Another loom?!?

One of my fiber friends is a shopping genius, rarely pays full price for anything, frequents thrift shops and estate sales for bargains, etc. She spotted a Schacht Cricket on FB Marketplace and relayed the info to me. Not that I needed another rigid heddle loom, but it was such a deal I could not resist. So now I have three(!) rigid heddle looms.

It came with plenty of accessories: heddles (including a variable reed one), shuttles, pickup sticks, dividers, warping peg, a stand, plus a cute bag to carry everything in. My SO asked where I was going to put it. Somewhere....

I pre-ordered a book by Alexandra Brinck on mending: Knit Repair: A Comprehensive Guide to Invisible Mending for Knitwear. The ship date is not until November :-( but in the meantime I am subscribed to her Patreon account. Not that I have had time to look at that lately...

...because I have been dyeing with the indigo vat. Some of my results have been less than stellar, but I seem to be getting the hang of it. I have to remember to be careful and patient.

Dyeing: See above.
Fiber prep: I attended a mini wool washing workshop that the spinning guild sponsored; now I have some clean fiber to process.
Knitting: One sock is almost to the cuff, the other about halfway there.
Spinning: Still working on that murky fiber. I bought a telescoping stool for the e-spinner.

Weaving: For the rigid heddle study group, I demonstrated clasped weft weaving.

Whew! It was a busy fiber week. Summer is almost over, so things are going to pick up even more. It's both exciting and overwhelming.

Grandma hobbies?!?

In the news: Young people are taking up what the media refers to as "grandma hobbies". I am a grandmother and I have hobbies, but I took up fiber arts long before I aged. I guess I was ahead of my time. No matter. I'm happy to see young people becoming interested in such activities. Besides, knitting and its cousins are reputed to fend off dementia.

The Michigan guild's monthly lecture was by a woman who wove a color gamp from naturally dyed yarn. She "foraged" for the dye materials over the course of a year (some of the foraging was in her own kitchen). Her presentation gave me an idea for what to do with the bits and bobs I have from various dye experiments, but I wanted to create something smaller and simpler than she did. Of course, I didn't have the right loom to execute my idea, so I purchased this one from Beka for around $25. A bargain!

Dyeing: I indigo dyed some clasp resist items, but didn't like how they turned out, so I redyed them. Gathering daylily blossoms to dye with. The purple basil blossoms finally gave up some color, so I poured hot tap water into the pot to further it along. Some Cascade 220 has been divided into smaller skeins for dyeing with (once it is mordanted).
Knitting: I finished the second set of tie-dyed dishcloths. Some progress on the socks.
Spinning: Still Tour de Fleecing.
Weaving: Added a single crocheted edging to the selvages of the Neapolitan scarf; debating on what to do about the fringe. I actually worked on the log cabin towels, but I need to do something more about the tension - sigh.

There is a website to check out if you inherited unfinished objects or would like to help others in that boat. It's called Loose Ends. I have no experience with it, but it sounds like a great idea.

Go big or go home

I just finished assembling the new Great Grizzly loom from BEKA. The hard maple was unfinished, so I decided to put a light coat of Minwax on it before assembly. Then my electric screwdriver needed to be recharged. Then other things interfered. But yesterday I got it done.

This baby is BIG: 60" x 64" weaving area. I have plans for it, so many plans I can't decide what to do first.

Knitting: The Simple Rules cowl is finished; separate post to follow. I started a pair of socks; the toes are done. Restarted the Lempi sweater, changing to a larger size to make up for the wonky gauge; into the yoke and approaching button hole number two.
Spinning: On the last color combination of the Polish merino; still deciding how to spin up the most recently purchased four ounces.
Weaving: The diamond tapestry weaving came off the loom in time for the weaving guild meeting, but I'm not happy with it.

Thursday, my SO and I met up with my son and his SO in South Bend. After lunch at Nom Nom Pho, we hit the South Bend Museum of Art, which has some fiber exhibits on display. And I think it is illegal to leave the city without stopping at the South Bend Chocolate Company.

The list of new officers for the weaving guild came out recently. (Our year runs from September to June.) I'm in charge of what I like to call "outreach" but is listed as "PR and finance". Something new was my membership on the program committee. Did I volunteer for that? I may have, in a moment of generosity when one of the co-presidents mentioned that the theme would be "art" as in "fiber arts". I really need to pay more attention.

