Stymied

I had big weaving plans for this summer, but somehow they didn't happen. So I decided that Wednesdays would be blocked out for big projects, the kinds of things I am reluctant to start when I know I'll be interrupted by an appointment or an event or whatever. So this past Wednesday, I not only wove an inkle band, but warped the 24" rigid heddle loom and mostly warped the Samplet.

Then I thought I would weave on the 24" loom, but discovered that both shuttles are loaded for use with the (stalled) Great Grizzly loom. Then I picked up the Lempi sweater to start a sleeve, but despite having a boatload of knitting needles, somehow I did not have an extra 16" US8 circular one. (I want to work the stripes on both sleeves at the same time, so the colors line up.) Then I decided on a "palate cleanser" - the Timberlane cowl - but lacked a 16" US4 circular needle. Gah!

So I returned to the abandoned socks. Like most fiber people, there is always something that can be knit or spun or wove on hand.

Knitting: The body of the Lempi sweater is complete. A while back, I ripped back the tops of the socks I am replacing, so I could reuse the yarn, and am to the point of attaching that recycled yarn.
Spinning: I finished spinning the fiber from Three Moons Fiberworks and plan to chain-ply it (as soon as I review the process on YouTube).
Weaving: After reviewing my go-to warping videos on YT, I warped the 24" rigid heddle loom with 8/4 carpet warp so that I can weave a rug. With the warping instructions fresh in my mind, I then warped the SampleIt for some loopy dishcloths. And the inkle band is off the loom.

This coming week looks pretty clear, so once I get some of those necessary accouterments, I expect to be forging ahead on my fiber projects.

Have a well-equiped week!

What did we do before the Internet? And YouTube? And fiber friends?

One of the things I *hate* about weaving is warping. My back aches from bending over the loom, I have trouble getting an even tension across the warp, and invariably the yarn leaps off the warping peg just when I am almost done. Then there is the winding onto the back beam, the threading through the holes of the heddle, and the tying onto the front beam. And if one doesn't do a decent job warping, the weaving does not go well.

Enter two weavers and their wonderful methods for tackling warping. A fiber friend turned me onto Amy D. McKnight and her videos about hybrid warping. Instead of a warping peg, she uses a warping board, to direct warp her rigid heddles looms. Little Looms highlighted a video by Sara Goldenberg that describes a fool-proof method for tying on. Between the two of them, warping a scarf on my 24-inch Ashford was a relative breeze.

But first. The drafting table that my SO helped set up in the studio came in handy for weaving prep. I was able to attach the swift and ball winder on one side of the table and clamp down the loom and warping board on the other side. Very handy. The table is higher than any of my other tables, which made warping a bit easier on my back.

For my first project after surgery I chose a simple, plain weave scarf, which uses a 2.5' warp length. A length of nylon cord helped me determine the path the warp should take through the warping board.

Then one just follows the path while warping. Easy peasy! Amy includes in her 3-part hybrid warping videos her method for winding onto the back beam without needing another pair of hands. An added bonus is her method provides an even tension across the warp.

In Sara's video, she explains how she uses rubber bands to hold the rigid heddle and front beam steady while tying on. And she has a special method for tying on that allows one to maintain that even tension from winding on.

So, I'm weaving again! This is a rather narrow project (could have used the SampleIt, but it still has a project on it), so I am curious as to how well these techniques will "scale up" for something like cotton towels. Instead of dreading it, I am looking forward to trying it out.

Knitting: Still inching up the legs of the socks. I knit a bit everyday, usually in the morning while digesting breakfast.
Spinning: I finished spinning one of the silk/merino/tencel braids, will ply it today (probably). There is another braid, but I am going to wait until I knit up the first batch, to see if I want to try something different.
Weaving: See above. Plus I (finally) managed to knit the two blanket panels together; now I just need to add a knitted border to two sides.

This weekend was the Jay County Fiber Arts Festival, but I chose not to go this year. I looked up classes at other upcoming fiber festivals and just can't get excited about any of them. And we all know I don't need any more fiber. But I reserve the right to change my mind.

Help

I hate to warp my rigid heddle loom. Invariably, the pegs pop off and/or I kick the loom, making the warp all cattywampus and/or the warp is grossly uneven.


Then a fiber friend steered me toward Amy McKnight and her hybrid warping videos. Ordinarily, you can't use a warping board with an Ashford rigid heddle loom, but she has figured out to do that AND wind on the warp without a helper. I am in awe.

And then what? Well, here's what. Sara Goldenberg White has an instructional video (courtesy of Long Thread Media, publisher of Little Looms) that shows you how to tie onto the front beam so that everything comes out even.

What did we ever do before the Internet?

Knitting: I finished the bias dishcloths and started one in seed stitch. I am discovering that watching TV is not conducive to knitting seed stitch. I make a mistake every other row when I am distracted by the show I am viewing. So I've been reduced to knitting sans TV.
Weaving: I finished my curves practice on the Mirrix tapestry loom. Now it's back to the skyline sample.

Last Tuesday, I visited the shoulder surgeon for my one-year checkup. The new (left) shoulder is still good as new, should last forever. I had him check out the right one. After testing its strength and flexibility, he commented that it was pretty useless. I wouldn't go that far, but the micro movements of knitting and the reaching of weaving are quite painful. So it will be replaced as well, after the first of the year.

Have a bionic week.