Dianne's Loom Talk

Market, shibori, kauri

2012-01-29T17:08:00.001+13:00

Yesterday was market day in Whangamata and as usual I had a stall. I decided to move some stock so I could have fun creating new ideas so I put up a sale sign announcing 50% off the marked price of everything. It worked not too badly and had a reasonable number of sales. Some things I could have sold twice over so there were some disappointed customers but I didn't take orders as really, at 50% off, they were give away prices. Caught up with some friends from years past and had fun. We won't mention the Devonshire scones and tea though. Shhh!

My shibori samples of navy blue cotton which I've bleached (maybe I should say decoloured). Anyway the purple is just what I wanted so now I have to work out the metres needed for a garment and hope I have enough thread. The wee rust thread in the right hand side sample denotes a change of treadle to try a different stripe sequence. Its actually not as dark as that; my photography skills are the problem.

On one of the four sunny days we had last week before the rain returned we decided to go on a bush walk for a change and discovered this grove of kauri trees, a slow growing majestic native of New Zealand. Although this pic shows mostly punga trees there were many. As it took a second or two to point and shoot my camera I spent some time picking up fallen kauri tree leaves and bark while Pete spent time with his shot.
Thinking I would try dyeing yarn with them I'm wondering if they should be soaked or boiled or if and what sort of mordant?

Yes, these weeds are out of focus as they kept moving in the breeze but what glorious colour.

Shibori cotton

2012-01-21T09:42:00.000+13:00

I have a problem in that I can't for the life of me dye cotton with Procion dye. I almost get hysterical at the prospect and when I try the dye doesn't take. Acid dye on protein fibre, no problem but cotton, hopeless. I have several big bags of cotton that I've acquired over the years thinking I would overdye to more desirable hues but .. see above!

This rust cone I have given away twice and it comes back unused so its time came to try an experiment with watered down bleach.
The fabric was about 20" (51cm) wide before pulling the resist threads.

The first pic was taken as the soaked sample went into the solution so it is darker than in reality. (A light bulb just went off here.) The second pic is after four hours of soaking and I just realised that that is also darker than it would be when dry. You can see the edges have really bleached out to a dirty white.

This is the first glimpse as the resist threads are released.

This is the above stripe sample washed and pressed showing that even deliberate stripes come out very organic. The bleach solution was painted on one side of the sample only.

The next sample was covered in the bleach solution and left soaking for two hours. It has 6 rows of tabby between resist threads which I like better than the samples I did with 4 which is a bonus timewise.

I think this last is my favourite but the one above does look a bit reptilian. I used a weaker solution of bleach for this and I'm liking the three degrees of colour, the original rust, an orange and its tint.

So now I think I'll tie on a couple of metres of navy blue cotton which I know bleaches out to purple and see what I get before putting on a long warp. This is all unmercerised cotton.

Click on all pics to bigify.

Keeping the edges flat

2012-01-19T21:22:00.000+13:00

Have all you weavers seen Laura Fry's latest post called Beginning. It shows how to put the waste yarn in at the start of the warp. What a simple trick to put the waste yarn around the tie on stick to keep the edges flat to start. I tried it this afternoon and it works a treat. Thanks Laura.

I've been in a funk!

2012-01-19T12:13:00.000+13:00

Yes I have, I've been in a funk. Can't settle to do anything and when I do try it doesn't work out.

And we've all had enough of disasters in this wee country. Just way too many multiple deaths from disasters - mine collapse, earthquakes, floods, hot air balloon fire and the last on my beach, the Rena broke in half and littered the beach with bags of milk powder, timber, containers, a little oil and (don't ask) rubber gloves. None of it involves me directly but I know folks affected and it all gets into your psychy after a while and affects you.

Bull dozer tracks

Timber from Rena

Pallets from Rena

And where has our summer gone? Half way through January, and that's half way through summer, and it hasn't started yet. We've only had one or two sunny days and they've had strong "fresh" winds making it unpleasant to be outside.

Enough already! We're over it.