Vintage toy loom

At the weaving guild meeting this past week, one of our newer members brought in a toy loom she found at a thrift shop. She offered it up to anyone who wanted to fool with it, and it was just so darn cute, I had to take it home.

After performing a little research, I've come to the conclusion that it is a vintage toy loom made by a Swedish company called Brio, now defunct apparently. It's either that or a very good copy of one.

Later models have a bright red rigid heddle, but this one uses eye heddles. I don't think they are all there, so they may need a modern replacement.

I don't know how to warp a loom like this, but I'm sure I can figure something out, courtesy of our local library. Anyway, something new to fiddle with.

Knitting: Working on the crown of the pink 'Graham' slouchy hat.
Spinning: I switched to fine spinning Romney, with its longer staple, but 14:1 was still too tight a twist, so I dropped to 11:1. I think this will work better. Ready to ply.

Weaving guild meeting was about card, or tablet, weaving, all demo, no hands-on (we meet in rather cramped quarters). I think I would like the results from card weaving better than inkle weaving, as the fabric is denser and more sturdy. Right now I can't do much of either, pending shoulder surgery.

Keep calm and fiber on

Yesterday, the day after the governor cancelled all events that involve over 250 people, I met up with a friend at the Jay County Fiber Fest. Some vendors had bailed, the crowd was thin, didn't see any class trips (school is also cancelled for the next four weeks). We purchased a few things (just soap and silk thread for me), tried to spend some money in downtown Portland (such as it is - another tired Indiana town) but the gift shop was closed and the coffee shop proprietor was "out to lunch". Burgers at the Greazy Pickle were delish, though. Now it is time to (mostly) hunker down for the duration.

Spinning: Needing a break from the Shetland wool, I started spinning some Lorna Laces Shepherd Wool top superwash merino from my blog friend, using the fractal method. I'll write more about this at a later time, assuming it works as expected.
Weaving: Now that my calendar is REALLY clear, I have been able to devote some time to the online weaving class I am enrolled in.

I bit the bullet and purchased a (kind of pricey) Mirrix loom. Actually, I bought the kit that goes with the class I am taking. I am really glad I spent the money - I didn't realize how much I have struggled with weaving because of inadequate tools. Yes, you can weave on looms cobbled together from wood scraps and nails or PVC pipe, but this loom has adjustable tension and a shedding mechanism, the cloth can be shifted like one does on an inkle loom so you have twice the area to weave, there are coils to hold the warp in place, etc. Oddly, of all my tapestry beaters, the fork (as in silverware) works best for the warp spacing I am using. I'm still going to invest in a few more tapestry-specific weaving tools. It's my way to help the economy.

A day in the country

I went to a "spin in" two Fridays ago, at my weaving pal Peggy's home in the country. There were four of us altogther, and I think I was the only one without sheep of my own. Since I was spinning roving from Butterball, one of the Salomon Farm sheep I tended two summers ago, I could at least pretend. BTW, I *love* spinning Lincoln.

We didn't get much spinning done because we were yakking and busy admiring Peggy's devotion to all things fiber. First and foremost was the fiber studio, where we set up our wheels. It's difficult to see but there is a loom on the front porch, which I'll describe farther down.

One of the tools in Peggy's fiber toolbox is an antique walking wheel. She demonstrated it for us: the yarn comes off the end of the spindle and twists as the spinner walks backwards, then the yarn is wound onto the spindle as the spinner walks forward. This model has an accelerator, to increase the ratio of turns from the wheel to the spindle.

There were also looms in the cabin, big ones, and more looms in the basement (as shown here) because once one moves beyond knitting needles and crochet hooks, a single room is not enough space. Most of the looms were warped with projects in progress.

Also in the basement was this large motorized drum carder. Peggy complained that even with the motor, it was not fast enough to satisfy her needs, as she has a lot of fiber to process.

Peggy started growing flax a couple of years ago, and sheaves of it drying were drying in the immaculate garage. Flax for linen is different from flax for eating, as the former has a long stalk that encases the fiber while the latter has more branches and seeds. The stalks must be soaked (or retted, for all you crossword puzzle fans out there) to partially rot them and get access to the long fibers within.

What you can't see in the photo above is the stacks of boxes that line two walls. I didn't think too much about the boxes - we all have boxes of stuff in our garages, right? - until I realized that the writing on them indicated they contained fleeces, both purchased and from Peggy's small flock. She doesn't breed her three ewes, so we referred to them as the "spinsters".

