June is busting out all over - or in the case of Texas - flooding - We have had some flash floods here but nothing compared to other parts of the state. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone who has been or who is currenty dealing with the aftermath of the wet and severe weather of the past month or so. I wish we could send some of our water west to California!  Hopefully June will be more settled weatherwise. In the meantime - I have been enjoying seeing everyone's projects and progress - weave on all!

Comments

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 01:38

laurafry

The AVL is threaded. Had company this afternoon so didn't finish getting it ready today. Wove place mats instead. Might finish that warp yet tonight. Or maybe that will be job one tomorrow morning. ;) Cheers Laura
Mon, 06/01/2015 - 05:57

Erica J

I'll be rethreading for summer and winter and then taquete, for my complex weaves study for June! Here is my finished brighton heneycomb. It was meant to be a sample, but I think I will use it as a towel!

 

Mon, 06/01/2015 - 10:05

Artistry

Erica, Look how deep those cells are! Great! I like it all in white! I'm back at home. Time to cut off the first few Huck Textures in Silver and see how they wash up, see if I need to change the sett. I want to get this warp done by weds. Leave Thurs. to go Fishing, with you know who:)
Tue, 06/02/2015 - 17:24

bjr1957

Got the tension break line to the warp beam redon on Mr. Putney the floor loom.  Now to get him some good teadle tie ups, some new heddle bars for the new shafts, and a piece for the apron on the warp beam.  Almost ready......I hope!

Still working the blue brew pub towels also....

bjr

Tue, 06/02/2015 - 19:02

Queezle

That is amazing, Erica.  My brighton honeycomb was fairly flat.  Its just such an amazing thing to see cells appearing as you weave.  Bravo.

Tue, 06/02/2015 - 20:01

ReedGuy

Very cold rain today. Good day to stay inside. I wove a 360 pick repeat on the coverlet this morning. This is panel 2 of 2, 7 more repeats to go. :)

Wed, 06/03/2015 - 05:31

Erica J

Queezle,

I wove mine on 16 shafts, whivh I thought 2as going to be over kill, but proved to give those rich, deep cells! 

Fri, 06/05/2015 - 13:08

endorph

weaving this week but I have been spinning up the yarn I am going to use as weft for my tote bag. So I am counting that as weaverliness. No rain for the last week so things here are starting to dry out. Looking forward to a dry and productive weekend.

Fri, 06/05/2015 - 13:21

ReedGuy

Exploring leno weave at the moment. Not mock leno.

Sun, 06/07/2015 - 00:52

ReedGuy

Playing around....I'm a long ways from a project. I'm still weaving the coverlet. I got curious and did a little piece to one side and used a SS horse tail comb as a beater. HAHA!!

I think you can see the twist if you look at the top. This was with 3 doups, 3 ground, 4 shafts and an improvised slackener. Just enough to see things work (on my end anyway). :D

Sun, 06/07/2015 - 00:56

Artistry

Love Leno , if I were home I'd shoot over a pic! Have fun with your exploration!
Sun, 06/07/2015 - 01:03

ReedGuy

Plans for a cotton thermo blanket. I have a couple old ones and I see them online. Mine and the online ones are leno and basketweave. Hope to try one this coming winter. :)

Sun, 06/07/2015 - 09:52

ReedGuy

Cathie, when you get settled back home and find the time I would like to see your leno piece(s). :)

Sun, 06/07/2015 - 13:24

Artistry

Sure ReedGuy ! Only have one small piece 12 S I think, out of 16/2 linen. Beautiful B.C.! Hiked Into Mystic River Beach yesterday, glorious! Gorgeous , gorgeous ! Off fishing with Dad tomorrow:)
Sun, 06/07/2015 - 13:42

ReedGuy

Just finished weaving another repeat of my overshot coverlet. 6 more to go.

Sun, 06/07/2015 - 18:47

laurafry

Winding warps for the students at Olds College. Not much shuttle throwing happening, but winding warps is weaving, too...no warp, no weaving! Cheers Laura
Sun, 06/07/2015 - 19:59

Erica J

I am so jealous of your students. I may well start the Olds College program next year, it's jut not in the cards this year.

Sun, 06/07/2015 - 20:52

tien (not verified)

My weaverliness for the last week is a big OOPS!! I got my Fine Threads Study Group samples done and into the mail (only a week late!), only to discover that DUH....I forgot to rejoin the study group this year! So now I have a lovely set of samples that are coming back to me in the mail. It's OK - I figure I can just send them out next year! But I better remember to rejoin this time!

