WEAVEblah

weaving with a lego loom

2012-02-08T14:28:00.001+10:00

Retrieved from YouTube, 8 February, 2012, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLtZUjhybsU>.

margo selby - contemporary weaving patterns

2012-02-07T15:15:00.005+10:00

The Weave Shed: "Margo Selby has written her first book, Contemporary Weaving Patterns: Weaving with colour and texture - a unique guide to over 150 exceptional patterns.

The book (published in the UK by A & C Black Publishers Ltd., London) was launched (in) December, 2011 and includes 150 different fabric ideas that can be created over 25 warps."

Margo Selby's book is available, also, from Interweave Press, in the Usa, published under the title, Color and Texture in Weaving: 150 Contemporary Designs.

The Weave Shed: A Professional Weavers Website, "Contemporary Weaving Patterns - Margo Selby", 21 December, 2011.

Retrieved from <http://www.theweaveshed.org/172/margo-selby-publication/>.

Margo Selby, <http://www.margoselby.com/>.
Margo Selby, Contemporary Weaving Patterns: Weaving with colour and texture - a unique guide to over 150 exceptional patterns. (A & C Black Publishers Ltd, London, 2012).

Retrieved from <http://www.amazon.co.uk/Contemporary-Weaving-Patterns-Margo-Selby/dp/1408139405>.

Margo Selby, Color and Texture in Weaving: 150 Contemporary Designs (Interweave Press, Usa, 2012).

Retrieved from <http://www.amazon.com/Color-Texture-Weaving-Contemporary-Designs/dp/1596683724/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328678345&sr=1-1>.

bonnie tarses - choosing yarns for projects

2012-01-07T14:41:00.002+10:00

Weaver, Bonnie Tarses: "One of the techniques I use in managing 'the yarn I have on hand' is to lay ... out (the colours) on the floor and start moving (them) around like a puzzle.

I like to say that the yarn discusses what it wants to weave.

Sometimes these discussions can last for weeks."

Retrieved from Bonnie Tarses, 'Stash Reduction / Stash Expansion: ZYG in 2012' in Weaving Spirit, <http://weavingspirit.blogspot.com/2012/01/stash-reductionstash-expansion-zyg-in.html>.

summer weave classes with monique van nieuwland

2012-01-02T14:35:00.018+10:00

Monique van Nieuwland "has been a weaver for more than 30 years. She teaches weave classes in the Visual Arts Access program at the Australian National University, (TAFTA Textile) Fibre Forums, and Sturt (Contemporary Craft and Design Centre).
Monique exhibits her work regularly and is an Accredited Professional Member of Craft ACT."

FIFTH WEAVERS’ SUMMER SCHOOL - ANU School of Art Textiles

January 21-25 and 27-28, 2012

Daily - 9.00am - 12.00pm, and 1.00pm - 4.00pm

Level – Intermediate and advanced weavers

"This is an opportunity for intermediate and advanced weavers to use the workshop looms for a personal project. This can be for a finished piece or to engage in weave experimentation. Previous projects have included complex weave scarves, large throws, table runner sets, decorative wall pieces, lengths of material, floor rugs.

Applicants will need to have completed basic introduction to 4 shaft weave structures.

The Weavers’ Summer School offers use of workshop looms and weaving equipment, assistance with calculations and set up of projects, instruction and assistance with use of computer design program and looms, and informal show-and-tell and exchange by participants and tutor.

Participants are required to contact the tutor to organise materials before the summer school starts."

LEARNING TO WEAVE & 3D WEAVING - ANU School of Art Textiles

February 21, February 25, February 28, March 6, March 13, March 20, March 27, March 31, April 24, May 1, 2012
Tuesday sessions - 6.00pm - 9.00pm
Saturday (25 February and 31 March) double-sessions - 9.00 - 12.00pm, and 1.00pm - 4.00pm

Level – Beginner and intermediate weavers

"Enjoy adventures in weaving!

Beginners will be introduced to the loom, fibres and 4 shaft weave structures.

Intermediate weavers will explore several set-ups to create lush 3D-textures.

3D weaving structures will include using waffle weave, supplementary warp, seersucker, felting processes combining weaving wool with silk/cotton/rayon.

Participants work at their own skill level, and their own pace; and will be guided to translate learned techniques into a personal project of a practical or decorative nature.

The ANU will provide table looms (4-8 shafts), weaving equipment and yarn. Participants, also, can use their own yarn or loom to work at home, between classes.

Sessions 1-7 – Weave introduction to structures
Sessions 8-12 - Individual projects"

For costs and enrolment, and to download course outlines, visit the ANU Centre for Continuing Education, Visual Arts Access website,
<http://www.anu.edu.au/cce/vaacourses/textiles.php#5th>.

Retrieved from the Australian National University, Centre for Continuing Education, Visual Arts Access Courses,

<http://www.anu.edu.au/cce/vaacourses/textiles.php#5th>.

See also, Monique van Nieuwland, <http://mvntextiles.com/>.

postcard from chapel hill

2011-11-13T21:20:00.002+10:00

lucy barker weaves a sunrise

2011-11-07T23:35:00.023+10:00

A solo exhibition by Lucy Barker will be held in the Art Factory at Maitland Regional Art Gallery, 230 High St., Maitland, NSW, 2320, from 11 November, 2011 to 19 February, 2012, with an opening on 10 December, 2011.

Maitland Regional Art Gallery: ".... Lucy Barker weaves luminous landscapes across the two levels of the Art Factory. Her work conjures up dazzling postcard memories from a simpler and more optimistic time. The exhibition is full of colour and fun.

Barker’s exhibition in the Art Factory will also relate thematically and materially with her contribution to Sculpture by the Sea, to be exhibited from Thursday 3 November – Sunday 20 November, 2011 along the Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk, Sydney. Barker is also currently a finalist in the 2011 Paddington Art Prize."

Lucy Barker: "My studio is a dazzling hive of colour and activity at the moment as I busily prepare for both exhibitions.

My main piece .... is a giant 2m high x 6m wide sunrise, woven from (vintage polypropalene chair) webbing and titled 'There has never been a better time'."

A time lapse video by Lucy Barker documents the creation of her woven-art installation, and can be viewed on YouTube.

Watch Lucy Barker create "There has never been a better time", on YouTube, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2Klumah2U4&feature=youtu.be>.
Maitland Regional Art Gallery, "Lucy Barker .... in the Art Factory". Retrieved from <http://mrag.org.au/exhibition/lucy-barker-lifestyles-of-the-neither-rich-nor-famous-in-the-art-factory/>.
Lucy Barker, "My Studio", and photo reference. Retrieved from

<http://www.lucybarker.com.au/lifestyles-of-the-neither-rich-nor-famous/>.

Lucy Barker, <http://www.lucybarker.com.au>.
Sculpture by the Sea, <http://www.sculpturebythesea.com/Home.aspx>.
2011 Paddington Art Prize, <http://www.paddingtonartprize.com.au/finalists/2011/>.

bbc mastercrafts with monty don

2011-11-05T15:20:00.021+10:00

"This series hosted by Monty Don, celebrates all aspects of rural crafts including woodcraft, thatching, weaving, stone masonry, blacksmithing and glass making and helps put traditional British crafts back on the map in a novel and inventive way."

