My apologies for taking so long to post this introduction thread.  Please feel free to introduce yourself as you want.

Some suggestions on introductions. Who are you? Hoe long have you been weaving? How much formal training have you had? What do you hope to gain from you experience here? Answer these or other intoductory questions. :)

 

Comments

Sat, 01/03/2015 - 20:36

ainz

Good evening, everyone.

Name is ainz (Rhymes with "lines" - long story) and although I have had a floor loom for 4 years, I was only able to use it the first 6 months I had it. In that time I worked on samples and wove one very impressive blanket (which was supposed to be very colorful with a bit of red and ended out being red with a little bit of color - which goes to show how much I still need to learn). So, in reality, I am really just a beginner.

I taught myself what I know with books and videos and a lot of trial and error. Except tapestry weaving, which I am learning on line with Rebecca Mezoff.

I have set aside this year 2015 to learn to weave and spin with passable ease. 

I was going to go through three books - Deborah Chandler's Learning to Weave, Marguerite Porter Davison's A Handweaver's Pattern Book and Sharon Alderman's Mastering Weave Structures. 

So this study group is a godsend which I hope will keep me on track and will be a helping hand when I run afoul.  And I am delighted to see so many experienced weavers in the group.

Well, that's me. 

Sun, 01/04/2015 - 17:48

JennieHawkey (not verified)

Hello! I am looking forward to a study of weaves and this looks like a good project! I am a weaving teacher and I try to offer a class focused on a particular weave each year. This year I am teaching Overshot, one of my favorites. Each time I teach I have to go back an make sure that I understand the weave so that I can teach others. I am hoping that this group will push my understanding to a higher level.

I noticed that some of the group is beginners. If you get stuck warping your loom, feel free to contact me and maybe I can get you going on your way.

Sun, 01/04/2015 - 21:55

Queezle

My name is Leslie, and I bought my first loom in 1988.  I took up weaving near the end of my PhD, and wove through my postdoc (where I joined the So. Cal. hand weaving guild).  Then I moved to Montreal, started a tenure-track faculty job and had a kid -- so weaving took a back seat.  Even more so when kid 2 came along (1998), and I changed jobs (moved to Utah). 

My older kid is in college now, my daughter has a driver's license, and I am trying to once again become an active weaver.  I am self taught (Deborah Chandler's how to weave book mostly), though I have taken a few weaving workshops.  I mostly weave in cotton - and in general I make dishtowels.  I finally have a nice sunny room for my loom and at least part of my stash and weaving library.

My hope for this study group is that it will push me to understand weave structures better, and it will help me to move out of my comfort zone.  I am intrigued by the weaves that cause some yarn to undulate, so I expect to be gravitating toward those types of weaves as we work our way through the book.  I also like having this community of weavers!

Sun, 01/04/2015 - 22:57

Flowerfool

Hi,

My name is Susan, I live in Maryland and I have been weaving for a couple of years.  I have taken classes at the Mannings and a few classes from the local weaving guild.  There always seems to be something getting in the way of really sitting down and really learning about weaving.  I have 3 children - 2 in high school and one in college.  I also have 7 dogs.  I am an avid gardener - my husband and I lived in England - the gardening bug hit.  I love English and French gardens.  Hence the name flowerfool.  All of these things keep me busy.  This is the year I would like to move beyond simply following the patterns someone else has written - such as in Handwoven.  They are quite lovely but I would like to have the confidence to branch out and plan a project on my own, learn about structures and drafting.  I am hoping to learn a lot from this group.  It seems like all of you have a wealth of knowledge!

Thanks for the info. on sampling.  I found it very interesting and now have an idea on how to go about doing it!

Mon, 01/05/2015 - 00:49

pammersw

(I would love to do something like this but don't have the book, so will read along and sample from other books I have.)

Mon, 01/05/2015 - 05:05

ainz

Thanks Jennie, your offer is just what I was looking for now that I have seen how many seasoned weavers are in this group.

Mon, 01/05/2015 - 15:44

theresasc

I am Theresa and I live in SE Wisconsin (where it is ridiculously cold again) and I bought my first floor loom in 2004.  I am another self-taught weaver, using Deborah Chandler's Learning to Weave, Weaver's Craft, Handwoven, and a lot of other books.  I have taken a few workshops as well.  I tend to weave with cottons and I just love weaving household textiles.  I think that is a combination of just loving to weave towels and having very poor sewing/tailoring skills for making garments. 

I also enjoy other types of weaving having both inkle looms and tapestry looms, and yes, that is plural.  Looms seem to multiply around my house along with yarn. I have been mostly stash weaving for the last year and a half and have not even dented the stash which is kind of embarrassing but fun at the same time.  Stash weaving has been a major color challenge because I do have some "what was I thinking" yarn choices to deal with.

