Inkle Loom Round Robin

Carolyn gave me her inkle loom when I was visiting her in Tucson recently.  We shipped it home in a very large box!  It's a different kind of design, with a handle for moving the unheddled threads up and down.  I think it also is a pretty loom, the design is elegant looking.

Here it is warped for an Inkle Loom Round Robin in Memphis last weekend.  I like to use the clamps to keep the looms from moving around when I weave, which they all seem to do. 

Here is a second (guild) loom I warped for the round robin.  This is how I deal with all the ends when there are a lot of color changes.

 

After the warping is finished, the thread ends are tied together while checking the warp threads for even tension.

 

 

We wove 14 different bands during the workshop / round robin! 

 



Left to right:

Warpwise Stripes, this was actually woven on the floor loom!  Without the reed / beater.

Crosswise Bars, an easy, fun design.

Checkerboard.  The thread is 10/2 perle cotton, and the checks are subtle because the thread is very fine and the colors do not contrast much, but it is real pretty close up!

T-Bars.  Another design that is simple to warp but makes an interesting design.  3/2 perle cotton was used.

Chains.  This beautiful bookmark was made with crochet cotton #10.  I love the weight of it and the smoothness of the thread, and the colors Patricia chose are so pretty.  I just received the new Knit Picks today, and page three has crochet cotton #10 in 20 colors!!  Click here to see Knit Picks 'Curio' Crochet Cotton.  And here to link to a mini tutorial about using this new Curio Crochet Cotton.

Hmmm, let's see, 20 colors at $3.99 each......  I think I need them all!!  Great for Irish crochet, too.

Back to the bookmarks....

The next is Flowers, in two color ways, using cotton rug warp.  'Flowers' was the pattern assigned to me, and since I had two looms at home (Carolyn's and one belonging to the guild), I decided to warp them both in two different color ways.  Thinking 'granny square afgan,' I warped one with a background of black and flowers in deep magenta, purple and rust.

The second Flowers I warped in a light green background with flowers of rose, yellow and lavender, with black centers. 

Rainbow.  This bookmark was made from 120/2 silk from Red Fish Dye Works.  It was hard to work on because it was quite narrow.  I had trouble seeing it, so my edges are a true mess!  I think it would be fun to try this very fine silk again, but wonder if you could put several (10?) strands through each heddle to make it wider/thicker?

Stars and Stripes, 5/2 perle cotton.  I'm not a flag waver, but this was fun to make!  And I learned how to do a clasped weft, using blue on the left selvedge and red on the right, so the edges match the color next to them.  Good technique to know.

Rep Weave.  Ok, my sample does not look very good, but this is a very interesting technique.  I stayed overnight at Angela's, and she has made several beautiful art pieces using this technique.  It kind of makes me think of trapunto, with the thick yarn woven in.  I would like to explore this technique more.  In different colors.

Beaded Edges.  Of course I loved this technique, adding beads to the edge of the trim.  A supplementary warp is threaded with beads, unheddled, and weighted and hung over the top of the loom.  The beaded warp is carried along, or set aside for a number of picks, depending on the design.  This technique was a bit difficult to figure out, but once I got the spacing down, it was pretty straight forward.  And I want to explore this technique a lot more!!  Passamenterie too!

Tubular Weave.  This technique is easy, and you almost don't need to think about it once you get going.  When you take it off the loom, the tube naturally wants to twist, so you get a nice spiral effect on the tube.  I can see this would be a fun technique for jewelry making.  But I still love my kumihimo braiding!

Krokbragd.  This technique was really interesting.  And hard!  Three sheds (instead of the normal two) are used, so an extra set of heddles are added to the loom, plus a shed stick.  The weavers in the group commented that it was very fun to learn, but this type of design would be easier done on a regular loom!

Baltic Style Pickup (far right, above, and below).  Wow, this was really, REALLY fun to do.  But it was hard, too.  Although once you figure out what you are doing (it took me about 6 - 8 rows), it all makes sense.  You just have to really pay attention to your graph to pick up and/or pick down the correct warp threads.  The background was linen, and the pattern was in wool, and these fibers want to stick together each time the shed is changed, but the wool stands out very nicely from the background.  I love my bookmark and want to explore this technique a lot more.

After we finished weaving our samples, they were cut from the looms and the techniques discussed.  My loom, with handle for lifting up or pushing down unheddled threads, was considered.  Roni, below, and the rest of the group thought it was a very good design, except that when you are moving the heddled threads with the right hand, you have to reach over to operate the handle.  And Patricia said she missed the tactile experience of pushing down and pulling up the warp threads with her fingers.

 

Before we took it off the loom, we moved the heddles to another dowel, as I thought I had put them on the wrong dowel (see first picture of this loom above).  They worked much better on the lower dowel!  It took me about four attempts to warp the loom, as I had not taken a photo of it warped at Carolyn's house. 

