tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18257584384986948062024-03-13T08:51:13.255+00:00Dot's fibre to fabricI enjoy handspinning & dyeing, and using yarns in knitting, handloom and inkle weaving.Dorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.comBlogger160125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-50975283749788171422016-12-13T23:08:00.003+00:002016-12-13T23:09:38.897+00:00Plant dyes calendar for 2017Fran Rushworth, author of the popular Dye Plant Gardening articles for YarnMaker has published a calendar for 2017 Plant Dyes for All Season. Full of beautiful photos and starting with the message that "you don't have to spend a lot of money or have a big garden to enjoy these plant dye projects" this calendar encourages everyone to have a go.
Fun projects include solar dyeing, leaf prints onDorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-84083017842385243982016-10-28T12:01:00.000+01:002016-12-13T23:15:43.143+00:00YarnMaker no.28, will be the final edition of this British magazine for handspinnersFor past 7 years my blog has been quieter whilst my time and energy has gone into publishing YarnMaker, a British magazine for handspinners. This phase of my life is coming to a close, for anyone who has missed the news posted on the YarnMaker website and Ravelry on Monday, here it is:
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Dorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-74326883892980702932015-03-22T21:51:00.001+00:002015-03-22T22:01:07.814+00:00KumihimoThe marudai and tama (braiding stool and weights) are useful tools for building up the strength in my hands, and I am enjoying making kumihimo braids with them.
I was inspired to think of braiding when I discovered this, a small warping frame (for warps up to 4.5m) that Ashford started making last year, ideal for making warps for small looms and for braiding.
I'm also still using all of Dorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-47664195111353282682015-01-04T22:10:00.002+00:002015-01-04T22:12:27.914+00:00off the loom and finished...
See previous post.
On the loom, width 9".
Immediately after removal from the loom, width 8", length 120cm, still an open cloth as shown below.
Very little, if any loom waste, just about right to give a fringe.
Hem sewn using a fine spindle spun yarn of the same merino fleece as the warp.
After finishing (vigorous washing in hot & cold waters) width 6", length 94cm.Dorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-63880192352514588712015-01-01T20:05:00.000+00:002015-01-01T20:22:43.983+00:00 A Day in the Life of Looms 2015Meg of Unravelling blog is co-ordinating A Day in the Life of Looms once again, the New Year's day look at looms around the world through the blogs of handweavers.
This took me hours and hours. Firstly choosing the yarns, I had other choices at first but there was a weft yarn I couldn't match a warp to and a lovely potential warp that turned out to be nowhere near long enough. Then I could only Dorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-31804967061722215772014-03-02T12:11:00.003+00:002021-08-30T11:39:48.168+01:00The Henning Band Loom repairedThe history: link back to earlier post about the Henning loom here.
We got the loom repaired but it hasn't been used due to all my time and energy going into setting up and running a business for the past 4 years (YarnMaker).
However, this month Sue Foulkes is running a band weaving workshop for the Yahoo list "Braids and Bands" on behalf of the Braid Society and she got in touch to ask about Dorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-58438436755448241332013-12-12T18:06:00.002+00:002013-12-12T18:08:27.546+00:00Tablet Weaving on the Cricket LoomWeaving is now going well. It's a simple pattern with all the cards turned together 4 turns one way, then 4 turns back.
I looked in the Ann Sutton tablet weaving book to see how she recommends winding warps. She threaded each card as she made the warp and stood it in a stand, something like a toast rack. This idea comes from Morroco. The toast rack has a pin through the top so cards can not Dorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-10256375228372727012013-12-11T23:57:00.003+00:002013-12-12T18:07:47.810+00:00Tablet weaving - uh oh... not like thisSome flaws in my warping system:
insufficient precautions taken to keep warp threads from getting crossed in the wrong places and out of order
I think the warp threads need threading through the cards as the warp is created (so they sit well on the warp and the warp tension will not need disturbing and the threads are all in order)
cards not held securely in the correct order, and this happenedDorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-3080678228688973162013-12-11T12:18:00.000+00:002014-01-07T13:52:30.412+00:00Tablet weaving - preparing the warpI finished weaving the scarf on the cricket loom, it's washed and drying at the moment, last stage for that project will be to sew in a few weft ends. I'm pleased with it, it is a scarf I will wear.
