So tell me, what are your favorite weaving knots?

Show Notes –

Additional weaving knots – Warped Fibers has a great blog post all about weaving knots and it includes a few options I haven’t worked with before! It’s always a good thing to expand your options, don’t you think? This link will take you right to it. 

What to do BEFORE the warp comes off – In today’s episode, I refer to a great knot to use at the start of your time at the warping board. But if you are just learning the ropes, you may need a few reminders for the end of your time at the warping board, too. Turns out, I have just the episode for you! Click here to watch, “2 Things to do BEFORE the warp comes off”. 

Reading a Weaving Draft Class

Did you know that there is a brand new class at Acton Creative? The Reading a Weaving Draft Class is a perfect opportunity to uplevel your weaving game, because once you understand how to read a weaving draft, you’ll be completely unstoppable! Click here to take a closer look

The post Weaving Knots appeared first on Acton Creative.

Thrums are the little bits of yarn that are essential to the weaving process, but aren’t included in the final product. You can find thrums at each end of the fabric where you have knotted it to the rod. These are typically short.

You also might find longer thrums left over from the unusable inches that need to move through the center of the loom. Here’s my quick description of how & why you’ll have longer thrums:

To weave, you need to keep warp yarns under tension. To maintain the tension, the yarns need to be tied to the front and back of the loom. So at no point are you able to weave every inch of the warp – there are shafts & heddles in the way. There are always some lost inches that are sacrificied to keep the tension tight. And that is how you’ll end up with longer thrums!

In episode 91, I’m providing some options on how to repurpose these adorable bits of leftover yarn and giving you insight into my favorite technique. I promise you, once you dive in, you’ll love the magic of thrums. Enjoy!

Show Notes –

Thrums for Inlay – I found a lovely article written by Sara Lamb at Handwoven Magazine about how she uses her thrums to add visual interest to her fabric. Her trick? Use the little bits as inlay! Brilliant. Take a peek at her description right here and let me know if you give it a try. It’s definitely on my list!

Recycling & Weaving – When you think of recycling you may not instantly think of weaving. However, weaving is truly a perfect craft for helping the environment! Check out episode 28 to see how I make my case for recycling and weaving being best friends. 

Acton Creative Insiders – 

Do you love all things Acton Creative? Want event more? I have just the thing! I’ve partnered with Patreon to bring you the Acton Creative Insiders! This monthly membership includes personal insights, weaving tips/tricks, and behind-the-scenes action every single week! All we’re missing is you!  This link will take you right to the AC Insiders page where you can see more details and register today! I can’t wait to have you as part of the team!

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There are two very important parts of the process when these annoying bundles can interrupt our flow. And in episode 80, I’m walking you through how to handle them when they appear. (Do not panic – you’ve got this!) Enjoy!

Show Notes –

Weaving Knots – I have to admit something. I’m horrible at remembering the names of knots. When I was learning to weave, Tammy would say, “just make a ___ knot”, and I would stare at her blankly. Over the years, well, I haven’t improved much! Ha! I’m quite proficient at actually creating the knots, but I’m still not brilliant at remembering their names.

In comes Nicole, at Warped Fibers! She created a lovely tutorial of 5 common knots weavers make and I’m including a link so you can learn them much faster than I ever did! Click right here to see her beautiful visuals and impressive step-by-step instructions. Thank you, Nicole!

Multiple Colors in the Warp – Hopefully, the knots are staying far away from you as you wind your project on the warping board. And maybe you’re feeling very brave and want to make it a tad more complex. Check out episode 62 to pick up a few tips on warping with multiple colors. 

Holiday Shopping!

It’s time, my friend! Time to ponder what to give the weaver in your life. Or if you’re the weaver? Time to start your wish list of goodies that would enhance your weaving experience. And I’m armed and ready with a comprehensive list of weaving tools and accessories that any weaver would love to have! Click here to check out the many, many options for this holiday season. Happy Shopping!

Acton Creative Insiders –

Do you love all things Acton Creative? Want event more? I have just the thing! I’ve partnered with Patreon to bring you the Acton Creative Insiders! This monthly membership includes personal insights, weaving tips/tricks, and behind-the-scenes action! All we’re missing is you!  This link will take you right to the AC Insiders page where you can see more details and register today! I can’t wait to have you as part of the team!

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In this episode, the fabric will be cut off and unrolled from the loom. This last step in our 7-part series shows how a bolt of fabric is finally released once it has been woven. Please enjoy this week’s A Handwoven Experience!