In Episode 5: Weaving, Uk Master Weaver and woven textile designer, Margo Selby, teaches three trainees how to weave.

BBC Mastercrafts with Monty Don, Episode 5: Weaving, can be viewed in a newly released DVD of the series, available, in Australia, from ABC Shop, http://shop.abc.net.au/products/mastercrafts-with-monty-don.
Margo Selby, <http://www.margoselby.com/>.
See also "Margo Selby: Weaving a Life in Textiles", in The British Craft Blog, at <http://britishcrafts.wordpress.com/2010/03/11/weaving-a-life-in-textiles-from-mastercrafts-tutor-margo-selby/>.
See also, Uk publication, Margo Selby Contemporary Weaving Patterns: Weaving with Color and Texture - A Unique Guide to over 150 Exceptional Patterns (London: A & C Black Publishers Ltd., 15 Dec., 2011), or Usa publication, Margo Selby, Color and Texture in Weaving: 150 Contemporary Designs (USA: Interweave Press Inc., 29 Feb., 2012).

Retrieved from <http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=margo+selby+books&x=14&y=25>.

colourful sydney-siders

2011-08-22T12:10:00.000+10:00

countermarch set-up made easy

2011-08-21T01:23:00.005+10:00

weave workshops, 2011 - 2012

2011-08-19T18:20:00.001+10:00

IKAT WEAVING - TAFTA Fibre Forum, Geelong, Victoria.

Tutor: Monique van Nieuwland

25 September – 1 October 2011

Indulge in colour and silk to create your own ikat woven scarf! The ikat process is used to create woven colour patterns by binding warp threads to resist dye, prior to weaving. Other methods of resist will be tried as well, along with, using warp-shifting equipment. The tutor will provide ready made warp sections, for your use, to create ikat patterns of your

choice. Silk and dyes are provided which are covered by a materials fee.

Levels - Beginner and intermediate weavers.

For more information and enrolment, email TAFTA, or
Visit TAFTA’s website, <http://www.tafta.org.au/forums.html>.
A course outline can be viewed at

<http://www.tafta.org.au/documents/Geelong_workshops%20ver%201%202011.doc>.

THICK AND THIN: From Rags to Riches! ANU Centre For Continuing Education

Tutor: Monique van Nieuwland

October, 2nd half, Semester Two, 2011

Enjoy adventures in weaving! This short course will use thick and thin as the main theme. We will explore several weave structures to create a variety of fabric outcomes. We will use strips of fabric as weft, combined with other wefts to best advantage. Resulting fabrics will suit different applications, ranging from fine wearables, cushion covers, decorative pieces, to rugs. You will come away with a great set of samples and guidance to further develop into a project of your own at home.

Levels – Beginner and intermediate weavers. Maximum 8 participants. Seven sessions.

For more information, visit the ANU Centre for Continuing Education /Textiles website,

<http://www.anu.edu.au/cce/vaacourses/textiles.php>,

A course outline can be viewed at

<http://www.anu.edu.au/cce/vaacourses/outlines/textiles/ThickThinRagstoRiches.pdf>.

CONTEMPORARY WEAVE – Sturt Summer School, 2012

Tutor: Liz Williamson

Tuesday 3 - Sunday 8 January 2012

Explore the philosophy of reuse, recycle and renew for constructing innovative contemporary designs with basic weaving structures. Experiment with patterns and structures, fibres and yarns, natural and manmade materials, and design and weave textiles for the body, as accessories, for interior applications or as 3D objects.

Levels – All levels of weaving. For beginners, drafting, warping, dressing the loom, manipulating weave structures, finishes and presentation will be covered.

For more information visit Sturt Australian Contemporary Craft and Design Centre’s website, <http://www.sturt.nsw.edu.au/course_summer.htm>.
A course outline can be viewed at

<http://www.sturt.nsw.edu.au/pdfs/summer/WeaveSS12.pdf>.

garden art, somers

2011-08-14T00:24:00.002+10:00

solvig baas becking

2011-08-13T13:53:00.000+10:00

Diana Wood Conroy (1994): "Solvig Baas Becking (1928 - 2011) was trained as a production weaver at Ekeby on the Norwegian border, knowing every part of the loom and thinking in terms of structure.

Leaving post-war Europe to establish and develop the complex skills of weaving construction in Australia, Solvig arrived at a design process out of the technique and form of the weave.

Solvig has left us with an undercurrent of honouring these significant skills."

"Craft Australia publishes Diana Wood Conroy's catalogue essay for Solvig Baas Becking's retrospective at Goulburn Regional Gallery, 1994."

Diana Wood Conroy (1994), "Solvig Baas Becking: A Sense of Infinite Order", in Craft Australia: Advocacy, Communication, Research, 24 May 2011.
Photo reference: "Solvig Baas Becking, Untitled, Directions in Fibre Exhibition, 1976, CA-1010018".

Retrieved from < http://www.craftaustralia.org.au/library/essay.php?id=solvig_infinite_order_weaving#_ftn7 >.

A printable transcript of Diana Wood Conroy’s catalogue essay, is available at Craft Australia, < http://www.craftaustralia.org.au/pdf/generate.php?sd=essay&id=solvig_infinite_order_weaving >.

first edition - fibre and yarn magic

2011-08-09T17:45:00.008+10:00

First Edition Fibres & Yarns, located in Euroa, Victoria, is a "dedicated craft-driven manufacturer of textile fibres suitable for the novice and artist alike".

Operated by co-owners, Allan Carr and John Laverty, the plant produces 'an extensive, and unique, range of coloured and blended fibres' which are sold to customers in Australia, and world wide.

First Edition Fibres & Yarns, Euroa. Victoria. 3666. Australia.

Contact details via First Edition webpage, <http://www.firsteditionfibres.com.au/w/Contact.html>.

Retrieved from <http://www.firsteditionfibres.com.au/w/Homepage.html>.

emily reiman's granny square cookies

2011-08-08T23:23:00.002+10:00

Emily Reiman, 'Granny Square Cookies' in Sugar and Meringue, 2006. Retrieved from
<http://sugarandmeringue.squarespace.com/granny-square-cookies>.

little verse

2011-08-05T12:00:00.003+10:00

by Mabel F. Fells

If you can wind a warp

And never miss the cross,

If you can thread the heddles one by one

And never suffer loss,

If you can reed the threads

And never miss a dent,

And smilingly repeat your pattern

And never once resent,

An interruption or a muttered curse

From workers at your side,

If you can start to weave, and find

The threads you thought were tied, are loose,

If you can cheerfully retrace your steps

And do it all again,

Then call yourself a weaver, friend

Your patience has no end.

Mabel F. Fells, "If", in The East Sussex Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers Newsletter, No. 71, February 2005.

patterns

2011-07-23T00:01:00.000+10:00

fragrant

2011-07-21T17:33:00.000+10:00

australian tapestry workshop - specialist coloured 3/20 wool yarns

2011-07-20T16:41:00.006+10:00

Shop Online For Yarns

"Yarn is dyed on-site in the Australian Tapestry Workshop specialist colour laboratory, using the finest Australian wool.

