Janice Zindel ~ Shuttle Works Studio: Spring Activites at the Studio

"Lammskinn" and "Skinnfeller."

The second book I sent for, on working with sheepskins arrived, "Lammskinn." This is the book mentioned in a previous post that I'd seen in issue 1/2013 of VAV Magazine. "Lammskinn" is in Swedish, and appears to focus more on items to wear. "Skinnfeller" is in Norwegian, and is more functional items, along with the stamping done on the leather, an old art in Norway I am told. I am just beginning to translate them, using Google Translate along with a little help when needed, when I need clarification or something doesn't make sense. I am doing this for my own learning. Photos are wonderful, but I want information, too. Why did I order these? I wanted to know how sheepskins are stitched to woven coverlets, and though I could just put it together, I wanted to know how it is done in those countries where this type of coverlet is a long tradition. Thankfully, "Lammskinn" has a couple photos with diagram of how to stitch the two together. A lot to spend for that bit of information, yes, but there is so much more contained in these books and I want to learn.

First woven shibori scarf, in progress.

After weaving ten samples, most on the 10 shaft twill threading, and a couple on Monk's Belt, I re-warped the loom with enough warp for two or three scarves, the photo above is of the first, in progress. This will be a scarf with woven shibori border at each end.

Scarf (far left) and ten samples, ready to be dyed.

On the left, above is the scarf with woven shibori border at each end, and the ten samples. Such a tangle of threads! Laying horizontally across the top is a sample with the gathering threads trimmed. I want to be sure things are tight enough before trimming the rest as it will be easier to tighten and tie with the longer threads.

Woven shibori is an interesting process, full of possibilities. You weave with white, warp and weft, and the gathering thread. Off the loom, you gather from one side, tie tightly, then gather and really tighten things up from the other side. Most of the samples were 8" wide at the reed, and the scarf was 10" wide at the reed. After gathering tightly, they are now perhaps 1 1/8" to 1 1/4" wide.

If all goes well, I hope to make up my first indigo dyepot tomorrow, and will test if the vat is working, and depth of color, with a small piece or two of PFD cotton, then try one of the woven samples. After they are wet, and the first sample dyed, I will probably open it up to see if the tightened pattern threads kept the dye out, or not. If not, I'll have to open up and tighten all the threads on all the samples and scarf, then proceed. I'll be taking photos during the process, and of the results afterward.

I kept hoping for spring and warmer temps, and late in April we did have a couple warm days, then it went back to cold, freezing rain, sleet, and even a bit of snow early in May. Tomorrow should be 64 or so, warmer would be better, as I want to do the dyeing outside on the lakeside porch, close to water source, and stove, or hotplate or something if I need to warm the vat a bit. Also, I can tie clothesline between the house, a pine tree, and a fence post to have a place to hang the samples and scarves. I'd really prefer to not have indigo soaking into pine floors.

I had hoped to possibly start the dyeing this morning, but then the phone rang... it was Wild Instincts (I am a rescue driver for them). Could I go out and get a loon that had landed on a road? Yes. So put bin, bag with heavy gloves, etc. in the back of my vehicle and was on my way. Arrived, no loon, no people, checked my phone, they had called back, the loon had been taken to an animal hospital, so turn around and head down the highway.

I put the box the loon was in into my large bin as I didn't want it deciding to try and escape or get injured further. All was well until I reached Rhinelander when there was a fair amount of thumping going on in back. I pulled off the road and sure enough, the loon had had enough and was trying to get out of the box. No choice, but to put the lid on the bin (there are lots of airholes) for the last 10 minutes of the ride. I'd left it off as I didn't want the loon to overheat. When I arrived and took the lid off, the loon was, of course, still in the bin, but no longer in the box! An intern examined the loon and found scapes on the bottom of both feet and one "toe" was a bit split. Injuries were sprayed with appropriate meds and it was determined the loon could be released right away. So back into the bin, I drove the intern a mile or so down the road, and she was able to release the loon onto a now ice-free lake. That was one happy loon! The three photos below are from early this afternoon. I've been doing this rescue driver work for perhaps twelve years, and this was the first time I was there to witness a release. What a joy!