Other than that my life has basically been about the book and the digital painting class. Both of which are exciting, but not very weaverly...

Mon, 06/08/2015 - 22:33

laurafry

After several days of administrivia, I finally decided I had to get some weaving done - for my mental health if nothing else.  Finished a cone of cotton/linen slub and started on a 100% linen cone.  It's not behaving as nicely, but it should make a lovely tea towel.  Pictures when I've woven enough to see the other side - because I'm weaving it 'up-side down'.

cheers,

Laura

Tue, 06/09/2015 - 11:42

Missus T.

I've been helping to move The Weaving Center in Tarrytown, NY to a new location on the Marymount Convent grounds.  After a month of work, the twenty plus Toika looms are set up in the new location, the library is re-organized, the yarns are organized and tucked away, and (most importantly!) the tea table and mini-kitchen are set up.  Actually, that got set up first!  New warps are already in progress, and the new location in an airy, light-filled room with beautiful wooden flooring, is magnificent... I say, beauty for termites!

My own weaving report: I have finished a cotton wrap with a hand-painted warp section that changes color along the length of the cloth.  Next project is a short linen warp (my first), which I saved for the humid summer!

Tue, 06/09/2015 - 15:02

legacyfarm (not verified)

Hi all,

I was trying to find the right forum for this but I got really confused as the posts were old.  So I apologize in advance if I am on the worng forum.

OK here goes.

Hi Everybody 

I have this opportunity to buy an older Cranbrook J 45  countermarch loom that has a sectional warping beam. But I am a little hestitent because of the  round steel back beam and getting it warped.  I only do sectional warping from the back on all of my floor looms.  I'm hoping that the people here that have the older Cranbrook looms have an answer for putting a tension box on that round steel back beam so I can sectionally warp it.  I looked all over the internet for a picture of the Tension Rail that Cranbtook sells and cannot find it even on their page. I cannot afford to buy that and buy the loom too.  But I thought if I could at least see it  we could fabricate something here on the farm.
Thanks so much in advance for any photos or advise.Cheers,KatyNE Iowa
Wed, 06/10/2015 - 14:08

tien (not verified)

I've put a tension box on an adjustable sawhorse (a table would work fine too) behind the loom for sectional warping. Would that work for this loom?

Wed, 06/10/2015 - 14:17

sally orgren

and deadlines loom! Will post a few pics when I catch my breath.

Laura, we watched parts of your efficient weaving video during our guild meeting Monday as part of our session "Boost Your Weaving Skills, Part II."  It was terrific – and now I feel like I have met you! I am known as a fast threader, but can't wait to try your threading technique, as I might even get faster!

I think holding onto the threaded warps with the last few fingers of the right hand as you go, and then pulling them through all at once might gain me time.

Wed, 06/10/2015 - 16:25

laurafry

I was fast when I saw Norman Kennedy do it this way and I nearly doubled my speed. :). Threading is such a bad position to be in I'm happy to have it take as little time as possible... Cheers Laura
Thu, 06/11/2015 - 19:45

sally orgren

Two weekends ago, I visited the Home Textile Tool Museum in Orwell, PA, near the NY border, northwest of Scranton. They had about 7 timberframe looms, and lots of spinning wheels, some very unusual.

One of their most unusual looms is this "rocker beater" loom. Here is a photo of the bottom of the loom where the rocker is. It had treadles, a fly shuttle, and all sorts of gizmos attached around the castle to assist in the operation.

Thu, 06/11/2015 - 20:03

sally orgren

I lucked into this downtown arts festival last weekend, where the Craft Guild of Iowa City was demonstrating weaving and spinning, and every member on hand was working with a small visitor–it was impressive!

Thu, 06/11/2015 - 20:08

sally orgren

I finished the basket + one warp (of cotton warp, linen weft, designed for curtains) and learned that my living + dining room is not quite 9 yards long. (Note to self, next house must be bigger.)

Fri, 06/12/2015 - 12:41

Erica J

Sally,

What great photos, as always!!! Very inspiring, which is just what I needed today.

