Is our work really work, or is it play?

I ran across this on another weaver's blog, http://laurasloom.blogspot.com/2011/02/working-or-playing.html
I liked it so well, I am borrowing it, as she did, from James Mitchener.

Master in the Art of Living


As a master in the art of living
you draw no distinction between
your work and your play,
your labour and your leisure,
your mind and your body,
your education and your recreation,
your love and your religion.

You hardly know which is which.

You simply pursue your vision of
excellence through whatever you
are doing and leave it to others
to determine if you are working
or playing - to yourself
you are always doing both.

James Michener

I think anyone doing creative work, whether weaving, writing, drawing, painting, quilting, designing, or any other multitude of creative endevors would agree.

I've started on a more intricate pick-up design for lace. I'm still working on it, but you can see what it looks like partially finished.  I'll keep tweeking it, till I'm happy with it. Many of my designs only make it as far as paper.  We'll see if this one ever gets on a loom!
This one requires an odd number of blocks in order to center the design.  I'm figuring on 39 blocks, with 8 warp ends in each block.  I'm thinking of rethreading the loom with the remainder of my warp from my other projects, after a make a couple more towels.

I finished another towel with the pick-up technique.  Here is a close-up of one of the three stripes, the very simple design, and a look at the zig-zag or trellis hemstitching.  There are three stripes of lace, each 10 blocks wide, separated by an inch of plain weave.

Have a creative day!



Green Rag Rug is Hemmed

The rag rug with all kinds of prints with green is complete.  I finished the hems last night, brought it in, dampened it on both sides, stomped on it a bit to set everything and left it to dry.  I still need to work on a tiny bit of waviness on the edges, which I suppose just requires a bit more weight on the edge threads.  I thought I had enough, but apparently not.

Here is a close up.  Since the strips were only one inch, doubled, there are four raw edges on the strips, and therefore, more lose threads.  Also, the way I joined the strips cause little tags of the ends to poke out between the warps.  If you don't like that in a rug, don't use my techniques!  I think it adds to the charm of a rag rug though.

Atwater-Bronson Lace Pick-up

Along with finishing weaving the rag rug last night, I also finished the hems (by machine) on the Atwater-Bronson lace towel I was working on.  This towel is a sampler of designs I drew on graph paper, when I was playing around with the possibilities for this lace pick-up technique.  There are twelve squares, each with a different design.  Each square consists of 10 x 10 lace blocks.  Each lace block consists of eight warp threads and eight weft picks.

I divided the designs into groups depending on how many blocks each required.  I just kept drawing until I had enough designs for what I wanted to do.  Since my squares were 10 x 10 blocks, I needed to use an even number design, or the design wouldn't be centered.  If I used the designs that are 7 or 9 blocks wide, I would thread an uneven number of lace blocks.  The x part of the design turns out as plain weave when woven.

This is one half of the towel.  The designs from my graph are:
Top row: 8-G, 6-E, 8-F
Bottom row: 6-I, 8-E, 6-B

This is the other end of the towel.  The patterns are:   Top row:  6-A, 8-H, 6-B (minus 4 x's).  Bottom row:  8-L (minus 4 x's), 6-C, 8-I

This is a very easy weave structure, and the treadling sequence is very easy to memorize.  My grandson Davey (age 8) was over last weekend, and he was able to weave some of it, and understood the pickup on this simple pattern, which is only 4 blocks wide by 3 blocks high:

As I mentioned in a previous post, this pickup idea came from an article by Bob Owen in the March/April 1992 issue of Handwoven, pg. 56-57.

If I was going to change anything the next time, I would have more lace, and less plain weave divisions.  But then, the possibilities are just about endless.  Unfortunately, I will probably not have enough time to ever weave all my ideas.

I'm going out to get that rag rug off the loom now.  

Technique for Joining Rag Strips Worked Great

I just came in from finishing a rag rug.  I really liked the method for joining my strips.  I showed it in a previous post, as I decided to try it.  I did move the sewing over to my industrial Singer 111, because it sews faster.  If anyone tries this method, just make sure the fabric joins are staggered.  I overlap my joins about 1".  The join won't pull apart, because it has a solid strip backing it.  I was using a lot of doll clothes scraps, so some of the strips were short.  My strips varied anywhere from 6" to full fabric width.  To avoid stripes in the rug with the longer strips, just flip it over in the shed to have the reverse side show.  I used a neutral sewing thread down the center of the strips, wrong sides together, and the thread doesn't show in the rug.

Here is the hem end, with glue.  I will let it dry overnight and probably cut it off tomorrow and get it hemmed.  The colors in this photo don't show the green very well.  All the fabrics that I used had some green in the pattern.

These show the color a little better.

Finishing a Long Rug Warp

The warmer weather the last couple days (out of the single digits and low 20's) has gotten me back out to the studio.  Yesterday, I started cutting some more calico strips from a huge box of scraps that my aunt gave me.

