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Saturday, August 31, 2013

Hung Up to Dry

Washed and now hanging to dry

I got the SAORI yardage washed,

Washed and now hanging to dry

and now it's hanging in the laundry room to dry.

Washed and now hanging to dry

I only have a vague idea where I'm taking it from here.

One of a Kind!

My first attempt at SAORI style, handwoven yardage has now been cut from the loom.

end

I still have to wash it,

middle

 and then decide which sections I like the best,

 beginning

 and what style of top or vest I want to make for the weave along.

 the whole 4 yards

No matter what pattern and which sections I decide upon one thing is certain,
it will be one of a kind!

Friday, August 30, 2013

SAORI Cross Holder

I finally had a chance to use my new SAORI Cross Holder tonight. It made sleying the reed so much easier.

SAORI cross holder

This is the next warp to go on my floor loom. It's four yards of yarns in neutral colours and various textures. I'll be weaving a SAORI style mobius cowl. Although I've cut the previous warp free of the reed I haven't yet unfurled it to see the whole thing at once. Weather permitting there may be photos tomorrow.

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Strangeness

A bit of strangeness crept into the project today. LOL. It’s amazing how absorbed I was while doing this.

Strangeness

I know that in the end I probably won’t use this section for the vest, but it was fun to play. Who knows, once the warp is off the loom I might even add a few beads. Can’t look any more garish than it already does!

Friday, August 16, 2013

Extreme Texture

I worked on the Saori weaving some more last night, adding in a bit of a surface design by crocheting through the growing fabric..

A little more.

Then I got a little crazy with the texture, adding loops, unspun roving, lengths of torn satin, and thrums from my last scarf warp.

 Rolling forward

Sorry for the blur in a few of these. I was kneeling on my loom bench trying to get the camera high enough. Must've been a bit shaky! I had this much done by 8pm.

8pm

By 9:40pm I had woven quite a bit more.

9:40 pm August 15, 2013

I added in another couple of crocheted chains, more fabric strips, and a whole lot more texture.

Surface embellishment

I was back at the loom early this morning and had this much done by 10:30 am.

10:27 am August 16, 2013

By noon the weaving had eyelash yarn adding a bit more texture and fun.
Noon, August 16, 2013

Later in the afternoon it had printed ribbon, more loops and unspun roving, a wandering, pale pink line, and a  sparkly bit.

 4:09 pm, August 16, 2013

While supper cooked I added a novelty yarn that had puffy, fluffy, little tufts.

5:36 pm, August 16, 2013

By 8pm I unleashed a bit of the crazy artist in me, and did a bit of wild line work.

8 pm, August 16, 2013

And here's where the evening's weaving ended.


9:28 pm, August 16, 2013

 I have no idea how much of the 4 yard warp is left. I haven't kept track of how far I've woven so far.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Adventure in Saori

I started to warp my loom for a run of 4 tea towels. They were not going to be the usual type though. I was going to incorporate a little free style weaving in them. They were not going to be so "out there" to make them unusable for drying dishes, just enough to make them fun.

Well you know what they say about the best laid plans.

Here is the intended Saori-style kitchen towel warp. Note the gaps?

Next warp

Well perhaps they aren't all that obvious to a non-weaver, but I completely missed a couple of dents in the reed. That's a pretty normal, intentional deviation for Saori weaving, but I didn't intend to do it for tea towels. I think the "flaw" would make the tea towels more prone to wear and perhaps to catching on things.

As I was beaming on the warp I was thinking how fun it would be to weave it off for a top instead, and now I'll get my chance. The gaps will work much better as a Saori style top or vest and there just happens to be a weave-a-long happening on one of the Saori forums on Ravelry for this very type of thing. So yeah, I'm in!

Here's my progress so far:

Addictive!

It's a whole lot of fun weaving in this "no rules" style rather than in a regimented way using complicated patterns that have to be treadled just so or they are considered "wrong".

So much fun!

In Saori style weaving it's all good. Loops, skips, floats, a variety of textures and colours; it all adds to the "not made by machine" look. It's more "human", less "mass produced for Walmart".


Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Exhibition Prizes

My daughter, granddaughters, and I all managed to pick up a prize or two for our exhibits at the fall fair.

The Saori inspired neck piece I wove got a first place ribbon in the "Small Expressions" category.

Saori expressions

The judge wrote a comment on the evaluation form, "What fun to wear!".

The scarf with all the novelty yarn tails won a first in the "Handwoven Scarf of Commercial Yarns" category.

hand woven scarf

The judge's comment was, "Very Creative!".

Kristy won not only a first place ribbon, but also a "Best in Category" ribbon for her wonderful cross-stitch picture done on 18 count aida. It is full of blended stitches and is highlighted with metallic threads and dimensional elements. She figures that, working on it only off and on, it took her 5 years to complete.

First Place!

She also got first place for her Navajo plied handspun skein.

Navajo Ply

Kaylen won four ribbons for her fair entries!

four ribbons

The top one is a first place for her entry in the "Article woven by an person under 18 years old" category. Yes! She won even though the category was open to much older kids! I'm sorry I haven't a better picture of her entry. It's the Inkle woven amulet bag she is wearing around her neck in this picture:

Hand weaving

She did all the work herself, picking the colours and their placement, helping with the warping of the loom, weaving the band, cutting it off the loom, hand sewing the band into the little bag, twisting the cord, and choosing and sewing on the button. I'm very proud of her!

Kenzie was not left out of the prizes either. She won three ribbons for various artwork, including a third for the "sticker page" she is holding up in the picture.

three ribbons

Monday, August 05, 2013

Bold Expression of Self

Trying my hand at a little Saori inspired weaving.

a5783

It isn't considered actual "Saori weaving" unless it is done on a true Saori loom.

a5781

This was done on my little Ashford Sample-It Loom so it is only "Saori style".

a5774

But I think I've done a good job of capturing the spirit of the technique,

a5763

which is a freedom of expression and a no rules way of spontaneous weaving.

a5780

The philosophy of SAORI Weaving and way of living.

1. Consider the differences between a machine and a human being

2. Be bold and adventurous

3. Look out through eyes that shine

4. Inspire one another, and everyone in the group

by Misao Jo, founder of Saori

a5772

I really enjoyed weaving this little neck piece. I stayed up far later than normal just "playing".

a5770

I think I will enter it in the fall fair.

a5766

Not with any expectation of winning anything of course, for by all the "rules" of weaving this would be an astounding "FAIL".

a5789

But its freedom of expression sings to my soul.   :-)