With the study group I hope to develope some better sampling habits because I generally do not sample.  It is forced discipline for me to put a sample warp on.  When I weave, I want to make something and not tend to the technical side of it.  Working through the book should increase my skills at developing good cloth.  Mostly I am looking forward to seeing what everyone else weaves.  One thing about weaving that has always amazed me is the vast array of cloth that can be made on the same loom.  Give the same loom, yarn, and basic draft to 10 different weavers and you will see 10 different pieces of cloth - that is so great.

Tue, 01/06/2015 - 09:00

Catweaver

Just found this group - what a great idea! I love this book, I have to keep a (handwoven) cloth near by just to wipe off the drool! So far, I've only used it to look up specific structures, so the idea of going through it methodically is very attractive. But I've just started working my way through MvdH's Drafting for Handweavers, starting with the overshot chapter, so I won't be in a position to start with you all. I'll enjoy reading about your ventures until my loom is free, and I can join you with a future chapter. I learnt to weave about 10 years ago, but didn't like it much for various reasons and gravitated to tapestry weaving. But I moved to the country 3 years ago and thought loom weaving would be a good idea so I bought a cheap and horrible table loom (the one I learnt on, no wonder I didn't enjoy weaving), did a class and fell in love! Now I have an 8 shaft Louet David and I'm obsessed by all things weaving. I would love to have many more shafts to play with some time in the future, but in the meantime I want to learn how to draft properly and how to be a better technical weaver. I like to weave things to use - clothes, scarves, household stuff etc. So - looking forward to joining you in such a worthwhile venture!
Tue, 01/06/2015 - 12:06

ainz

Hi, Catweaver!

Well,.... you could use the horrible table loom to work on samples and use what you've learnt on drafting to create exciting self-drafted samples of each of our chapters. 

Just an idea.

Tue, 01/06/2015 - 12:40

NancyS

Greetings. My name is Nancy. I've been actively (?) weaving for about 5 years. My husband and I own and operate an 8-room bed and breakfast in Bayfield, Wisconsin (way up north on Lake Superior), so I find time to weave one of my greatest challenges. That being said....

I have three floor looms, a rigid heddle and a few other options to play with. My projects have been all over the place (rugs, scarves, placemats, towels). I've taken a number of workshops, done a lot of self education.

My interest in this particular group is taking the time to learn more about weave structures. Working as part of a group will hopefully keep me moving along. I've never  been part of a weaving study group - eager to get started.

I am currently in New Orleans at an innkeepers conference, but once back to Wisconsin will be planning out my first warp for our work. Plan to dig deeper into the book on the plane ride home. 

Thank you all - I look forward to this!

Nancy

Tue, 01/06/2015 - 19:08

Oexi2012

Hello ! I am Barbara , I live in Hamburg,Germany. (I introduced myself already in the thread " goals", but I want to do it here as well ). I am weaving since about ten years. I visited a week-end-weaving-class over about four years , which was a great time for me.I learned a lot , but as I was still working , I had not much time to practice. Now I`m retired and I enjoy very much having time for all my passions: weaving ,knitting, spinning, sewing.I have a swedish 16-shaft-Öxabäck-loom und a little Klik- table-loom for sampling, as well as my beloved " David" with 8 shafts ( of Louet ) . I love to work with wool and silk , as well as cotton. Last year I began to learn how to spin , and now my dream is to be able to spin my own weaving yarns ( but that is far far away ....).

Sharon Aldermans book was one of my first treasures - there is not so much literature about weaving in german - ,and I love it! When I bought it, I was so enthusiastic , I began immediately to make a warp for a linen-cloth in a sixteen-shaft-diamond-design ( S.234 ) .That was really hard , lifting 16 shafts ! But it was worthwile -  I made bed-clothes of it , and it makes sleeping very luxurious ! The book still is one of my favourites, but I must confess, mostly I just look at the pictures . I´m very happy to have found this group , which - so I hope - helps me to go further and make many exciting experiences ! 

 

 

Tue, 01/06/2015 - 19:42

ainz

Yes, I understand perfectly! I too love to look through this book. Funny thing is that when I last looked at it, it all sounded like Greek. I actually understand most of it now.

Barbara, go to my projects page and check out the blanket I am spinning for. I have been spinning for only one month and I thought I'd use my unintentionally textured yarn in an intentionally textured blanket. (By the way, love Hamburg. Been there a couple of times).

Tue, 01/06/2015 - 21:15

Catweaver

I gave the horrible table loom away! Now no room or spare cash for a better table loom, and to be honest no time or inclination for one either. I found I didn't enjoy using a table loom after discovering the pleasure of weaving on a good floor loom.
Wed, 01/07/2015 - 20:59

Oexi2012

Ainz, your little blanket ist gorgeous ! And your yarn seems to be wonderful balanced,obviously you are a very talented spinner ! 

