Tag Archives: hand weaving

April 24, 2012 · 7:16 pm

Weaving a vest on my Structo loom

The other day, I had a big ‘aha’ moment.

My husband is a jazz musician and composer and completely awesome bundle of wonderfulness, and I love weaving beeeeeuuuuutiful shirts for him to wear when he’s performing. (last year’s Jazz festival shirt: Link).

I have been weaving away on fabric to make him a new shirt for this year’s Jazz Festival, LINK

But…. oops… it’s cream and ecru with lotsa colors…. and, the color that the guys mostly wear to perform in is black.

Our daughter made Jim a gorgeous black shirt from the Folkwear Victorian Gentleman’s shirt pattern, so it’s kinda dumb to weave him another one….. sooooooooooooooo the big AHA was…………… weave him a VEST!!!!!!

Ding! Lights go on, whee’s and skippetty hops and happy dances ensue….

When our son got married, I used the Folkwear pattern to make him and my hubby kilts, (oh my word.. the grooms men, hubby and our son, all wore kilts and they looked FABULOUS…).

The kilt pattern has a really spiffy vest pattern, which Jim likes (that’s essential- why make it if he doesn’t like it?)

Oh oh, whenever I go on the Folkwear pattern site, it makes me want to buy more patterns. I love their patterns and have been wearing them for more than 3 decades. We actually got married in clothing I sewed from Folkwear patterns, and our children grew up in Folkwear.

(No profit, affiliations etc, just love their patterns)

Okay, just had a brief noodle through their website, and am seriously in love with the Siberian Parka….. hmmmm… that would be fun to weave the fabric for…. hmmmmmm.

Anyhow…. in the midst of meeting design deadlines, and new projects that are so delicious and tantalizing and time consuming,

I am in the throes of weaving up narrow bands for this vest, and loving it!

The vintage Structo looms are kind of like the ‘Featherweight’ sewing machine – tiny, perfectly formed workhorses that are beautifully engineered and much sought after.

Although, after I spent hours the other evening, warping the black cotton, I would have cheerfully sold the blessed loom to the first taker. (Warping black thread at night is not so much fun).

Luckily, I got over my snit, and am now utterly enchanted and weaving merrily away.

Which is good, as the Jazz festival is getting closer and closer…. eep… I need to go meet some deadlines and then get weaving!

😀 Happy weaving!

PS: I carved the shuttle in the photo a few years ago. 🙂

My dear friend, Terri Bibby, is a Saori teacher and weaver extraordinaire, who told me about some shuttles that don’t have a metal rod through them.

This intrigued me, so I made myself one to see how I liked it.

I absolutely love it. I made it small and low profile to fit the small shed of Structo and Peacock looms. Thumbs up, indeed!

6 Comments

Filed under Loom & looms & small loom weaving, weaving & handwoven

Tagged as clothing, Folkwear patterns, hand weaving, hand woven, handwoven vest, small loom weaving, Structo loom, weaving textiles

February 28, 2012 · 12:58 pm

Video tutorial-How to shape fabric by pulling the warp strands

Yesterday, I posted a blog entry about a shrug that I sewed from my handwoven fabric. (LINK)

And, then, was asked- ‘Yes, but what does it mean when you say: Pull warp strands?’

So, I have made a video tutorial, showing how to pull warp strands to shape ruffles, like the lower edge of the shrug,

or the upper edge of the ‘Woven Woman: Butterfly Transformation” LINK (to see the full piece)

Or, you can pull and ease the warp strands into a more graduated curve, like the yoke of this tunic:

Here’s a closer look:

And here’s the video:

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Filed under inkle, Loom & looms & small loom weaving, tutorial & how to, weaving & handwoven, Woven Women tapestries and woven works

Tagged as Accessories, band weaving, dress, dressmaking, fabric link, fiber art, hand weaving, hand woven, handwoven fabric, how to shape handwoven fabric by pulling warp strands, inkle weaving, narrow bands, prayer link, sewing, video tutorial, warp, warp strands, weaves, weaving technique, youtube

January 12, 2012 · 5:21 pm

When should a child start learning how to weave?

It’s never too early, (or too late!) for a child to start learning how to weave.

I bought my daughter her first loom when she was 6 weeks old. It was a little Spears loom #2 from England.

And, when my daughter and son were little, I had several looms set up for them to weave on, whenever they felt inspired to weave.

And, now, my grandson weaves with me:

He’s been sitting in my lap at the loom since he was born, and he really gets what weaving is all about.

He’s helping me weave his Grampa’s Saori shirt:

He’s two now, and he KNOWS about the shuttle!

He demanded the shuttle, and put it into the shed, and helped it across with his beautiful little chubby hands….

He LOVES the bobbin winder:

His grampa will certainly feel the love that has been woven into this shirt!

What do I recommend about teaching children to weave?

You don’t need a loom to start teaching a child to weave- cardboard looms and foam meat trays are great.

(I’ll post some patterns and instructions for them)

Child friendly looms are great- the Cricket is wonderful, as are a whole slew of small looms- ESPECIALLY,

the wonderful potholder loom!

BUT- I DO NOT recommend trying to teach a child to weave with loopers on the potholder loom.

Loops are actually rather challenging to work with.

Yarn is much more user friendly, and I have all kinds of YouTube videos to help you get children weaving.

When you click on my Potholder loom weaving page on my webiste: LINKIE

and scan down to the bottom of the page, you will find all kinds of YouTube links for my video tutorials.

I recommend the book: 1,2,3 Easy as Can Be Critters to weave on the potholder loom

and Weavagarumi for beginning weavers.

So, go ahead, and get those kidlets weaving!

It’ll be the gift that keeps on giving, as they will be embarking on a magnificent voyage of discovery that will last their lifetime!

Happy Weaving! 😀

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Filed under Loom & looms & small loom weaving, potholder loom, tutorial & how to, weaving & handwoven

Tagged as beginning weaver, children and weaving, children weaving, hand weaving, hand woven, how to teach a child to weave, how to teach kids weaving, how to weave, kids weaving

December 7, 2011 · 3:39 pm

One of a kind woven art doll-Green Empress and a mini studio tour

Over the last couple of years, I have been weaving a series of tapestries and one of a kind art dolls.