Magic

Lots of magic, this time of year. But here's one, a gift from a friend, that seems more so than usual to me: the impression of leaves on cloth. Literally, as in she impressed the leaves onto the cotth, and they leave behind this image.

I love Eucalypts. It is the tree, and particularly the smell, of my childhood.

My friend expected this to be a table runner, but I am hanging it on the wall, so I can see it year 'round.

She has lots more in her shop. :)

Imagine A Sunset

That's what I did:


Skeins to the left, warp chains to the right.

Another shot:


Warm colors for cold winter weaving!

I See Spots

When this skein was purchased, it was cleverly twisted to conceal these un-dyed spots.

::insert big sigh here::



Luckily, I am a dyer, and can remedy this with a trip through the dyebath. The color will be a bit darker on most of the skein, but these white spots will have some color too. I don't mind variation in color, gradations or color washes make nice fabrics. But white? come on. Be better to your customers. Fix these spots, paint or overdye. And if, in the final skein, there is a white spot: twist the skein so it shows, let the buyer be aware.

I am dyeing anyway today:



Lots of cashmere yarn for a joint project with my friend Bonnie!

An Issue

This fabric is now woven:



It's almost ready to wash and sew up, but first I have a few knots to deal with:



Warping with a paddle is fast, especially in the case of these recent cotton fabrics where I ran 8 to 10 threads per warp. But! it does mean I don't stop to pull back for knots, and that I have to deal with them in the weaving. Usually, I get to about an inch from the knot, as above, add a repair thread alongside the knotted thread, weave for the inch, then cut the knot-thread and weave on the repair thread for about an inch, then re-insert the original (knot) warp for about an inch, and then finally cut the repair end.

So for an inch each side of the knot, the warps are doubled, and for the space (about 2-3 inches) where the knot once was, there is a repair warp. Lot of words. I hope that makes sense!

In the interest of time though, I am trying something else this time:



I wove right over the knots (there were several). The plan is to insert a repair with a needle, and cut just the knot before finishing. We'll see if this saves time, or is annoying, or whatever. It's an experiment! I think it should work.

More later! once the cloth is washed.

Hmmmm...

Well the (yes! very welcome Valerie!) rain yesterday meant a noisy day in the studio. I sewed though, so no new weaving pics.

The Very Pink warp is tied on, ready to weave off today, then time for finishing both of the recent warps: repairing, washing, pressing and more sewing. Plenty of time! (famous last words).

Holly: the contraptions holding the lease sticks are Angel Wings, from Purrington Looms. Very useful: I highly recommend them. Front to back or back to front, it's nice to have your lease sticks secure, and the AW also space them so taking threads off the cross is easy-peasy.

Back to work, under the watchful flamingo...

We Interrupt This Presentation

to bring you:



a better-color view of the washed cotton fabric from this post....

Short day in the studio yesterday, I had to actually leave the place and go shopping for groceries. But! The pink project is sleyed and threaded, wound on and ready to weave today, while I listen to the rain, on the yurt roof. For the record, rain, any rain, is very loud in the yurt :).

Next up...

I think we can all see where this is going...!

The next day....

Done!



(short warp)

Onward!

As the Day Progressed

The warps were run. I use a paddle, shown here. This is 520 ends of 5/2 cotton:


and sleying begins:


Each warp chain gets threaded, colors overlap where there is a transition from one bout to the next.

At the end of the day:


ready to thread the heddles!

Want Fabric?

Just begin.



Do I want to post more to my blog? Just begin.

Seasonal

As is the case every year, we are now into the season of secret projects. It is a season of anticipation: a brief time when the leaves are golden, and I try to savor every minute of it!

One thing I noticed this year is a definite color theme in the things I am working on right now, the golds, oranges and deep blues of the season of Autumn. Even gifts! And since I cannot show all of them, I give you some of these:







Place holders, something older, a few things to look at while I am busy with new things. Making is so much a part of the season, and it is easy to get lost in the studio and forget there is a world out there. I will be back, sooner rather than later, with more photo inspiration.