These are cut 1 inch wide.  I  just use my rotary cutter, ruler, and mat.

The rug is on my Leclerc Fanny.  I put quite a bit of green warp on a while ago, and the color is getting boring.  I think I like stripes in the warp better than all one color.

For this set of rags, I am putting two one inch strips, wrong sides together, and stitching down the center to keep the right sides showing.  I just kept adding new strips until I had enough to fill a shuttle.  The first shuttles worth is already woven, and shuttle two and three are ready to go.  I will get back at it again tomorrow after I get home from work.

I should take the first Atwater-Bronson towel out to the studio, also, and get the hems sewn in. 

 Right now, I'm just too tired.  Bed is calling--

Ladder Hemstitching with Photos

I was looking for instructions for ladder hemstitching a couple days ago, because I can't seem to remember which side I should start the stitching. I did the first end of the towel without instructions, starting from the left, and it felt awkward, especially the second row. I could find directions for the first half of the two rows in some of my books, but not the second row.
I decided to try it again, from the right side (I'm right handed), and snap some photos as I did the steps. Now I can refer to my own directions in the future.
My towel started with a plain weave hem.  I wanted a hem about one inch wide, so I wove about 2 1/2" before starting the hemstitching.  I cut a tail from the weft, about 3-4 widths long. Thread a tapestry needle (which has a blunt tip) with the tail.

Starting at the right side, take the thread under the first bundle and up between the first and second group of threads. (Wrapping the first group is not shown, but is done like this photo.) 

Holding the thread taut, put the needle under the bundle again, and bring it up between the first and second bundle, two threads below the edge.  Tighten thread. 

Holding thread taut, the needle goes under the next bundle, up between bundles, and around bundle.  The needle exits two threads below. Repeat, as in the two photos, across the row.

Some of the first row. The spacing will look neat and even, if the thread is kept taut while stitching.

This shows two spacer rows woven in with a smooth, heavier yarn.  Make sure the heavy yarn is in the correct shed if it matters which direction your plain weave needs to be woven. Leave four widths of yarn at the right side, and weave several picks of plain weave.

Start the second hemstitching like the first, threading a tapestry needle with the tail.  Start with the needle under the first bundle, up and around the bundle, coming up between the bundles, two threads above the row.

Hold the thread taut, needle under the next bundle,

around the bundle, exiting two threads above.  Repeat across the towel.  

Finished ladder hemstitching.  The spacer yarn is pulled out after wet-finishing the piece.  Turn the hem.  Finish by hand, or as I did, by using matching thread and the zig-zag stitch on the sewing machine.  Adjust the stitch length, so each zig goes into a hole, and each zag catches the hem.

Zig-zag hemstitching can also be done using the same directions, with one difference in the second row.  Instead of using the whole first bundle, wrap around half of it.  Each successive group will be half of two groups from row one.

Although I was doing ladder hemstitching for these instructions, a single row can also be used to anchor the warp threads in bundles for fringe, instead of tying them in a knot.  It looks nicer, and doesn't take much more time, and your piece doesn't have hard lumps from knots.

Free Sleying Hook

Here is one of my favorite weaving tools.  The weaving craft can get kind of expensive, but this sleying hook is free.

 I use the fake credit cards that come in the advertising from credit card companies.  I tend to misplace things, so if I only had one sleying hook, I probably wouldn't get much weaving accomplished.  By making my own, I can have one or a dozen by each loom.  If I accidently drop one, I just pick up another one and keep going.











This wasn't my own idea.  I had heard of someone making them, but drew my own pattern.  It is designed so the tips just fit corner to corner on the card.  (The pattern in the photo is drawn on a piece of paper.)  Cut out the pattern and trace around it with a Sharpie marker onto the card.  Cut the card with heavy scissors, except the circular area of the hook.  Use a hole punch for that spot.  Make sure all the edges are smooth, so they don't snag the yarn.

I make sure I give a couple to each new weaver I get a chance to teach.  This photo is of me in my weaving studio in the garage.  It's a bit chilly out there this time of year, so I decided to bring one of my small looms inside.  I just started some hand towels with Atwater-Bronson lace pick-up, using some of my designs.

Have a great time weaving!  I know I am!

Tips for Serging Rag Rug Strips

There was a discussion recently on RugTalk (an online group for people interested in weaving rugs), about sewing rag strips together with a serger to prepare them for weaving. Although I have two sergers, I haven't used this method myself for rugs. My reasons for not using the serger are that I think I can do it just as quickly with my regular sewing machine, the serger uses more thread, and the seam isn't as stable as one made with a sewing machine.



The main positive reason I can think of for using the serger is that it saves some time trimming the little triangle away from the seam, since the serger does it while sewing the seam.