Considered the best wool in the world for tapestry, the yarn is a 3/20 worsted, which is characterized by smooth fibres that lie parallel and give a strong, even twist of uniform character. The fleece type is 28 micron, moth-proofed and dyed with lightfast and colourfast dyes, (yet fine enough for mixing on the bobbins).

Textile artists prefer the Australian Tapestry Workshop's yarn for a broad range of artistic and craft endeavours including knitting and embroidery.

Our basic palette consists of 60 colour ranges, each divided into six or seven tones, resulting in a palette of 366 colours."

Australian Tapestry Workshop, 'Shop Online - Yarn', 2011. Retrieved from <http://www.austapestry.com.au/shop-online/catalogue/yarn/>.

australian tapestry workshop classes

2011-07-19T22:07:00.088+10:00

Tapestry Weaving:
Introduction Tapestry Weaving and Tapestry Development Classes

"Administered through RMIT and held in the stimulating and supportive environment of the Australian Tapestry Workshop, participants will be introduced to the special skills required to explore the rich medium of tapestry weaving.

Learn how to warp up a small loom frame, weave shapes and lines and explore colour, pattern and a variety of materials. You will be given access to the tapestries on the looms at the Workshop, which will expose you to the extraordinary possibilities of the medium.

At the completion of the course, you will have learnt the basics of tapestry weaving which will help you to achieve the successful completion of simple, small scale tapestries.

The course is suited to beginners and those wishing to refresh their techniques and approach to tapestry.

Participants will be awarded an RMIT certificate of participation.

Current Tapestry Development Workshop - July 6 & 20.

Upcoming classes: Introduction Weaving - August 3 to September 7. Tapestry Development - October 5 & 19.

Please contact RMIT for more details and bookings."

Australian Tapestry Workshop, 'Tapestry Weaving Classes', 2011.
Retrieved from <http://www.austapestry.com.au/activities/tapestry-weaving-classes>.

ondulé reeds

2011-07-16T00:40:00.008+10:00

Pat Foster, 'Fan Reed', Purple Donsu, 23 May, 2010.
Retrieved from http://purpledonsu.blogspot.com/2010/05/fan-reed-5_23.html.
See also, Pat Foster, 'Fan Reed', Pat Foster: Weaving, no date. Retrieved from <http://www.maasdesign.co.uk/weaving/fanreed1/>.

Sara von Tresckow, 'Demonstration of Fan Reed', The Woolgatherers Ltd., LLC., no date. Retrieved from http://www.woolgatherers.com/Videos/FanReedShort%20MP4.mp4.
See also, Sara Von Tresckow, 'Fan (Ondule) Reeds', The Woolgatherers Ltd., LLC., no date. Retrieved from <http://www.woolgatherers.com/FanReed.htm >.

kay faulkner solo exhibition

2011-07-13T19:43:00.004+10:00

Kay Faulkner, Kay Faulkner's Blog, 3 July, 2011.
Retrieved from <http://kayfaulkner.wordpress.com/2011/07/03/june-2011/>

measuring the weaving width of your loom

2011-06-22T22:14:00.005+10:00

Becky Ashenden, of Vävstuga Swedish Weaving & Folk Arts, regularly makes mini movies to assist new weavers with 'weaving techniques and how to use weaving equipment'.

Her recent instructional movies are uploaded to YouTube, whilst those produced prior to 2011, which are on a range of subjects relating to Texsolv, warping, weaving, repairs, finishing and speciality subjects, can be accessed via the Resources page on the Vävstuga Swedish Weaving & Folk Arts website.

Vävstuga Press, 'Measuring The Width Of Your Loom', YouTube, 4 May, 2011. Retrieved from <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pSqeuLtBMk>.

janet echelman: taking imagination seriously

2011-06-15T18:35:00.005+10:00

American artist, Janet Echelman, "found her true voice as an artist when her paints went missing .... which forced her to look to an unorthodox new art material. Now she makes billowing, flowing, building-sized sculpture with a surprisingly geeky edge."

Echelman's innovative textile sculptures "reshape urban airspace with monumental, fluidly moving sculpture that responds to environmental forces including wind, water, and sunlight".

Read more about her work in Bradley Quinn's new publication, 'Textile Futures: Fashion, Design and Technology' (Oxford: Berg, 2010).

Janet Echelman, "Taking Imagination Seriously", TED Talk, at TED, Technology, Entertainment, Design: Ideas Worth Spreading. TED 2011, Filmed March 2011, Posted June 2011.
Retrieved from <http://www.ted.com/talks/janet_echelman.html>.

melbourne city reflections

2011-06-14T23:58:00.002+10:00

preparing for yasi

2011-02-01T22:11:00.009+10:00

Retrieved from Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC North Queensland, <http://www.abc.net.au/northqld/>, 1 February, 2011.
See also, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Details for Severe TC Yasi, <http://www.bom.gov.au/cyclone/index.shtml>.

treasured textile

2010-11-23T18:13:00.002+10:00

This tablecloth fabric belonging to a friend, was expertly woven by her mother, in Sweden, in the 1980's.

weaving rules

2010-11-22T21:20:00.014+10:00

Laura Fry's "list of absolute rules in weaving are:

1. Never use a knot where a bow will do.

2. If you can't be perfect, be consistent.

3. A thread under tension is a thread under control.

4. It isn't finished until it's wet finished.

All else depends."

Laura Fry, Weaving a Life, 2 November, 2010.
Retrieved from <http://laurasloom.blogspot.com/2010/11/rules-of-engagement.html>.

'making the beginning is one third of the work'

2010-11-06T00:11:00.002+10:00

suggestions for happier weaving

2010-11-05T13:22:00.006+10:00

Schacht Spindle Company Inc. co-founder, Jane Patrick's "suggestions for happier weaving:

Sample, sample, sample.
Don't be afraid to try out new ideas - even outrageous ones!
By the same token, to really develop your work, stick with what you love and develop that one thing.
Choose the right yarn. The yarn you have on hand isn't necessarily the right yarn.
Consider colour. More than anything, we respond to colour. The more exciting and interesting, the more successful the weaving. Value is key.
Consider tactile feel.
Use resources: magazines, books, drafts, colour resources, nature, art. You don't have to design in a vacuum.
Know what you want. Evaluate your results against this.
It's okay to use a pattern. We are not all designers.
Allow enough time. As my mother said, "haste makes waste."

Jane Patrick, Violet Rose, 8 October, 2010.

Retrieved from <http://blog.schachtspindle.com/>.

colourful craft day

2010-10-31T22:12:00.005+10:00

Craft work by Wilma, Pat, Kay N, Heather and Carol.

on purposeful study

2010-10-28T20:11:00.004+10:00

Professional weaver, Laura Fry: "Weaving - like other technologies such as pottery, metalsmithing, woodturning - rel(ies) on a set of physical skills and knowledge of the materials used.

Weaving samples is how ... weaver(s) gain an understanding of their materials. Purposeful study of what they have achieved and how to change the materials or processes in order to get the desired results is never a bad thing."

