Diversified Plain Weave Experiment #1

Here are some results from my first experience with Diversified Plain Weave. I am beginning to understand the basics of this weave structure.  It turns out to be a series of thin-fat-thin yarn sandwiches in both warp and weft. The threading is 1, Pattern,1, 2, Pattern, 2, etc with skinny threads on 1 and 2, fat threads on all the pattern shafts. On an 8 harness loom you will have 6 pattern blocks to play with. 

Weaving is Tabby 1, pattern, Tabby 1, Tabby 2, pattern, Tabby 2. Now a key rule is that an ODD tabby shot must be followed by a pattern shot that is tied up to a 2 plus the pattern. Every EVEN tabby must be followed by a pattern shaft that is tied to a 1 plus the pattern. If you follow this rule, then you have a thin thread tabby base supporting the fat yarn pattern. 

There are also color rules for maximum effect. If your thin warp is dark, your fat warp  should be light, your fat weft should be dark and your thin weft should be light. 

 So, the very first thing I did was break one of the rules. I usually like to know what I am doing before I play fast and loose with the rules, but learning can happen either way. The  picture with the shallow zig zags is a sample of an even tabby followed by an even pattern and odd tabby followed by odd pattern.

 I changed the treadling order for the next sample to the correct version of odd tabby followed by even pattern, and even tabby followed by odd pattern. Makes a big difference. This is the one with the steeper zig zags.  There was never a problem with the weft catching the selvedge threads. The fabric is less stiff. But visually, I like them both. I might even like the "wrong" one a little better. Is it just because it is "wrong"?

 The one with the diamonds is another treadling on the same sample warp. The diamonds are more elongated than I expected them to be. Could be that it is a challenge to weave this structure to square. I will have to do a little more sampling with that question in mind.

 I think I shall hem these and turn them into a hostess gift, along with a bar of handmade soap from Sleeping Frog Farm.

Now, who wants to have me over for dinner?

P.S. For some reason (sunspots?) I can't put the text where I want in relation to the pictures, so You have to use your head a bit. 

P.P.S

I included a picture from my trip to Arizona just for fun, and as a reward to the non-weavers out there.1 Should this be my Christmas Card next year?

Second week of Studio Time, and I logged 15 hours. I am impressed with myself. Thank you, everyone in my life who allows me to cut loose and play in my studio. I learned quite a few things.

1) Studio Time makes me happy. There is a satisfaction, a release from anxiety, that I didn't expect. I have a great life. Fab hubby, nice house, great kids. I own a business that I am very proud of. But there is always a little itch. Always the question about when I will chase down the nagging technical question about... whatever. Just like any itch, it quiets down a bit if I scratch it.

2) Plying yarn is exciting - mostly because it means I will soon be finished with this one yarn project and will be able to start something new. It is still a very slow way to get yarn.

3) Diversified Plain Weave is just a bunch  of fat warp and fat weft sandwiches, with the bread being skinny warp and weft.  Skinny, Fat, Skinny, both ways.  Color play is important. It might help to have a floating selvedge with this one - because you repeat each tabby (skinny) thread two times before moving on. The treadling ( and threading) is Skinny#1, Fat #2, Skinny #1, Skinny #2, Fat #1, Skinny #2.
I know this isn't actually helpful to someone who wants to try this.  I am about 7 inches into a weaving sample. It is a stiff little piece of fabric. It might end up being OK for the towels I was hoping for. But it might be better suited to table runner, pillow or handbag. It's an experiment, and I am learning a lot. And, it is attractive. Pictures coming, once I find my camera.

