Sue Dwyer wove a forest of Christmas trees for the holiday season. She writes:
"I decided to weave Taquete using 120/2 silk for the warp and 60/2 silk for the weft.
I produced a profile draft, and then a drawdown.
"I found it easier to draw the Profile Draft onto squared graph paper.
I then put numbers related to the blocks in Left Lower corner. I coloured in the squares.
I then numbered the squares with the relevant block number. Lilian shows a drawdown
for each colour. I found it easier to write each colour down in its set order.
Each complete pick was 5 shuttle throws (even if the colour did not appear on the surface)
and were thrown in an exact order, Colour A B C D E. If this order varied the
background colour changed. Each complete pick had a 1 tie-down thread and
then a 2 tiedown thread so each square on the graph paper equaled 10 picks,
5 with shaft 1 and 5 with shaft 2 tie-down threads. I wove this so the picture was
on the top layer and started so that the bottom of the motif was woven first. So if
background appeared over the whole row shaft 1 only was lifted for the background
colour and 1 plus all pattern shafts lifted for the other 4 picks. I beat each colour as the
shuttle was thrown. On the next half of the pattern only shaft 2 was raised for the
background colour and 2 + all pattern shaft for the next 4 picks.
"Then the tree stump appears on block 16 so shafts 31 & 32 are lifted for the
background colour but lowered for the tree stump colour. As the draft went 1 31, 2 32,1 32, 2 31
Two blocks of colour appear. I went through the draft row by row, and colour by colour.
I find using numbers rather than blacking in squares easier.One repeat of the pattern
was 124 warp ends. This allowed a narrow border around each motif I decided to weave
6 motifs across the warp and I left 0.5 inch between the motifs. I therefore made a warp of
746 ends. The warp was put onto the backbeam. I sleyed the warp at 5 per dent in a
10 dent reed making 50 epi. 5 spaces were left in the reed between each group of warp threads.
"I wove this on my Louet Megado 32 shaft computer dobby.
As I wove and finished each motif I inserted 2 wooden shed sticks between the motifs in
Tabby picks producing a 1 inch space."
For more information about the Tied Weaves Study
Group, visit Complex Weavers Study Group: Tied Weave Study Group
Used by permission.
This is the forty-second item in our showcase of what members are working on.
To see the items showcased in 2004, click
Showcase 2004.
To see the items showcased in 2003, click
Showcase 2003.
To see the items showcased in 2002, click
Showcase 2002.
|
This kitchen towel in fall's bright colors was woven by Ruth Blau for the Crackle Study Group. Ruth writes:
"This towel was woven in turned polychrome crackle, using four colors
in the warp and one in the weft. Warp and weft are both 8/2
unmercerized cotton. With 16 shafts, I was able to get 16 blocks of
crackle, but the question for me was whether, with four warp colors,
I could get 16 blocks, each with a different color order. The answer
was yes, and with each block having a different color order, the
cloth ends up looking much more complex than it really is."
Ruth writes in more detail about her work in "Color Sequencing in Polychrome Crackle Blocks",
Complex Weavers Journal Number 73, September 2003, page 40
For more information about the Crackle Study
Group, visit Complex Weavers
Study Group: Crackle
Used by permission.
This is the forty-first item in our showcase of what members are working on.
To see the other items showcased in 2005, click
Showcase 2005.
To see the items showcased in 2004, click
Showcase 2004.
To see the items showcased in 2003, click
Showcase 2003.
To see the items showcased in 2002, click
Showcase 2002.
|
The 16's Study Group 2004 topic was Turned
Overshot. Sara Nordling did this sample for
that study. She writes:
"I began by trying to draft an overshot design
on 14 shafts, figuring, that when it was turned,
with the two tabby treadles, that I would have
all 16 shafts used effectively. However, I could
not come up with a 14 shaft overshot pattern that
I liked.
"Temporarily stumped, I looked through old
workshop notes from an overshot workshop with
Donna Sullivan. In doing this I realized that
I could design an 8 shaft pattern but use 16
treadles by varying the half-tones in different
sections of the work. I did this and the result
was a pattern I liked.
