sampler in shades of blues, with white as contrast but as I wove on the twill I thought yellow might work.  Since I had my little cutie pie, a 10" 8-shaft Kessenich table loom sitting next to me, I decided to put a sample on of one threading repeat in the 4 colors of blue with the yellow to see how it looks.  See... too many looms, I am off on another weaving tangent.

blues shadow sampler

Thu, 02/19/2015 - 21:40

tien (not verified)

Basically, shafts 36-40 stay up for one extra pick than they should. So if I lift shaft 40, on the next pick it will stay up no matter what the liftplan says. On the pick after that it's fine.

I *think* it's a timing issue. The solenoids fire and release just fine, but for some reason the cable/wooden finger are not snapping back into place fast enough to avoid having the little ball (the one that's crimped to the cable) get caught by the knife (the doohickey that moves up and down to pull on the cables and lift the shafts), so it goes up for an extra pick.

The problem is that the solenoid from the previous pick does not release until a fraction of a second before the knife comes down, and there is only about 1/8" of clearance between the top of the knife and the ball for shaft #40. My guess is that the timing is off just enough that there isn't enough time for shaft 40's cable to retract before the knife travels that 1/8" and catches the ball. On the next pick, though, the solenoid starts out retracted so everything is fine.

Mike and I are nearly out of ideas. We're trying one more possibility this weekend ("helping" the wooden fingers back into place by attaching springs that pull them back into place), but if that doesn't work, I'm going to have AVL make a service call. I'm fortunate enough to be only a 3-hour drive from Chico, so I don't have to pay airfare. It will still be expensive, but I can have them look over the rest of the loom while they're here, and hopefully they'll be able to get it working. I am so sick of struggling with this latest problem! I just want the loom to work, so I can get *some* weaving in before my surgery.

Thu, 02/19/2015 - 22:14

Artistry

Tien, Sounds like you have an excellent grasp of what's going wrong and what needs to happen! I don't have any advice, unfortunately. That loom might have a hard time keeping up with you as I imagine you're a very fast weaver :) I'm glad that Chico isn't that far from you. Yes, an expensive house call but hopefully they can put it right. Frustrating, good luck! Thereasc , Yellow and blue, one of my fav combinations :) Sally, How do you do it?
Thu, 02/19/2015 - 23:15

ReedGuy

Managed to get 4 yards of 30/2 cotton beamed for 38" wide on the sectional. I'll beam the 22/2 cottolin on the second beam tomorrow, just 440 ends. I'll measure it out on the warping mill. :)

Took my upholstery off the loom yesterday and wet finished it. Got to get that chair done to. She's all stuffed anyway, and waiting.  Oh,well. :)

Doing some reading, a couple biographies. Clint Eastwood and Norman Leer. :D

Fri, 02/20/2015 - 15:06

sally orgren

Cathie, I cannot explain. I think it might just be a gene or two that went off someplace in my DNA.

-6 this morning, wind chill was - who knows? I didn't go to the gym at 6:30, I will wait until noon, when it is "warmer". I know in the evenings I have to get out from under the heated blanket and DO something!

Tien, my guildmate has a bad solenoid on her AVL. We tried to replace it this summer, no luck. As we live nowhere close to Chico, she now just designs her warps without using that shaft.

Fri, 02/20/2015 - 18:54

Walkingquail

warping my other looms but I wonder if I will ever get warping my new to me Nilus to see if it will work with  my body? I know I need to do so but I know it will take some time and not willing to take time from actual weaving on my baby wolf and flip and tapestry! Maybe this coming week or after I complete this next set of towels that is almost ready for weaving. I will do it eventually but I know it needs to be soon or I removed my drawing table for nothing!

Sally, crazy is good in the arts, all of them!

Fri, 02/20/2015 - 19:36

loomyladi (not verified)

Wow!  Now that is using every last inch of warp! 

Fri, 02/20/2015 - 19:43

loomyladi (not verified)

My goal for next winter is to have my new to me 60" AVL Compu dobby fully functional in its heated home here on the compound.  This cold snap has kept me from the studio for an entire week.  I'm getting weaving done on a much smaller scale here at home, just took a break from cleaning the stash shelves of my mentor-in-spirit.  So far, I've come up with about 3# of various colors 3/2 perle, slightly less 5/2 perle.  Thinking about doing random colors for hucklace placemats and let them be what they will be.  Any other thoughts?