Next project - tablet woven band.
I'm preparing the warp, using 2/6 cotton from William Hall & Co in Emerald and Navy.
I have an old pair of Dryad warping posts for the ends of the warp, Dorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-80483946361907124102013-12-08T23:13:00.000+00:002013-12-08T23:16:31.778+00:00A small loom, for bands, samples, scarves.I don't get much time for weaving at the moment, not enough that I feel I can go ahead and set up a large project on the floor loom. However, small projects are achievable: samples, scarves, bands.
I've been thinking for a while about getting a small loom for band weaving and samples. Criteria were: a solid frame, a good choice of extra heddles (for non-band projects), small adjustments possibleDorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-14124853088956873062013-08-03T14:55:00.000+01:002013-08-03T14:55:31.056+01:00Woolfest for WeaversYarnMaker, spinners, and spinning supplies were my reasons for being at Woolfest in Cockermouth in June. However, I took a little time here and there to look at weaving supplies.
One of my friends ordered a new Saori loom at the show. She's been doing Saori weaving for sometime now on rigid heddle looms so knows that the two-shaft Saori loom with the benefit of foot treadles is ideal for the Dorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-56916939195721919952013-07-28T17:56:00.001+01:002013-07-28T17:56:26.926+01:00Spun to weave...I get more spinning time than weaving time nowadays, but I often have weaving ideas for my yarns.
In the past couple of weeks I have been spinning:
Castlemilk Moorit fleece spun longdraw from rolags;
Cotswold fleece worstead from combed fleece;
coloured Merino longdraw from carded rolags.
The Castlemilk Moorit is not quite as soft as it looks due to having two types of wool fibre, a soft Dorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-70898521438666158292013-03-30T22:14:00.000+00:002013-07-28T17:57:02.174+01:00Weaving beautiful clothI want to share with other weavers this awsomely beautiful film from the Scottish weavers
Morton Young and Borland Ltd
Learn more about their product range here on their website. Beautiful stuff!
I came across this while checking references for an article going into the next edition of YarnMaker, my work is generally more about spinning yarns than weaving, but my aim with Dorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-62477446837266896932013-01-02T22:19:00.003+00:002013-07-28T17:57:21.477+01:00Another loom...Saved from the waste tip - last year I bought some spinning equipment from a man who was clearing out his mother's house, as an after thought he mentioned there was an old loom that he had been going to take to the tip, but could drop off at our house instead.
We think this was made to the plans in David Bryant's book, also available from his Craft Designs website. It is probably around 30 yearsDorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-14334536787416432602013-01-01T22:25:00.000+00:002013-01-01T22:28:09.518+00:00A Day in the Life of My LoomThis is an annual 1st January event started by Meg where weavers around the world post photos of their looms on New Year's day. I expect most weavers have cloth on their looms, due to a series of foot/knee/ankle problems my floor loom has not been in used for weaving for some while. With the aid of an excellent physiotherapist that should not be the case for much longer.
What is on my loom here Dorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-59334068212177893032012-12-22T17:07:00.001+00:002012-12-22T17:10:25.269+00:00Weaving courses in the UKI am currently researching spinning courses of two or more days so that I can publish details in YarnMaker, it's going to be a new part of the "Events for your diary" section. However, for the time being it will be only spinning, not weaving or dyeing and only courses of more than 2 days as there is not space for all the short courses and tutors to be listed.