Show Notes –

• Planning a project is the 1st step of a weaving project, which include 3 goals – 1) deciding the length of the warp yarns 2) counting how many warp yarns will be in the project, and 3) determining the order.
• Warping a project is the 2nd step of a weaving project where each warp yarn is measured to the same length, and in the correct order. (Typically, this is done on a warping board or mill.)
• Sleying the reed is the 3rd step of a weaving project. Each warp yarn is assigned to a slot (dent) in a reed. The reed’s job is to keep the project at a consistent width in the loom, which is key.
• Threading the heddles is the 4th step of a weaving project when each warp yarn is paired with a shaft in the loom. This step helps set up the options for the pattern of the fabric.
• Winding on is the 5th step of the weaving process. The entire warp is shifted through the loom and then tied on to the back. (Requires a bit of balance and a smidgen of patience.)
• Weaving is the 6th step of a weaving project. In this step, yarns are lifted and lowered, depending on what shaft they are on. A shuttle is tossed from side-to-side, releasing the weft yarn into the fabric. And the beater bar is pulled forward to position the weft yarns and tighten the fabric.
• Finishing is the 7th step of a weaving project. This step is all about releasing the fabric from the loom.

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In Episode 7, we are talking all things, “sleying the reed”. There are many steps involved in setting up a loom or “dressing a loom”. Sleying the reed is my favorite, no question! There is something about the process of placing each yarn in the appropriate dent that is completely satisfying for the left side of my brain. It’s a bit like when I was a page at the local library, for example. I absolutely loved that job! There was one goal – put the correct book in the correct spot on the shelf.  Ahhh, those were the days…

Now, I simply look forward to that sweet step right after winding the yarn on the warping board, and right before I thread the heddles. And you guessed it – this week’s episode of A Handwoven Experience is all about sleying the reed. The goal of this particular step is to move each yarn into the reed, which will then keep everything at the appropriate width in the loom. And now, I present Episode 7 – enjoy!

Show notes –

Planning a project – the first step in a weaving project (usually involves a bit of math)

Warping a project – measuring yarns to the same length, in order, using a warping board

Sleying the reed – threading each yarn through a slot in the reed

Dressing the loom – the series of steps required to set up a loom

Reed – a narrow, rectangular frame with evenly-spaced dividers that will then slide into the beater bar of the loom

Warping board – a large, wood frame with pegs drilled into it, meant to be a structure for measuring warp yarns

Weaving cross – an intersection of yarns that showcase the order, which is critical for sleying the reed

Lease sticks – a pair of  connected wood dowels designed to hold the weaving cross

Dent – slot in the reed (ex. an 8-dent reed has 8 slots per inch)

Higgledy-piggledy – in confusion or disorder (definitely NOT the goal when dressing a loom)

Slip knot – a knot that releases with a simple tug on one end

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Threading heddles!

Last we spoke, I was walking you through the planning of the project and setting up my loom. Quick refresher – green, green, green yarn everywhere! I ran out of the main color and substituted it with a white. And now, here we are! I finished dressing the loom and started the weaving process. (Insert photo here…)

Weavers, start your looms!

I designed the project to have enough yardage for (10) Hand Towels. But, I didn’t want to worry about having only one towel with blue, one towel with red, etc. My thought process was to change colors willy-nilly and cut the towels every 30-ish inches. So, each towel would have a variety of different colors. This took some of the pressure off me in the weaving process. It meant I wasn’t constantly measuring, which made it much more enjoyable!

All the colors can play!

First up, I had to decide on a pattern. Well, I currently have my floor loom set up such that the outside pedals will form a plain weave (over, under, over, under). The far left pedal lifts shafts 1 & 3, while the far right pedal lifts shafts 2 & 4. The middle pedals seem to be random. I don’t remember the last time I set them up for a specific project. But, I’m sure I crawled under the loom and adjusted the order of things at some point. (By the way, that requirement is in the weaver job description – “occasionally must crawl under the loom”. It’s in the fine print, but it’s there… Look closely…)

Love this pattern!

So when I sat down to start the green project, I played with the pattern a bit to determine which order I liked and if it would produce a good hand to the fabric. I wanted to avoid fabric that was too dense, since it will be used as a towel. I don’t know about you, but I want my towels to have a soft, squishy feel to them. That was the goal – to reproduce the soft, squishy feel that I like. I settled on my pattern of choice and off I went!

Double trouble!