"Next, I played with colors. Because this is a
turned draft, I figured it would be easier to use
multiple colors in warp and weft than it is in
traditional overshot. On my computer I played with
several color options, finally coming up with a
combination I liked. I should have checked the
amount of yarn on one of the cones though, as I
had to find another pattern warp yam (natural)
because I was running out of it while warping.
I think it was a serendipitous mistake as the result
is a more interesting pattern than I had at the
beginning.
"In addition to the samples I have woven
a scarf
and some mug rugs on the same warp. Normally I don't
use overshot for scarves but I think the turned
overshot works for scarves better than the
traditional variety. The scarf is rather heavy,
but it would be nice worn with a coat.
"Yarns:
5/2 cotton, unmercerized in natural and
tweed for pattern warp.
16/2 cotton, mercerized, in gray, camel, and tan for
tabby warp and weft
"Sett: 48 epi and 24 ppi, 6 5/8" in reed,
4 per dent in 12 dent reed
"Resources:
Notes and handouts from a workshop on overshot by
Donna Sullivan. Also the turned draft function
in my Swiftweave, weaving program. "
For more information about the Sixteens Study
Group, visitComplex Weavers
Study Group: Sixteens
Used by permission.
This is the fortieth item in our showcase of what members are working on.
To see the items showcased in 2004, click
Showcase 2004.
To see the items showcased in 2003, click
Showcase 2003.
To see the items showcased in 2002, click
Showcase 2002.
|
Joyce Robards contributed this sample (a small part of which is shown
here) for the Sample Exchange - the Old Fashioned Way Study Group. She
writes:
"I have been fascinated by all the weaving options there are on what is
essentially a huck threading-from the traditional Interpretation as a
lacy "linen" weave to the very interesting interpretation in Helene
Bress's The Weaving Book,
in which she illustrates huck threadings woven as bound weave. Many
years ago, along the way, I became acquainted with Klara Cherepov's
1972 original, self published book Diversified Plain Weave
and have done much exploration with the structure and offer a workshop
in it as well as including it in virtually all of my workshops on huck.
"This spring I took a "busman's holiday" to take a Thick'n'Thin
workshop with Barbara Decker and that re-kindled my long term interest
in diversified plain weave. Despite the ease and "neatness" of Madelyn
van der Hoogt's "new DPW", and in most cases, despite the design
limitations, I prefer the "original" version for its variation in
surface structure.
"My sources for information on Diversified Plain weave were, in addition to those listed above,
many articles from Weaver's Magazine which are now available in the XRX publication
The Best of Weaver's: Thick'n'Thin, ISBN 1-893762-08-4.
"Warp: thick- Webs 6 ply rayon doubled ends with each in its own heddle; the rayon is
hand-dyed in Mx Fiber reactive dyes.
thin- 20/2 black pearl cotton
"Sett: 4 per dent in 9 dent reed
"Weft: thick- 3/2 black pearl cotton
thin- 20/2 black pearl cotton"
For more information about the Old Fashioned Study Group, visit
Complex Weavers Study Group: Sample Exchange - The Old Fashioned Way
Used by permission.
This is the thirty-ninth item in our showcase of what members are working on.
To see the items showcased in 2004, click
Showcase 2004.
To see the items showcased in 2003, click
Showcase 2003.
To see the items showcased in 2002, click
Showcase 2002.
|
Sue Peters made this sample for the Fine Threads Study Group. She studied both fine
silk and color blending. Note the one inch scale in the top right corner. Sue wove this in
a twill sett at 65 epi and beat at 65 ppi. The silk she used is 65/2
For more information about the Fine Threads Study Group, visit
Complex Weavers Study Group: Fine Threads
Used by permission.
This is the thirty-eighth item in our showcase of what members are working on.
To see the items showcased in 2004, click
Showcase 2004.
To see the items showcased in 2003, click
Showcase 2003.
To see the items showcased in 2002, click
Showcase 2002.
|
This sample came from Deb McClintock. She writes:
"This dimity threading came from the F. Walbert manuscript at Winterthur
Museum. Harmony Weaver's guild went thru a historic weaving workshop with
Marjie Thompson and this was one of the round robin threadings. I loved the
stripe effect of the double sleyed twill portion of the dimity and have used
it for silk scarves with color rotations.
