All bet’s are off!

I can’t wait until it’s off the loom!

The rag shuttle has a whole mess of colors in it! I’ve thrown in some purple, magenta, bright orange – you name it, it’s probably in there! Have we discussed pointillism and weaving yet? I love pointillism! The technique (as used in painting) includes using limited colors (usually in a dotted format), planning for the eye to blend them together. For instance, if you place one red dot and one yellow dot close together, from a distance it will read as orange. Instead of dots, I’m using yarn! At a glance, you won’t see all the crazy colors in the fabric. It’s only when you move close that you can pick out the whole array of colors! Thank you, Mr. Seurat, for throwing down some dots and creating beautiful art!

Yum…

It’s an explosion of colored happiness!

Lo and behold, the knots have arrived! I try to eke out every last inch of the project before I cut it off the loom.

Are those knots I see?

Here come the scissors!!

When I begin cutting the project off the loom, I typically start in the middle and cut the yarn close to the knots in the back. Then, once the knot at the fabric is in place, I’ll shorten the tail. Really, all it takes is one time cutting the yarn too short to knot, and you learn quickly to give yourself plenty of inches!

Unrolling is so fun!!!

Free at last!!!

It’s been awhile since the project began. So, I always enjoy unwinding it to see what the very beginning looks like!

Ta-da!!!

Love seeing the variations!

What is better than brand new fabric? Not much, my friends… not much! This concludes the gold project! None too soon I say – my “gold” titles were growing weak! Up next will be something… (Don’t you hate it when you can’t decide?) I’ll get on the ball before next week – promise! Talk to you soon…

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Delicious dark colors!

You can see the accent yarn again!

I’m incorporating lots of dense, dark colors at this stage which really makes the yellows pop! And I do love a good popping yellow! Don’t you?

The tunnel of yarn

When I give weaving demonstrations, I talk about how some yarns need to go up and some yarns need to stay down – creating a tunnel. Thus, the “tunnel of yarn” is born! And who doesn’t want to go through a tunnel of yarn? Be honest now…

So dramatic!

Nice checkerboard effect!

My tendency is to explore a palette of colors from dark to light, and vice versa. So, I thought I would stretch myself a bit and think beyond my usual go-to. What if I used complimentary colors in the shuttle? Which brings me to my crazy idea of adding purple! (All the purple fans are saying, “You should ALWAYS add purple!”. You know who you are…)

I threw in a little dark purple – just ’cause!

Bird’s eye view

By slowly swapping dark browns for dark purples, it gives the fabric a great richness. I love the play between the golds and the magentas! Makes me so happy!

Adding more purples!

Movin’ right along!

Didn’t quite knock it out today. But, the back of the loom is feeling lighter! So, I’ll aim for next time! Have a good one and there will be more weaving soon…

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Starting off light…

Throwing in an accent yarn for fun!

So, this will be a 2-shuttle project. One shuttle to hold the majority of the weft yarns and one shuttle to hold the accent yarn. I like to use a rag shuttle for a big clump of yarns (doesn’t sound very scientific, does it?) and a boat shuttle for a single. There are many types of shuttles – it just depends on which ones you like best in each situation!

Meet the boat shuttle!

And the rag shuttle!

I think for this project, I’ll start with some pale colors and go from there! Plus, I want a little pattern in the fabric. So, I’m using a thicker, tan-colored wool that slides in every fifth pass. Hopefully, it will create a subtle, checkerboard effect once it’s all done! And let me tell you that as a weaver, or any artist, you make your best, educated guess as to the outcome and then let the chips fall where they may! Who knows? It’s always a bit of surprise at the end!

Golden goodness

Back & forth we go!

To slowly change the color of the fabric, I like to swap out a few yarns at a time – exchanging a cream color for a light brown and so on!

It takes two…

If you were a fuzz on the fabric…

You know, when I create this type of fabric, it is all simply plain weave – over, under, over, under. I don’t use a fancy weave structure. Not that I don’t enjoy a fancy weave structure! But, it doesn’t need it. The colors and textures stand on their own quite nicely. But, it is an interesting challenge to ponder – how do you incorporate a more complicated weave into the fabric and still allow the colors/textures to shine without being overpowered by the pattern? Hmmm… Deep thoughts from the weaver… I’ll get back to you on that one… Trying not to hurt my head here…

And the yarns go up!