Retrieved from Laura Fry, Weaving A Life, 11 October, 2010,

<http://laurasloom.blogspot.com/2010/10/sample-is-not-4-letter-word.html>

red october

2010-10-26T21:17:00.002+10:00

forthcoming weaving workshops

2010-10-01T11:06:00.035+10:00

Väv at Sturt
Tutor: Kay Faulkner, Master Weaver

4 - 9 January, 2011.
Sturt Summer School Weaving Workshop

".... A number of projects will be offered that explore a particular weave structure and colour/yarn combination. Techniques that may be explored include: tabby and variations of tabby, rep weave, crackle, dräll/satin/twill blocks, rosepath, lace. Linen, cotton/linen and cotton will be used.

The focus will be strongly based on 'practical' weaving to produce a hand towel, fabric for a purse, bag or glasses case or a table runner. Instructions for assembly or finishing will be provided. Students can expect to go home with a number of projects depending on the choices that are selected. This workshop is suitable for all levels, but participants must be able to warp a loom independently ...."

Sturt: Australian Contemporary Craft and Design,
Cnr. Range Rd. & Waverley Pde., Mittagong. NSW. 2575. Australia.
P.O. Box 34, Mittagong. NSW. 2575. Australia.

Woven Light
Tutor: Lise Frølund, from Denmark

4 - 9 January, 2011.

Sturt Summer School Weaving Workshop

".... New materials create new challenges and new possibilities. Learn to mix traditional materials with threads that are phosphorescent, reflecting and luminescent. The first are still luminous after the light has been switched off, the second shine when they are exposed to light and the last must be powered to give out light.

Examples of possibilities: a room-divider that continues to shine when the light is turned off; a "traffic-safety" scarf; a floor mat with orientation light. You may be an old timer, an experienced weaver, or an absolute beginner. The course is structured in such a way that you are sure to bring home a finished product ...."

Sturt: Australian Contemporary Craft and Design,
Cnr. Range Rd. & Waverley Pde., Mittagong. NSW. 2575. Australia.
P.O. Box 34, Mittagong. NSW. 2575. Australia.

3-End Block Weave
Tutor: Jason Collingwood, Master Weaver

10 - 16 April, 2011.
TAFTA Forum (Orange, NSW) Weaving Workshop

".... The basis is an exploration of three-end block weaves, the same structure used by Jason Collingwood to weave all his rugs. (The workshop) starts with simple two-colour designs and (moves) on to designing within the blocks, and the introduction of a third colour. Techniques such as clasped wefts and dovetailing will be looked at to further increase the design scope of this structure. 2/1 double faced twill will also be covered in this class.

Special emphasis will be placed on Shaft Switching, with EVERYONE being able to adapt their looms in class to try out this exciting technique. Included are instructions on how to set up one’s loom correctly for rug weaving; also twining at the beginning and end of the rug, darning in of the loose ends, use of the temple and many other tips for successful rug weaving. The class concludes with a look at rug finishes, and a few of the many possible finishes will be demonstrated ...."

TAFTA (The Australian Forum for Textile Arts Ltd.),
159 Payne Road, The Gap. Brisbane. Qld. 4061. Australia.
P.O. Box 38, The Gap. Brisbane. QLD. 4061. Australia.

Retrieved from Sturt: Australian Contemporary Craft and Design, <http://www.sturt.nsw.edu.au/course_summer.htm>, and

The Australian Forum for Textile Arts Ltd., <http://www.tafta.org.au/forums.html>.

botantic garden walk

2010-09-27T21:12:00.003+10:00

learning to dress a loom with warp

2010-09-24T15:18:00.016+10:00

Joanne Hall of Glimåkra-USA, LLC, has had many years of handweaving experience, and, recently, is the author of a newly published technical manual designed to help weavers dress a loom with warp.

'All sorts of looms are represented - counterbalance, jack, table, etc.; and easy to follow instruction, with lots of diagrams and tips, aims to make the process hassle-free.'

Details about "Learning to Warp your Loom" as well as Joanne's other book "Tying up the Countermarch Loom" are available from Joanne Hall via the Glimåkra-USA, LLC website.

Retrieved from Joanne Hall, Glimåkra-USA, LLC., 2010,

<http://www.glimakrausa.com/products-learn-book.html>.

pretty plattväv

2010-09-17T16:17:00.006+10:00

on weaving

2010-09-11T18:03:00.011+10:00

Tapestry weaver, Helena Hernmarck: "One mustn't belittle the worth of simply conveying something pleasing to the human eye."

Helena Hernmarck (2008), cited in 'Light and Shade', Tina Ignell, Vävmagasinet, N.3, 2008, p.27.

travelling north

2010-09-05T15:29:00.003+10:00

survey for proposed weaving course at sturt

2010-09-02T18:41:00.010+10:00

"Sturt (Contemporary Craft and Design College) is investigating the possible implementation of a new weaving course.

The Weaving Course will be designed to develop skill in design, technique and presentation. Students will be expected to attain and exhibit a high level of technical skill in many aspects of woven structure. Upon graduation students will have the skills to maintain their own studio practice, in a commercial environment if desired.

The class would be small with teacher student ratios designed for optimal studio experience.

Outcomes -

 An extensive source of completed written and woven samples for future reference.
 Knowledge and ability to create hand woven designs of a professional standard.
 A high level of technical expertise in hand weaving.
 The production of a number of woven projects.
 The development of some professional expertise.
 A group exhibition will be the culmination of the course.
 Possible accreditation of course and certificate of achievement.

Length of Course -

The equivalent of 1 year full time study

Structure of Course -

The course will be presented in a series of units. They may be taken as a full course, as individual units or groups of units.

Requirements -

Some level of weaving ability will be required. This course is not designed to teach people how to start weaving.

Costing -

This is currently under review.

Accreditation -

It is possible that this may become an accredited course.

The advantage is that students can apply for Austudy for full time study and gain travel allowance for the duration of the course. Students receive a recognised qualification based upon national standards that can be recognised as prior learning for any other relevant training that they may go on to do.

For students who complete units before accreditation and wish to gain accreditation, Sturt would recognise prior learning.

Looms -

8 shaft looms are the minimum requirement for the course. Some units only require 4 shaft looms. These are available at Sturt for full time students. Part time students will be expected to use their own looms. It is envisaged that extension work be available for more than 8 shafts according to student needs.

If you could take the time to complete this survey, and indicate whether you would consider attending such a course or not, it would be greatly appreciated."

Please download the SURVEY FORM, and return to Head of Sturt, P.O. Box 34, Mittagong. NSW. 2575.

Sturt: Australian Contemporary Craft, a division of Winifred West Schools Ltd., Range Road, Mittagong. NSW. 2575. Australia. - P.O. Box 34 Mittagong. NSW. 2575. Australia.

Retrieved from <http://www.sturt.nsw.edu.au/weavingcourse_survey2010.pdf>.

shirley treasure talks about handweaving

2010-08-30T23:52:00.015+10:00

On Friday 3rd September, at 8pm, ABC 1 (TV)'s 'Collectors' programme will broadcast their segment showcasing professional handweaver, Shirley Treasure:

"We meet Shirley Treasure, who, in her early teens, taught herself to knit, and then to weave, even though she didn’t have a loom. Now she has 15 looms, a big collection of bobbins and shuttles, and a vast collection of yarns of every fibre and colour. She is using CAD (computer assisted design) to create very modern designs, but she also clings to tradition."