Now, about that loom on the porch. It was difficult to get decent photos of it, but if you Google "weighted Nordic loom" you will find better ones, plus videos of how to weave on them. Key features are the loom is vertical, you weave away from you instead of toward you, and the warp tension is maintained by weights hanging below.

Peggy first saw this type of loom while watching a special on TV, and this one was built by her handy husband. She weaves three or four wefts in a row before beating them in place with a "sword". Once enough material has been woven, it is rolled onto the beam at the top. BTW, the fiber on this loom is all from Peggy's flock, handspun by her.

If I understood Peggy correctly, the weights were poured using the same mix one would use for a granite countertop, with a straw to provide a hole for attaching to the warp.

Besides touring Peggy's fiber dreamland, the four of us talked fiber. It was probably the most fun I have had in a while, not because my life is totally boring (although some might think so) but because it is rare to have the opportunity to share with fiber-centric friends.

On a side note, last Tuesday I attended a meeting of the Spinners and Flaxers Guild here in Fort Wayne. The program was a hands-on demonstration of tablet or card weaving. We didn't have time to finish our sample projects, so I'll write more about that at a later date.

Inkle dinkle doo

I belong to the Fort Wayne Weavers Guild, a great bunch of talented and generous people. By talented, I mean I spend a good part of the each meeting with my mouth hanging open, stunned by what they produce with their looms. It's both inspiring and intimidating. By generous, I mean they are very welcoming to newcomers and eager to help and share their knowledge. Part of that transfer of knowledge occurs during what they call Super Saturdays, when those interested meet at a member's house and learn something new.

I haven't been able to attend any Super Saturdays until today, when the subject was how to weave on an inkle loom. I've been very interested in learning this because it looks like fun, is a great way to create fancy strips of cloth for a wide variety of uses, and hey, I need a new loom (like a hole in the head).

Like most learning experiences, we exhibited awkwardness and confusion, but once we got our looms warped and started the actual weaving, it became easier and fun. There are a few tricky bits to achieving a consistent looking result, but that comes with practice.

I used Maysville 8/4 Cotton Rug Warp, in colors 'Tulip', 'Yellow', and 'Light Jade' (my granddaughter picked them out). My loom is an Ashford Inkle (not the Inklet which is very compact and portable). I had no problem assembling the loom, but still need to apply a finish. That will have to wait until I complete my practice project. I warped the longest way possible, so I'm more likely to end up with a bunch of somethings that are usable.

Inkle looms are good for making all kinds of things, from bookmarks and bracelets and shoelaces to dog collars and leashes to guitar straps and tote bag handles to tote bags themselves. I see lots of fun in my future.

It's hip to be triangular

Traveling to Portland (INDIANA) for the Jay County Fiber Arts Fest and Spin In is becoming an annual event. I don't really need more sock yarn (yet I bought some) or roving (yet I bought some, llama and yak and Shetland). I certainly don't need another loom, BUT an 8" one was provided as part of a class I took on continuous weaving on a triangular loom. That was so much fun I ordered a larger 24" triangular one from the instructor (shipment TBD).

The materials fee for the class paid for not just a small loom but other tools necessary for weaving a triangle: a latch hook, a weaving needle, and a plastic fork, plus wool yarn.

Learning to continuously weave on a triangle loom is a little more complicated than learning to weave potholders, but once you get the idea, it is easy and fun. Like other weaving, an even tension is important, but maintaining clean selvages is a non-problem. The weave looks fairly open on the loom, but closes some once the piece comes off, then will close more so once the fabric is washed and blocked. (Don't look to closely at the pic above, as there are a few "quirks".)

I made two samples in class last Friday, then the next day redid the first one (to eliminate those quirks) and followed it with three more, all in about an hour or so. I plan to sew them together and add a strap, to create a cheery pocketbook for my granddaughter.

What else can you make with woven triangles? My first thought was kerchiefs for dogs, as my daughter likes to dress up her two pooches. With a large enough loom (the largest we saw adjusts from 3' to 7') one can weave large shawls all in one piece. But actually, triangles may be combined in all sorts of ways to make a variety of objects and combined with knitting or crochet to make even more. One limitation is the fixed nature of the pegs, sort of like a rigid heddle loom with only one heddle. But like I said, it's fun and easy.

