The zipped bag has the pattern dl in the warp. I used the "special" variegated yarn as the light strand. I didn't have quite enough, so you can see where I switched to pure yellow part way along the bag. I interspersed groups of three threads of pure colour in the mostly blended green weft.
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Saturday, 16 November 2013
Colour and Weave final projects
The zipped bag has the pattern dl in the warp. I used the "special" variegated yarn as the light strand. I didn't have quite enough, so you can see where I switched to pure yellow part way along the bag. I interspersed groups of three threads of pure colour in the mostly blended green weft.
Monday, 23 September 2013
Tartan cushion
My friend's tartan cushion looks great among her sofa-full of hand made cushions. She machine zig-zagged the edges of the squares together and attached it to a fabric back with a zip along one edge. (See the post from 25 May for the weaving of the squares.)
Wednesday, 4 September 2013
Colour and Weave experiments (phase 2)
While I was doing the first colour and weave experiments I was also travelling in western Canada. I got glimpses of verges and fields of wild flowers with brilliant spots of colour scattered across the mixed greens of the plants and grasses. To see if I could get that effect with weaving I bought some colours and began to spin. The first job was a selection of pure bright flower colours. I also made a ball of variegated, spacing the pure flower colours between sections of grey green to see if that will work to make the colours appear randomly across the weaving.
Then I began to create mixed variations of greens.
Here is my first sample to imitate the colour scheme of a field of flowers using the pure colours. I have yet to try the variegated and the full range of the greens.
Then I began to create mixed variations of greens.
Here is my first sample to imitate the colour scheme of a field of flowers using the pure colours. I have yet to try the variegated and the full range of the greens.
Friday, 23 August 2013
Colour and Weave experiments (phase 1)
This summer I've been playing with Colour and Weave. The starting point was a gamp from The Structure of Weaving by Anne Sutton (page 36). I recorded the combinations of threading and began to chart them myself and then weave some to find out first hand how this works. I prepared three-ply yarns from dyed fleece in light greys and dark greens and blues (from Custom Woolen Mills near Carstairs Alberta Canada).
One set that worked really well looks a bit like a basket weave pattern. I wove a single and then a double variation. (SINGLE: warp: 2 lights 1 dark, weft: the same as warp. DOUBLE: warp: 2 lights 1 dark 1 light 1 dark, weft: the same as warp)
Once I understood this pattern, I charted a triple version of it for a future weaving. (TRIPLE: warp: 2 darks 1 light 1 dark 1 light 1 dark 1 light, weft: the same as warp)
Another pattern looks like bars of colour with little dots along the bars. (warp: 1 light 1 dark, weft: groups of three of each colour with the first pick going under warps of the same colour)
One set that worked really well looks a bit like a basket weave pattern. I wove a single and then a double variation. (SINGLE: warp: 2 lights 1 dark, weft: the same as warp. DOUBLE: warp: 2 lights 1 dark 1 light 1 dark, weft: the same as warp)
Once I understood this pattern, I charted a triple version of it for a future weaving. (TRIPLE: warp: 2 darks 1 light 1 dark 1 light 1 dark 1 light, weft: the same as warp)
Another pattern looks like bars of colour with little dots along the bars. (warp: 1 light 1 dark, weft: groups of three of each colour with the first pick going under warps of the same colour)
Saturday, 25 May 2013
Tartan and Twill squares all complete
There are 8 twill squares. Green is the warp and one of the other three colours is the weft. Here's my favourite in the warm siena brown in a 3/2 twill.
I did two different tartan patterns.
One based on the proportions of a Graham tartan.
One based on the proportions of a Campbell tartan.
All the ends were left at the edges and caught lightly onto the back afterwards.
Monday, 4 March 2013
Tartan and Twill
A friend asked me to do a tartan pillow using her choice of four colours of fine wool. My first test was a gamp (trying every colour with every other colour). I knew nothing about tartan except that the same pattern of stripes is used for both both warp and weft and it is often woven as a twill. There are thousands of tartans. I was at a loss to design my own, so I found a four-colour tartan and copied the proportions. I applied my friend's colours to it and made a "tartan ruler" as a way to chart the warp and weft.
From doing the gamp I realized that a full sized pillow with such fine yarn in pin weaving was going to be too daunting. I proposed a checkerboard sampler of 16 squares so that I can work small and modular. Eight squares will be tartan, and the other eight will be a two-colour twill. That way I can experiment with moving the design around on the tartan pattern and try a lot of different twill patterns.
I'm nearly finished the fourth square and find them relaxing to make.
From doing the gamp I realized that a full sized pillow with such fine yarn in pin weaving was going to be too daunting. I proposed a checkerboard sampler of 16 squares so that I can work small and modular. Eight squares will be tartan, and the other eight will be a two-colour twill. That way I can experiment with moving the design around on the tartan pattern and try a lot of different twill patterns.
I'm nearly finished the fourth square and find them relaxing to make.