Getting darker!

And there’s more weaving fun to come! I have a feeling that the weaving portion of the program is going to go fast! Hold tight! I’ll talk to you soon…

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Trusty yard sticks!

When winding the yarn around the warp beam at the back, the goal is to provide an even surface for the yarn to wrap around. I like to use yard sticks since I have a 36″ wide loom – the math makes me happy! If you don’t use something (sticks, heavy paper, etc.), the yarn will pile up on itself, creating mountains and valleys. This scenario, in turn, will alter the rate at which the yarn unwinds while weaving, causing tension problems. Yadda, yadda, yadda… bottom line is, yard sticks – good! Nothing between the layers of yarn – bad!

Smoothly winding on the back!

While I’m focused on winding the yarn onto the back, there is plenty of excitement going on at the front! I’m slowly straightening the yarns (sectioning off chunks of yarn that each get a gentle yank before they make their way through the loom) and keeping an eye on them as they travel to the back. You can see the end coming when the tips lift off the carpeting!

The view from the front

Once the lengths becomes very short, it’s time to knot the project onto the rod at the front! I cut out the lease sticks because it’s time to give them a rest. And then, I generally grab about an inch-ish of yarn at a time to create my knots! I’ve found it’s easiest to start in the middle. (How many times during the process have I said, “start in the middle”? Clearly, I’m a creature of habit!)

View from the front, with everything tied on!

And closer…

My weaving instructor taught a complicated knot for this step, which I still use! It’s very easy to undo when you are ready. But, because of the type of cotton I use, I sneak in a simple knot first, and then do the fancy one. I get nervous that the fancy one won’t hold the yarns in place. And nervous weavers are definitely something to avoid! (Ask anyone in my family…)

Closest!

See all the lovely knots?

It’s time to weave!!! Woohoo!!! You’ll need a little filler to spread out the yarns before you dive right in. So, my poison of choice is toilet paper! Matter of fact, I’ve found that the cheap stuff works great! Because it is perforated, it is much easier to remove than a fat yarn or strips of fabric. And, it’s not a huge investment! A friend from the local weaver’s guild gave me a 12 or 16 roll pack once upon a time and at the rate I’m going, I’ll never use it all! So, if you live near Northwest Indiana, give me a buzz and I’ll share with you!

A little TP before we weave!

About 5-6 rows will do it!

Ooooh! I love this part coming up! I’m loading up the shuttle and getting ready to let it fly! Isn’t weaving great??? Stay tuned for more fiber goodness…

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So many lovely heddles!

I’m taking each yarn and threading it through the eye of a heddle on one of the shafts. My loom only has (4) shafts, so not too many choices! The pattern is really straightforward, making my job a little bit easier!

One of my favorite heddle pictures – ever!

I like to include a few images from various angles to present a different perspective. Especially in this case! Because, you can see the yarn travel from the front, through the beater bar which holds the reed, and lastly through the (4) shafts that hold the heddles – all the really critical elements in the loom! If the yarns aren’t in the proper spot, the weaving process can quickly become less than fun. And no one wants that!

Bird’s eye view

The path through the belly of the loom.

Now that all the yarns have been matched up with a heddle, it’s time to tie everyone to the back of the loom and wind them on! First up, extending the back of the loom! I had everything condensed so I could sit very close to the heddles. Now, I have to let the loom stretch back out to it’s full size!

Time to extend the back!

Voila!

Next, I’ll tie the yarns to a rod that has been lashed to the back. You want to unroll the rod and take it over the “rear oval beam”, which is the beam at the top, versus the beam that the project winds onto. So, confession time… I tend to call both the “warp beam” and “rear oval beam” the same thing – the back beam! In rare instances when I need to differentiate, I just rephrase the sentence to work around it! Ha! Now you know my dark little secret! Don’t judge. And definitely don’t tell anyone who thinks I know what I’m talking about! It can just stay between you and me, right?