Sat, 02/21/2015 - 00:43

tien (not verified)

That's such a pity about the defective solenoid! I'm lucky enough to live with a software engineer who is also an electronics enthusiast, so there's very little he can't fix.

I called AVL again today, and they suggest that it might be a timing issue with the placement of the magnet/sensor. So we'll try tweaking that this weekend, along with our other Hail-Mary-pass solution. If that doesn't work, I'll see if I can get an AVL tech in next week to fix it.

Sat, 02/21/2015 - 09:32

Artistry

I'm still here. Going thru my library I found my Archie Brennan and Susan Martin Maffei's DVD , which is a workshop length in hours. I've only started it so I'm really excited to watch it. Archie and Susan are considered some of the masters in tapestry. Slow to warp Beauty, by slow and steady wins the race:)
Sat, 02/21/2015 - 09:59

ReedGuy

I'm about ready to thread pique pillow cases. Smile

I used the reed as raddle method for the supplmental warp. Posted about it in the 'back or fron't thread.

Sat, 02/21/2015 - 11:08

Erica J

I got my latest yarn order in. I was inspired by Tien's project last month and Sally Fox's article in the Jan/Feb Handwoven tobjy some unmercerized and organic cotton! I have to admit I'm really excited aboutthe organic cotton in natural colours!

Good luck on your trouble shooting Tien. I often envy your AVL loom, but  must admit I'm more sympathetic than envious right now. :)

Sat, 02/21/2015 - 18:42

theresasc

It makes just beautiful towels.  Actually, the bath mats that are on the Cranbrook are have organic sprial cotton in them.  I also had some organic colored softball cotton that I made a couple of shawls a number of years ago.  This was a project where I kept one for myself, it stays on my recliner to wrap up in when its a little chilly, especially nice in the hot, hot summer when the AC is on.

Organic colored softball cotton shawl

Posted a couple of new pictures in my MWS chapter 2 project, double-faced twill - really cool looking fabric.

 

Sat, 02/21/2015 - 19:45

Weavolutionary6

I have managed to get about 3.25" threaded on my silk twill block warp. I'm in the zone. I even moved the loom into the kitchen so I can sneak in and do a bit of threading at a time. I would really like to get at least one sample woven next week. While I was threading I started thinking about other possiblities to thr before I rethread for my satin samples. :)

Sun, 02/22/2015 - 04:09

tien (not verified)

Last attempts at fixing the loom have failed. :-(  Just sent off an email to AVL confirming that we need a house call.

On the upside, though, we're close enough to Chico that I actually *can* get a house call! And hopefully they should be able to fix things.

Sun, 02/22/2015 - 11:11

Artistry

ReedGuy, Yes, I've used the reed for raddle too. Now I've got a raddle that extends off the back of the AVL 4 dpi for the plain beam, works well too. Your warp is so nicely wound, do you weight it during beaming? Thereasc, Beautiful cozy organic shawl! Wish I had one right now! So much snow outside! It's cold inside! Erica, You're just flying along, girl! I can't wait to see your satin samples, my absolutely fav. Weave structure. Turned satin in particular! Tien, It's such a drag about your AVL ! Well, I really hope the AVL house call straightens everything out. Hold them prisoner until they do :) good luck! Still have brain mysteries going on, more tests on Friday , not so bad I get to nap:)
Mon, 02/23/2015 - 08:16

ReedGuy

Yes it was weighted in a sense, in my hands making sure no ends sagged. I had someone turn the crank. We stopped every yard to be sure nothing got slack. It wound nice and even on the beam.

 

Hopefully Tien, you'll get that loom into shape. I know it's a PITA when stuff fouls up.

Thereasc, I used some organic for my face cloths. I have a whack of it on cones. A whack is a whole bunch. :D

Sun, 02/22/2015 - 18:16

theresasc

of the warp seperators starting to drop off the back of a loom this morningSmile  Working on finishing up the color and weave towels.  I really need to actually finish something.  I keep going from loom to loom and just throwing a few picks here and there.  Stupid radiation ended up kicking me down so I just have not had too much energy the last couple of weeks.  That is all done, so that is good.

Reedguy - When I decided quite a while ago to just weave from my stash, I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of organic cotton I found, not quite a whack of it, but enough to keep me entertained.

Cathy - I hope all goes good for you with your tests.  I hear you about the snow - I have that here, and very, very cold on top of it.  I am really ready for spring.

Sun, 02/22/2015 - 18:29

MarjPh

What are anyones favorite places to get cotton yarns, tencel, yarns in general?