 

 

Here Angela explains Baltic Style Pickup, and how to graph out your own design.  She demonstrated that it is best to graph your pattern (foreground design) where the warps are normally up or down (I think!).  The two-day workshop / round robin was really fun, and we all learned a lot.  Angela is a great teacher, and a mentor to many new weavers.  Thanks, Angela!

 



Bonus!  On Sunday morning (workshop didn't start until 1:00), Angela got out her basket supplies and showed me how to make a 'jelly bean' basket.  Here are several colorful baskets she has made (the reeds are space dyed), and my little crooked basket sitting in another basket.  I'm going to try making more, using Rit dye to color the reeds.

Mac helps with my photography......

I love the inkle loom!  When I took the beginner workshop in April, I thought I would just try it to learn something new, but that I wasn't going to buy a loom or pursue it any further.  Of course, one hour into the workshop I was hooked!  There are so many different patterns to try, and the finished bands can be used for so many things (bookmark, hat band, dog collar, guitar strap, belt, purse strap, clothing trim, etc.).  It's also pretty easy to warp the loom, and portable!

Fiber Arts Summer Camp - Oxford MS

Lynn & I are getting very excited about all the fiber crafts we will be sharing with young people during Oxford's first Fiber Arts Summer Camp. Every Monday from June 4 until July 30, aspiring artists ages ten and up will create a unique piece of fiber art with different materials.

Fiber Arts Camp will be held at Knit 1 Oxford when the shop is closed so that eight children will have the space to themselves! Just some of the techniques we will cover are weaving, dyeing, knitting, crochet, beadwork, felting, embroidery, macrame, kumihimo, braiding & knotting, papermaking, dollmaking, and lots more. A few photos of the projects are below, as well as sample pieces our fabulous 'tester student' has tried out for us!

Click on the box to the right ("Fiber Camp") to link to Knit 1 Oxford for more information and to register.

This small purse was woven on a cardboard loom. In addition to learning new techniques, students will also learn how to make the tools necessary for several of the fiber crafts.


Here is a simple straw-woven barrette our student tester has made.


This is a straw woven belt. Students will learn the technique while making a barrette.


A crocheted fingerless mitt.

Felt bead making:

More Fiber Arts Summer Camp

More fiber crafts we will be learning this summer, including square stitch beaded bracelet, kumihimo braid in progress, macrame bracelet, perfect pompoms, God's Eyes, and, lastly, a photo of the small woven purse my tester student made.

Oxford Fiber Arts Festival - Linda Weghorst Opening Talk

The second Oxford Fiber Arts Festival is scheduled for January 20-22, 2012. Opening lecture Friday evening will be given by Linda Weghorst on "African Kente Cloth Weaving." Ms. Weghorst, a fiber artist, weaver and educator, visited Ghana, Africa in 2009 to study the artists and art of Kente cloth weavers. Samples of the cloth and other native crafts will be on view after the talk and slide show. Lecture is at 6:30 p.m.

Ms. Weghorst will also teach a Handwoven Jewelry workshop during the fiber festival, on Saturday, January 21 from 10-4. Pin loom weaving will be used to create elegant, one-of-a-kind pins and neckpieces. Trained as a professional artist at Ball State University and the Art Institute of Chicago (MFA, Fiber Arts), Ms. Weghorst has exhibited her work and taught workshops throughout the United States. Her tapestries have been commissioned for a wide range of public architectural settings, including corporate, government, university and religious institutions.

Here are two examples of Linda's Woven Jewelry pieces.



Angela Schneider weaves, knits, spins and does just about every textile technique. She teaches for shops and guilds and exhibits in art shows in Memphis and regionally. Angela always has multiple projects in progress and classes on the calendar, and she will be teaching two classes during the Fiber Arts Festival. Below is a photo of Wavy Wedges, a project which takes short-rows to the extreme with a trick of geometry to create a unique 'wavy wedges' scarf.

Knitting is simple, but with a twist that makes it anything but plain. Only basic knitting skill required – cast on, knit and bind off. Creative yarn selection makes the design pop. Supplies: 200 yds worsted-weight yarns: Solid, variegated, two colors or two balls of slow color-migrating yarn. Size 8 needles or size to get a comfortable gauge with selected yarns. This class is scheduled for 2-5 Saturday, January 21.

Angela will also teach Kumihimo Braiding, a traditional craft in many cultures. Braids can be used in many applications, from jewelry to accessories to home décor. Students will work with both hand-held disks and marudai (braiding stools). Everyone will start with a sampler braid and choose a pattern for a small project – bracelet or keychain. All supplies will be provided in a kit. This class is designed for ages 10 - adult, and will be held Saturday, January 21 from 9-12.