"I use natural dye extracts for my rug weaving and I always keep some silk
skeins mordanted so that I may use the dye exhaust baths for the silk. This
works well because the silk takes the dye and totally exhausts the bath. I
also get a challenge in color rotation because the exhaust color almost
always is different from the rug wool original bath. I take the silk colors
and decide how they compliment each other and wind the dimity warp chain. I
have learned to use watercolors to work out a rough picture of the color
rotation to see which color should be dominant before I do any color
wrappings or wind the warp!
"Remember I have a limited color quantity on hand so planning helps me
minimize shortages! The ridges on the dimity allow me to play with color
stripes. My draft shows how I do the color planning. Even the narrow tabby
areas on the threading allow me to play with color. I keep each warp chain
to one repeat and that allows me to reverse and switch the colors by warp
chain. By throwing an entirely different weft color I get a bonus effect."
For more information about the EWBM Study Group, visit
Complex Weavers Study Group: Early Weaving Books and Manuscripts
Used by permission.
This is the thirty-eighth item in our showcase of what members are working on.
To see the items showcased in 2004, click
Showcase 2004.
To see the items showcased in 2003, click
Showcase 2003.
To see the items showcased in 2002, click
Showcase 2002.
|
Serviette Collection
This month we showcase a collection of serviettes by Jette Vandermeiden, some of which were shown in the September 2004 CW Journal
Jette writes: "These are scans of small serviettes. I use these to place between my good dishes so they don't scratch each other. As a child in Denmark I remember clearly the excitement of being asked to set the table at my grandmother's house and finding all types of small cloth treasures between the plates, embroidered, chrocheted, knitted, and woven. Maybe I'll have a granddaughter some day who will feel the same way.
"The fiber is 10/2 tencel; the structure is five shaft satin with fifty pattern units threaded in straight draw. The designs are from embroidery books, protographs, and doodles. The size of each is about four inches by four inches. These were exciting to do as each one was different. Of course I ran out of warp before I ran out of ideas.
"I weave on a Oxaback 20 ground/50 shaft Kombi loom that allows me the freedom to do both shaft draw and single unit draw, wither individually or in combination in the same cloth. I have been weaving damask for about three years now."
Complex Weavers Journal, September, 2004, page 22
Used by permission.
This is the thirty-seventh item in our showcase of what members are working on.
To see the items showcased in 2004, click
Showcase 2004.
To see the items showcased in 2003, click
Showcase 2003.
To see the items showcased in 2002, click
Showcase 2002.
|
Fibonacci Color Gamp
We end the showcase of Study Groups as we began, with the Fine Threads Study Group.
We show a Fibonacci Color Gamp by Mary Marker, who writes:
"Project: To use all the heddles (2000) on my Baby Wolf loom.
Warp and Weft: single strands of DMC embroidery floss bought in
skeins and separated into separate strands as the loom was threaded or
wound onto bobbins.
Pattern: Fibonacci color gamp
EPI: 72, nine per dent in an 8 dent reed
This was inspired by seeing a friend in a jacket made from Lunatic Fringe's
color gamp. I wanted fabric made from finer threads and with less definite
changes from color to color. Once made, I couldn't bring myself to cut it up for
clothing."
For more information about the Fine Threads Study Group, visit
Complex Weavers Study Group: Fine Threads
Used by permission.
This is the thirty-sixth item in our showcase of what members are working on,
and the sixteenth (and last) item of an extended (originally year-long) showcase of
Study Groups' work.
To see the items showcased in 2004, click
Showcase 2004.
To see the items showcased in 2003, click
Showcase 2003.
To see the items showcased in 2002, click
Showcase 2002.
|
Butterflies Asleep
Sigrid Piroch writes that "Butterflies Asleep" is a jacquard handwoven on a
TC-1 from Tronud Engineering AS in Norway. The weaving technique was an 8:1 satin
with 4 shuttles/colors plus one inlay in yellow (5 satins, each offset). The warp was
black silk sett @ 45 epi; the weft was hand-dyed rayon chenilles -- solids and
variegateds; 29" wide. This was shown in Vibeke Vestby's booth at Convergence
2004 where she had a TC-1 loom for demonstration purposes.