Sun, 02/22/2015 - 18:29

MarjPh

What are anyones favorite places to get cotton yarns, tencel, yarns in general?

Sun, 02/22/2015 - 18:33

MarjPh

sorry about doubling up pretty new to all of this Embarassed

Sun, 02/22/2015 - 19:30

theresasc

for me are Yarn Barn of Kansas, they have a good selection of yarns, knowledgeable people, and a great mill-end club.  I also get yarns from Maurice Bassards in Canada.  I just love their 8/2, 16/2, and 16/8 cottons - they have 80 colors!  Both of these places have great yarn sample cards as well.

Sun, 02/22/2015 - 20:23

ReedGuy

I buy from a few. Camilla Valley Farm in Orangeville  ON, Yarn Barn of KS, Lunatic Fringe.

Here is some 30/2 natural I'm threading now. About like sewing thread. :D

The green behind is 22/2 cottolin on a second beam.

Mon, 02/23/2015 - 03:54

fiberassociations

So this may not sound like weaving but today I weeded (part of) my neighbor's yard. A few months back I bought a kit of vegetable dyed 8/2 cotton from CottonClouds. The Tintes Naturales kit for 4 towels came from Mayan Hands, a fair trade weaver's cooperative in Guatemala that I try to support. I was glad to buy the kit to support the weavers/dyers, but actually did not feel like weaving towels. Once I decided to make a top rather than towels it was a lot more inspiring. BUT, part of the kit is natural white cotton which didn't inspire me. I like either all natural yarns or fairly saturated colors. So, this does lead back to weeding. My dear neighbor and garden procrastinator leaves a huge patch of oxalis for me each spring. Despite a worsening drought in California we did have a good dousing rain in December and another this month. The oxalis is in good shape right now, but won't stay around long in this dry weather. Today I got out the footstool and buckets and filled a 2 gallon pot with yellow oxalis blossoms. The oxalic acid serves as its own mordant and I have had great luck dyeing wool and silk and ok success with cotton. So I have a pot on the stove now boiling up the white cotton in a pot of old nylon stockings stuffed with oxalis. Even if I don't get saturated colors this will give me another 500 yards or more of a yellow yarn to throw into the mix as I plan my top from the Mayan Hands towel kit. Work on my other top (also from cotton clouds- Sally Fox naturally colored cotton) is going slowly. I am doing a tiny amount of pick up and it is fascinating how much harder pick up is while hunched over a 10 shaft Macomber rather than on a rigid heddle or backstrap loom that can be tilted to put the pickup right in front of me. Other than Cotton clouds, I have to say if you want saturated colors of Perl Cotton, nothing compares to the colors of Lunatic Fringe. I have looked at their colors next to cotton from many good online yarn businesses, and their colors are unparalleled. Sounds like lots of great projects in progress. I join the others in offering sympathies to you Tien. You do marvelous work at a frenetic pace and I can't imagine being stopped in your tracks like this. The comments about a book Women's Work by Barber sent me to check my bookshelves because I have an older book from the 90s called Women's Work: Textile Art from the Bauhaus by S. Weltge. HIghly recommended to anyone interested in the history of 20th century weaving or Bauhaus art. Hope spring comes soon to all of you frozen out of your studios.
Mon, 02/23/2015 - 08:13

ReedGuy

Oxalis montana blooms about the end of May here under the maple forest. The bumble bees will be hard at work on their blooms. They are pinkish with red venation. :)

My studio is in the basement in an octagon shaped area that is like a gazebo on the house, from basement to main floor. Windows around it.

Mon, 02/23/2015 - 17:27

theresasc

the loom yesterday, and wet-finished this morning.  Just have to hem the little beasties!  Nice to finally get something cut off a loom.  Ohoh, now its naked - need to fill it up!  LOL

Mon, 02/23/2015 - 20:35

ReedGuy

Started adding my woven upholstery today. :)

Mon, 02/23/2015 - 21:00

tien (not verified)

Ohhhhh...that is GORGEOUS!!

Mon, 02/23/2015 - 22:02

ReedGuy

Thanks Tien. :) I've just done the back for today. Seat, then arm pads next.

Tue, 02/24/2015 - 17:27

Artistry

So lovely ReedGuy! I just love the fabric and the chair!
Wed, 02/25/2015 - 03:47

fiberassociations

What is the wood? The blue is gorgeous and goes so well with the lighter wood.
Wed, 02/25/2015 - 10:10

ReedGuy

It's sugar maple with a natural light stain.

