Thursday, 7 October 2010

Dissatisfied

I have been dissatisfied with my weaving lately. The conclusions are that

1) there has been too much tabby. This is because I have done a lot of yarn dyeing for class samples and to show off the colours (see 5-section warp for a scarf and Devore Autumn Leaves scarf), tabby is best.Not sure that is true in all cases.
2) I hop around from one weaving technique to another. Networking drafting, point twills, double stitched cloth, I have done them all. Jack of all Trades and Master of None.


Suddenly I would like to try out the same technique a lot, say, for a couple of years and get really good at it. And I would like to go on dyeing yarn for warps so that the final fabric has a range of colours in it. I have bought some yarns from 21st Century Yarns (cotton)  which are spaced dyed and I will warp up the Megado, using a ghost warp as the yarn is very expensive and I don't want to waste any. I will use a variant of the twill weave shown in this blog  which was on 8 shafts but has been extended to 24 shafts. I intend to do a 'Daryl Lancaster' on the space dyed warps and wind the warp so that the colours line up. Warping up will be slow. If this all works then I will dye my own warp yarn, probably a not too fine silk, maybe 20/2NM and tie on to the same ghost warp. Network drafting is also on the cards. The objective is to mix complex weaves with space dyed yarn. I want a shimmering fabric.


The problem, to which I see no solution at the moment, is how can I tell in advance whether I like my choice of colours. Doing wraps will not help since the warp will be space dyed. You might have thought I would get an idea or two from the London Guild Exhibition but I did not.  Probably just as well. I don't want to copy anyone. I am not sure what results will appear but I will know, when I see the fabric, if I am going in the right direction.

In addition, I am going on a 3-day course with Samantha Field at the end of October. She is my favourite artist/teacher. The idea is to make you solve your own problems with, I hope, some pushes in the right direction from Samantha.

This will occupy the Megado for the foreseeable future. The Louet Kombo is going to be busy with Tied Weaves which I intend to conquer this winter. I have joined the Complex Weavers Tied Weaves Study Group and the group mentor, Su Butler, has provided us with a starting point in Summer and Winter. Although I have done S&W with Margaret Roach Wheeler, I will do these exercises. And I plan to do the Christmas Cards based on Tied Weaves. 

Apart from that, I have completed one loom with its colour gamp, woven my section and am warping up the second. I do not like metal heddles and both are fitted with them. These are Guild looms.

And the Bookbinding class started yesterday. I am practising doing leather inlay and onlay. Photos when I have something to show.

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About Me

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.