Sunday May 18- finished knotting back of red and black tapestry #1
Monday May 19- Trip to Woodstock to see Grandma and Grandpa. In the car worked on fringing rag rug samples. Decided that one of the techniques was something that I was going to NOT recommend to my students because it was tedious and horrid to work on.
Tuesday May 20- Made new cotton seine twine tapestry warp. Started to put it on the loom
Wednesday May 21- finished dressing the loom with new warp.
Thursday May 22-Made a new small warp for yet another rag rug sample. This one is a double bind technique.
Friday May 23- Dressed loom with the new rag rug sample warp.
Saturday May 24-we were having people over Saturday night so spent the day cleaning and cooking. I cleaned under and around my looms so that will have to be my craft related thing for the day. That and cooking can be considered crafty work, right?
Sunday May 25- Dug through some of my bins of yarns and picked the colours and textures for the first bit of my tapestry.
Monday May 26- Trip to Woodstock to visit Grandpa and wish him a happy 91st birthday. In the car I fringed the rest of my finished rag rug samples
Tuesday May 27- Started winding some of the skeins of yarn for the tapestry into balls. This was definitely a case of "even 5 minutes counts. I also ran (mostly) 7.25 k tonight and am off to reward myself with a soak in the tub.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Tuesday May 13-
A bit more designing on tapestry.
Wednesday May 14-
Borrowed a 27 inch loom from the school to weave the tapestry.
Started to dress the loom
Thursday May 15-
Continued to dress the loom. Tied on the warp and did a test weave. Didn't really like the results and decided to sleep on it. Reminded my self that unweaving is part of weaving.
Friday May 16-
Spent most of the day at the school dressing another warp for a new rag rug technique. I also got some of my homework done for my online class.
When I got home, I took a look at my tapestry warp and in the harsh light of day, realized that not only was the sett incorrect for what I wanted to do, but the warp was also starting to shred and wouldn't hold up to the abuse that I was about to inflict. So I took the warp off to be used for another project on another day. I tucked the experience away to drag to later when I have to explain to my students that sometimes "Plan B" means starting over.
Saturday May 17-
Knotted the back and trimmed the ends of red and black tapestry #1.
A bit more designing on tapestry.
Wednesday May 14-
Borrowed a 27 inch loom from the school to weave the tapestry.
Started to dress the loom
Thursday May 15-
Continued to dress the loom. Tied on the warp and did a test weave. Didn't really like the results and decided to sleep on it. Reminded my self that unweaving is part of weaving.
Friday May 16-
Spent most of the day at the school dressing another warp for a new rag rug technique. I also got some of my homework done for my online class.
When I got home, I took a look at my tapestry warp and in the harsh light of day, realized that not only was the sett incorrect for what I wanted to do, but the warp was also starting to shred and wouldn't hold up to the abuse that I was about to inflict. So I took the warp off to be used for another project on another day. I tucked the experience away to drag to later when I have to explain to my students that sometimes "Plan B" means starting over.
Saturday May 17-
Knotted the back and trimmed the ends of red and black tapestry #1.
Monday, May 12, 2014
update
Thursday May 1-
Wove on Blue Hiro warp
Friday May 2-
Last day of work-
Wove on Blue Hiro
Mapped out a new project involving all my colleagues
Started the warp for the above project
Saturday May 3-
Wove on Blue Hiro. This warp is so slow weaving. It is an silk i-cord yarn and very stretchy. It takes dye beautifully and I want to keep the colours of the warp from being muddied with the weft, so I am using a fine 20/2 silk in blue. Each weft shot needs to be slowly beat in place. The selvedge threads are super stretchy too and subject to a lot of draw-in. I wove a sample with this material before, but I paired it with stripes of closely sett 20/2 silk and it was much easier to maintain an even beat. I have one more Hiro warp so I may have to consider making a sister warp out of the fine silk and pairing the two.
Sunday May 4-
Spinning about an hour
Sewing in ends on tensel scarves
Monday May 5-
Wove on blue hiro scarves and finished the first one! Started to fringe it.
Designing of new tapestry based on colours picked by my colleagues
Tuesday May 6-
Decided that I didn't like the warp that I made for the tapestry on Friday, so I rewound it onto the bobbins and started a new warp from two tones of purple linen.
Cut strips for a couple of rag rug samples for a workshop that I am teaching this summer.
Felted a small green piece of felt to cut into pins.
Wednesday May 7-
Made a small rag rug sample warp. Used the strips I cut yesterday for a new rag rug technique where you lay two different coloured strips of fabric back to back and flip them over mid way through the warp so that you change colours. Dressed a loom at work and wove one sample.
Thursday May 8-
Wove two more samples on the rag rug warp. I made the warp extra long so that the students could try the technique before settling on it.
Friday May 9-
Made another small sample warp for a new technique for rag rug workshop. Dressed a second loom at work and wove two samples. Let enough warp for students to try this sample also.