I decided to work with (2) shuttles, which is always a bit more exciting! Each shuttle contained a different color. But, I made sure that the colors were related. Two variations of purple, for example. Then, to create subtler color changes, I made sure that only one shuttle changed colors at a time. For instance, if each shuttle had a variation of brown in it, I would choose to insert a blue in only one. Then, after weaving with one blue, one brown shuttle for awhile, I would eventually swap the brown for another blue. (This is easier to describe in a photo – too wordy on paper!)

Two is just more fun!

Ultimately, I like the mental challenge of keeping up with (2) shuttles. I think the results can be much more dimensional than just one shuttle. There were countless times when I had to stop and think about which shuttle had to be thrown next. But, it kept me focused, that’s for sure!

White insert – yay or nay?

In the last blog post, I made a big deal about having to substitute another color for the apple green yarn I ran out of. But, I have to say, I really love that little bit of relief in the fabric! As I was weaving, there were a number of times I stopped to evaluate how it looked. For me, I’m counting it as a success! But keep in mind, I don’t have to have everything symmetrical. I kinda enjoy a quirk or two in my fabric. How about you? Does the white stick out like a sore thumb, or do you enjoy the little deviation from the plan?

Hot off the loom!

After many hours of weaving, I finally came to the end and cut the project off the loom. I try to measure the fabric before it goes into the washer and dryer to improve my ability to accurately plan yardage in the future. But, there is always a bit of the unknown when dealing with various patterns. What I’ve learned is that depending on the type of pattern and specifically, how much the yarns are floating, the fabric will shrink differently. (If a yarn jumps over just 1 yarn, that’s a short float. If it jumps over 2-3? Longer float.) For example, if I were to weave fabric that was only plain weave, it might shrink 9-10%. This sounds like a lot. But, the pattern I incorporated in the green project had longer floats and therefore, it shrunk about 14%! Here were my exact numbers – Pre-wash/dry (10 yards 17″) and post-wash/dry (8 yards 35″).

Woven, washed, dried, ready!

When all was said and done, I ended up with enough fabric for only (9) Hand Towels. But the feel of the fabric? It’s just perfect – soft and squishy!! Totally worth it! I haven’t had the fabric sewn into the finished product yet. But, I’m very happy with the final results of the project! It was definitely worth all the hours!

Are you working on a never-ending project these days? How is it going? Happy Weaving, everyone!!

The post Green Fabric – the Conclusion appeared first on Acton Creative.

Here we are, in a sea of cream!

Moving right along!

We are coming down the final stretch for the project, which is great news! I’ve found over the years that sometimes shorter projects are better. So, I have it spaced such that about the time I’m ready for something new, the knots come around the bend! It’s wonderful when things work out that way!

Let’s dust in a little brown…

See the necktie making an appearance?

I love some of the warm, caramel colors in this section of the fabric! Reminds me of baked chocolate cookies – homemade, of course! (Mind you, not baked by me, but by my brilliant sister and Ma – who can completely rock some homemade cookies!)

In a caramel haze!

And what do we have here? The knots have stealthily worked their way up to the mid-section of the loom! I have no more space for weaving – meaning it’s time to pull out the scissors!

We’re at the knots! Woohoo!

Start snippin’!

I like to start in the middle of the project, cutting close to the knots in the back. Then, I shorten up the tails once I’ve made a knot at the fabric. Snip, knot and repeat until the fabric is free of the loom!

Working my way out from the middle.

Release the fabric!

Ahhhh… the fabric is almost completely off the loom! Next up, I’ll release the knots from the front and lay it out to see what we have! (I always forget how the project started by the time it’s done. So, it’ll be fun to check it out!) Talk to you soon…

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The view from the front!

Lots of yarn ready to move!

I find that winding the loom is a deceptively difficult part of the process. On the surface, it seems really easy! Give each group of yarn a yank, unlock the loom, roll it onto the back and repeat for the new few hours. But, like many things in life, there are pitfalls to watch out for. Am I pulling some yarns harder than others? Are the yarns spreading out too far on the back so they don’t fit on the yard sticks? Am I getting the twisted yarns out of the way so I don’t break them going through the reed & heddles?.. But, if you are beginning weaver, ignore what I just said and simply yank, unlock and roll! Piece of cake!

Love me some yard sticks!

Closer look at the back beam…

Of course I have to take a moment to reiterate my love of yardsticks! I have a 36″ loom so they fit perfectly at the back, keeping the yarns winding on smoothly! And I don’t know of anyone else who uses them these days. So, I feel like I could be the official champion for the lowly yardstick! They are awesome! (This impromptu advertisement was not endorsed by any yardstick company. But, could be in the future… call me!)