OK so what have I been working on? I wove another black and white Kete blanket which you can follow the link to see pics. I love this structure but you have to be pretty fit to lift 13 shafts when weaving double layer.

I've had a large, maybe 1.5 kilo, cone of thread I've been storing for years and years thinking it was linen. As the weather has been cooler than most summers I decided to knit a summer jumper on the knitting machine. Lint flew around, was building up around the cone and was falling on my knees but I wouldn't admit this seemed strange. It was linen, I'd finish the back. Took it off the machine and it felt yuck, kind of sleezy/slimey. I held it against the cotton t-shirt I was wearing for size. As I pulled it away it sounded like fabric ripping. So I "frogged" the knitting and the cone can go to the op shop labelled acrylic.

Tried my hand at some sewing using a Burda magazine pattern and a length of silk fabric I've had in the "stash" for about ... maybe 20 years. Not easy to sew as it slipped everywhere and not a good project to get your sewing mojo back as the instructions weren't very clear.

Sorry, blogger is determined to lay this on its side - an omen perhaps!

I tried some hand knitting but that hasn't been working out. Used a selection of black through grey to silver threads to knit a shoulder wrap for my daughter for when she sits in an air conditioned office. It kind of looked OK but when friend is silent on the issue and when someone else says thats neat and friend is still silent you get the message to have another look. The back looked alright as daughter is tall but it just wouldn't sit right in front so its gone in the never, never basket. Have tried various cowl patterns since and they just aren't singing to me.

Before I started the kete blankets I wove some scarves and have just tasseled and fulled them.

This was a space dyed warp of single cashmere - anyone else brave enough to try that. I wound the warp on very slowly and only had one broken thread and none in the weaving. The second chain was black merino and its woven echo weave but the tie up had areas of tabby so its a bit different.

Again this is echo weave with a rust/red and bottle green warp with a purple weft. The green has one ply of a shiny rayon and the light is just catching it.

Double two tie unit weave

2012-01-02T14:20:00.000+13:00

I'll try to explain this structure.

A unit weave refers to a group or block of threads in warp and weft which are threaded or treadled in a particular way to produce pattern.

A tied unit weave is a unit weave in which a supplementary pattern weft is tied to the cloth by designated warp threads called "tie-down ends". Each threading unit consists of tie-down ends and pattern ends. The tie-down ends are threaded on the same shafts throughout while the pattern ends are threaded on different shafts in each block. Based on information from The Complete Book of Drafting for Handweavers by Madelyn van der Hoogt.

Two-tie refers to the number of tie-down threads in each unit or block, e.g. in this instance its 2 but could be 3 or 4.

Double refers to the number of pattern threads in the unit or block.

In my particular Kete pattern the tie-down threads are 1 and 2 so a unit would be 1, 3, 2, 4 and the next unit 1, 5, 2, 6 etc with all shafts from 3 upwards being pattern shafts. (In Summer and Winter each unit uses one pattern shaft making it very economic 1,3,2,3 and 1,4,2,4.)

And double layer means its woven in two layers joined on one side to get the width on my 32" wide 16 shaft
loom. Odd shafts are used for the top layer and even shafts for the bottom layer which means I use 1 and 3 as tie-down threads on the odd layer and 2 and 4 on the even and all others are pattern threads for the respective layers.

Excellent reference books include:
The Complete Book of Drafting for Handweavers by Madelyn van der hoogt
A weaver's book of 8 shaft patterns edited by Carol Strickler (Chapter 10, Plaited Twills)
I haven't seen a copy but the above 8 shaft book refers to
Double two-tie unit weaves by Clotilde Barrett and Eunice Smith

Hope this explanation helps.

Gifts

2012-01-01T20:24:00.000+13:00

Several people in my family are allergic to wool (and I have more than most yarn shops, but we won't go there just yet) but who would have thought I could collect this group of cotton, rayon and other manmade fibres together without going shopping.

