MIMO

I'm all about Minimum Input, Maximum Output.

For this towel warp, I was using up a limited quantity of yarn for weft.  Since I didn't know how far it would go, rather than design a towel with specific hems and/or border design, I decided to just weave yardage and cut it up to towel length when I was done weaving.

With no obvious cut line, here is what I do.

I measure out the length I want for the towel (including allowance for hems).

At the appropriate length I make a small cut in the cloth:

Then I pull a thread out of the cloth:

This makes a visible line which I use to cut across the width of the cloth:

And then I serge and voila, ready for wet finishing (after I've fixed a few loops in the weft).

Surprisingly the yarn yielded more fabric than I expected.  I've still got 4 ounces of the hand dyed 2/20 cotton left!  Back into the stash it goes...

Remote Learning

Just checked the Weaving Today website and the webinar is now available for recorded 'viewing' here.

I will be giving this topic as a mini-workshop (3 hours) with some hand's on examination of various yarns at the Rochester, NY guild in October.  If you want to attend, I have contact info - I heard they were still accepting registrations.  I am also doing this topic as the guild program for my local guild next week.

Currently reading Dark Moon Defender by Sharon Shinn

Outlier

out·li·er

  [out-lahy-er]  Show IPA

noun

1.

something that lies outside the main body or group that it is a part of, as a cow far from the rest of the herd, or a distant island belonging to a cluster of islands: The mail, along with   eagerly awaited “special orders,” was delivered to the outliers weekly, thanks to Cap'n George and his trusty steamboat.

2.

someone who stands apart from others of his or her group, as by differing actions, beliefs,   religious practices, etc.: an outlier among Muslims; an outlier among conservatives.   Synonyms: outsider, nonconformist, maverick; original, eccentric, bohemian; dissident, dissenter,   iconoclast, heretic.

3.

Statistics.

a.

an observation that is well outside of the expected range of values in a study or experiment, and which is often discarded from the data set: Experience with a variety of data-reduction problems has led to several strategies for dealing with outliers in data sets.

b.

a person whose abilities, achievements, etc., lie outside the range of statistical probability.

4.

Geology . a part of a formation left detached through the removal of surrounding parts by erosion.Compare inlier.

5.

Obsolete . a person residing outside the place of his or her business, duty, etc.

Recently someone referred to me as an 'outlier'.  I was pretty sure I knew what she meant, but I finally looked up the definition.

I've called myself a weaving heretic for a while now, but I think I like outlier better.  Heretic sounds so....rebellious.... although it is listed as a synonym... when I don't really want to cut myself off from the rest of the weaving community.  I just don't do things the way 'most' weavers may do them. 

Right from the get go, choosing weaving as a profession when the vast majority of today's weavers choose it as a hobby.  

Finding satisfaction in weaving regardless of whether or not it's plain weave, solid black, 100 yards of it.

Preferring to delve deeply into the craft when it seems that most weavers prefer to follow someone else's directions.  Nothing wrong with that - but I want to be the one who writes the directions, not follow someone else's.

Focusing on efficiency and ergonomics so that I can continue to weave, hopefully without repetitive stress injuries, for a long time to come.

Over the years I have approached weaving from many different angles.  Weaving for someone else to earn my bread and roof.  Teaching.  Writing articles for magazines.  Publishing my own books.  Encouraging weavers to learn more, become proficient at their craft, become confident enough to make their own choices, giving them information I believe they need to have in order to make good choices.

I want to be part of the weaving community, but also encourage them to explore beyond their limitations, expand their horizons.  Entice them into becoming outliers, perhaps?  Community is important to all human beings.  We share the human experience, but that experience does not have to be limiting.  It can also be full of exploration and wonder.

Ultimately all paths are valid.  Being an outlier isn't for everyone.  But it seems to be the role for me.  :)

Next warp - going onto the AVL, a mixed blend of greens into the blue end of the spectrum with a little yellow for accent.  Weft is hand dyed 2/20 unmercerized cotton I bought at NEWS.  Each ball seems to be a slightly different colour so will sort them into the most similar colour 'lots', use each ball up in it's entirety and then move on to the next without paying too much attention to when and where the colour changes happen.  I'm weaving the cloth as 'yardage' which I will then cut to length for towels.  

People will either like them or not.  If not they will get used as hostess gifts.  Buying this yarn was an impulse purchase, partly because I rarely see unmercerized 2/20 cotton, partly because hand dyed cotton this fine is quite rare.  But it should make lovely towel fabric and I'm going to enjoy weaving with it.   So long as the balls don't get tangled and messy when I wind them onto bobbins.  Since it is such fine yarn I will pop them into a tall plastic bucket and wind off the outside so that the ball doesn't collapse as it would if wound from the inside of the ball.  They will need a little coddling, but I think the resulting cloth will be worth the effort.

Beauty Shot

Doug pressed the scarves today.  I think they are a 'winner'.  Now I have to decide if I wind longer warps and dress the big loom with them.  That would require a lot more fiddling, but make the weaving itself go more easily.  I think you'll probably guess which route I'll take.

If I'm going to weave these on the AVL, though, that means I have to weave the warp currently on it, off.  Should not take too long as it is only 10 yards.  In the meantime I can be winding warps and stockpiling them for when the loom is clear.  And use the small loom to weave more place mats.

I can hear the thudding of the approaching deadlines, growing ever louder....

Louet Spring Loom

A friend needs to sell her 110 cm (43"?) Louet Spring Loom.  I'm not sure how many shafts it has or what accessories come with it but she needs to go into hospice so the loom needs to find a new home.  Quickly.

It is located in the interior of BC.  If you are at all interested, please contact me and I will get more information.  Time is of the essence, unfortunately.  Picking it up would be ideal for the family - they have quite enough on their plates as it is.  But her friends may also be able to arrange to store it for a short time or even work out arrangements for shipping.  Not exactly sure but it would ease her mind if she knew it was going to a good home....

Two of my friends are currently in hospice.  :(  A good reason for having lots of friends younger than myself?  Since I don't have any children, I guess my friends will have to help me downsize one day.

To Float or Not

I am constantly seeing the advice on the chat groups that you must have a plain weave interlacement at the selvedge and if you don't as in the advancing twill above, you must use a floating selvedge in order to achieve good selvedges.

Well, you can if you want to, but personally, I don't like weaving with floating selvedges.  I learned how to weave without them, never saw the need for them (except in 3 or 4 very specialized instances) and never use them.

Some people need the security of using a floating selvedge.  Some don't.  My message, take it for what it's worth, is that you do not have to use them if you don't want to.

Learn how to beam your warp with good consistent tension, then learn how to wind a bobbin with good tension and evenly wound - no hills or valleys - then learn how to hold and throw your shuttle so that the weft feeds off without snags and jerks.

The above silk cloth (out of the washer/dryer but not yet pressed) was woven with an advancing twill treadling which means that there are no plain weave interlacements at the selvedge.

Choose your expert, then decide for yourself what you need to do to achieve the quality of cloth you desire.

Temptation

proved too strong....

See the 'mistake'?  No I'm not going to go back and fix it.  This is my proto-type.  I don't expect it to be 'perfect'.  I'm still getting the 20 pick treadling repeat set in my mind and feet and don't doubt there may be a few more 'oopsies' before I'm done.  I will either keep it or give it away, but the primary purpose of this scarf is to work out the details.  Once I'm satisfied I've got a good cloth, then I'll worry about 'perfect'.

Currently reading Dying to Sin by Stephen Booth