View from the back!

It’s the aerial shot!

If you will note, I still have my lease sticks in the yarn. I have found that they come in very handy! They are a sort of early detection system for snarls in the yarn! It’s better to catch and fix the twisty bits before they hit the reed!

Time to tie it up!

I like to start in the middle when tying up a project, grabbing about 1-1/2″ of yarn for each knot. The goal here is to create equal tension in all the yarns throughout the width of the project. I think it’s one of those things you wrestle with forever! I’ve been weaving for 9 years and still do a bit of agonizing over it each time I start tying things! But according to my girl, Madelyn Van Der Hoogt, I should just breathe through it and relax. She’s sort of the zen master of weaving – at least in my book!

Ta-da! Dressing the loom is finished!

And we are done! The loom is all dressed and ready for weaving! Let’s see if I can make some good thing happen next. Love the weaving magic! Talk to you soon…

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Bird’s eye view of the heddles.

They look very tall from this angle, don’t they?

The heddles (especially the metal ones) rattle around in the loom and some folks find it loud and distracting. For me, I don’t even notice! I think it’s like living near a train or on a busy road – you don’t even hear it after living there about a week!

Here, you can see all 4 shafts that hold the heddles!

Almost done!

So why thread heddles, you ask? Well, astute student, each shaft in the loom has the ability to lift up, separating some yarns from the others. When you thread a yarn into a heddle, you assign it to that particular shaft. For instance, I have a green yarn in the middle of the project that gets threaded through a heddle on shaft #2. When I am doing a weaving pattern, I know that this specific green yarn will lift up with all the others on shaft #2. This helps you establish your pattern! (Not the most graceful explanation, I know. But, rest assured, it is an important part of the process!)

Hundreds of yarns are involved!

Each yarn gets their very own!

So once the heddles are threaded, it’s time to unfurl the back of the loom and tie the yarns to the rod. Part of the reason I love my Schacht loom is that the back collapses and the back beam lifts off. Meaning, I can get as close as I want when threading the heddles. Then, it is easy to expand everything back out when it is time to start winding! Go, Schacht, go!!!

Expanding the back of the loom

Tying the project on!

You know, each step of the process has little things to watch out for. Once, I had a project where my cord holding the rod to the beam snapped! I kept wondering why things seemed loosey-goosey! Thankfully, it’s an easy fix (not mid-project, but if you catch it at this stage it is!). You tie the ends together, even everything out, and carry on! Just like life, right?

Ready to start winding!

Next, I’ll begin the winding process. And after that, there will be weaving – woohoo! I love the weaving… Have a lovely week and I’ll talk to you soon!

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And here are the players for today’s sleying!

Today is sley-the-reed day!!!! Best day ever! I love this part of the process. I’m not sure exactly what makes it so appealing. All I can figure is that sitting at a table organizing hundreds of yarns just does it for me! I like to tell folks that to be a weaver, you have to be a little bit crazy… and I would guess my prior statement puts me firmly in that category! And I’m OK with that!

Lease sticks slide in.

To sley a reed, you need a reed (rectangular frame with evenly spaced slots that will fit into your loom), lease sticks (a pair of sticks with holes in both ends meant to be a place holder for the cross that delineates the order of the yarns), and a pair of scissors. That is the bare minimum. But, for me, I always include a cup of tea, my project journal to track my time, and either a TV show or a little music to entertain me!

The view from where I’m sitting (aka, the view from my belly button!).

First up, the lease sticks slip through the cross I made on the warping board. I tied everything in strategic spots so I could locate the cross once I was sitting at the table. (Those ties get cut once I start sleying.) So now, the lease sticks are keeping the yarns in order! The reed sits directly in front of me with an edge hanging off the table to make the threading easier. The trick is to avoid knocking the reed over onto the floor. You can always tape it down if it makes you more comfortable!

Each yarn is placed in a dent of the reed.

Lots of little ends in this project!

Because I had a lot of color changes at the warping board, I have a lot of little ends that typically pull right off before the yarn goes into the reed. (I thought this particular pile was very pretty! And sometimes, that’s all you need for a bit of happiness – a pretty pile!)

Just, yum…

I made it to the other end!

I like to knot the yarns every inch or so just to double check my math. Like most folks, I don’t enjoy the process of undoing and fixing a project. So, I try to put as many checks and balances in place as possible along the way!

Ready to go to the loom!

Next up, I’ll reunite the reed and the loom, bringing it all together! It’s going to be good! Talk to you soon…

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