New Starts for the New Year

I'm attempting to get all my looms dressed in time to ring in the New Year. I have some vague recollection that a dressed loom is supposed to be symbolic of great potential for the new year -- 'er somethin'. Maybe I made that up? Anyway, sounds good to me.

First up is the Saori loom, now dressed in a multi-textural warp in natural colours. No specific end product in mind, just "yardage" to tame the overflowing stash box of natural coloured yarn bits and bobs.

Next up is the larger of my two Inkle looms. I have warped it for a white/black/grey-silver band that I'll use a portion of for my growing collection of interchangeable bands for my medical alert information tag.

Now being wound for my Woolhouse Tools Carolyn is an 8/2 cotton warp for dish towels. These will be woven in a 2x2 twill. They are another stash buster project, this time using up small amounts of various blue cottons.

If I somehow find the time between now and the New Year I'd like to also put a short warp on my wee little Windhaven Ukulele inkle loom. Maybe a tubular band of some sort? The little Dorothy could use a scarf warp too. We'll see how far I get. Not much time left in 2022!

Another New-to-Me Loom

 Yet another loom has followed me home.

This time it's a 4 shaft Carolyn by Woolhouse Tools. I once had an 8-shaft version of this model but sold it. I loved that loom, but 8 shafts were a bit much for my limited short term memory to cope with and the loom wasn't getting much use. I had also been having a real struggle warping that loom --- any loom for that matter. I had not yet committed the process to memory and had to follow along, step by step with a book.

Since selling the 8-shaft Carolyn I have woven a lot on the 2-shaft Saori loom that replaced it, gradually becoming more familiar and comfortable with the whole process of warping a loom. I have also acquired several Saori tools that make warping a loom much easier and more ergonomic as was proven while I warped the *other* new loom, the Leclerc Dorothy I introduced in an earlier post. 

In celebration of this most recent addition I treated it to a moisturizing rub down with Howard's Feed and Wax. 

As always, any links in my posts are there solely for your convenience. I receive no kickbacks for your "clicks". 

Twilight Fuschia Squid

The "Twilight Fuschia" yardage has now found its way into a garment. I've sewn it up into a Saori top/dress that is, amongst Saori weavers, commonly called "The Squid". Usually it's a shorter top, I've lengthened my version.

I really love the draped collar on this design. It's great for showing off interesting fringe treatments like the "finger fringe" I've done here. 

Finger fringe is tedious and time consuming to weave, but the results are, I think, worth the effort.

My Squid is 100% cotton, mostly 2/8, but with some 2/10 and 2/16 included as well. The wandering pattern is "travelling inlay" done in commonly available "kitchen cotton", the kind used to knit dish cloths.

The Squid design is based on a folded layout that makes the front completely on the bias, 

while the back has one side with the warp situated vertically and the other side horizontally.

I'm very happy with the way my "Twilight Fuschia Squid" has turned out and I'll be wearing it often. There will be more variations on this theme in my future, I'm sure.

Bathed and Pressed

The Dogwood Blossom yardage has been bathed and pressed for quite some time but I only just remembered now to take a few photos for Ravelry and my blog.

I haven't decided yet exactly what it will become, but most likely some sort of Saori style art clothing. 

Likely a layering piece to be worn over a "uniform" aka Anita Luvera Mayer style. 

First it will make its public debut at the Chilliwack Exhibition.

Add a Hat

There was a time when men, women and children all wore hats when they went out. 

I'm glad that that's no longer the case since I look dorky in every hat I ever try on!

I also have a very large head so it is hard to find hats that fit me.

Luckily Heddie is always happy to model hats for me since her lack of a torso and limbs makes her a rather poor model of other clothing.

The hat is sewn from handwoven fabric left over after making the white tunic and using the "Brimmed Hat with Side Pleating" pattern by Etsy seller kalliedesigns.

It is fully lined, and beautifully embellished.

Hopefully both the hat and the tunic will be accepted for display in the Chilliwack Spinners and Weavers Guild's textile art show, "Fibre Flair!" which will be opening at the Chilliwack Community Arts Council's Art Room Gallery in September.

Wha? I thought I - - -

Pardon the confusion. I thought I had already posted an update on this. I guess it was just one of those posts I had taken photos for, thought about, but never actually wrote? The vest I posted about nearly two weeks ago now has a button.

I like it better this way. It bothers me when vest/coat/cardigan edges flop about when I'm walking. Having it buttoned also gives the vest more shape.

So here's the buttonhole. I ended up ironing fusible interfacing to the backside of the fabric and then I made a machine sewn, corded buttonhole. Against the busy handwoven fabric it seemed to need more ompf so I decided to create a tatted piece to go around it. That looked too much like a second thought so, using the same cotton weaving thread I used in the tatting, I hand embroidered buttonhole stitch over the opening and the tatted edging.

I've really been on a roll with various forms of fibre art these past few weeks. Of course that also means I've spent less time online, which in turn results in less participation on forums and nothing in the way of blog posts. 

I have plenty of blog fodder. I hope to get at least a few posts up in the next few days. 

Unusual Construction

I took that weaving I wasn't too happy with and made a vest I actually like!

It's unusual construction started with some notes posted by Sally Gray, a fellow Saori weaver  on a Raverly forum.

My handwoven fabric wasn't of the same dimensions as hers so I had to tweak the idea to work with what I had available.

The fit is good and the vest is very comfortable to wear.

I'll be shopping for a large focal button to close the front though, as I think it will look better that way.

 

Wound and Weaving

Kona had to wait a little longer for her morning walk but the Dogwood Blossom warp is on the loom.

 

I'm liking it way more than I had anticipated.

In fact, it's hard to stop weaving and walk away to get other things done!

I'd say the colour is most accurate in this final photo.

From Dog Warp to Dogwood

I finally got to the end of that "dog warp" that was languishing on the loom. 

And now, inspired by the pretty pink dogwood blossons on a tree in our backyard, 

I've wound a lovely new warp.

Thanks in part to a friend's donation as she destashed, I had a wonderful variety of pinks to work with! Thanks Patricia!

A Child Pushed Me

My granddaughters were here for a brief visit today and the youngest "really, really" wanted to weave. I went in with her, as I always do, and she sat at "The Pickle Loom" and I sat at mine. Her companionship was just the push I needed to get moving on a "dog warp" that I have for some reason felt less inspired by.

I'm not exactly sure why the warp has been repelling me. I like the colours -- at least individually. I think the problem may be that I just don't like the way they are presenting together in the warp. I find the individual strands of bright yellow to be jarring, disruptive, out of harmony in some way. It's too much of a contrast and the spacing breaks the weaving up into small bits. Whatever! It's finished and I can now move on to something I find more inspiring. 

Handwoven White Tunic

That white warp I wrote about in February practically wove itself.

I had a compulsive desire to weave, weave, weave the entire time it was on the loom.

It only took about 2 days to weave the entire six metre length.

from the pompoms inserted at the very beginning, 

to the serendipitous evolving of a corded neckline trim, 

and beaded lace accents,

the warping, weaving, sewing and embellishing,

was a joy filled experience.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I finished weaving the red yardage and had a rare urge to do some crocheting.

Trixie received a Valentine's Day dress from my efforts. 

I used a pattern for a real baby dress as a jumping off point, but heavily modified it to have separate, contrasting ruffles and a channel for a pretty ribbon. Of course I also miniaturized the pattern by using size 30 thread and a 1.25mm hook. I then added a teeny, tiny crocheted heart. 

Flame never received any new clothing but he still worked hard to make a Valentine for you.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!