The same with this group of black through grey which I have started knitting, unlike the group above. More later when prototype completed. (Unfortunately, its not looking as good as the yarn collection would have led one to believe.)

I knitted like the clappers and finished these Tardis socks in time for wrapping for Christmas. Yarn: Waikiwi from Naturally Yarns, merino, possum, alpaca and nylon, 4 ply. The first hand knitted socks I've made and they'll probably be the last. Can't believe how long they took to make. I used steel needle size UK13 (2.25mm) and UK12 (2.75mm) which had belonged to my grandmother and then Mum and I couldn't help wondering, as I knitted, how many pairs of socks had been knitted on those needles. I had printed instructions from Yarn Harlot's post December 24 (the proper way to receive a knitted gift) in case they weren't greeted in the correct manner but I needn't have worried, a big smile, socks on feet all day!

Handspun corriedale, sliver from Anna Gratton, lace pattern from old magazine. Knitted while travelling - airport stop overs, on trains, in hotels. The recipient's husband said she would have to get a new outfit to go with the gloves!

Not a Christmas gift but finished and delivered to grandson Jack on the day. Recycled denim was lovely to knit and shows off the cables well. Why does my knitting always turn out smaller than I planned after its stitched up?

What's on the looms

2012-01-01T20:01:00.000+13:00

Well its January 1, 2012 and time to reveal what's on the looms again.

First up is my table loom with the remainder of the double weave warp from here where the blue part of the warp ran into the white. I'm in the process of taking both warp chains off the loom and I'll try soaking the blue warp in a salt solution. If that doesn't work I'll discard the threads.

The 16 shaft compu dobby has a warp ready to weave another Kete blanket and an order for more colourways but my yarn supply company didn't come through with my order for wool before Christmas so will have to wait till mid January. Its possibly held up by the Auckland wharfies strike ... grrr!

The 8 shaft Nitschke has a cotton warp sett at 30 epi and I'm doing an experiment in shibori. So far the samples are promising some excitement but I want to repeat some samples and try others before revealing what I'm doing.

So three looms full of potential for the new year.

Why did I let myself be talked into it?

2011-12-22T08:27:00.000+13:00

Why have this ...

when I have this ...

outside the lounge window.

A very special festive season to all my readers and a healthy and happy 2012.

PS The tinsel tree has been decorated and a few more parcels organised.

Kete blanket

2011-12-22T08:22:00.001+13:00

The structure is double layer double two tie unit weave which doesn't sound nearly as romantic as Kete. The Maori use this same weave in their flax kete (kits).

8 ply wool warp, mohair weft, sett - 9 tpi

Random projects

2011-12-15T10:46:00.000+13:00

Handspun from Little Wool Company (Anna Gratton) corriedale sliver. One sliver multi shades and the other plain bordeaux.

Greek key, my first attempt at double weave pick up, which I really enjoyed. But shock horror, can you see where the dye ran into the white. Is there any way to remove the run of dye? The rust thread is a guide to rap it straight around a canvas block. I will have another go at this as I like the clean lines.

The blotchy variegated fabric using space dyed warps, one dark and the other an echo of it. Woven echo weave, 28 epi, 560 threads, wove almost 5 metres giving me approximately 4.5 metres of cloth. I'll have to do some fancy cutting out to obscure the band that stands out as being different (shame it wasn't on the outside edge). The cotton tags are my half metre marks as I weave which I find less muddly than using string or a tape measure which I always seem to get tangled in and pull on. I cut the tags before I start weaving and as they're used I know how many metres are woven and how many to go. The tags also give me an idea of take up and shrinkage after fulling, in this case shrinkage was 4 cm per 50 cm, and a pause to stretch my back.

2011-12-11T09:04:00.000+13:00

Eumachia was priestess and one of the most prominent citizens of the city of Pompeii. She was patroness of the guild of fullers (cleaners, dyers, and clothing makers), one of the most influential trade-guilds of the city because of the importance of the wool industry in Pompeii's economy. Although her ancestry was humble, the fortune she inherited from her father, a brick manufacturer, enabled her to marry into one of Pompeii's older families. She provided the fullers with a large and beautiful building on one side of the Forum which was probably used as the guild's headquarters.