Weaving courses I can list here - Dorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-79156699190093143042012-09-03T12:35:00.001+01:002012-12-07T18:42:30.776+00:00Braids 2012My commitment to YarnMaker meant I was unable to partcipate in the workshops at Braids 2012, the Braid society conference held in Manchester a couple of weeks ago, but the organiser kindly took a booking from me for the conference dinner and so I was able to pop down to Manchester (less than an hour's drive) and meet old friends - some of whom I have known for years over the internet but not met Dorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-86369808409518379842012-07-27T12:02:00.000+01:002012-08-01T22:13:54.769+01:00Even warp tensionI'm going to have lunch in 15 mins, it occurred to me I can use that 15 mins for one of my quick blog posts. I took these photos a couple of weeks ago when setting up my little Greg Meyer Oonagh loom to take along to a Cheshire Guild meeting for people to try multi-shaft weaving.
How to wind a good warp and get it on the loom without tension problems is something every new weaver needs to Dorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-58022140113653405622012-07-24T11:32:00.000+01:002012-07-24T14:00:17.127+01:00Mystery of twisted fabric solved?
I came to put a new warp on my little Greg Meyer loom, and discovered this:
The bar I'm tying my warp to is sitting crooked. It was the same both front and back of the loom, how careless of me! This may have been a factor that helped create curved cloth.
I replaced the string ties with texsolv so it is easy to get them exactly the same length.
It's also easy to do up / undo theDorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-82145414989089977162012-06-13T22:56:00.001+01:002021-08-30T11:36:37.523+01:00Weaving with 100% British Wool - handspunWith the latest YarnMaker at the printers (due to be published next week) I had time for some weaving last weekend.
I have a huge stash of handspun yarns. Most of these were spun in 2006. The wools that went into the blanket include Black Welsh Mountain, Grey Welsh Mountain, Manx Loaghtan, Shetland, Jacob. Some were spun fairly thick like an aran weight yarn, others like a fine sock wool.Dorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-69582698770824119632012-06-07T11:37:00.001+01:002012-06-07T11:41:56.795+01:00Louet S70 and Louet S15I have found that images of some spinning wheels are more easily found on the internet than others. So here are two classic Louet spinning wheels that are not in production and less easily found.
(Click on the image to see it larger.)
On the right is an S15, made in beech with a plywood drive wheel. It was orginally finished in a thick dark varnish which you can still see on one of the Dorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-2839771827047205292012-05-31T13:43:00.001+01:002012-05-31T13:45:54.767+01:00Curved clothIt would be an interesting challenge to get this effect on purpose, a curve down the length of the cloth.
The secret of this error lies in the winding of the linen warp. I wound half one evening, half the next. It might have just been that one day I was pulling the yarn tighter on the warp board. It could be that there was a second factor - humidity. Linen is stiffer when drier, more Dorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-30217792226940345172012-05-18T14:25:00.000+01:002012-05-19T00:05:36.368+01:00Stick ShuttlesI want to explain why I prefer a short length stick shuttle (this is a 26cm shuttle made by Ashford) and why I wind my shuttles like this:
The yarn is wound in a figure of eight pattern which I learnt some while back from this post on Laura Fry's blog.
This is how it works as I weave, I don't have to twist or turn my shuttle to unwind the thread, it's all a natural and easy part of the Dorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-79411939873907101392012-05-14T13:32:00.002+01:002012-05-14T17:19:54.887+01:00Weaving on my Greg Meyer "Oonagh" loomI don't have the spare time I once did to enjoy crafts and blogging, but I am getting my work/life balance organised so I have "a life" again after 2 years of all work, and re-organising aspects of the work to spend less time on business administration and more on editorial work.
The Oonagh loom I bought from Greg Meyer at Wonderwool Wales is part of finding craft time. It only takes up a third Dorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1825758438498694806.post-90932860804957438102012-05-11T19:06:00.001+01:002012-05-14T13:35:53.971+01:00J C Rennie & Co, wool spinnersI have just enjoyed a blog post by knit designer Kate Davies about visiting the Scottish wool spinners J C Rennie and would encourage you to read too and enjoy the lovely photos.
J C Rennie's own website is here. The business was set up by two brothers in 1798, spinning locally grown wool for weavers working in their homes.
I have shade cards from J C Rennie as their wools are suitable for Dorothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488670649558382921noreply@blogger.com1