Fiber Musings

Random thoughts of a fiber enthusiast - mostly fiber related, sometimes coherent

Tag: CNCH Page 5 of 7

Floral Dance, take 2

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On 13 Mar, 2012

In Weave

(Click to enlarge)

I re-sleyed the warp at 18 epi. It’s a bit better and closer to square (14 pattern shots per inch) using 8/2 cotton. I might get there using a 10/2 cotton.

From the bottom:

  • Mountain Colors Silk & Ewe (multi)
  • Henry’s Attic Pony (red)
  • Handspun BFL (variegated brown)
  • Koigu (blue/turquoise)

All except for the handspun were scrap yarn. I didn’t weave very much with the Pony because it looked so puny on the loom, but it fulled up quite well in the wash (sink full of hot water and squeezed and wrung for about 5 minutes by hand). So did the handspun.

I was ready to give up on the handspun idea until I saw the finished fabric. If you ignore the mistake in treadling, it has potential. I’ll have to see what it looks like dry tomorrow (this) morning.

What really struck me about this sample is that it is starting to look like one of  my speed swatches from Janine Bajus‘ Fair Isle workshops! I really like how the little bit of Pony made the bottom half glow. Somehow the 3 different yarns at the bottom pulled together into a cohesive whole.

Floral Dance

By

On 12 Mar, 2012

In Weave

Remember the Monk’s Bag? That was my muslin for a handwoven version. The draft is called Floral Dance from Anne Dixon’s The Handweaver’s Pattern Directory.

I put on 7 yards of unbleached cottolin, which should be enough to make 2 bags plus lots of sampling.

Believe it or not, I got the 30 end per repeat threading correct on the first try. I’m really really happy about that. What I’m not happy about is the sett. I started with 20 epi and it’s just too dense. My pattern isn’t coming out square unless I use a cobweb tabby weft (the top half of the top repeat). So, I have cut the sample off the loom and will be re-sleying it at 18 and see how that works.

I’m also not happy with my pattern weft. I just grabbed a partial bobbin of leftover yarn from another weaving project that approximates my hand spun yarn. In fact, I used it as a spinning guide. You know what? It’s gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. So much so that I’m tempted to buy more of this yarn to make a bag out of it. Why am I unhappy? It’s Handmaiden’s Sea Silk. Outrageously expensive for a bag that has an alternate name of “Beggar’s Bag.” Who uses hand painted silk for a Beggar’s Bag?

CNCH 2012

By

On 24 Sep, 2011

In General

Today was the annual CNCH Liaison Luncheon, one of the two CNCH meetings each year. On the agenda of the luncheon is to preview the venue for the 2012 conference, which is to be held at the Oakland Marriott and Convention Center.

The Area 3 guilds have put together a fabulous program. I’m really looking forward to taking some classes this conference. You can be sure that I will take Daryl Lancaster‘s Jury Tour of the Fashion Show Garments, if I can get in, that is. And my good friend, John Mullarkey, will be there to teach card weaving as well. So many fabulous teachers to choose from. There’s a little something for everyone.

And throughout the meeting, I was able to knit on my Circle of Life Shawl. I’ve made good progress during the luncheon and continued on once I got home. I was able to zip right through Chart 9. Granted, Chart 9 is the smallest chart in the entire shawl (only 4 pattern rounds). But 8 rounds is 8 rounds, right?

So, as of tonight, I’m at 80% completion of the main shawl pattern. My goal at this point is to finish the main shawl before I get on the plane on Saturday. And hopefully, during my long flights east, I’m be able to make significant progress on the border, and finish in time for the SOAR gallery.

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