Tying the yarns to the rod

Let’s wind it on!

When you wind the yarns, you need to release the brake first so all the loom parts will move. I always look like I’m playing a strange game of twister when I do it! Because you release the brake with your left foot, turn the crank with your right hand and I usually use my left hand to keep the lease sticks level with the eye of the heddles so everything moves as smoothly as possible. Let’s just say I recommend doing a few tree poses beforehand to help with your balance!

Release the brake!!!

(In the picture below, you can see both the rear oval beam and the warp beam. The warp beam is easy to pick out because the white cords are already winding around it. The rest of the yarns will soon wind around it, too! Whereas, the rear oval beam is just a place holder that the yarn travels over. It’s at the top right of the image. See how I’m practicing my new vocabulary already?!!)

Heading towards the back beam.

And let the winding continue! Between you and me, this is not my favorite part of the process. Mostly, because it means I am SO close to weaving! So close! But, it’s essential and with any luck, I will be happily throwing the shuttle in no time! Stick around to see the fun! Talk to you soon…

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All done sleying!

I usually try to take many, many photos during the course of a project. But sometimes, I get caught up the process and forget! This is the case with the “sleying the reed” step this time around! I typically have 10-20 photos of each inch of the reed, and now I have about 2! What can you do, right? (So, imagine I’ve included another handful of delightful images! I’ll make it up to you, I promise!) I have threaded each yarn through a slot (called a dent) in the reed and now, it will all go into the loom!

The beater bar at the front of the loom

In goes the reed!

In an attempt to make life easier, I tied the lease sticks in place so they won’t flop around when I’m threading the heddles. But, I like keeping the lease sticks in the project through this step because they act as a hurdle the yarn has to go through. If there is a knot or twist in the yarn, it will get caught at the lease sticks and I can straighten it out before it gets to the loom! (At least that is how it happens in a perfect world!)

Tying up the lease sticks

Once the stage is set at the front, I come around to the back, drop the weaving bench down to a squat and begin threading the heddles! Heddles are long, skinny, metal pieces with an eye in the middle for holding a yarn. The heddles live on each of the (4) shafts in my loom. (A shaft, or a harness, is a frame in the loom that lifts up – taking yarn with it!) So, I have (4) choices on where each yarn can go. For this project, it’s a simple 1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4 pattern, which doesn’t hurt my head too badly.

The view from the back!

A little slip knot will hold it for now!

I recommend tying the yarns together at every inch or whatever makes sense to you. Then, go back when you’re done and check your work. (It sounds like a math problem, doesn’t it – “checking your work”? If that makes you break out in hives thinking of Algebra II from long ago, we’ll just call it “verifying your awesome attention to detail”!)

Bird’s eye view

A fabulous, fiber row!

While threading heddles, I recommend some upbeat music, maybe a re-run of Big Bang Theory, and a cup of tea (hot or cold – doesn’t matter)! It takes some time! So, you might as well be comfortable! Be sure to get up and stretch every so often. Because sitting in a crouch on a stool is more pleasant than leaning over the loom. But, it’s still tough on your body after awhile! No weaving injuries, please!

Can you see the order?

I’m getting there! Next time, I’ll finish threading the heddles and hopefully, tie the project to the back of the loom! It’s getting so good!!! Talk to you soon…

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The starting peg!

When we last chatted, I was busy measuring yarn for the project on the warping board. Because not all the yarns will fit in one fell swoop, I divided the project into two. This is the second half!

The ending peg!

You’ll notice that at the beginning and ending pegs, the yarn either wraps around and keeps going, or it is cut and knotted. Typically, I’ll cut and knot when I need to change colors, or I’ve run out of yarn and need to start a new cone. You want to avoid knots in the middle at all costs – it means knots in the middle of your weaving! (Gasp!) Knots can be at the beginning or the end. If you end up with one in the middle, you typically have to do some creative problem solving to hide it! And that’s hardly ever fun…

Somewhere-in-between peg!