Retrieved from the 'Collectors' Show, The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 2010, <http://www.abc.net.au/tv/collectors/segments/coming_up.htm>.

soft august day

2010-08-18T13:07:00.002+10:00

textile fibre forum turning 100!

2010-08-16T20:58:00.009+10:00

Textile Fibre Forum Magazine, (Brisbane: The Australian Forum for Textile Arts, Ltd.). Retrieved from <http://www.tafta.org.au/>.

about weaving technique

2010-08-10T14:11:00.010+10:00

Martha Stanley: "Time working in the same (weaving) technique is always well spent. It teaches me as I push it in newer directions, trying to get closer to the core of what it can really do."

Martha Stanley, "After The Rug Workshop: 'Learn About Yourself'", Handwoven, V.23, N.5, November/December, 2001, p.35.

learning hardanger embroidery

2010-08-09T22:56:00.004+10:00

innovative design

2010-08-08T17:38:00.025+10:00

"Lace Fence is a design of Dutch Design House Demakersvan. It is a high-end metal fabric that gives new insights in how you can create unique environments.

It combines the ancient craft of lace making with the industrial chainlink fence. Every fence is unique in its design by its craft and assembled patterns, which come in a variety of themes. From antique lace floral to contemporary designs and custom art patterns.

Lace Fence shows how something which was meant purely functional can also be decorative. Hostility versus kindness, industry versus craft."

Lace Fence, Demakersvan: Dutch Design House, Marconistraat, 52 3029AK Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Retrieved from <http://www.demakersvan.com/index.php>, and <http://www.lacefence.com/>.

monk's belt weave

2010-08-03T23:37:00.014+10:00

This linen table runner in Monk's Belt weave is cut from the loom but not completely 'finished', as I must decide whether to keep the fringe or turn it under, as displayed in the photograph.

Although it has been very slow and careful weaving, with frequent colour changes, attention to straight selvedges and an even weft, my appreciation for this weave structure is not diminished. I am pleased with the outcome and in particular the signs that my weaving practice is improving.

Happily, weaving with linen in this climate is stress-free. I do not have to place saucers of water under the loom nor humidify or mist the air to tame its kinetic propensities; it remains perfectly behaved, even during the winter months.

examining how we like to weave

2010-08-02T13:02:00.094+10:00

Martha Stanley: "In the beginnng, we don't know how we like to weave rugs .... We may not know

 if we prefer selvedge-to-selvedge shuttle-throwing or working locally as is done with tapestry-type rugs

 if we are best at designing in advance or spontaneously as we go

 what subtleties in the cloth we like to look at while we weave

 what weaving speed our mind likes to be creative at (if the cloth is way ahead of the mind, that's a problem)

 how involved the hands want to be with the threads

 where the potential for surprise is for us, so we don't get bored with the cloth while we weave it.

Whether the first rug is enormously successful or awkward and mundane, it is only a starting point for what lies ahead as we discover more about how we work. As we learn more about ourselves and our process, the cloth only get better. We may not end up taking the path we planned, but it will be a better path, more personal, with more integrity, depth, and interest. The cloth becomes us - and we become the cloth."

Martha Stanley, "After The Rug Workshop: 'Learn About Yourself'", Handwoven, V.23, N.5, November/December, 2001, p.35.

orb-weaving

2010-08-01T18:03:00.017+10:00

winter garden in july

2010-07-31T12:07:00.006+10:00

the australian tapestry workshop

2010-07-27T00:20:00.008+10:00

The Australian Tapestry Workshop: International Centre for Contemporary Tapestry (2010), 262-266 Park St., South Melbourne. Victoria. 3205. Australia.

artists' tapestries from australia

2010-07-25T10:35:00.027+10:00

"To commission a tapestry is to be involved in the creation of a precious art form - a future heirloom. Tapestries created by the Australian Tapestry Workshop are original art works that are new and vital interpretations of an artist's design."

'Artists Tapestries From Australia 1976-2005', the "authoritative text on the VTW by founding Director Sue Walker is available for sale through the (formerly) VTW. Lavishly illustrated, this 284-page book details a journey of discovery in which hundreds of Australian artists worked with enthusiastic and highly trained weavers to breathe new life into an ancient art of tapestry, making the VTW a focus for contemporary tapestry throughout the world."

The Australian Tapestry Workshop: International Centre for Contemporary Tapestry, 2010.

Retrieved from <http://www.austapestry.com.au/shop-online/catalogue/product/product/publications/4/124/artists-tapestries-from-austraila-1976-2005> and <http://www.austapestry.com.au/todays_commissioning.asp>.

'almost ikat' weaving tutorial

2010-07-24T14:10:00.014+10:00

Bonnie Tarses, Weaving Spirit, 23 July, 2010.

Retrieved from <http://weavingspirit.blogspot.com/2010/07/almost-ikat-weaving-tutorial-with.html>.

elisa strozyk's wooden textiles

2010-07-22T14:09:00.038+10:00

Elisa Strozyk: .... "From the perspective of a textile designer, I am researching ways to provide wood with textile properties in testing methods to make wood flexible and soft, or interweave textile elements. One of the processes to design a flexible wooden surface is its deconstruction into pieces, which are then attached to a textile base. The wood is cut by hand or laser cut, and all tiles are stuck by hand to compose a textile-like surface.

'Wooden Textiles' is an approach to responsible thinking concerning lifecycles of products. The outcome is a material that is half wood-half textile, between hard and soft, challenging what can be expected from a material or category. It looks and smells familiar but feels strange, as it is able to move and form in unexpected ways.

The potential of the carpet is its flexibility. It can be rolled up and transported easily."

Elisa Strozyk, Wooden Textiles, 2009-2010. Retrieved from Elisa Strozyk, <http://www.elisastrozyk.de/seite/woodtex/wooden%20textiles.html>.

Photography: Sebastian Neeb.

waulking songs snippet

2010-07-20T15:12:00.009+10:00

Waulking songs: ...."Scottish (gàidhlig) folk songs, traditionally sung by women while 'waulking' (or) ....beating newly woven (cloth) rhythmically against a table or similar surface to soften it.

Simple, beat-driven songs were used to accompany the work.... (beginning at a) slow-pace, with the tempo increasing as the cloth (became) softer.

....(Overtime) traditional methods of waulking spread; in Nova Scotia, and in particular on Cape Breton Island, waulking is known as milling. Although in Scotland women waulked cloth, in Nova Scotia both men and women took part in 'milling frolics'. The practice continues as a cultural celebration today."

