Weaving and Bobbining

[helwen]

... and some fighter practice. We went up to gwynt_y_storm's and did some work with swords and staffs. Mostly just moving and swinging, trying to get to where the sticks are a natural extension of the body, and paying attention to things like crossing yourself (with footwork or handwork) - bad thing, that. If you cross your centerline your position becomes indefensible, and it's easy for someone to knock you offbalance. This is less of an issue in dance forms such as ballet, although that has its own system for finding balance, and has its own challenges.

Yesterday I got to start weaving on the floor loom! fitzw and I looked at the treadling pattern, and since the floor loom as the option of doing a standard tie-up, he hooked things up so that each of the foot pedals raises two harnesses at once. My table loom doesn't have this option, so it always has a skeleton tie-up. It does simplify things a little, which is probably a good thing since I'm using this piece of work to break the loom in. It hasn't been used in 30 years, and even with oiling some of the wheels aren't too keen on moving. Occasionally I have to push down on the harnesses before footing the next pedal... it's getting slowly better though.

I had a false start first thing, discovering that one of the warp threads was in the correct heddle, but I'd pulled it in around another heddle instead of in a straight line. The result is that it was unable to go down to be engaged in the weaving. I felt kind of silly for having done that, but with so many threads I suppose it shouldn't surprise me that something went astray. Weaving is the final proof for whether or not you threaded the pattern correctly, too. _That_, I did correctly :)

It's a diamond twill, done in stripes of mostly blue w/green specks, and mostly green w/blue specks, on a grey warp - all wool. Originally I was going to do the stripes the same width, but when I saw the narrow stripe (1 pattern rep) against the wide stripe (3 reps), I thought that looked nice, and asked fitzw's opinion, and he thought so too.

Here are a couple of pics:





I wove half a yard yesterday, then wound some more bobbins last night. Width is about 22" I think (have only hand measured at this point) - about right, since I started at 24" and generally a couple of inches are lost to the weaving process.

So, off I go for a little more weaving this morning!

Comments

[dreda.livejournal.com]

Oh - that's lovely!

[flidaisairmid.livejournal.com]

Beautiful work ! Weaving is the only handicraft I have not tried to date, outside of weaving a very small coaster on a makeshift loom. You make my fingers itch to give it a whirl !

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Thank you :) It certainly is making all the time I spent warping it worthwhile. If you have someone with a little experience to work with, then anything goes, or take a beginner's class if there's a weaving place anywhere near you. On your own, I'd start small, and start with even weaves -- two-harness or rigid heddle, either will work.

There's a lot you can do with even weave patterns. The textile will won't have the texture that a twill does (diamond, herringbone, etc.), but you can do plain fabrics, stripes, plaids, and I think some sort of check pattern (not an expert). You could probably even make a Navajo loom (I think I have that right) yourself -- vertical loom instead of horizontal.

I'm definitely still a student, myself. I did some simple weaving when I was a kid, a belt when I was in college, and then nothing for quite a while. Last year a group of us were touring some fiber places and I got to play on some looms that were already set up, and it was wonderful to discover how easily I got back into the rhythm.

This is the biggest project I've started yet, and I find keeping the width even is a little harder on wider fabric, but this piece will be for personal use, not for sale. I'm hoping that my smaller pieces will be of interest to others, and am planning on trying to sell some at one of our local autumn festivals this year.

I hope you can find someone/someplace, when you're ready to start learning to weave. It's too bad we don't live near each other, or I'd invite you over to our place. But I bet there's someone in your area who'll be the right person.

Your new weaving

[flouncytrouncy.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is gorgeous. Once you get the width down, make some more strips. This would make a great warm tabard or cloak. Absolutely delightful. May you have many many happy years of weaving ahead of you.

JMM

Re: Your new weaving

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Hi!

Thanks, I've been doing this half by planning and half by intuition - I've been getting some 'help' with it, for sure!

I'm probably being too picky on the width, as at most it's occasionally wobbling by about 1/8" of an inch (although if on both sides, that would be 1/4" total). Acceptable for yardage since it would be in the hem area, but not acceptable to the modern eye. This piece is hopefully going to become a jacket/coat or maybe a heavy winter shirt... at least that's the current plan :D The wools were all great finds -- and I think you're right that a cloak would also be great.

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Thanks :) It's been an interesting journey in mixed planning and intuition, with some 'help/inspiration' from time to time.

Re: Your new weaving

[freya46.livejournal.com]

Oh that's glorious. I so want to try real weaving. It's so beautiful.

Re: Your new weaving

[helwen.livejournal.com]

*blush* Thanks :)

Boy, when I put the photos up, I thought I'd get some positive feedback (cuz you're all cool people), but not this much! Good to know I'm on the right track!

I love weaving -- the hardest part, physically, is warping. It's not so bad with a table loom, but with a floor loom I found that I was often bending over for too long. I had to train myself to sit down whenever possible, even if it meant I had to get up repeatedly -- gave my back a break. Next time should be easier.

One thing I love about my floor loom is that the release for the back bar is at the front. There's a rod that feeds from the front through the left horizontal support to a spring that attaches to the catch/release lever. So I can advance whenever I like without having to get up :) It's those little things...