Monday 28 December 2009

Woven sample


This is a pastel done by Michael of me threading up, totally absorbed - probably cursing! Note the thick sweater.

I have woven about a metre of fabric and cut it off, repaired the ends where needed and washed it. Some dark colour came out which is probably okay. It looks like it is from the very dark blue yarn. It is hanging up to dry now and won't be long. The fabric is very light and fine. I intend to iron it when damp.
I finished off the sample by  weaving 10 rows with a 2/20s cotton, then weaving 2 inches of the pattern with grey silk, then inserting two sticks using tabby - to make sure the take up is the same in all threads. then wove 2 inches of pattern with grey silk. To cut it off, I cut through the centre of the green cotton rows. The first stick was then tied on to the breast beam using bootlaces. All carefully aligned using a ruler and centre square to make sure the warp threads were at right angles to the reed and the first stick was at a constant distance from the breast beam.

While weaving the metre-long sample, I made various changes.
- I increased the tension in the end-delivery shuttle
- I inserted floating selvedges. This made the left selvedge much better but the right one still looked bad.

So when I tied on the stick as above, I set about re-threading the right-hand end section and put 6 threads in each dent at the right hand end while keeping 1 thread per heddle. I also weighted the floating thread a bit more and put extra tension on the 30 warp threads nearest the right hand end. This seems to have done the trick and now both edges look much the same.  I use old film canisters weighted with glass marbles for weighting. They have clip-on lids and you can catch the warp thread under the lid. I don't recommend this with silk singles!! The lid cuts straight through the thread.

We are waiting for the snow to arrive. It is due over night.

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I am weaver and - -. I dye my yarns with acid dyes, I paint my warps, put fabric collages and stencils on my weaving. I have three looms, a 12 inch wide, 12 shaft Meyer for demos and courses, a 30 inch Louet Kombo which is nominally portable but has a stand, two extra beams and a home-made device containing a fan reed. And last a 32 shaft Louet Megado which is computer controlled, has a sectional warp and a second warp beam and I am the proud owner of an AVL warping wheel which I love to bits and started by drilling holes in. I inserted a device for putting a cross in. I have just acquired an inkle loom and had a lesson from an expert so I can watch TV and weave at the same time. I am interested in weaving with silk mostly 60/2 although I do quite a bit with 90/2 silk. I also count myself as a bookbinder with a special interest in Coptic binding.