Anonymous, 'Waulking Songs', in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, 19 November, 2008. Retrieved from <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waulking_song>.

gàidhlig weaver's waulking song

2010-07-09T23:52:00.011+10:00

"Gaol lse Gaol"

Highland Sessions, BBC 4:
Kathleen MacInnes - vocals
Allan Henderson - fiddle
Iain MacDonald - whistle
Steve Cooney - guitar

Kathleen MacInnes, YouTube, 1 October, 2007. Retrieved from <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToRMTFIVg-M&feature=related>.

gàidhlig spinning song

2010-07-07T23:45:00.006+10:00

"Òganaich Uir A Rinn M'Fhàgail"

Transatlantic Sessions, BBC 4:
Julie Fowlis - vocals & whistle; Jerry Douglas - dobro;
Bruce Molsky - harmony vocals; Aly Bain - fiddle;
Donal Lunny - bouzouki; Michael McGoldrick - whistle;
Gerry O'Connor - banjo; Todd Parks - bass;
Donald Hay - percussion

Julie Fowlis, YouTube, 28 March, 2010. Retrieved from <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb8AVVlAltk&feature=related>.

weaving is more than throwing a shuttle

2010-07-06T14:48:00.006+10:00

Virgina West: "Weaving is more than throwing a shuttle across the width of your loom every day, hour after hour. .... (Rather, it) is continuous decision-making, selection, discarding, study, diligence, stepping back to look at yourself and the work, correlation of composition, color, construction - all perfected with the mechanical processes of weaving. The process is the means, not the message."

Virgina West, Handwoven, V.9, N.3, May/June/July, 1988, pp. 55-56.

industrial point twill

2010-07-01T08:25:00.002+10:00

what weaving is

2010-06-30T10:52:00.009+10:00

Mary Meigs Atwater: "Weaving is essentially a simple matter, requiring no special talents, no lofty intellect or high degree of manual skill for its accomplishment. It is made up of a number of separate processes, each easy in itself but each requiring care and accuracy in its performance. If it seems complicated at first this is only because there are so many ways to weave."

Mary Meigs Atwater (1928), The Shuttle-Craft Book of American Hand-Weaving: A Complete, Clearly Written Guide to the How-To and History of Hand-Weaving, with 162 Illustrations and Instructional Diagrams (N.Y.: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1978), p. 21.

garden in june

2010-06-27T11:51:00.005+10:00

golden orb-weaver

2010-06-21T18:48:00.005+10:00

You might remember that in a previous post I made mention of golden orb-weaver spiders, having encountered them on a climb through thickly forested bushland. So, you will know how pleased I am to see another, this time in our bush garden, and at the end of a busy afternoon, during which we mulched fallen vegetation and placed it on garden beds.
The golden orb-weaver, perched on it's large web, must have watched these proceedings, and moved out of the way, when (unbeknown to me!!!), I got too close. I found it, later, by accident, as I watered the garden, and saw it move to avoid the spray. Of course, I took the opportunity to photograph it, and it seemed happy to oblige me.

It is an extremely large spider, with a long rectangular body and elongated legs, which are specialised for weaving as they taper finely with needle-like tips pointing inwards. It is colourful too; I could see grey, black and red on the top of its body, and underneath, more black, gold, and also a shimmering blue, which I don't think the camera has managed to capture. Its sizeable web, on which the orb-weaver swayed as the breeze strengthened, looked very much like a sail, stretched wide and anchored to the surrounding bushes.

coastline

2010-06-20T16:55:00.001+10:00

to a lighthouse

2010-06-19T00:30:00.000+10:00

june sea-change

2010-06-18T13:30:00.004+10:00

handweaving zen

2010-06-16T21:59:00.007+10:00

Tina Ignell: "Surrounding yourself with handwoven textiles makes everyday life special ....

Calmness pervades as you thread and warp. Expectations rise when the first weft is thrown and satisfaction grows as the weaving progresses ...."

Tina Ignell (2008), Favorite Scandinavian Projects to Weave: 45 Stylish Designs for the Modern Home (USA: Trafalgar Square Books, 2010), p. 7.

weave book - english edition

2010-06-12T13:21:00.014+10:00

"Favorite Scandinavian Projects to Weave: 45 Stylish Designs for the Modern Home"

Author: Tina Ignell

Format: hardcover

Pages: 128

Size: 8 1/2 x 10 1/2

ISBN: 978 1 57076 449 3

"Compiling a rich selection of weaving projects from Vävmagasinet (the) Scandinavian weaving magazine ...."

Trafalgar Square Books, USA: North Pomfret, 2010. Retrieved from <http://www.trafalgarbooks.com/weaving/FASCDE.html>.

online gathering place for handweavers

2010-05-30T14:31:00.011+10:00

weave samples

2010-05-29T23:03:00.006+10:00

Sharon Alderman: "My mission is to have people weave things they love and stay at it. Having them have huge disastrous results is not the way to accomplish that. So samples really pay off.

.... I make samples ALL the time. I can’t afford not to make a sample. And I don’t think anybody else can either, frankly. Because materials are expensive and if you have a big project that you didn’t perfect in the sample, and it’s not a success – you’re going to think two or three times before you go back to your loom. And that’s going to stop you or slow you down."

Sharon Alderman (26 November, 2009). Retrieved from the transcript, by L. Fry (09 December, 2009), of interview by Syne Mitchell with Sharon Alderman, No. 46: Sharon Alderman (26 November, 2009), <http://www.weavezine.com/print/content/46-sharon-alderman>, at WeaveZine: Learn How to Weave: Free Weaving Projects, Podcasts, and More! <http://www.weavezine.com/audio/46-sharon-alderman>.

autumn green

2010-05-27T08:40:00.015+10:00

the eleanor best collection of workshops and handouts

2010-05-26T08:35:00.013+10:00

Eleanor Best (2003): "Over the years I have amassed a mountain of reference material that I would like to share with other weavers. Like most weavers who are long gone, I know that these materials and samples are just thrown away by uninterested relatives and friends. The best way I know is to make this material available on the web site where anyone can download it. Please help yourself and have fun."

-Drafting Basics

-Matte Board Loom

-Twills, Twills, Twills Workshop

-Linen Weaves Workshop

-Huck Weave Workshop

-Handwoven Greeting Card Collection

-Plain Weave Samples

-Supplementary Warp Handout

-Lace by Hand Notebook

-Finishing Wearables

-Tartan and Scottish District Checks Handout

-Finishing Handout

-Computers for Weaving

Eleanor Best (2003), "The Eleanor Best Collection of Workshops and Handouts". Retrieved from Weaving Indiana - Exchanging Ideas and Sharing Knowledge. <http://www.weavingindiana.org/library>.

weaver's forum exhibition, 2010

2010-05-25T09:36:00.005+10:00

about weaving samples

2010-05-24T11:11:00.007+10:00

Deborah Chandler: "A (weaving) sample is a learning device, a project whose sole purpose is to teach us something. Failure, therefore, is impossible. No matter what happens, the sample is a success because we learned something from it. We may be happy with the resulting piece of fabric, or we may (learn that is not how to make it), and be glad we found out on a small scale. Samples can teach us many things at once, and how large or small they are and what is included in them is determined by what things we want to learn. Sett, yarn choice, shrinkage, how to weave a new pattern, colour combining, drape, beat and general desirability are just a few of the things that can be explored in samples.