Twisting it off the warping board

I do a little twisty action to take the project off the warping board and transport it to the table. Because I have 2 sections, it usually takes me a minute to figure out which one goes where! You want them in order – always!

Moving the show to the table!

So, we’re ready to sley! Yay! Here’s the list of items I recommend – a reed (I’m using an 8 dent), lease sticks (simple, but awesome!), pair of scissors and a measuring tape.

Meet the sleying players!

The lease sticks are just (2) sticks with holes in the end where you can tie them together. Their incredible destiny is to be in charge of keeping the project yarns in order – no small task! So, I’m sliding the (2) sticks through the yarn where I’ve marked the cross and then, tying the ends. This will give me a fighting chance at figuring out which yarn comes first, or second, or forty-second… You get the idea!

Sliding the lease sticks in

Through the cross!

(The yarn on the outside is always first up. So, as I pull the yarn out of the bunch and thread it through the reed, I can tell what’s next by the new yarn on the outside! Sounds sort of complicated, I know. May need to do a video at some point to explain it clearer!)

Close-up!

Lock it in!

The sleying has begun!!! Next up, I’ll finish assigning everyone a slot in the reed and move the fun to the loom! We’re getting down to business now! Talk to you soon…

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So close…

I’m cutting off the project, releasing the beam and letting the fabric unroll! It’s basically a requirement to scream, “Wheee!” while you do it!

Just needs a good spin!

Ha ha! Fabric & yardstick soup!

And now, I present you… wait for it… the WHOLE BOLT!

Unrolling it!

I love the look of the double lines running through it! You know, the plan doesn’t always turn out the way you think. Sometimes, it’s better!

Voila!

A particularly sunny section!

When you are weaving, you can only see a portion of the fabric at a time. So, it’s quite a thrill to see everything in one piece!

So much you can do with a warp!

The dark, yummy part…

Because this will be cut up into smaller chunks, it’s fine to leave the ends straggling.

Love the contrast!

Next up, I have a custom project on the docket! It’s good to have those! They get me out of my usual routine! Stay tuned for much more weaving goodness…

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A view from inside the belly…

So, we’ve left the browns and reds, and are not heading into the oranges and yellows! Nice, sunny, cheery colors! My brother would approve, considering he’s in favor of all shades of orange! He would wear glow-in-the-dark orange frequently, if only his corporate gig would allow it!

The orange phase…

Multiple yarns in the weft

These days, we call the yarns in the loom the warp yarns. And, we call the yarns in the shuttle, the weft yarns. Way back when, weavers would call the weft yarns, the “woof”. In a similar train of thought, the shafts that move up and down in the loom used to be referred to as “harnesses”. I suppose that’s what happens when you have an art form that is a trillion years old!

Running through the shed

Yum… just, yum…

The process of weaving can be very relaxing – meditative almost. There are plenty of moments during the set-up that I have to be completely focused. But, at this stage, it’s awesome to just watch the colors blend together and let the mind wander…

Coming around the bend

Ah, sweet progress!

I guess for someone who’s not a weaver, the constant clanging of the shafts might be loud. The metal heddles sliding along the shafts creates a bit of noise! There are other types of heddles that are quieter, I’m sure. But, the truth is, I don’t hear it anymore! I just slide up the volume on the tv (2) notches and I’m good to go!

Shafts are always in motion

Profile shot!

Weaving is a brilliant mix of realism and magic, structure and creativity, left and right. When folks ask me about being a weaver and all the time or detail that goes into it, I typically respond with, “Well, you have to be the right kind of crazy!” But, I think that’s true for any artist developing their craft. It takes lots of passion to carry you through hours of detailed work that leads you to something new and exhilarating! So, a big cheers for all the artists out there! We’ll all be crazy together!

And p.s., I’m almost done with this one! Next week, I’ll cut it off! Talk to you soon…

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Multiple yarns help the blending!

The woven landscape

A view from above

Coming around the beam

Love the rich colors!

Yum…

Enter, the rag shuttle!

Makes me so happy!

More weaving goodness to come! I’ll chat with you soon…

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