Eumachia Priestess of Fullers

Entrance to Fullery

The elegant doorway is faced with fine marble which is carved with acanthus leaves.

This small room's entrance is to the right of the main marble arch. Gentlemen could discretely pop in while passing and pee in a buried urn providing a source of urea for the cleaning process.

Fulling consisted of cleaning raw wool or cloth in vats of urine, soda and fuller's earth. The workers trod the cloth in this mixture to clean it. It was then rinsed in a series of other vats and hung to dry. The cloth was combed, brushed and trimmed and white cloth was bleached by laying it on a cage over burning sulphur and brimstone. The final process was the pressing of the cloth which was done in a press at the entrance of the fullonica of Stephanus, the most famous of four large laundries in Pompeii.

Weaving in Crete and Rhodes

2011-12-07T08:09:00.000+13:00

When in Chania two years ago I found this shop, Roka Carpets, full of woven goodies and right at the back was a LOOM but the shop was never open. I would stand at the window and peer in, like "the little match girl". I eventually learnt that the weaver, Mihalis Manousakis, had had to get a job that paid "real" money to support his young family.

Roll forward two years and the doors were open and Mihalis's daughter was there looking after the shop on behalf of her stepmother, Anja, who was now the weaver. Mihalis is working as a scaffolder.

Roka Carpets

Can you see the leather straps in the centre bottom of the photo? These are the "foot pedals" and they must get develish hard on the back pushing forward and down to make a shed rather than just down as our pedals do.

Roka Carpets

Two strips of cloth being woven simultaneously and paper to separate the projects.

Roka Carpets

Bamboo poles as leash sticks.

Roka Carpets

I love the tangle of threads on the centre support of the swift and the tree trunk its resting in.

The Roka patterns are from Minoan time.

One of my questions about Greek weaving has been, why have the traditional looms never been developed to make the weaving easier and why still just using two shafts. On occasion I saw a four shaft loom but shafts 1&2 and 3&4 were tied together to act as a two shaft loom. Maybe the answer lies in this article in the Crete gazette where they say

"There was a time on Crete when every house had a loom. Weaving was as essential as cooking. "

Weaving wasn't a fun thing to do or an art form but part of the daily chores.

Before we left home I had read that Kritsa was the centre of weaving on Crete and as this was one of our destinations to meet up with Pete's cousin I was quite excited but, alas, it seems the last weaver had recently passed away and, although several ladies had looms in their houses and were interested in learning weaving there was no one to teach them.

Kritsa

Kritsa - having a go. My feet weren't far enough up the straps and I didn't get a very good shed.

If you enlarge the pictures you will see on my left on the floor a roll of the fabric (rag weaving in this case) being woven. I really need another look at this in reality as some is rolled around the beam as its woven then, when there is too much, its still attached but becomes this separate roll. When the warp is finished it is then cut up into whatever product it will become. You can see the dear wee lady whose loom it was holding up a runner in the background. I gathered from her demonstrating that she had a very sore back.

Rhodos museum

Benaki Museum

2011-11-23T09:04:00.000+13:00

First, the San Francisco air port had a display of work by Joseph Frank from Sweden. I wrote down the date of 1928 for this selection. Its behind glass, hence the reflection.

We had a morning in Athens before our flight to Hania, Crete so chose to see the Benaki Museum. This holds a collection of work from Neolithic times onwards and was donated by Antonis Berakis (1873-1954) to the Greek state in 1926. Lots a examples of fibre and costumery.
I took photos of the descriptions so I'm typing them out for my benefit.

Fragment of a linen tunic band, decorated with a grid pattern of lozenges and medallions with symmetrical motifs. From Egypt 8-9thC.

Linen and woolen screen curtain in the loop-weave technique with the representation of a praying couple. From Antinoe, Egypt 5-6thC.

Wooden winding frame for preparing hanks of yarn. 19thC.