Worked on design for tapestry. Gathered a couple of more colours from a few people from whom I hadn't received answers to the question "pick a colour"
Saturday May 10-
Trip to Woodstock today to visit Grandma and Grandpa. In the car I finished one side of my tapestry making knots and sewing in ends. Started second side. Brought Dorset loom (with blue hiro warp on) to the lake for the summer.
Sunday May 11-
Finished second side and knotted all the ends on the back of two tapestries.
Monday May 12-
Wove on Red Hiro scarves.
Wove on Blue Hiro warp
Friday May 2-
Last day of work-
Wove on Blue Hiro
Mapped out a new project involving all my colleagues
Started the warp for the above project
Saturday May 3-
Wove on Blue Hiro. This warp is so slow weaving. It is an silk i-cord yarn and very stretchy. It takes dye beautifully and I want to keep the colours of the warp from being muddied with the weft, so I am using a fine 20/2 silk in blue. Each weft shot needs to be slowly beat in place. The selvedge threads are super stretchy too and subject to a lot of draw-in. I wove a sample with this material before, but I paired it with stripes of closely sett 20/2 silk and it was much easier to maintain an even beat. I have one more Hiro warp so I may have to consider making a sister warp out of the fine silk and pairing the two.
Sunday May 4-
Spinning about an hour
Sewing in ends on tensel scarves
Monday May 5-
Wove on blue hiro scarves and finished the first one! Started to fringe it.
Designing of new tapestry based on colours picked by my colleagues
Tuesday May 6-
Decided that I didn't like the warp that I made for the tapestry on Friday, so I rewound it onto the bobbins and started a new warp from two tones of purple linen.
Cut strips for a couple of rag rug samples for a workshop that I am teaching this summer.
Felted a small green piece of felt to cut into pins.
Wednesday May 7-
Made a small rag rug sample warp. Used the strips I cut yesterday for a new rag rug technique where you lay two different coloured strips of fabric back to back and flip them over mid way through the warp so that you change colours. Dressed a loom at work and wove one sample.
Thursday May 8-
Wove two more samples on the rag rug warp. I made the warp extra long so that the students could try the technique before settling on it.
Friday May 9-
Made another small sample warp for a new technique for rag rug workshop. Dressed a second loom at work and wove two samples. Let enough warp for students to try this sample also.
Worked on design for tapestry. Gathered a couple of more colours from a few people from whom I hadn't received answers to the question "pick a colour"
Saturday May 10-
Trip to Woodstock today to visit Grandma and Grandpa. In the car I finished one side of my tapestry making knots and sewing in ends. Started second side. Brought Dorset loom (with blue hiro warp on) to the lake for the summer.
Sunday May 11-
Finished second side and knotted all the ends on the back of two tapestries.
Monday May 12-
Wove on Red Hiro scarves.
Thursday, May 01, 2014
Challenge update
Before I begin, just a note to let you now that my posts for a bit will probably consist of just a list of what I have done. It helps me to track my progress.
Monday April 28-
Felted blue fleece that was laid out Sunday
Cut 45 hearts and 1 sun out of the red felt. Soft felted the edges and set them to dry
Tuesday April 29-
Knotted the fringe of one scarf
Started twisting the fringe of a second scarf.
Wednesday April 30-
More fringing on my brown tencel scarves.
Monday April 28-
Felted blue fleece that was laid out Sunday
Cut 45 hearts and 1 sun out of the red felt. Soft felted the edges and set them to dry
Tuesday April 29-
Knotted the fringe of one scarf
Started twisting the fringe of a second scarf.
Wednesday April 30-
More fringing on my brown tencel scarves.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Sunday April 27
Sunday April 27-
Finished the leather moulding workshop.
Laid out and felted a new piece of felt for pins.
Sewed experimental cloth which was felt on a woven structure that didn't felt together quite as much as I would have liked it. It was originally a left over bit of warp that I just had to weave off rather than waste all of that yarn. Then I had the idea of felting on it and making a new cover for my foot stool. Unfortunately, it shrunk (as felt tends to do) just a little too much and is now about 2 inches too small to use as a cover. It will become something else.
And here are my tapestries that I have finally finish weaving. The first two have been finished for about 8 months. The last gathered dust on the loom for about the same length of time. I worked on it sporadically in the fall and then my interest level dropped as I found myself weaving scarves for sale. Then the January slump. Which turned into the February slump. And March was just as bad as, if not worst than February because Although the calendar changed, the brutal February weather did not.
But I am finished weaving it now and only need a long car trip to get the ends of the last one knotted and darned in.
I will post more pictures as I get back into the habit of actually taking pictures while I am doing things.
Finished the leather moulding workshop.
Laid out and felted a new piece of felt for pins.
