Changing Locations

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Card Weaving

I wonder if anyone else has tried card weaving. It creates woven bands about the width of those that you create using an Inkle Loom, but the sheds are created by cards that the wool is threaded through.  It's a very old technique, and Interweave Press sells a book about it (called "Card Weaving" of course) which includes a set of cardboard cards to get you started.  I've been trying the "card loom" over the past two weeks.  It does allow one to create more complex designs than the Inkle Loom does.  That's the advantage.

The disadvantage is that it's hard to maneuver the cards and keep the various sheds open as you weave.  It's a slow and tedious process.  I'm gradually beginning to understand how the various designs get created (you have to vary the direction that the cards are turned as well as the way that the warp yarns are threaded through the cards).  The technique does allow one to weave bands without a loom: all you need is something to anchor the ends of the yarn.  Using hand spun yarn, as I am, makes the process a bit harder; the yarn is fragile and you have to be careful you do not fray the yarn as you turn the cards and open the shed.

I enjoyed reading about this ancient weaving technique and trying it out.

This photo shows both the front and back sides of the band.

The loom in operation.

Cards and Paintings

It's fun to turn successful paintings into greeting cards, particularly when I can share them with friends who love the subjects of the paintings.  The llamas in the previous post made great greeting cards for the owners of the animals.  Two beautiful spots in Colebrook, NH resulted in successful paintings.  One was a cabin at sunset and the other a green filled study of the Poore Family Farm and it's buildings.  Here are the paintings:

Sunset in New Hampshire

Poore Family Farm

And here are the greeting cards that I created from the paintings.  I've used watercolors, pastels and oil paintings as the basis for my greeting cards and all have been successful.  I photograph the original paintings and use Microsoft Word to create the cards.  I print on card stock using archival inks.  It's a wonderful way to share the paintings with others.

 

Inspired by Our Animal Friends

These animals were just asking to have their portraits done.  Painting them was lots of fun.

  

 

Dyeing with Indigo

Design created by stitching

I had a fascinating evening at the Woods Hole Library at an indigo dyeing workshop.  I had never used indigo to dye any of my wool, so I was very excited to learn the process and dye a couple of skeins of my hand spun wool.  Once the evening got underway, I realized that not only was I going to get a chance to learn the indigo dyeing process, but the workshop was also going to teach me Shibori techniques for creating designs on cloth in the process of dyeing them.


The process is a little like "tie dyeing", but much more involved.  We learned several folding and tying techniques that expose only part of the fabric to the dye and create beautiful designs.  Some of the most intricate designs are created by stitching the fabric (using heavy thread and running stitches) and pulling and pleating the fabric that has been stitched.  Thread can be used to bind the fabric creating circles or lines.  The workshop was only two hours long, so it was merely an introduction to the possibilities of the method. Indigo is the traditional dye used for Shibori, but I can see that other dyes could be used effectively.  I'm interested in trying the technique with some of the lichen dyes that I use on wool.

Packets of the indigo dye (enough for a large bucket and 15 yards of fabric) are available for around $15, so this technique is fairly inexpensive.  Since the dye pot lasts for several days until it is exhausted, It's a great communal activity.  I ended up with two skeins of lovely light blue yarn and two squares of lovely Shibori designed cloth.  What a fun evening.

Design created by folding

Trying out the Inkle Loom and New Orchids

After making a set of heddles, I was able to warp the loom using several different designs.  There are limited design possibilities with this warp faced weave, but the resulting bands are colorful, interesting, and useful for decorative bands on clothing or for handles for handbags or camera bags or whatever.  Next I want to experiment with a wider band, and perhaps try a balanced weave to see how the loom works for this.

I made the first heddles with cotton twine, but switched to a synthetic twine which is stronger and less apt to snag the yarn.

Warping the loom

Three different bands; this was practice in creating different warp faced designs.

I came home from the orchid show this weekend with two new orchids, a Cattleya with yellow and purple blooms and a Dendrobium with lovely white and pink flowers.  Nice color to create a sense of spring inside the house!

New Year Challenges

What a fantastic Christmas present!

I may get a chance to use up some of my boxes of homespun wool this winter.  My husband made me an inkle loom for my Christmas present.  It's not only beautiful, but it's a fully functional loom for weaving narrow strips of fabric.  I've never done any weaving before, so here's my chance to learn a little bit about how it is done.  My daughter is the experienced weaver in the family, but it will be fun to learn a bit about the process.  I do have loads of wool that I'd love to use up!

December String Ensemble Concert; Cultural Center of Cape Cod

I had a wonderful, rejuvenating break from this Fall's cello playing over the Christmas holidays; now I'm motivated to start the new year with work on technique and some new pieces.  String Ensemble doesn't start again until mid February, so I have lots of time to devote to scale work, some new etudes, work on a Bach gigue, a thumb position Breval piece, and begin a beautiful Brahms Sonata.  It's a joy and a gift to be able to play such beautiful music on such a lovely instrument.  Cellos are awesome!

Someone shared this wonderful musical cartoon with me:

Happy New Year everyone!