4) Tunisian Entrelac is begging for more attention. The rule in Tunisian Crochet is to NEVER TURN YOUR WORK. The rule is Tunisian Entrelac is that you turn your work at the end of your series of beautiful tilty blocks. So, you get an interweaving of two "sides" of the fabric.  I have been preparing for a Tunisian Entrelac class - (Friday at Woven Art, still room! And at Knit Michigan, Feb 4 - still room!), and started  a blanket. I asked myself - what would happen if you did not turn your work at  the end of a series of tilty blocks? I mostly asked that question because I was WAY off on my gauge calculations, and my blanket would have been great for a baby - but not what I intended. What I intend is a cozy blanket that an entire family can cuddle under while watching TV.
I was off on my gauge because I wanted a jagged edge all the way around this blanket, instead of a smooth one - so I didn't start with base triangles. I started with squares, which take up twice as much of the chain as I had calculated for.
Blah, Blah Blah. Anyway - it all leads to me trying out something new. It is very interesting. It might be worthy of writing a pattern. It would be so much better in an ombre yarn, but it is pretty damn intriguing in the short variegation I am using.

I might be easily intrigued.

Woodland Weaver's Guild

I enjoyed a lovely evening last night with the Woodland Weaver's Guild in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The topic was Rigid Heddle Weaving. We demonstrated the speed and ease of direct warping, had a lengthy show and tell of fabrics my students and I have woven using these nifty looms, and a great question and answer period.  If you are a weaver in the Grand Rapids area who is not yet associated with this guild, look them up!
The drive to and from Lansing was easy and uneventful, but I did get home rather late last night. I am dragging a bit today. I would love an excuse to curl up in a quilt with a good book and a cup of tea. And, this arrives at the shop.

The only questions now are: what flavor tea, and does this count as studio time?

Studio Time

I have a plan. I am calling it studio time. I will have studio time as often as I can.

Studio time is more a state of mind than it is a place. I anticipate that most of my studio time will be happily spent in one of my studios. I am lucky enough to have two designated spaces in my home. One is wet (basement) for painting and dyeing. One is dry (grown child's former bedroom) for spinning and any form of yarn play. The dry studio is also where I keep books, magazines and a computer.

Studio time can be spent on anything that causes me to grow as an artist and craftsperson. Knitting, crocheting, weaving other people's designs does not count. I will still be doing that, because it is fun, and there are tons of great designs out there that are calling to me. I  learn something from every project. But still, I won't count it.

Studio time can be research. This could include reading about a technique, or taking photos, or gathering inspiration where ever I can find it.
Studio time should be experimental.
Studio time can be productive, as in making real things, so long as they are of my own design. I am allowed to use someone else's ideas as a jumping off point. I hope to return that favor to some other artist or designer down the road.
Studio time might  make me a better shopowner/teacher.
and most important: Studio time just makes me happy.

I was chatting with Kathy (works at Woven Art) about Studio time, as we agreed that when you make space in your life,to be creative, the ideas flood in.

I don't think I will set any goals regarding how much studio time to require of myself. If I aim for ten hours and only get 9, it will make me grumpy and feel like a failure. I know this from past experience. Instead, I will see Studio Time as a gift to myself. One that is really good for me, like exercise and farm fresh veggies.

I gave myself two hours of studio time today. I spun some yarn, worked on a Theo Moorman tapestry, and read a little about diversified plain weave.  And, I feel great.