Spending my children's inheritance

I've been trying to limit my weaving experiments to stashed yarn because I have a shitload lot of it. BUT I am such a newbie that I find myself wanting to just follow a pattern instead of experimenting. Toward that end, I purchased a couple more books on weaving (Weaving Made Easy, by Liz Gipson, and The Weaver's Idea Book, by Jane Patrick) and some YARN.

What we have here are two spools of Cotton Clouds Aurora Earth 8/2 unmercerized cotton ('Copen' and 'Light Turk'), and two skeins of three colors of Lion Brand Kitchen Cotton ('Blue Ice' which looks like a prefect match for 'Dusty Sky Blue' which is what the pattern calls for, 'Grape', and 'Tropical Breeze').

I won't sample these yarns since I am working from a pattern with the yarns and colors called for, BUT for when I do want to sample or experiment, I now have an Ashford Samplet loom.

And two Kromski pickup sticks. I know some people make their own pickup sticks, but I am too impatient, especially when it comes to working with wood. I do feel bad that I am "tainting" my weaving equipment with something non-Ashford but these were what the shop had on hand. (JOKE)

To give you a perspective on the size difference between the Ashford 24" and the Samplet, here is a pic of them together.

Quite a difference! So besides having something smaller to sample and experiment on, I also have a lap-sized portable loom. Huzzah!

Pigs will fly

When the Cubs won the World Series, I had a premonition about the election. Sadly, my fears came true. I don't remember ever bursting into tears over election results before. My one consolation is voter turnout was low, so we are not so much a nation full of hate but one of apathy and/or frustration. Let's hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

To distract ourselves last Tuesday, my SO and I took a road trip to the Toledo area. At the recommendation of a friend, we stopped at Grand Rapids OH along the way. Despite the Trump signs, we enjoyed our visit there. We ate pie at Miss Lily's Restaurant, strolled along the Maumee River, and made some fiber and decor purchases at the Natural Fiber and Yarn Co.

This store was a delightful surprise, chock full of alpaca and merino products, finished and otherwise. But what really caught my attention was the "barn loom". They estimate it to be about 200 years old, and had to disassemble it to get it out of the previous owner's basement, meticulously labeling the parts to assure correct reassembly.

Look, Ma, no nails!

The weaver sits on the bench at the right of this photo. The beater bar swings from above (like a swing!) and is worn smooth by decades of use.

The brake for the back beam looks like a ship's wheel.

Setup is not complete, as the shop owners are not sure how to get the harnesses hung correctly. (They asked me if I was a weaver, but I was not any help.) They also want to move it to a part of the store where there will be room for demos.

Our fiber day was not over. We continued our daytrip to the Toledo Museum of Art. Besides enjoying a large and diverse collection and some interesting exhibits, we were mesmerized by Plexus no. 35, a thread installation by Gabriel Dawe. These photos do not do it justice - it needs to be seen in person.

In simple terms, literally miles of thread were strung from floor to ceiling, then backlit from above. While the piece looks curved, each thread is actually straight.

The result is a rainbow of vibrant color.

This video shows how the colors appear to move, drifting up and down as one moves around the piece. It is as static as can be, though. What a wonderful visual display!

(The man in the background holding a purse is my SO. And it is *my* purse, although he is manly enough to carry a "man bag".)

My first (real) loom

While the knitterati were gathered at Stitches South or the Interweave Yarn Fest, I wandered off to Bowling Green for the Black Swamp Spinners Guild Market Day. I've been there before, I knew who the vendors would be, and I knew there would be looms, so it is no surprise that I came home with this:

It's an Ashford rigid heddle loom (24") with a stand, purchased from the Weavers Loft. The waxing and assembly took me three hours on Sunday, and unfortunately I have not had the time since to thread the warp and start the weft. Soon, though, very soon. I have LOTS of ideas!

I should know better

One of the primary reasons I have not tried weaving is the expense of a loom. Well, Saturday my granddaughter and I visited the Salomon Farm Fiber Arts Festival where I saw a loom made from cardboard. Ruh-roh. I could barely wait to get home to try this.

I know - not a pretty sight. In my defense, I was babysitting an increasingly restless pre-schooler at the time. It is an inexpensive way to get a taste of weaving, though.

I referenced this site for detailed instructions (which I failed to follow very well), in case you are tempted to try this at home.