For more information about the Jacquard Study Group, visit
Complex Weavers Study Group: Jacquard
Used by permission.
This is the thirty-fifth item in our showcase of what members are working on,
and the fifteenth item of an extended (originally year-long) showcase of
Study Groups' work.
To see the items showcased in 2004, click
Showcase 2004.
To see the items showcased in 2003, click
Showcase 2003.
To see the items showcased in 2002, click
Showcase 2002.
|
Bible Bookmarks
Laurie Autio wove a set of Bible bookmarks, of which one end of one
is shown here.
Laurie writes: "I designed a set of three coordinating bookmarks to
mark the church seasons in my small Congregational church. They
were reversible, with related patterns on each end. The warp and tabby
weft were 20/2 spun silk sett at 24 epi, with pattern weft of 8/2 reeled silk.
The bookmark shown was done in green and white on one end, and
gold and white (shown) on the other for Epiphany to Lent
and "ordinary"
time. The design is a miniature 4 shaft overshot pattern, Rings and Chains
(see Josephine Estes), with one end woven star-fashion and the other end
rose-fashion. It is trompe as writ in the overshot areas, except for an
elongation of the bottom table to make a more traditional cross. There is
a center cross (not shown) inlaid on twill, an embroidery weave technique
(see Jeanetta Jones) in a single strand of gold metallic thread on 60 ppi
ground. The final dimensions of this piece were 4.5" x 26" with 4.25" of plain
fringe on both ends. To finish, it was steamed and pressed. Takeup
and shrinkage were 8%."
For more information about the Ecclesiastical Weaving Study Group, visit
Complex Weavers Study Group: Ecclesiastical
Weaving
Used by permission.
This is the thirty-fourth item in our showcase of what members are working on,
and the fifteenth item of an extended (originally year-long) showcase of
Study Groups' work.
Watch this space - something else will be here around April 1, 2005.
To see the items showcased in 2004, click
Showcase 2004.
To see the items showcased in 2003, click
Showcase 2003.
To see the items showcased in 2002, click
Showcase 2002.
|
Lace Edging on silk scarf
Deborah Holcomb wrote us about her silk scarf with a lace edging: "This is a narrow scarf woven on 24 shafts using 60/2 silk, sett at 60 epi. The same silk was used for the lace. The pricking is from the book Guipure-und-Cluny-Spitzn (page 36) by Elda Gantner and Marianne Stang. It's in German, which I don't speak, but the diagrams are quite clear. It took around 30 pairs of bobbins. I reduced the pricking size by 15% so that I could get three full repeats across the end of the scarf. " For a WIF of the weaving, download show0502.wif.
For more information about the Bobbin Lace Study Group, visit
Complex Weavers Study Group: Bobbin Lace
Used by permission.
This is the thirty-third item in our showcase of what members are working on,
and the fourteenth item of an extended (originally year-long) showcase of Study Groups' work.
To see the items showcased in 2004, click
Showcase.
To see the items showcased in 2003, click
Showcase 2003.
To see the items showcased in 2002, click
Showcase 2002
|
Rope Beads
This month we showcase some rope beads made by Georgeann Curran.
She writes, "The brick stitch
has the beads lying in the same orientation as crocheting and is a little more pliable
than peyote stitch.
"Brick stitch is a beading technique. I used a number of different kinds and sizes
of beads. The mainly red one and the black one were done with glass crystal beads,
size 3 or 4 mm. The left one was a number of different sizes that gave the spiral
and texture and the other one was done with Delicas I think. The last two were
taken from a crocheted bead book (I made bracelets from them) and the other two
were just out of my head. Real easy to design as you go doing brick stitch instead
of crocheting where you have to thread all the beads needed in the right order before
you start. Brick stitch you pick up one bead at a time."
For more information about the Beads and Interlacements Study Group, visit
Complex Weavers Study Group: Beads and Interlacements
Used by permission.
This is the thirty-second item in our showcase of what members are working on,
and the thirteenth item of an extended (originally year-long) showcase of Study Groups' work.
|
To see the items showcased in 2004, click
Showcase 2004
To see the items showcased in 2003, click
Showcase 2003
To see the items showcased in 2002, click
Showcase 2002
|
Any problems with the site should be reported to
Josephine Earl
