smålandsväv

I once found this picture on the Internet and kept it for future use.
(http://riksvav.se/kronobergsvav/y11/feb11.html)




Last weekend, I warped the loom for my first Smålandsväv weave. It was also the first time I used a warping paddle and made a cross at both ends. I found out that the portée cross simplifies putting the warp up on the loom.




I drilled useless extra holes on the two middle treadles, right underneath the closest preset top harness beam. But I ended up with too much space between both harnesses. The back shafts are finally threaded on the 10th holes.






My samples... washed, pressed, then mangled. The ground weave in 2/9 linen, 18 ends/inch (7 ends/cm). A bit too open, Maybe I'll use a thicker ground weft. Blocks are 3x3 ends. Pattern weft used is cotton chenille (5 middle colours), 2/8 worsted wool (navy), single handspun wool (large top grey) and doubled 2/9 linen (bottom yellow). Wool gave the best results: weft shots are nicely sitting flat next to each other, slightly felted. Cotton chenille doesn't look at its best once pressed and worst after flat mangling, same as when just getting unrolled from the bobbin.




The first runner is woven with natural 2/8 worsted wool. There is 10 yards of warp wounded up on the back, hopefully enough for 3 or 4 pieces.

Linen-cottolin scarf and rug samples

While Nero is helping out on the hand dyed linen-cottolin scaft project,




I am preparing a short warp for weaving rug samples for our weaving Guild.




So short that it's not even reaching the warp beam.




All done!

Late with posting but busy weaving this spring.

I have been busier weaving than posting lately which is in a sense much better than having no time to

My first double-weave overshot sample is completed.




Then I wove a second one that looks like a regular single layer overshot but look closely and notice the different sections where the colour of the tabby colour becomes the pattern weft in the adjacent section.







After cutting these samples off, I re-slew everything to try the "sun, moon and stars" pattern found in Jennifer Moore's Doubleweave book with the remainder of the warp.




This loom doesn't have a counterbalance beam so I used three jacks on each side to hold the pulleys.




I also found out that putting a rubber band around the upper sticks on each side helps a lot stabilizing the shafts when weaving on a narrow warp.




The small loom was used for a cotolin tea towels project.







I also wove a matching narrow band to make suspending loops for these towels.




At our weaving Guild, I wove a few 8/2 cotton towels. The direct view we have on the waterfront is so inspiring.







And back home my last project was to weave a table runner using siberian iris leaves I cut and kept in the garage some 2 or 3 summers ago.




The loom is warpes with linen, mostly singles with narrow gaps between each colour sections. I used a repp technique where leaves are woven in groups of 6 and cut at about 6 inches from the selvage line.




The floor soon became a mess.




So did the table during the final trim




And here is the final product!

double weaving overshot samples

During the overshot class taken at our guild, I wanted to try weaving an overshot double weave sample.

I had (as usual) to start with making some new parts. 4 block requires 4 shafts and 6 threadles, multiply by 2 for double weave. My wider loom only has 10 threadles and it's lower lamm cannot accommodate more than that. Why are the lower ones for 12 threadles and the upper ones only for 10? That's what came with the loom...

New upper lams and extra threadles

Each layer needs it's own set of shafts, lamms and threadles, as if they were woven on separate looms.

split tie-up, one group per layer

I do not (yet) have a back harness (drawloom) for this loom but I still use long-eyed heddles and control the alternance of the layers manually with a pickup stick and a wide board.

The flipped board replaces a rear harness

Side view of long eye heddles and open back shed

I chose the same pattern on both layers and each layer's pattern picks are thrown immediately one after the other to switch layer in the same interstice. This improves the overall motif clarity and continuity. Top layer ground weft, bottom layer ground weft, top layer pattern weft, bottom layer pattern weft.

Draft

Woven sample

Loom add-ons and overshot samples

I am weaving 8 shafts overshot variation samples for a class I'm taking at our weaving guild.





Older Glimakra came with lower lamms of the same size than the upper ones. I made new thicker and longer lower lamms to help balancing the shafts. But still the new ones still weren't heavy enough, I attached a couple of 12" nails to each of them with rubber bands. I often use this trick on my wider loom.





Also made two extra threadles, the loom only came with 8.





Plus a wooden loom fluorescent light box.

scarf warp transfered on new loom

I had to try this new loom now and no new project in mind or time for a quick new warp so I transferred the warp, the heddles and the reed that were on the Ideal 90. My main reason for wanting to replace the Ideal loom was it's size, too small for me to sit in comfortably.

Unexpected new loom!

This was the surprise waiting for me when I got home tonight ! An unused 1974 Standard 110cm in mint condition. It is almost as if it was just built recently.




Now I know what my boyfriend has been busy preparing up during the last couple of weeks when I was not around!

I can't think of any other comparable surprise I've had besides my first bike as a kid almost 40 years ago.

Alpaca scarfs

Just enough alpaca wool bought from my friend Colette at Interstitial Space in Montreal (http://www.espaceinterstitiel.blogspot.ca) for 4 scarfs.




I find weaving on an open sett more difficult because it requires control on the beat.




The first scarf cut off, washed and pressed. It is so soft!

Flying shuttle test drive

I built this simple trapeze to help me warping the loom by myself.




The flange sticks (idea taken from http://www.tallbacka.se/ovr-pr9.jpg) work great at keeping the warp threads from spreading out. Extra layers of sticks are not needed if the warp is wound under high tension.




This will be the first time I use the flying shuttle.




Once used to throwing the shuttle and the shuttle boxes adjusted correctly, the shuttle stopped jumping offtrack and the results are nice. The selvages are very regular with an end-feed shuttle and correct border thread interlacement.

The flying shuttle beater is almost ready.

This project was started back in August 2009 but put aside until a few weeks ago. The new shuttle race is now ready besides maybe a few more coats of oil.



I was eager to throw the shuttle back and forth but I quickly realized how destructive this device can be, once flying off its race into the cabinet, and a second time diving right into the concrete floor. Not good for the shuttle tips nor for anything around. I am affraid of it now!

Hopefully a warp will help keeping the shuttle within its shed. Maybe not?

What's up?

Only one loom is active at the moment. I'm weaving linen tea towels on it.










I found a used flying shuttle beater for sale on the web. Since this one was for a narrower loom, I had the seller cut the shuttle race in two to fit in a smaller box.










These are the pieces of wood awaiting to be laminated and turned into a new shuttle race.

2009 projects

April 2009 - Baby blankets