.... The opportunity to expand and develop an idea is another really valuable bonus that weaving samples offers. For while you are weaving up your original idea, variations will occur to you. Often these new ideas will be even more exciting and satisfying than the original. If your ideas occur mid-sample, it's still easy to explore them and then incorporate them into the final weaving."

Deborah Chandler, Handwoven, V.7, N.1, January/February, 1985, p.24.

april flowers

2010-04-19T11:02:00.009+10:00

weaving slowly

2010-04-08T07:58:00.011+10:00

inspiring

2010-04-07T08:58:00.014+10:00

Educator, author and constructive artist, weaver, Ann Sutton "continues to liken her use of systems to the essential use of rules within musical composition. Mozart and Bach may be regarded by many as the most inventive of their times, yet both adhere strictly to the rigorous rules of composition, each with attendant systems of key, harmony and dissonance, pitch and melody. It is not the search for the unique in itself, but the intelligent and creative application of such systems, their successful integration one with another, within a logical framework, that makes each work unique. Such is the path of the work of Ann Sutton."

Diane Sheehan & Susan Tebby, Ann Sutton (London: The Crafts Council, 2003), p. 103.

new knit word

2010-03-28T11:26:00.002+10:00

'un-knitting = "tinking" (knit, spelt backwards)'

Amanda Ho, Sampling, 28 March, 2010.

bushland in march

2010-03-23T15:55:00.007+10:00

about engineered yarns

2010-03-19T16:23:00.032+10:00

"Catharine Ellis: .... Very recently we’ve had a lot of very interesting materials here in the marketplace – wool and steel combinations, cotton and steel combinations, silk and steel, bamboo and copper.

Syne Mitchell: Are these wires that have fibres around them or are they more mixed together than that?

Catharine Ellis: There’s usually two different elements that have been lightly twisted together.

Syne Mitchell: Oh, so a ply, then?

Catharine Ellis: It’s a ply but the steel is a very flexible steel fibre. It’s not a wire, it’s really a flexible fibre ....

Syne Mitchell: Now what is the hand of this fabric that has the metal in it, is it soft, is it drapeable?

Catharine Ellis: Well yes, it is soft and drapeable, it’s got a bit of body and stiffness because of the metal content in it.

Syne Mitchell: Very interesting. I would have thought it would stand up by itself.

Catharine Ellis: No, it doesn’t because the steel is so fine. The steel is very, very fine. It’s not a wire, it’s a flexible fibre.

Syne Mitchell: And is it made up of multiple fibres or?

Catharine Ellis: Multiple very fine filaments. This is yarn that was engineered in Japan. It’s very specialized ...."

Catharine Ellis (15 February, 2007). Retrieved from the transcript, by L. Fry (23 April, 2009), of interview by Syne Mitchell with Catharine Ellis, Weaving Shibori (15 February, 2007), <www.weavezine.com/2007/02/episode-13-weaving-shibori-with.html>, at WeaveZine: Learn How to Weave: Free Weaving Projects, Podcasts, and More! <www.weavezine.com/print/content/13-weaving-shibori-transcript>.

watching ului

2010-03-16T14:29:00.011+10:00

Retrieved from T.S.R., 16 March, 2010, <http://www.tropicalstormrisk.com/tracker/dynamic/main.html>.

award from marion

2010-03-16T13:00:00.004+10:00

I am the recipient of a blogging award from Marion, in Holland, who is a weaver of beautiful cloth, and author of Atelier 44. Thank-you Marion.

I think the convention is to give an award, in turn. Therefore, I would like to nominate a group of weavers in Sweden, who meet together and weave, and record their achievements on their blog, Vävstugan Varpflätan.

monk's belt snapshots

2010-03-15T09:26:00.042+10:00

jacquard loom walkthrough

2010-03-13T09:15:00.014+10:00

Stacey Harvey Brown: .... "(A)n industrial power jacquard loom from 1930s England. A walkthrough of the stages a loom needs to weave a picture."

Stacey Harvey Brown, YouTube, 3 March, 2010.

Retrieved from <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1Zzj9ZBYmQ>.

a way of doing things

2010-03-11T16:51:00.010+10:00

.... "Bravura acknowledges the performative aspect of craft - the transformation of ideas and raw material into a finished object. Craft is a way of doing things, of learned actions that exist in motion. Objects are created through the action of the human body, whether this action is the hands in motion shaping clay or metal, or the breath creating forms from molten glass. The material is animated through skill, daring, brilliance and agility - bravura performance played out in the studio. The skill involved in the creator's actions and with the chosen material is at the heart of much craft - ceramics, glass, jewellery, metalwork, textiles, woven objects and furniture."

Robert Reason, Bravura: 21st Century Australian Craft: incorporating the Maude-Vizard Wholohan Art Prize Purchase Awards (Adelaide: Art Gallery of South Australia, 2009), p. 4.

february outdoors

2010-02-27T18:26:00.003+10:00

more on selvedges

2010-02-24T23:24:00.026+10:00

In a previous post, I wrote that I was weaving a draft for Plattväv, a Monk's Belt variation weave structure with alternate ground and pattern wefts. Unfortunately, the selvedges seemed messy compared to the rest of the woven cloth, and I attributed this to the fact that the pattern weft did not interlace with the outer warp ends.

I fixed the problem, in situ, by disengaging the edge Texsolv heddles from their rods, so that the outer warp ends became floating ends; once weaving resumed, the pattern weft picks successfully interlaced via these floating ends, and overall, the selvedges looked neater.

Definitely a happy outcome, you might say, and certainly I thought so, until, later, when I happened to re-read the project instructions, and found that "someone" (surely not), had misread the directions, and sleyed the selvedge ends, incorrectly.

With a long warp on my loom, here was an opportunity, I decided, to complete the Plattväv cloth, cut it off, and start anew, with re-installed heddles, and correctly sleyed selvedge ends.

I did have a few reservations. The sett on this warp already was very close, and the instructions called for outer warp ends, six on either side, sleyed three to a dent; in a fine 24dpi (95/10cm) reed, surely, the result would be worn and broken warp ends.

But, apparently not, or, at least, not yet; rather, what did eventuate was a remarkably sturdy woven edge.

I was just a little bit astonished.

And definitely a large part "duh".

All the features of the original draft remained unchanged. But with correct sleying of the outer warp ends, the pattern weft picks were caught up tightly and uniformly, just inside the edge; like a neat row of tabs in a filing system.

The ground weft picks, on the other hand, bound the outer ends of the selvedge; and because the yarn was fine, 16/1 unbleached linen, their appearance was so feint as to make the selvedge binding seem invisible.

There was nothing, it seemed, especially not selvedges, to distract the eye from the symmetry of lines and intersected blocks that exemplifies the Monk's Belt weave structure.

I own that I like this selvedge feature; it's structural, of course, and decorative, but also, pleasingly innovative. And, I'm very glad I took this course of action; something new has been learnt about sleying the reed correctly, in order to achieve special selvedge design effects.