Sewed experimental cloth which was felt on a woven structure that didn't felt together quite as much as I would have liked it. It was originally a left over bit of warp that I just had to weave off rather than waste all of that yarn. Then I had the idea of felting on it and making a new cover for my foot stool. Unfortunately, it shrunk (as felt tends to do) just a little too much and is now about 2 inches too small to use as a cover. It will become something else.
And here are my tapestries that I have finally finish weaving. The first two have been finished for about 8 months. The last gathered dust on the loom for about the same length of time. I worked on it sporadically in the fall and then my interest level dropped as I found myself weaving scarves for sale. Then the January slump. Which turned into the February slump. And March was just as bad as, if not worst than February because Although the calendar changed, the brutal February weather did not.
But I am finished weaving it now and only need a long car trip to get the ends of the last one knotted and darned in.
 |
| Tapestries that I have FINALLY finished weaving. |
 |
| I am still playing with placement. |
Saturday, April 26, 2014
craft update
Friday April 25- spinning 45 minutes
Saturday April 26- Leather moulding workshop. Felted fleece that I laid out last week. This felt will be destined for heart pins. Heart pins are one of those wonderful driving projects (so long as I am a passenger). I can embellish them with stitches or buttons or whatever and because most of the stitching is simply attaching the pins to the back, my dexterity doesn't need to be all that great. Or my eyesight. Which, because I am a woman of a certain age, is starting to be less sharp and focused.
Saturday April 26- Leather moulding workshop. Felted fleece that I laid out last week. This felt will be destined for heart pins. Heart pins are one of those wonderful driving projects (so long as I am a passenger). I can embellish them with stitches or buttons or whatever and because most of the stitching is simply attaching the pins to the back, my dexterity doesn't need to be all that great. Or my eyesight. Which, because I am a woman of a certain age, is starting to be less sharp and focused.
Thursday, April 24, 2014
7 day craft challenge
I was in my office at lunch the other day when my buddy Rachel stopped by and brought some fleece and a spinning wheel. We chatted and he spun and she told me about her 60 day craft challenge. The basic idea is to do something craft oriented every day. The only other rule is that even 5 minutes counts. She said that it was a great way to get some ideas that were in her head out in to the real world. And she said that it had ben working well.
I have decided to join her. I have started small with a 7 day craft challenge and so far it has been successful.
Friday April 18- Finished brown warp that seemed to last forever. It was put on in February. Started to warp the Leclerc 8 harness loom with red hand dyed Hiro warp.
Saturday April 19- Worked on third of three tapestries that has also been on the 4 harness Dorset loom for around 8 months. Wound red Hiro onto Leclerc.
Sunday April 20- Wove on tapestry on Dorset. Rewound Hiro onto Leclerc as my ends were very uneven and the Hiro is VERY stretchy and I was concerned about tension issues.
Monday April 21- Finished tapestry on Dorset! Wahoo! Threaded red Hiro on Leclerc and wove a sample. Dressed Dorset with blue and green Hiro. This was two warps that were dyed differently and combined. I usually warp back to front, but for this warp, I combined the two warps in the reed and dressed the loom front to back.
Tuesday April 22- Finished threading blue green Hiro warp. Wound it on
Wednesday April 23- Tied the blue green Hiro warp on and started to weave.
Thursday April 24- Wove on blue green Hiro warp. It is very slow going as it is a mainly warp faced fabric and I have to place the weft very gently or it will get beaten down too much. I also laid out some fleece approximately 14X20 inches to felt later. The purpose of this felt is to cut up to make pins.
So far so good! I will extend this to a 2 week challenge!
I have decided to join her. I have started small with a 7 day craft challenge and so far it has been successful.
Friday April 18- Finished brown warp that seemed to last forever. It was put on in February. Started to warp the Leclerc 8 harness loom with red hand dyed Hiro warp.
Saturday April 19- Worked on third of three tapestries that has also been on the 4 harness Dorset loom for around 8 months. Wound red Hiro onto Leclerc.
Sunday April 20- Wove on tapestry on Dorset. Rewound Hiro onto Leclerc as my ends were very uneven and the Hiro is VERY stretchy and I was concerned about tension issues.
Monday April 21- Finished tapestry on Dorset! Wahoo! Threaded red Hiro on Leclerc and wove a sample. Dressed Dorset with blue and green Hiro. This was two warps that were dyed differently and combined. I usually warp back to front, but for this warp, I combined the two warps in the reed and dressed the loom front to back.
Tuesday April 22- Finished threading blue green Hiro warp. Wound it on
Wednesday April 23- Tied the blue green Hiro warp on and started to weave.
Thursday April 24- Wove on blue green Hiro warp. It is very slow going as it is a mainly warp faced fabric and I have to place the weft very gently or it will get beaten down too much. I also laid out some fleece approximately 14X20 inches to felt later. The purpose of this felt is to cut up to make pins.
So far so good! I will extend this to a 2 week challenge!
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