New Resolutions

Oh, I have the usual suspects down. You know, lose weight, be nice to my husband, work harder and smarter. I trust my friends not to really hold me to these. But I also have a creative resolution list.
It's a fluid thing, changing with my interests, energy level, and time constraints. New ideas tend to derail current ideas-in-progress, making it hard to fully accomplish things sometimes.
I accept this fluidity as an important part of my creative process.  But I worry about some of the better ideas getting away if I don't capture them somehow. A new idea actually causes me anxiety, because as much as I want to chase down "new idea", I am worried about dropping and losing the ones I already have brewing.
Did you see Ice Age? With the squirrel needing to keep track of his acorn?  That cracks me up every time I see it. That is exactly how I feel about my fiber to do list. Ironically, just like with the squirrel and his nut, the harder I try to grasp an idea, the more likely I am to either have it slip through my fingers, or squeeze the life out of it.
The coming of a New Year is a great excuse to give a little solidity to ephemeral ideas. I am about to start a list of creative objectives to accomplish in the next year. This list will be a fluid thing, with a few rules. Starting today I will publish a list here of some of the things I really want to do. I am allowed to add more, and maybe even subtract some until and including January 1. On January 2 I will have a final list. And, friends, I expect you to hold me to them.
Here goes:
1. Start an Etsy Shop.
   Weavings I think. But what should I start with? Little Theo Moorman tapestries? Kitchen Towels? Fabulous scarves and shawls? Results from weaving experiments?
2. Experiment with Weaving techniques. Collapse weave with handspun yarn for starters.
3. Write and publish 3 patterns. By publish I mean any public format. It could be in my Ravelry Shop, it could be in a magazine ( in which case I will allow for actual print in 2013), it could be for shop hop. It could be free on my blog. These patterns should be:
        A knitting pattern - first one might be based on something second daughter wants - a 70's style puffy vest.
        A crochet pattern - thinking about either Tunisian bathroom rugs, or Ipad cover
        A weaving pattern - maybe the result of some weaving experiments.
4. Refine my spinning. I can be pretty specific about this one. I want to make a novelty yarn based on instructions in a recent "The Wheel", a publication put out by Ashford. And I want to try this.

OK there it is. Publicly announced, and therefore more embarrassing if I flake out. And, I still have the opportunity to refine, add or subtract for the next 4 days.

Note that this list does not include any ongoing, current, or about to be started projects. I should list them here so that they don't get dropped!
Knit, Swirl
Technika
A tunisian entrelac blanket for my couch. Haven't started it yet, but the yarns have been picked out and are on my to do shelf in my studio. That makes it a committment
Mitered Crosses Blanket.  I swear I will finish at least one square. It will make a cute, if impossibly tiny pillow.

And, now it's your turn? Do you have any creative resolutions for 2012? Put them in the comment box - I would love to have some company.

By the way...

F.O.stands for Finished Object. Just in case you thought... You know.
I am trying to be nice here.

F.O. Santa!

I am so excited that I have finished two projects in the "Nick" of time! I just wanted to share the news with Santa, in case he didn't get the message of what a very good girl I have been.
Our  family fun starts tomorrow evening when everyone arrives.  I will have very little time for anything but the most mindless of knitting for the next several days. I am ready!

Kristin's Christmas Stocking - finished a year ahead of time! My tradition is to knit one per year until everyone in my family has their own fancy stocking. I am using the kits from Judy's Colors. I  love how the patterns are sort of traditional, but not really. I finished Kathryn's about a month ago, so I was on schedule already for this year. But, hey, what is the holiday season without some unreasonable knitting deadline? I cast on for Kristin's stocking, thinking that at least I would have a head start on next year. But I finished! Watched "The Help" while putting in the green toe.
Next year I will knit one for Kelly. Really honey! And the year after that, Ryan, my SIL. Then I will be all caught up - unless someone new joins our family in the next two years. What are the odds of that?

I felt so on top of things that I pulled out a "marinating" project. Last Christmas, my oldest gave me a ball of handspun that she had made just for me. So sweet! Then 3 months later, she gave me the other ball. I started knitting myself a hat way back in February, and stopped when I ran out of yarn. Knowing that she is coming tomorrow I decided it would show my appreciation for her gift if I actually finished my hat. 
I like to knit hats from the top down. Especially with mystery yarn. Didn't know the gauge, didn't know how much I had. Turns out I had enough yarn to make a slouchy!  I made the top roomy, and when I got to the headband part, I went down two needles sizes, and began the ribbing. I have about three inches of ribbing there - so the top part hangs nicely off the back of my head. It is super warm, and looks super cute on me. Thanks again honey!

Holiday deadline knitting now completely done. I have cast on for Peiga Cowl, using O'Paca from Fleece artist, held with some hand dyed silk I had in my stash. The O'Paca has the look of a fine mohair yarn, but with the ultimate softness of alpaca. It knits at a gauge of about 5 stitches to the inch on size 7 needles. Fleece Artist does genius color work with their dyes. There is a swatch now in the shop, and maybe the cowl soon - depends on how many holiday movies we watch, and who is mixing the drinks.