Below is a photo of two pieces, a bracelet and a necklace that I made after taking Angela's class. The necklace (choker style, with end caps at the back) was made with specialty yarns.

For more information and to register for Handwoven Jewelry, Wavy Wedges, Kumihimo and many other classes, contact Knit 1 Oxford at 662-238-2829.

There will be lots of make and take for kids at the festival, including finger knitting, yarn bombing, and God's Eye, below.

More animals at the festival! This year our vendors are bringing alpaca, pygora goats, angora rabbit, and a llama! Here is a photo of a baby alpaca I took at Cathy's ranch a year ago.

Library Craft Circle - Pin Weaving Workshop

Pin weaving is a simple way of creating a small woven piece without the use of a loom. It is weft faced weaving, that is, the warp thread will not show on the finished design. A design is created on graph paper and taped to a piece of foam core board. Pins are placed at the top and bottom of the design. A strong warp thread (waxed linen) is wrapped taughtly around each pin in a continuous motion. Weaving of the weft thread is done with a tapestry needle. Weft threads can be nearly any fiber, but for small pieces embroidery floss and pearl cotton work very well.

Here are a few websites to see examples of pin weaving for inspiration. Needleweaver.com has many examples of needle woven necklaces! Click on each artist to see more photos of their work. Most of these designs are more elaborate than a beginner would start with, but there are lots of ideas if you wish to continue with pin weaving. There are also lessons on this site; I did not follow these directions so they differ from mine.  Note: above link no longer works, but I found LOTS of inspiration boards on Pinterest by searching "needle weaving" and "pin weaving."

An earlier article in Threads Magazine featured needle woven fabric inserted onto purse fronts. Very lovely, they are woven with heavier threads.

SIMPLE (and fun!) HOMEWORK BEFORE WORKSHOP: To start your design, you will need graph paper, 5 squares per inch. You can find graph paper on-line through Needlepointers.com.

This needlepoint website has a page listing places on the internet where you can find free graph paper. I used the second link listed and was directed to a site that lets you create all kinds of graph paper. There is a form on which you specify the number of squares per inch, it should be 5 squares per inch, or less.

When you have printed your graph paper, decide how large or small you would like your woven piece to be. On your graph paper draw borders around an even number of squares to accommodate your design. Do this several times on the page. Ten or 12 squares is a good size to start with. For my finished piece, above, I blocked off 10 squares. Here are my sketches (you should be able to enlarge the sketch by clicking on it):

You will be placing pins at the top and bottom of your design. At the top of each sketch, I like to number and make dots where the pins will be inserted later. If there are ten boxes, there will be 11 pins. So I number the dots like so:

5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - 0 - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5

Repeat at the bottom of the box. However, the pins at the bottom will be inserted between the vertical lines of the graph paper, therefore, only 10 pins will be used. I also number these dots, omitting the zero.

In the boxes you have drawn, make several sketches. You are not confined to the box shape; as you can see on my sketches -- and ones on the Needleweavers.com site listed above -- I sometimes went outside the border. It is simply easier, for a first project, not to go too wild.

Color in the sketches you like, and add beads to the sketch. Helen Banes, in her book “Beads & Threads,” says that beads are a focal point for the design, that is something to keep in mind when placing the beads.

The “don’t do like I did” section! On my first piece I changed colors at the top and bottom edges:

Not a good idea. When the piece comes off the board the sections will not stay together (just at these top and bottom edges). I realized this would happen before I removed the pins. It was easy to fix, though, so that could be an option if you really want color changes at the top and bottom. Here is how I fixed it. With the finished piece still attached to the board, I removed the first pin on the top right and wove a new length of weft thread through each of the warp loops at the top, removing each pin as I came to it, and adding a bead between each loop. This held the top edge together and also added a decorative row of beads. Repeat at the bottom.
Supplies for class which I will provide
(kit cost approx. $5):
Foam core board, 1/2 inch thick
Tapestry needles, small to large
Pins
Waxed linen for warp

Supplies students should bring to class:

Graph paper (please see website above to print your own graph paper) PLUS bring your finished sketches
Embroidery floss or pearl cotton
Beads (with large holes preferred)

Things you will need to finish your project, probably after class:

Beacon Fabric-Tac
Ultrasuede for backing
Pinback (to make a brooch), or beads & beading thread (to make a necklace)

All the supplies students are to bring to class are available in Oxford. Wal-Mart has a good selection of beads, including ones with large holes (please look at the hole size before you buy), and other jewelry making supplies. The Fabric Center has a good selection of embroidery floss and also Beacon Fabric-Tac.

Here are some glass beads I picked up at Wal-Mart which have holes large enough to pull 2 warp threads through:

Please bring your finished sketches, beads and embroidery floss to the workshop on March 28, at 6:00. If you have any questions, please call me (number in phone book).