Don't think that because the serger has a cutter, it should be used to cut your fabric strips. It isn't a very fast method, and will quickly wear out the two blades on the serger, and eventually wear out the motor.

I would wait for a sale at the fabric store and purchase a rotary cutter, gridded cutting mat, and gridded 6" x 24" thick ruler like in the photo. The advantage to using the rotary cutter is that several layers of fabric can be cut at once, your width will be consistant, and it is FAST. Remember to keep the blade locked when you aren't cutting. If it accidently falls off your table, it is less likely to nick the blade or cut the dog or your foot!









Here are some tips to use a 3/4 thread serger. First of all, I would use the 4 thread (two needle) stitch to sew the strips together. The 3-thread stitch pulls apart too easily.

This is an example of a serged seam using 4 threads. The top of the seam is on the left and the underside is angling down. There are two straight stitches made by the needles, and the wavy back and forth threads are made by the upper and lower loopers. The straight stitches are only seen on the top side. If the tensions are properly balanced, those two straight rows of stitching only show on the top, and on the reverse side only as a tiny dot. The straight line down the center of the seam serves the purpose of making a more stable seam. It is harder to pull apart a 4-thread seam.

This is an example of a 3-thread seam. It looks the same on both sides of the seam. It doesn't have the added stabilizing thread, and a seam sewn with this can pull apart much easier. To be properly balanced, the tensions are adjusted till the threads interlock right at the edge. There are good uses for this stitch. It is a bit stretchier, so it is sometimes used in knit clothing seams. It will also stabilize an edge of fabric to prevent raveling.

This is an example of a three-thread seam that can pull apart quite easily.

Strips are cut and ready to start sewing together. For illustration purposes only, I have marked the stitching line on the fabric. The two strips are placed right sides together at a right angle. They will be sewn together with an angled seam to reduce bulk in one spot when weaving, so the rug won't look lumpy bumpy.

The toe on the serger presser foot has marks indicating where the two needles seams will be. The seam ripper is pointing at the mark where the outer needle will stitch. Line up the corner of the top fabric with that mark.

Stitch the seam. A little triangle of fabric will be trimmed off as the seam is sewn. When the end of the fabric gets to the front of the presser foot, flip the other end of the top fabric over so the right side is up, and add your next strip.

Continue sewing, without cutting the thread between, till quite a few are sewn together.
















Clip the strips apart.

Fold strip in half. Seam is spread out in a "V", reducing bulk in one spot. A serger leaves chains of thread. If you gently pull on them, the looper threads will slide off the needle threads. Clip the tails.

Wind folded strips onto shuttle and weave a beautiful rug.

I still personally think that clipping all those tails, even if they are shorter than shown in the picture, take just as much time as sewing on a sewing machine, snipping the chain of strips apart, and trimming the small triangle off. Try it both ways and decide for yourself. Happy weaving!

Tips for Rag Rug Hems, Additional photo

In May and August, 2010, I wrote two entries with rag rug tips.  When reviewing my instructions today, I realized I should have had a photo showing my method for weaving the hems for rag rugs. 

Like many others, I dislike fringe on my rugs because they gradually wash away in the laundry, especially with cotton warp.  I prefer to weave about three inches in plain weave (1-3 vs 2-4) at the beginning and end of my rugs, so I can fold a hem about 3/4" to 1" wide.

When I first started adding a hem, I had the problem many other weavers have, with the hem drawing in much narrower than the body of the rug.  I do a lot of reading, and came across this tip, and it solved the problem:

Instead of weaving the hem like I weave the body of my rug (1-2 vs 3-4, giving me doubled warp threads), I use tabby.  Instead of angling the weft in the shed, I arc the weft, and throw a few bubbles in for good measure (see photo).
It gives a stretchy hem with very little draw-in.  By the time an inch is woven, the weaving at the edges will even out a bit.  The first inch doesn't matter too much, since it is folded into the hem and won't show.  Play around with the arc size and the amount of bubbling till you get a hem that isn't drawing in. 

Sewing the hem takes some other techniques, but I will have to save that for another time, when I have a rug finished and ready to hem.  My technique avoids broken sewing machine needles.  Stay tuned.  Happy New Year!

Davey Finished Weaving His First Project

 I am so proud of my grandson Davey.  He is eight years old, and when he came for a weekend at the end of November, we did some weaving.  He had been practicing on the rigid heddle loom, and was doing a great job, so I thought he was ready to start a pattern on my little four shaft loom. 

Here he is demonstrating the proper way to hold a shuttle.  He is doing very well throwing it through the shed and catching it.

Davey finished weaving today.  He is pretty proud of what he made.

I showed him how to wet finish it in hot soapy water till the water looked clean.  After rolling it in a towel to get most of the moisture out, he straightened it out on the counter and rolled it hard with the marble rolling pin.  It is hanging to dry now.  Hemming will be tomorrow after I get home from work.