Tag: weaving

Inkle, inkle, tabby-weave inkle!

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I started weaving narrow-wares with Card-weaving. And my first addiction to card-weaving was the Rams’ Horn pattern. I could not get enough time on my loom… it made me SO happy. I finished several rams’ horn patterned pieces and even taught a 2-hour workshop on my weaving method (now affectionately called “Gypsy Eyeball”).

The beginning of my love form Rams’ Horn card-weaving

So my dear friend of mine has a trait similar to me: A love for sampling different craft skills, one after another. Not every craft we’ve put our hands to has become an addiction. As she was experimenting with inkle looms and weaving, a friend of hers saw her weaving, went to her father who built and sold inkle looms, and procured a loom as a gift. By this time, my friend had moved beyond weaving to some other craft skills, but of course, the loom was so beautiful, she happily accepted the gift. A very LARGE gift. A very large gift that sat gathering some measure of dust, waiting to be used.

Enter my social media interaction and our participation in a Fiber Arts community. We were both at the same retreat, and during the raffle I did *NOT* win the large floor inkle loom. My friend noticed my disappointment and knew immediately she’d been fostering that loom on my behalf. She explained to me that she wanted me to inherit the loom from her, and several months later when I hadn’t yet visited, she found the occasion to bring the loom to me. (Of course, I still owe her the social visit! Coffee! Chatting! Scritching the kitties!)

The first day I had the loom, I simply *HAD* to learn how to use it. I’d heard over the years that weaving simply Tabby-Weave bands and ribbons was MUCH easier and faster than card-weaving, but I’d never put my hand to it yet. I’d also heard that you could create “continuous heddles” rather than hand-cutting and tying each heddle individually. So I made up a system, warped up my loom with random embroidery floss skeins, and set to weaving.

     
First warp
— Achievement Unlocked! (10/7)		 Second warp
— warped by sunset and firelight, woven in the dark by firelight, drums, music, and dancing (10/8)		 Close-up second warp
— approximately three yards, woven in the dark (10/8)

Finished first two warps
— “Sunrise, Sunset” for me, “Midnight, Twilight” for Sweetie #weaving (10/11)

Having completely caught the bug for weaving on the inkle loom for fast, production weaving, two looms now live in my car and travel with me. The card-weaving project still lives on my front seat, but I can fit this new *gigantor* loom in my back seat, too. Anywhere I go, I can weave.

I’m preparing now for a post-Thanksgiving sales event, trying to weave as much product for my booth as possible. I’m also learning how to experiment with simple tabby patterns. I’m not completely secure in planning the patterns on the fly, but I’m getting better with each piece.

So, please enjoy the photos I’ve taken for the past week. I know I’m enjoying them.

   
— weaving, and I can see the end in sight.
#crafty (11/13)		 — playing with crayons,
to plan for weaving ideas #crafty (11/14)
   
— arrive at work early, warp a loom on your trunk.
Everyone does this, right? #crafty (11/15)		 — New warp is ready to weave
#crafty (11/15)

   
— Pattern emerges
#weaving (11/15)		 — Warp, contrasted with
woven inkle. #weaving (11/16)

   
— Dude! I can make things!
From threads! #crafty #weaving (11/18)		 — so, yes, I love weaving.
#crafty (11/18)

   
— warp colors picked by Sweetie,
pattern created by me
#crafty #weaving (11/18)		 — the pattern I created is growing on me…
Not an instant hit.
But getting better. #weaving (11/18)

   
— definitely like this better than
when I first started. #weaving (11/18)		 — About half done
#weaving (11/19)

Latest Obsession: Card-Weaving

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Greetings, everyone. I know I’ve been away for months and months, so let’s see if I can quickly sum up all that’s been happening.

Experimenting with Transitions
First Success

In June, I had my last day of work after a 3-year contract. After job hunting, I was pleased to find a new position to start immediately after the July 4th holiday. So yes, good news: New job. Unusual news: Really long commute. It’s not actually my longest mileage commute, but it is my longest time-on-the-clock commute. I don’t mind driving, but it has been a challenge to juggle the hours missing from my schedule to be productive and crafty.

In October, I was part of the organizational staff for a large camping event. For fun and relaxation, I dug out an old UnFinished-Object (UFO) to work on some lazy afternoon at the event. I didn’t bring any instruction with me, just a class sampler of card-weaving, warped up on my inkle loom, dusty and ignored for two years since I had last taken a class. I could not actually figure out the solution while I was camping, but my interest was kindled, and I was *determined* to solve the puzzle when I returned home.

This red, white, and black sampler consumed my brain. I finally remembered enough from my classes, and consulted the handouts from both Bridget’s and Aldgytha’s classes, until I solved the riddles. Along the way, I came up with my own mnemonic phrases to keep track with turns were next in the pattern. By the time I completed the sampler, I was completely weaving without a printed pattern.

Finished first sample, fuzzy sampler on the loom

My next tasks included: Learning to understand how the stitches work, how to chart the patterns (and design new patterns), and then warp a project all on my own without any assistance.

To understand the stitches, I warped up four cards with the bulkiest, fuzzy yarn in my stash. The stitches were bold and easy to see, chart, examine, and understand. Then I stayed up late drawing by hand, drawing on the computer, charting in spreadsheets, and experimenting until I found the best way to make notes about card-weaving patterns. I also went online to find some card-weaving (tablet-weaving) software I’d seen several years ago. Turns out that Guntram’s Tablet-Weaving Thingy charts patterns almost the same way I had been sketching over dinner one evening. I’m glad I went to the trouble to figure out charting methods. Now all the resources on the internet and in my library make more sense, having invented the wheel once myself, too.

Failed sampler. Nothing looks right, including one yarn needs to go entirely.
“Lessons Learned” sampler set aside, warp cut and ready to remove from the loom.
Salvaging the warp threads from the cut “lessons learned” sampler. The brown was tossed out.

Next: warping a loom from scratch. I was actually somewhat relieved to have my first failed “need to cut it off the loom” experience.

Houston, we have a problem. Those should be closed circles.
This looks promising.
Yeah, I got this. *grin*

Now I’m trying to write up my lessons learned, for my own handouts or crib notes. Several card-weavers and textile artists around me are looking forward to seeing how I solved these tricks. And I’m happily enjoying yet another way to play with string.

Want to browse all the photos? You can find them here: / Google+ / Picasa / Facebook