Spindle whorls of bone. The painted or carved decorative motifs must have created a particularly pleasing aesthetic effect during the rotation of the whorls.

Wooden spinning wheel. From the islands. 19C. For the life of me I can't figure how this works as a spinning wheel but I love the skein winder in the background.

Wood carved loom from Crete early 19th C. I have the feeling this loom isn't set up properly as the cords to the two shafts seem to be attached to the front beam. Lovely carving and solid loom. In the background (rightish of the loom) is a bridal tent.

Tapestry for costume decoration, woven in wool and linen. It is distinguished for the high quality of the workmanship and the grace of the depicted quail. 5th C.

Part of a woollen bedspread woven with a design of a couple on the tree of life. From Kritsa, Crete. 18-19th C.

Ladies in costume. Left: Bridal costume from Kawakli, NE Thrace. Middle: female costume Eastern Thrace. Right: Bridal costume of Kapoutzida, central Macedona.

Finally weaving

2011-11-15T09:23:00.002+13:00

The good news is that all the oil that can be removed is off the Rena, container ship that ran aground off Tauranga Harbour, and any left will be "mopped up manually". I do hope the mopping happens on board and not on the beaches. Container removal starts today but with over 1300 containers and only 6 being removed per day it will take a while. The spine of the Rena is broken so the fear is a storm could turn the whole situation to custard.

I finally got to sit at my loom last week and produced 5 metres of fabric which I'm calling wisteria. This was the culmination of all the sampling I did during the winter of interleaved and echo warps. I really can't say it is echo as I broke all the rules (as usual). The warp had been wound with one thread wool and the second thread has some fibre which didn't take the dye (acrylic probably as I gave it the bleach test) so it was an echo of the main thread. Unfortunately the threads had stuck together slightly so I had to stand and separate all 520 6 metre long threads before winding them on. Wool is questionable to use for echo weave anyway but because it was now slightly fluffy it couldn't be sett as close as it should have been. I did cut off a sample and wash it vigorously before preceding. Putting all the elements together- the painted warp, echo weave threading, the warp sett I'm very pleased with the result though it is yet to be fulled.

In the evenings I've been knitting a jumper for Jack who, we've found out, is allergic to wool and acrylic. Not what you want to hear when his GranD has a house full of wool. Our last two days of holiday were a stop over in San Francisco and as luck would have it Arftibers was just around the corner from our hotel, not even a block away. I had arrived in fibre heaven, there were bins and bins of thread and sample squares knitted of each variety and complete garments on display. I shouted Jack (note how I shift the blame) some recycled denim thread. Its rather soft to work with compared to other denim threads I've used. Also some silk for myself.

And finally I just heard that Peter Gordon, London based master chef, bought my kereru blanket from Pauanesia (go to gallery) as a gift for himself. I'm one proud cookie!

Adventures while travelling

2011-11-09T09:20:00.000+13:00

Most of our trips are well organised before we leave home and we travel local transport where possible so, for instance, we new there was a bus stop right outside the rail station at Merced. Approached the first bus that came along but it wasn't going our way but the driver got on the radio telephone and every bus in Merced new there were two New Zealanders waiting for the No 3 bus. Next bus and the driver says not his bus but it would be there soon (if we didn't melt in the heat waiting). Sure enough No. 3 bus came and we got a wonderful ticky tour around the city seeing streets and sights we would never have seen in a taxi going straight to the motel.

Leaving San Francisco I asked if I could take my knitting on board and it was no problem but as we were leaving Frankfurt from the 4 hour stop over I was pulled aside and they nearly took my set of 4 double point steel that had belonged to my grandmother away. I was told it was wrong and got my knuckles whacked but begging let me keep them. Because of all the problems in Greece and the austerity measures the air traffic controllers were on a go slow so we had an extra hour on the ground in Frankfurt so I was real glad of the knitting.