Thu, 01/08/2015 - 03:37

ainz

No, Barbara, def. not balanced. I have only started spinning. i think it is more a matter of just a good photo.

But thanks. The sample does look very nice and it is sooooo soft. Cannot wait to have enough yarn to start the actual weaving.

Fri, 01/09/2015 - 13:35

Erica J

Hello everyone! 

I am back to introduce myself as promised! I am one of the owners of Weavolution! My mother taught me to weave nearly 30 years ago, but University and beginning my career got in the way for the next 20 years. I have been weaving primarily medieval textiles. Which has mostly meant weaving wool in twill.  Though I did get my drawl ooh attachment on my Glimakra Standard last year and have done a few things in Damask. I too wanted to branch out and better understand more modern weaves.

I live in England, as well, but grew up in Missouri.  My husband is from Wisconsin,  so it is great to see some WI folks here!I'm so glad to meet you all. Everyone has come to weaving in such interesting ways! I look forward to getting to know you all better.

Happy Weaving!

Sat, 01/10/2015 - 20:00

babs6877

Erica,

Thank you for organizing this group.  I am still a beginning weaver after about 10 years.  I love to weave dishtowels, so I mainly work in cotton, although I love bamboo for infinity scarves.  I would like to try weaving with linen some day.  I started weaving when I took a rigid heddle class.  As soon as I sat at a floor loom and threw my first shuttle, I was hooked. I typically do projects that I find in books and magazines, so working thru this weave structure book should help me broaden my knowledge - there is so much to learn.I have also not been a sample weaver, so this should show me the benefits.

Sun, 01/11/2015 - 03:54

Queezle

Do you go by Babs?  I wove the structures in magazines for a long time, but now love coming up with my own designs.  I am finding this to be such a lovely and diverse group of people -- I hope we can keep up our momentum.

Mon, 01/12/2015 - 00:56

babs6877

I hope this group inspires me to do some of my own designs.  Do you use a software program to design with?  

 

Mon, 01/12/2015 - 15:37

theresasc

I have PixeLoom weaving software that I really like.  I like being able to print out the threading and treadling draft and have it right next to me.  I do some original designing and I also take projects from publications and modify them to my needs and what yarn I have on hand.

Mon, 01/12/2015 - 17:05

Heleanna

Hi everybody,

My name is Helene and just want to tell you how wonderful this idea is - I adore Sharon Alderman book. I will follow this group closely and next month try to start weaving along. I just want to remind that there are some corrections to the book in interweave under weaving/book/corrections in case someone does not know.

Thank you again

 

 

 

Mon, 01/12/2015 - 17:55

ainz

Thanks, Helene. I have taken note. I am sure all us beginners had no idea. 

Thu, 01/15/2015 - 19:38

CelticCats

Okay, let's talk weaving, not football.  I have been weaving for just about a year now.  Initially on a Julia loom (which is a great little loom) and soon advanced to a Glimakra 47" standard loom and absolutely love it!

 

Recently I finished a set of towels using plain weave (now to see if I can post a picture here) but am very excited to make a pair of towels using the technique on page 8 Mastering Weave Structures (by the way, this is my favorite weaving book that I have purchased).

 

Currently the Standard is warped with bamboo to make my Mother a huck lace scarf (this will be my first attempt at huck lace).  I also have about 5 other projects waiting to be done and am thinking i might bring the Julia downstairs and put the warp on page 8 on it (instead of selling it).

 

I am glad I joined this group and purchased the book--well worth the $$ spent.

 

Dorn

Friendship Towel

Here is the link for the free draft

http://www.weavingtoday.com/media/p/3132.aspx

Mon, 01/12/2015 - 20:49

Queezle

I love purple with green - and the pink gives it extra punch.  Nice design and execution.

I'm a bit old school for design - I've usually done it using graph paper, or more likely, an old back of envelope.  When an idea hits, I tend to be really impatient about testing it, and some aspects of the design happen on the fly.  However, I did download a trial version of some drafting software, and it looks like a much better way to go ;)

Leslie

Tue, 02/03/2015 - 17:26

Erica J

Welcome Dorn! Those are great towels! Purple and green is my favorite combination! I wanted a Julia, but got a screaming deal on an Ideal on EBay. That is my smaller loom, which came after the 60" standard! Leslie, I love Fiberworks! I used the interleaved treading to discover the treading I used for my sample with red weft. ;)
Wed, 02/25/2015 - 02:41

Nancy.Garden (not verified)

There' a very active guild in Milwaukee...Midwest weavers guild. Great for inspiration and they offer some workshops. Nancy in SW Wisconsin
Group Audience
Mastering Weave Structures Study Group