Saori Christmas Stocking

On New Years Eve I warped my loom in red and white as part of a guild year end challenge to make something in the colours of the flag of our origin.

I'm Canadian as were my parents and 3 of my grandparents, so red and white for the Canada Flag was my choice.

I found working with such a limited colour palette was quite challenging!

But red and white does make a great colour scheme for Christmas stockings!

This stocking, and hopefully two more, will all be for sale at the guild's booth at the Christmas Craft Market in November. 

They will all be fully lined with red broadcloth. 

Am I the Only One?

If schools were run to suit my learning style every student would have the option to be in distance education, learning in the quiet of their own home from well prepared lessons and at their own pace. By my early thirties I knew that lectures, live demonstrations, and group settings are not my best way to learn something. In fact, in a typical classroom setting I find it very difficult to learn at all! I am an introvert and the stimulus of all that is going on around me is overwhelming and distracting.

I realize I am the odd duck here. It seems most people like to be shown how to do things and rarely learn from a text book. I was the kid that took the textbook home, did my homework, and went back to school the next day finally understanding what the teacher was getting on about.

When the guild announced a workshop day to learn to make a fully lined, zippered boxy bag and supplied the link to the tutorial so that interested people could bring needed supplies, you know what I did? I went ahead, jumped the gun, and made the bag at my own pace and with no distractions. 

I made my boxy bag with an exterior of handwoven fabric, the warp being a hand dyed (not by me) tencel and the weft being my own handspun wool yarn. The finished bag is not absolutely perfect, but I'm pleased with it.

I'll still show up at the workshop, but now I can relax because I've done my homework. 

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.

Naughty Tales!

As we were taking down and packing up the exhibits from the "Fibre Flair" display at the Art Room there was a last minute sale. This lovely young lady was helping with the dismantling of the show and she tried on my "Naughty Tales!" waterfall vest.

It looked fabulous on her and ended up being the item she chose as a birthday gift from her grandmother, who is a member of our guild and one of the members of the art show committee. 

This had been a last minute finish for me, only completed the night before the deadline for jurying of the submitted items. 

I only remembered as it was about to go out the door today that I had never taken the time to photograph it. I like to keep a photographic record of all things I make so I was very happy that she agreed to model it for me.

This is an all cotton vest with travelling inlay and clasped weft patterning. It is sewn in the waterfall style with a hi/lo hemline and the added interest of knotted tails, hence the name, "Naughty Tales".

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.

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.

A Surprise Ending

That there is another "warp as weft" cowl/scarf is no big surprise,

I enjoy weaving them and they are a good use for little bits of this and that in the yarn stash.

But when I wound the warp for this cowl I intended to weave a hat from the same warp. That is not how this warp ended. Although this warp made a pretty cowl with a light, spring like look, it just didn't seem right for the intended hat. I also had more than enough for just a hat.

When I cut the remaining length into three pieces and sewed them side by side they made a piece exactly the right size and shape to become upholstery fabric for my loom bench.

I backed the handwoven fabric with heavy fusible interfacing and padded the seat with 1" foam layered with a little extra in the middle.

It makes a super comfy and very inviting place to weave. 

Draculaura Would Love It

This recently completed cowl and hat set reminds me of the colours worn by Monster High's Draculaura. I shall refrain from naming it that though since I don't want to invite licencing related law suits.

I had been babysitting my 7 year old granddaughter one day and after a lengthy session of "Monster High", where I was assigned the Draculaura doll, I had had enough and just needed a quiet evening weaving. As a child I happily played Barbie's for hours on end. My tolerance as an adult is considerably less.  

As supper cooked I wound a warp. In the early evening I got the warp threaded and sleyed and then later transferred to the loom and beamed, tied on, and tensioned. 

It wasn't until I had woven a few inches that I suddenly realized what the warp was reminding me of!

Draculaura of course! Her default outfit is raspberry pink and black. D'oh! 

Despite my initial aversion I carried on, and I must say I am very pleased with the result.

The hat and cowl are listed separately at my Etsy shop, Wovenflame.