I actually felt well enough tonight to go warm up the studio and start weaving again. I found some old wool sock loopers from one of my very first weaving projects out in the studio and it looked like there were enough for one rug.
I have enough warp left on the Fanny to make one more rug, it is green, so the loopers and the warp were a perfect match. The loopers were a natural color, and I dyed them with orange and green Kool-aide to make a couple rugs about 6 years ago.
I spent one evening a couple days ago watching Funniest Home Videos and looping short strips together. It made three pretty good sized piles (stacked on the loom in the background.
This is the start of my designing on the loom. I don't know if I am going to be very happy with it because the loopers are quite stretchy and is making the rug kind of wavey and a bit wider than the hem. Usually when I weave, I put a fair amount of angle to the weft before beating, but this seems like I shouldn't put any angle to it.
Some stripes started. I just have to make sure I save an equal amount of loopers for the other half of the rug so it is balanced.
Well, I've had enough fun for my birthday. I think I will head for bed and read or watch a movie.
love the pastels with the white - nice ... hope you had an enjoyable day on your birthday!
ReplyDeleteI've woven several looper rugs but have not used any that were dyed by me. Does Kool Aide last through washings well? I was under the impression that it washed out fairly quickly. I do like the colors that you've used though, as they are much more subtle/soft than commercially dyed ones.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, I hope you had a very nice birthday!
Mike, the 6 year old rugs still have some color, but not as bright. I attributed it to being used continuously in a bright room. The green seemed to fade more than the orange. I don't think those wool loopers will ever wear out!
ReplyDeleteCheck out how Hilary uses the loopers in her rugs at Crazy as a Loom. She lays them in a shed with regular cotton strips - very striking. I'm planning one in my future.
ReplyDeleteI would like to know where you get the loopers.I have an old carpet loom from my grandmother and would like to try these .
ReplyDeleteBarry George
bageorge@atlanticbb.net
Thank you