It was my last day at school, until next year. I was very prepared, so the morning was great. I was done by our normal lunch time. I got home while Oliver and TJ were still at the pool, so I finished threading my 16 shaft loom for taquete! I'm very excited to get started back on my taquete study and then I'll be moving onto saimtum, and will be comparing the two! Photos to come when there is something more exciting than natural organic cotton warp. :)

Fri, 06/12/2015 - 22:10

ReedGuy

Your curtain weave looks awesome Sally. :)

You've sure been busy otherwise.

Sat, 06/13/2015 - 08:35

Nassajah (not verified)

Your curtains are so simple, yet unique.  I just love them.

Sat, 06/13/2015 - 09:46

Artistry

I've been lurking - still out of town, Come back tomorrow for 10 days then Croatia! Followed immediately by surgeries. Sally, the cloth is perfect! Love the contrast between the natural weft and white Warp. It's light and airy, and will make beautiful drapes. You worked hard designing it and thanks so much for letting us follow along!
Sat, 06/13/2015 - 14:16

Erica J

I laced on for the first time today. Advice on how I did is more than welcome!

 

Sat, 06/13/2015 - 15:22

laurafry

If your tension is consistent you did just fine. ;) Cheers Laura
Sat, 06/13/2015 - 21:19

ReedGuy

I tried lashing on a 30/2 cotton warp and I found the lashing cord wanted to abraid the ends instead of just slip by. So I went back to tying on groups. I'll explore it again in the future, maybe. :)

Sat, 06/13/2015 - 21:32

laurafry

Finally beginning to see the end of the rose warp - sort of.  About 7 yards left,maybe?  Anyway, in a subtle procrastination move, I pulled the yarns for the next warp of tea towels.  Maybe some incentive to get those last rose warp yards woven off...couple dozen tea towels being wet finished today so Doug can go pressing tomorrow.  And then I'll have hemming to take on the trip - if we can squeeze the bin into the van.  It's going to be a tight fit!

cheers,

Laura

Sat, 06/13/2015 - 21:39

sally orgren

Yes, the trick is a slippery cord. I use the colorful stuff from the hardware store that contractors use for snapping a chalk-line. There might be something cheaper, but I am smitten by the vibrant colors: caution yellow, halloween orange, and hot magenta! And lacing results in so little loom waste, I usually have 3-5" at the front end of the loom.

I just warped up two looms for the MAFA workshop weekend in mid-July. I am very intrigued by both drafts, can't wait to see what the treadling options will be. I noodled a bit with my own treadling experimentations to test my threading and tension – I think I am good to go!

Next up: warping my floor loom for the Early Weaving Manuscript Group of Complex Weavers. I have been dying to try a Donat draft I found on Handweaving.net in the cottolin yarn I ordered two months ago. After the samples are woven, I am weaving a series of dishtowels for the guild sale this fall. I think compared to what I have been weaving, this project should be a fast weave. I'd love to have this loom cleared when I return from MAFA, as I am sure I'll be on fire about something new to try as soon as I return.

Wed, 06/17/2015 - 19:32

sally orgren

Tried to load photo from my android cell phone. No luck.

 

Sun, 06/14/2015 - 10:39

Erica J

I upload photos here from my android tablet all the time. Tgere is, 8f coyrse a trick. The upload orocess ends up opening 3 tabs, when you click insert it gies back to your orig u nal tab, and you have to click back over to the 2nd tab and click inert there. This will not be the case on the upcoming site!

Sun, 06/14/2015 - 16:06

tien (not verified)

Okay, someone check my math. I was measuring my handspun yarn and the singles comes out to 1000 ypp - which surprised me, because it's really not that thick. On the other hand, it's handspun and true worsted, which makes for really dense yarn.

I measured the wpi for a 2-ply (which I'm guessing would average 500 ypp based on the weight of the singles), and it comes out to about 12 wpi. That suggests a twill sett of 8-9 epi, which is also about what Peggy Osterkamp suggests in her sett tables at the back of Winding a Warp and Using a Paddle. So I think that's not unreasonable.

I then decided to calculate the amount of handspun weft I'd need for a king sized blanket (120"x120"). I figured I'd weave it in four panels of 35" x 140" apiece, apiece, which allows for 15% shrinkage in length and width.

Now here's where it gets kind of unbelievable. 35" x 140" x 4 panels at 9 epi = 35*140*4/36 = 4900 yards of weft. At 500 ypp, that's almost 10 pounds of yarn, just in the weft! Throw in the warp and we're talking a 20 pound blanket. Granted, it's a generous king size, but 20 pounds??

