Today I was able to hem and finish two more towels, a straight draw twill, both warp and weft are cottolin, and a plain weave using a white cotton thick & thin weft. Both look nice tonight on an antique cupboard with the birdhouses, painted years ago by my mother, Ruth Helgestad.
Tonight son Noah was assembling the basic framework of the opphampta attachment. When I purchased it from another weaver, I knew it was for a 54" loom, and my loom is 48" but thought some of it would be generic to fit any Glimakra Standard loom, and the two main support pieces for the top could be made. In order to show a woodworker what I need, I wanted the top structure assembled as he will most likely not be familiar with looms. I know when I need something from the hardware store and I mention the word "loom," their eyes glaze over.
Tonight son Noah was assembling the basic framework of the opphampta attachment. When I purchased it from another weaver, I knew it was for a 54" loom, and my loom is 48" but thought some of it would be generic to fit any Glimakra Standard loom, and the two main support pieces for the top could be made. In order to show a woodworker what I need, I wanted the top structure assembled as he will most likely not be familiar with looms. I know when I need something from the hardware store and I mention the word "loom," their eyes glaze over.
I want to go over my calculations for the drawcord warp again, as the example in "Damask and Opphampta" is for a 60" wide loom. Then I'll be able to finally get that drawcord warp made, in anticipation of the reeds arriving.
Meanwhile, I weave and crank, and continue looking for some spinning and felting time.
7 comments:
I am finding your blog very interesting. While I now live in Kansas, I grew up in Wisconsin. I even visited Boulder Junction as a child on one of the few vacations my parents ever took us on.
I learned to weave at UW-O and also studied fibers at UW-Madison. It seemed I always graduated ahead of the new technology the school was getting in. I would like to some day explore the complex weaves but haven't meant anyone around here involved with that. I recently bought a circular sock machine and my husband and I went to Indiana last year to the convention. As of yet, I have not made a pair of socks as I am working full time as a special ed. teacher. Hopefully this summer. Anyway, keep up the good work and know it is an inspiration to others who would like to be doing what you are doing now. Happy weaving.
Hi Sherrie, I am very happy you stopped by and are finding something interesting here. You did what I wanted to do, study textiles at UW-Madison. By the time I might have been able to, they were phasing it out. Since then I've been raising children and homeschooling them. Two teens and one college student at home yet so my time is not entirely my own, but I do finally have more time for the weaving and fibers that I've waited so long to do.
Do you weave? Spin? How wonderful you found a sock machine and were able to go to the conference. I'm sure you'll work it out this summer and be cranking socks before fall. Hope you continue to look in here. Email me if you think I might be of help.
Sherrie, you might consider joining Complex Weavers, all you need is an interest. The journal is great, there are study groups, and a lending library. Check out their website if you haven't already.
http://www.complex-weavers.org
Love the towels, and the birdhouses too!
Interesting that you're getting closer to have the Opphampta thingie (aren't I technical?) ready. I'm definitely slow about those wood-working tool type parts of weaving.
I've wondered about joining Complex Weavers. Even though I weave simple things at the moment, the mathematical part of my brain is definitely interested in the complexities of weave structures. So I could join CW and just receive publications? I don't have to contribute any more than that?? (Somehow I have the impression that CW members are supposed to be doing complex weaving and contributing content....and I'd definitely just be a learner for quite some time.)
Sorry for the hugely long comment!
Sue
Anyone with an interest in complex weaving may join Complex Weavers.
Of course, they like people to contribute to the journal, some comes from individuals, some from the study groups. Everyone has to start somewhere, and if you look at the website and list of study groups, you'll see they some are highly complex or specialized, but there are at least a couple that are more basic.
So, yes, you can join and just receive publications, and expect that is what many people do, at least until they get more involved or interested in a specific area.
I believe the dues are $25/year and you would receive the CW Journal (3X/year?), a membership list, list of all books and study
group notebooks in the lending library. Every two years, usually following Convergence, CW has a seminar with several workshops.
Hope to see you both join. Since "Weavers" is no longer, CW is the best place for info on CW weaving.
I encourage you to browse through the website (above). Some study groups require participation (as in samples, etc., but not all of them. The study group "dues" are usually just what is needed for mailing newsletters. A few of them also have private yahoo on-line sites, but you must be a CW member to participate.
Just as a matter of information, the Double Harness group has both the on-line group along with a quarterly newsletter. We do not require samples, though occasional newsletter submissions are encouraged (by me!), if not a weaving project, at least news of what you are working on.
Hope this helps!
Thanks for the info! Good to know that I can join!!
I'll check it out more thoroughly now!!
Sue
Complex Weavers Journal arrived in the mail today, along with new Membership list. Time to leave the loom and go be inspired to keep weaving, learning, and exploring.
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