Handwoven Magazine Weave-Along

Handwoven magazine is sponsoring a Weave-Along.  Everyone starts with the same profile draft, a two-block design from Mary Meigs Atwater's Shuttle-Craft Book of American Handweaving. 

My weave structures study group decided to participate, so everyone will choose a structure to "plug in" to the profile draft.  I decided to weave an eight shaft turned twill and these are the colors I chose:

I plan to weave pillow covers for the sofa in my family room.  The sofa is sage green and I think these colors will really wake it up!

The next two photos show the sample on the loom before I started weaving.

And here is the sample underway.

This is a weave structure I've never tried before, and it's proving to be a lot of fun to weave!

More Crackle Handbags

Several members of the Weave Structures Study Group I belong to (part of South Coast Weavers and Spinners) have been posting some of our work on Handwoven magazine's online site, Weaving Today.  I posted my doubleweave jacket, and today, posted a photo of some more of the Crackle handbags I've woven. It's fun to see them in a photo gallery with work from weavers all over the world!

Maybe you would like to check out Weaving Today!  http://www.weavingtoday.com/

My photos are posted under Galleries: Weaving Today Study Groups

Doubleweave Overshot Jacket...Finished!

Finished the final details on my jacket yesterday, and am very happy with the way it turned out. 

I've entered it in a garment challenge cosponsored by Handwoven magazine and Vav magasinet.  Handwoven will select ten garments for a runway fashion show at Vav (Sweden's version of Convergence) in Boras, Sweden, in 2011.  Keeping my fingers crossed!

Haute Handbags Magazine, "Crackle"

The latest issue, Spring 2011, of Haute Handbags magazine is scheduled to hit the newsstands April 1st, and I'm thrilled to have an article about my handwoven shoulder bags in it!  I met Beth Livesay, managing editor, last October at Artistic License Fair where I was a vendor.  She invited me to submit the handbags for consideration and, after acceptance by the editorial committee, I wrote two articles.  

Photo by Stampington & Company

The first article is about my introduction to weaving and  the use of color in designing the handbags.  

Photo by Stampington & Company

  Because Haute Handbags had never featured a handwoven handbag, Beth asked me to write a second article explaining the weaving process.  To illustrate the article, I took photos as I began another project, and am pleased that they are included with my article.  

My hope is that readers of Haute Handbags will be inspired to seek out a weaving teacher and add to the growing number of weavers in the world! 

For more information about this issue of Haute Handbags, visit:
http://www.stampington.com/hautehandbags/ 


It's a gorgeous, colorful issue!

 

Doubleweave Overshot Jacket

I've been working on my jacket since Thursday, taking my time, trying to make sure I get it right.  That means making sure the horizontal and vertical grain lines are absolutely straight, the pattern matches at the seams, and carefully following the adage, "Measure twice, cut once."  Actually, I think I measured five or six times before I worked up the nerve to cut!

This shot shows the front and the reverse side of the fabric.

I'm using a Vogue pattern by Marcy Tilton; designed to use felted wool.  I made a test garment to see if I might like a longer version, but opted to keep it short.

I like the way the collar drapes in this photo; that's what I'm after!

Because the jacket is unlined, the seams need to be finished, so I'm using a "couture" finish, binding the seam allowance edges with the same synthetic suede I'll use for the outer edges.

So far, so good!  Now for the sleeves which I hope to finish today.

8/2 Cotton & Rayon Scarf, Undulating Twill

Inexpensive and available in a wide range of colors, 8/2 cotton tempts me to try and find a way it can be used to weave cloth for garments.  The trick seems to be avoiding the dish cloth look!  I want something soft and fluid so am experimenting with combining a cotton warp with rayon weft.  Here is the sample I started yesterday:

The warp colors are arranged to mimic a hand dyed warp (I hope!), and I sampled with a variety of weft colors and textures.

Here are a couple shots of the finished scarf.

 I know this one is blurry, but I like the way it shows the undulating twill structure.

And I can't resist posting this last shot of my sweet buddy, Pica.  She's resting after spending the day with her vet to have a growth removed on her leg.  She also got a bath and a major brush out, so is looking particularly soft and fluffy!

Bertha G.Hayes and Doubleweave Overshot

Jennifer Moore, author of  "The Weaver's Studio: Doubleweave," gave a presentation at our guild last month which inspired me to revisit doubleweave.  One chapter, in particular, caught my attention; doubleweave overshot...  no doubt because my weave structures study group has spent the past couple of months exploring overshot.  And, because the technique meshed perfectly with an idea I had for a double-sided fabric that could be used for a jacket showing both sides.

I had seen an overshot pattern in this book of Bertha G. Hayes' Patterns from the 1940's that I liked.

 

The original pattern was a small, tight design.  I liked the circular motifs a lot, so expanded the draft to enlarge the circles.  

 Here's what it looks like on the loom.

This is the top layer, woven with a mix of copper and two reds.  The bottom layer is two shades of copper and one red.  I've woven over four yards (actually over eight considering there are two layers), with about one yard to go.  Whew!  I can't wait to get it off the loom and see how it looks.

                                          

This is the cover of Jennifer's Book.  Aren't the colors great?