Can anyone tell me where I went wrong, if I went wrong? And should I be planning to use singles instead of the two-ply? I'm worried that the blanket will be way too warm for California.

And, because gratuitous pictures are a wonderful thing, here's a pic of the yarn I've spun so far. I love the luster of the worsted-spun Lincoln fleece - looks like silk in the morning sun.

lincoln longwool yarn

Sun, 06/14/2015 - 17:42

ReedGuy

tien, I have woven an 8 epi 2-ply wool (860 yds/lb) into a queen size with some extra length to go under the foot of the bed good and roll down at the top. There was 7-8 lbs of wool used. 52.5 inches wide in the reed done in doubleweave (16 epi in the reed). The wool was a little heavy for the dents but I could weave it with double beats, I think yours singles at 1000 yrds/lb and 8 epi would be perfect. That heavier wool blanket, your not going to be comfortable under. One thing is it will be hard on your ankles when lying on your back. Plus awefully hot I think. The shrinkage in mine was around 18 %.

Sun, 06/14/2015 - 17:48

ReedGuy

Sally, I think my cord was a little heavy, it was braided like the chalk line nylon, but too heavy for the task. :)

 

Sun, 06/14/2015 - 19:22

Erica J

Tien,

Using our warp calculator, which also calculates weft, I come up with Total Weft required is 7403.1 yards (236.9 ozs), which is in fact 15 pounds. That is probably heavier than our mink blanket, which we only use when camping in the UK or Sweden in near winter! So unless, I'm failing to take something into account, that would be one awesome warm blanket, which you likely would never use in California.

As for my weaverliness today, I finished spinning some wool while out at our local coffee shop for Sunday morning coffee. I talked a lot about weaving to frineds who wer ein for a visit. I haven't seen them since brefore I started seriously weaving again, so there was a lot of weaving talk amoun other things!

Mon, 06/15/2015 - 15:53

Erica J

I started weaving the taquete. Tge straight draw weft faced warp is still set up. And I think I fixed the final error i  my texture study warp! This just leaves 2 more looms to get back on the go!

Mon, 06/15/2015 - 23:26

PulledThread

I have just joined the site and thought that I would 'check in'. Am building a new villa in an 'over 55,s' village and have been living in a very small furnished apartment for 9 months - probably another 3 to go. My 8 shaft jack type loom will find a new home in the villa (I ensured this by discarding other stuff) and have been existing on a small rigid heddle for both mental and physical wellbeing! Thank goodness for weaving is all I can say!

Tue, 06/16/2015 - 21:47

laurafry

I was going to put a picture of my new warp up but I don't see how to do that with an iPad (desktop is in the shop for an upgrade) so will just link to my blog http://laurasloom.blogspot.com Cheers Laura
Wed, 06/17/2015 - 22:18

bjr1957

I am on the last one of the Maltose Bar towels and boy am I glad this is almost over.  I have never woven a warp this long on a rigid heddle loom!  I am surprised that the loom actually took such a long warp!  I did put the new ratchet and pawl assembly on this Kromski 36 inch Harp and that has helped with the tensioning on the loom. The new version of the plastic ratchet and pawls are magnetic metal and they do work very well.  The new assembly comes with installation instructions and are easy to install. I guess that is why it was able to hold a good tight tension.  I will have a total of 6 towels from this warp!  I am so happy I just can't speak!

I have learned to make cheese inbetween towels, gardened, gotten a new tension brake band on Mr. Putney the flooor loom, made bar soap, and entertained over 20 people at our house in the last month!

To anyone on this site from TX, STAY DRY and God bless and keep you!

bjr

Wed, 06/17/2015 - 01:47

bjr1957

Do you have an address for the new place?  I live in CT which is right next door to NY and would like to visit the new weaving center before fall...if possible!

bjr

Wed, 06/17/2015 - 14:11

Artistry

Hi ya, Back home, many trout later ! Have a quick threading mistake to fix then it's more Huck lace sampling this week and next. Then off to Croatia for 10 days! ReedGuy, I'll put up a pic of the Bead Leno sample I did, I know you did Doup Leno but maybe you want to see it anyways:) that Weavzine article was good.BTW I used cut up plastic straws for the beads to keep the weight light. I don't remember having trouble with the shed.......but 'twas a long time ago:)
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