Getting warped.
I think at one point last year I may have mentioned to Michelle that she should bar the doors and windows and take away my wallet should I ever decide to get into weaving. Ignore what I said earlier, Michelle.
Last night was my very first weaving class… This one is at Place des Arts and also taught by Irene, my spinning instructor. Being the absolute beginner, I started with learning how to wind a 2-yard warp on a Leclerc 1-yard warping board. I would show you the warp, but it’s really just a pile of string right now. Next week, we actually put it on the loom — with all those little holes (heddles?) and slats (dents?!?) it looks like it might cause premature blindness.
And so here’s a question. Where are all the weaving blogs? Here are a few:
- Charleen’s Fiberblog at http://www.fibernut.com/blog/
- Sara Lamb’s Woven Thoughts at http://www.saralamb.blogspot.com/
- Sheepless in Suburbia at http://judelbug.typepad.com/. This one is great — she’s doing the Masterspinner’s Natural Dye program and you can see photos her work here
If you check out the WeaveRing, there are only 20 weaving blogs whereas there are something like 2000 knitting blogs! Why the discrepancy?
Interweave Knits Spring 2006
Ah ha, this preview is official. See it here… Hmm, I might make the Trellis Scarf (by Evelyn Clark) or the Fair Isle Rib Zip Jacket (by Melody Griffiths). Lovely.
White Castle
Notice that Mari is wearing the wristwarmers that she knit out of my Fondant handspun on her trip to DC! And check out the photo of her at White Castle… That’s my smile for today.
Tags: place des arts
Oh how I love weaving! I’ve done it three years in a row as an art class at my high school. My chef d’oueve was a 5 huck overshot weave blanket that I double wove (I was weaving on an 8 harness loom and the weave is 4 harnesses, so I wove a blanket twice the width of the loom) in a lovely robin’s egg blue color. One of my favorite objects of all time! Weaving is a truly remarkable and interesting process. Now if only I could part with some of my yarn allowance to buy a loom and supplies for myself…
I think that there aren’t that many weavers out there because it is expensive and not portible. You can always go the rigid hettle loom path but it has its limitations as well.
I love weaving and I hope that more people get into it. Actually, at Deep Color we have been offering weaving classes (using rigid heddle looms) and more people ARE getting into it so I am very happy.
I’m very glad that you have found weaving and hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Aren’t the holes dents and the slats heddles? (Highly likely that I’m wrong.) I used to have a four-shaft table loom but sold it because I never really got into it. It’s amazing the gorgeous fabrics that people can make though.
I would definitely say that the difference in numbers is the lack of portability. Even spinners have drop spindles that they can take anywhere. Weaving looks expensive (like spinning wheels, I know even a small loom isn’t cheap) and with the limited number of people participating, it’s not like you’re going to find someone doing a weaving demonstration at your local festival of period re-enactment. I’ve seen more looms (and people using them) in museums than in people’s homes. But I’m sure you already thought of all that. Yes, a sad lack of representation for a really cool fiber art.
I became very obsessed with the idea of weaving right before Christmas, but I quickly pushed it out of my head. I have a closet full of yarn that I must knit with or my husband will blow a gasket. I can’t wait to see your progress. And thanks for the link to my White Castle entry! The wristwarmers were so soft and great to wear.
I also think the amount of room that needs to be dedicated to weaving is also an issue. In my basement I have an old vintage loom that hasn’t been set up in years, but when set up filled my dining room in college. Set up it is around 8ft6ft4ft, I think my husband would freak if I wanted to set it up again in any main area of the house. Maybe in the basement, but who wants hand woven fibers to live down there.
Weaving is a lovely art. If you really get into it you should check out the workshops they teach at Habu in NYC.
http://www.habutextiles.com/webfile/workshop.html
Also they sale amazing warp and weft yarns to use.
There is also a world-renowned weaver who use to teach workshops each summer at a farm in Canada for a week. The class had you taking objects from the field and adding them to the weaving. She also taught a class about tying knots on a loom for Persian rugs. I will try to go dig up the name in the basement. It has been a long time since I have thought about weaving, so who knows if she still teaches.
i rue the day i start into weaving too! i actually have a loom, given to me by a friend of the family. i haven’t even taken it out of the box yet, but i’m sure one day – like when i’m retired 40 years from now, I’ll get around to it.
I guess I could add weaving to my blog. After all I do have that big ol’ (not really too big) Rasmussen 4 harness sitting in my guest room. Mostly used by the cats as a runway up to the bedroom window. I made the mistake of wearing one of my woven scarves to our knit group Christmas party. And everyone ohhhed and ahhed and wanted to know all about my weaving. For years I tried to trick our son into being my warping boy but he never took up my offer. So let’s just mark my 2000-2006 weaving progress at “0″.
You’re getting dangerous!
Carolyn (Curlypurl) does a fair bit of weaving on her ‘blog, I think she’s on the WeaveRing.
Though knitting is expensive, weaving can be even more so, especially if you get into floor looms. As mentioned before it takes a lot of space, a fair amount of equipment, and a lot of time. You can cast on the back of a sweater in half an hour, but warping a floor loom at even a modest 24″ wide and 30 epi takes many hours. IMO the technical problems in weaving are a bit more daunting than those in knitting–squishy yarn hides a multitude of sins; deciding what stitch to use as a selvedge in a knitted seam that will be hidden is of small concern compared to loopy or too tight or just wrong selvedges on that woven linen table runner. Also– no offence intended to anyone-my experience has been that many weavers are somewhat older than the people who knitblog and it could be that they aren’t as comfortable with the internet as a way of expression.
All that said, congratulations and welcome to the world of weaving! When you start lusting after the drawloom with 16 ground shafts and 60 pattern leases, just remember how much you can do with a few sticks and some string: backstrap weaving, tablet weaving…
And side benefits of weaving? The coned yarn you buy to weave those luscious tweeds doubles as knitting yarn, at much less the cost you’d pay for balls or skeins!
Weaving sounds interesting…just one of these days, I will try
I will look towrdas your progress in waiving! As I just started spinning, and I am very curious about it (I usually knit)…
Felicia, I hope that you understand that for the sake of yourself and for the sake of those around you…cease and desist all attempts at weaving! If you do not , I will be forced to steal your wallet tonight! I refuse to get sucked further into the knitty world of yarn porn!
PS. Can’t wait to see your creations!
lol! I’ve seen some of the things that Irene and other local weavers have done and it’s hard to resist that temptation. Beware of Irene…she’s an enabler.
Thanks for the weaving ring link! I have been weaving for 3 years now and I love it! I think one of the reasons why there are not so many weavers as there are knitters and spinners, is the huge amount of preparation that gets you to the point where you can sit and weave. I am looking forward to getting some weaving done now that the holidays are over.
Have fun!
Weaving requires a larger investment than knitting. Anyone can borrow a pair of needles to give knitting a try but, a loom? I don’t know anyone near me who owns one.
You’ll love it.!
It’s absolutely addictive. I’m currently taking a double studio in weaving at my school. There is so much to learn and there are so many possibilities. It’s very exciting area of textiles.
If you really love it and have the space for it, a half decent used loom can be found for around $500. I just bought my first one recently.
oh my.. I did a search for weaving blogs and found this entry today. I had to laugh because I said the very same thing! Don’t let me do it.. The really fun part is that my husband learned before I did and bought not one, but two looms! We’re opening a gallery and learning center in the next year, so he justifies it that way as well.
Nice Blog too!
PS My dad taught me to knit when I was a girl.. Such great guys…