My only concern, now, is how the fine linen ground weft, which binds the selvedges, will wear over time. Of course, one wants a woven cloth to be long lasting; so, should I use this draft again, perhaps I will need to choose a "very" strong fine yarn as ground weft, if there is such a thing.

ikat and chiné

2010-02-21T00:59:00.013+10:00

My State library has loaned me their copy of Dorothy K. Burnham's 'A Textile Terminology; Warp & Weft'.

I'm so pleased this book was suggested to me, as it's a wonderful resource of weaving information. And it seems, there is much I do not know about this subject. (sigh)

One snippet I would like to share is Dorothy Burnham's description of a dyeing process called "chiné", which, she writes, "is almost, but not quite, synonymous with ikat".

Ikat is an Indonesian term used to describe the process in which a pattern is resist-dyed on a warp or weft, or both, before weaving begins. "By extension", says Burnham, "the term is applied to the woven fabric".

In European countries, in the past, a similar process was used, called chiné.

Nowadays, says Burnham, the term ikat more often is used for both processes, although they are not strictly identical. "Ikat, by definition, refers only to resist-dyeing and chiné can be used equally well when the pattern is printed".

This throws up more questions than answers for me, so I have done a hurried search on Google for more information about chiné, but, it seems, there is very little to be had. (Fortunately, there is a great deal published about ikat.)

So, the search goes on.

Dorothy K. Burnham (1980), A Textile Terminology; Warp & Weft (London and Henley: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1981), pp. 23-4, 72-3.

cyclonic

2010-02-07T14:41:00.007+10:00

handspinning with a new zealand 'pipy' wheel

2010-02-05T23:57:00.015+10:00

monk's belt close-up

2010-02-03T16:05:00.003+10:00

pattern play

2010-01-31T18:49:00.005+10:00

weaving monk's belt

2010-01-26T20:06:00.003+10:00

helpful weave tips

2010-01-25T19:27:00.023+10:00

Do you, like me, read useful weave tips, record them and then promptly forget them?

If I find them in books, I should bookmark them with tabs, but don’t; the spectre of all my weave books jammed with coloured plastic labels rules out this option immediately.

If I encounter them via the WWW, I frequently make a copy, but end up with numerous files in a dozen different places on my computer.

Then, I have to sort the files into folders and this, in turn, leads to folder gridlock; before long, more time is spent managing tips in computer folders than actual weaving at one’s loom.

Yes, I print out too, and collate the pages in a plastic binder. Now the information is (sort of) close at hand, but stored on a bookshelf in the room; if only I would remember to access it.

As I write this, I wonder if my dilemma is something like that of Henry, in the children’s song with the circular lyrics, about the "Hole in the Bucket" which needs fixing.

Today, however, information and circumstance coincided; I put two weave tips to good use, and within ten hours of reading them!

Weaver, David Daniels, author of The Weaving Studio blog, recently recorded the problems he has had keeping a kinetic hemp yarn wound on a shuttle bobbin.

Apparently, throwing the shuttle triggered a wild tangling of thread; just the sort of problem I’m experiencing with a fine linen single yarn which I am using as Tabby, or ground weft, in my new weave project.

Mr. Daniels solved his problem by using a shuttle with a shorter shaft and bobbin housing. While I don’t have that option available to me, the idea did seem worth testing.

I must admit, I 'love' my Swiss shuttles, but the bobbin housing is rather long, and the shorter cardboard quill slides freely. How could I make it fit securely, and would it keep the linen yarn in check?

As it turns out, the solution was quite easy. I simply cut a cardboard quill to size and placed it in the vacant space.

Tip 2 seemed to offer a solution as well.

In her October 2008 Weave Tip of the Month, Peggy Osterkamp, says to "put the bobbin into the shuttle with the yarn coming out from underneath the bobbin – to cut down on backlash".

Too easy; both tips were implemented, weaving got underway, and, hooray, the problem was solved.

Of course, I would like to think that, given time, I could work out these technical problems for myself. But an applicable weaving tip is hard to ignore; and what’s the point of collecting, collating and storing other weaver’s helpful tips if one doesn’t refer to them frequently, and implement them when there is a likelihood they will prove useful.

Peggy Osterkamp, October 2008 - Weave Tip of the Month. Retrieved from <http://www.weaving.cc/leasesticks/oct08tip.html>

garden in january

2010-01-21T22:36:00.001+10:00

2010-01-17T10:04:00.007+10:00

Laura Fry: "It is a good thing, I think, to remember that a threaded warp is simply a set of possibilities ...."

Laura Fry, Weaving a Life, 16 January, 2010.

very short story

2010-01-16T00:29:00.008+10:00

Picture this scene. I’m under my loom, or in it... well, sort of both; it’s 'dressed', and I’m changing the lamm and treadle tie-up in preparation for my next weaving project.

Somehow, I have managed to crawl in and find a comfortable position on the floor, and as I tinker with the tie-up, I decide that one’s yoga teacher should never be permitted to take any vacation time; because four weeks without class has made my smooth bendy joints all rusty and creaking.

Anyway, here I am, shuffling anchor pegs, twisting Texsolv, banging my head, jarring my elbow and knocking lamms together, when my husband strolls into the workspace and announces (perhaps to himself, since he hasn’t seen me yet) that he will turn on the air-conditioning as it’s getting quite humid.

Down here on the tiled floor, I’m feeling cool, and comfortable, since I’ve managed to stretch out my legs under the front foot beam; and I’m successfully quelling a little rise of terror based on the rather silly thought that I might never be able to disentangle myself from the woodwork.

"Oh there you are", says my husband, "I wondered what was making all that noise."

"I think I shall need your help to get out of here", I say, calmly, continuing to work.

There is but a micro pause, and then this wily reply.

"I’ll bring you dinner," says he.

Very funny, indeed.

woven fibre baskets

2010-01-12T00:38:00.025+10:00

about selvedges

2010-01-09T12:45:00.006+10:00

Laura Fry: "The selvedge should be straight, or if it isn't, it should curve consistently ....

It should have structural integrity. It is the boundary of the cloth you are weaving. If the cloth is going to be used intact, i.e. with the selvedge as part of it, then the selvedge needs to keep the threads in their place.

But the selvedges are only one part of the textile. The entire cloth must have integrity. The entire cloth must perform its function, and hopefully do that with beauty and grace.

So, .... try not to get too focused on just one aspect of (the) fabric but see it as a whole."

Laura Fry, Weaving a Life, 8 January, 2010.

on weave design

2010-01-03T20:18:00.012+10:00

Su Butler: "Remember, it is not the threading, or the tie-up, or the treadling, but the combination of all three that interlace to make a cloth what it is."

Su Butler, Weavolution, 1 January, 2010.

Retrieved from <http://www.weavolution.com/>.

happy new year

2010-01-01T10:00:00.006+10:00

gift giving

2009-12-28T10:10:00.031+10:00

Here is the shawl I knitted during November, washed, blocked, and ready to give to a VIP.

This is the second time I’ve knitted Evelyn Clark's 'Swallowtail Lace Shawl'; again, using my handspun Alpaca plied with a fine linen yarn. I’ve decided there is merit in undertaking a knitted project twice, as it was so easy, and fast, the second time round.

I have promised to knit it a third time (!), but will use a soft green linen yarn in place of handspun; I’m interested to see how it will respond.