Wed, 02/25/2015 - 11:31

Artistry

May the chair give you a lifetime of joy! Nothing like something made entirely from our own two hands! Superb job!
Wed, 02/25/2015 - 16:43

theresasc

the finished chair turned out just wonderful.  I hope you have years of comfort with it!

...and here is the bonehead move of the day!  I was winding a warp, not a very wide one but I was counting out my raddle groups and I realized I missed a piece in the middle of the warp.  Well, not quite the middle and there are odd number ends in the color bands.  So I took the end of the warp, everything is still on the board, and wound it onto my ball winder until I am at the spot, added in the missing ends, and tied on the stuff on the ball winder and wound it back on the board.  This is what comes from jumping onto the next portion of a project when I am not finished with what is at hand.  What a hassle, oh, and on this same warp, I was short 3 ends of yarn but lucky for me, a local weaving pal had some of the color I needed.  This simple warp is not acting like a simple warp.

Wed, 02/25/2015 - 18:28

tien (not verified)

Finally got a date out of AVL. Bob himself (pres and owner) will be coming to fix my loom on Monday! Hooray!

To prep for it, I'm going to finish putting on the warp and try to debug it as best I can before his arrival. That way we can test the loom with and without warp tension to make sure it's working correctly. So maybe some weaving pictures this weekend!

I'm leaving this afternoon for Seattle - giving the morning and afternoon programs for the Seattle Weavers Guild tomorrow. After that I fly back home - it's really a blitzkrieg tour!

Wed, 02/25/2015 - 19:07

Artistry

Tien, That's fabulous, Bob himself! Have fun at the Seatle Guild, I hear that they are a great guild! Funny story: many moons ago I was driving early morning in winter to Indianapolis to give a lecture to the Weaver's Guild up there. About 1/2 hour into the trip I started shaking so badly. I thought this is so odd, i don't feel nervous. I kept on driving and then my knees started shaking too, I thought Wow, I must be really scared about this, then I looked over at the heat and it wasn't on! I was freezing to death,lol! I crack myself up sometimes! Worked on the warp for Beauty today. Trying to increase the time I work on her by 10 minutes a week. I'll get back there!
Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:58

ReedGuy

Tien, hopefully "Bob" gets your loom tuned up. :)

Thanks Theresa and Cathie, I have my chair right at my desk. Built that to from butternut wood. Even cut the logs off the farm. :)

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 15:53

pammersw

Well, yeah, but you didn't make the tacks, or the horsehair,  or the cotton batting! Nor did you make the glue! 

Just kidding. Awesome job!

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 16:26

Queezle

And Pammersw's comment reminds me of Carl Sagan, who famously said "if you want to make an apple pie from scratch, first you must invent the Universe".  My loom makes a clacking noise, but hardly a big bang!

Fri, 02/27/2015 - 18:31

sally orgren

I am winding my warp for the basket + one challenge. I decided to wind 11.5 yards. It took 1 hour to wind the first two inches, then 1 hour to wind six, and then 1 hour to wind a complete bout at 8". I am finally on the last bout (36" wide) and hope to beam and thread this weekend, which should go MUCH faster than winding. It's slow going because there are lots of thead changes after short, odd repeats. So it doesn't help much to wind two warps at a time if there are only 3 warps before a change! (So who was the designer who planned that?!) I hope to be weaving next week, and I hope it turns out as planned or better.

The Peter's Valley School of Craft workshop brochure arrived today. For fibers, I see they are offering an Ondule weaving class with Amy Patansu in July (have not seen that before), and a twill class with Peggy Hart in early August (Peggy has presented at the Weaving History Conference in the past). Daryl Lancaster is "local", and she offers two class each summer, one an into to weaving, and one on weaving fabric for garments. There are many fiber workshops offered throughout the summer months here in Northern NJ, but those are the ones that caught my eye from a weaverly-standpoint.

Sat, 02/28/2015 - 00:21

Artistry

So Sally, I don't get it, it would have been faster if...... Peters Valley gets a A+ as far I'm concerned! I went last summer for about a week to study with Tommye Scanlin . ( who's fabulous!) the surroundings are beautiful, accommodations I thought great. All these old houses, and people are split up and that's where you stay. I got so much out of it , just concentrating on my art. I also met Sally and her Guildmate Betty( Hi, Betty!) that gets a A+ too!
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