Arriving in Athens for our nights stop we dragged our bags the half kilometre to the metro office to find one lonely man telling everyone the trains were on strike and we would have to bus. That wasn't on our plan at all. We had no idea where we were in the city but at one stage the bus was stopped at lights and so I suggested Pete ask the driver where the closest stop to our metro station would be. "Last stop, get out now" so out we got into the traffic, looked over a harp of roads and saw our hotel neon lights. Someone was looking after us.

The flight from Sitea to Rhodes was two hours but in that time we touched down at two small islands. One leg was 5 minutes and in that time the hostess gave the safety discourse in two languages, Greek and English, and had time to give out birthday celebration chocolates to the passengers we had just picked up.

As I mentioned in the last post we struck a storm while on Symi island and the catamaran ferries can only run on flat seas. One ferry stayed docked all day Saturday but left Sunday morning, the day we were to leave in the afternoon. By mid day the weather had packed up again and we approached the ferry office to confirm if they would be running as we had two planes and a train to catch the next day. They wouldn't tell us (but we found out later the boat had already been cancelled) and they closed the office for siesta. Later in the afternoon we decided we better try to get on the cruise ship, the Aegean Glory, which was returning to Rhodes at 4pm. Had to beg the captain who had to get permission from the harbour master but we made it in the nic of time. Cruise ships are not supposed to take casual passengers so we were very grateful.

The day after Symi Rhodes we travelled by car to the airport, plane to Athens (more go slow hold ups), plane to Rome, train to Rome city, train to Naples, train to Castelamere di Stabia, most of these prepaid and booked so you see why we had to be off the island.

Before leaving Greece we caught a brief news clip mentioning NZ and I saw a picture of a boat aground and what looked like our beach, Waihi Beach. It wasn't until 4 days later in Italy we were standing in a queue to get a bus down the Amalfi coast (more rain I might add) and I saw a man with New Zealand across his black shirt so approached him for news. Sure enough the container ship had gone aground at Tauranga harbour and this man said Waihi was the first beach hit by oil and if I wanted to swim this summer I better hit the beach with a shovel. We spent the next week believing this but turns out he was wrong and our beach is quite clear. I feel desperately sorry for those hit by oil slick but quietly pleased we are clear so far. The Rena still has 300 tonnes of oil remaining on board before the containers can be removed.

The start of our homeward trip had a rocky start when our train from Naples to Rome was delayed by 180 minutes. We rebooked on the express (that travels at 320 k/h - what fun) and got to Rome no problem and walked underground to catch the train to Fumicino (near Rome airport). It wasn't until we were on our plane the next day I read a news broadcast and it seems there were riots in Rome city and a bloodbath outside the Colluseum!

Next time some fibrey talk. My loom is threaded and, after two months, I can't wait to throw the shuttle.

I'm back

2011-11-09T08:19:00.000+13:00

A bit late reporting in but as usual after a busy exciting trip I got home with ill health and had to take to bed for a few days. Just got cleared up and I've spent the last weekend in Auckland teaching shibori to a great group of girls. Of course, a weekend is extended as it takes a day to get there and another to get home. Wonderful to see family (i.e. grandson - he's so cute) and catch up with friends as well.

We had the most wonderful trip and saw so many different things that I couldn't say any one experience was better than another.

I'll give a quick run down of the trip. We decided to fly to Greece via San Francisco where we had a 4 night stop over after a 12 hour flight. Did we rest? No, we trained inland to Merced as a base to get to Yosemite National Park, an extraordinarily majestic experience. A second 12 hour flight over Greenland and Scotland to Frankfurt and a 5 hour stop on the ground before flying on to Athens for one night when we flew to Hania on Crete (still our favourite place). Bussed to the east end of the island and met and spent time with Pete's cousin at Kritsa before bussing on to Sitea. Flew to Rhodes and really enjoyed our time there before boating to a wee island called Symi, the driest island in the Greek archipelago (they bring their water in by ship) and we struck two days of torrential rain, lightning and thunder and power loss. From Symi we boated back to Rhodes so we could fly to Rome where we trained straight south to Castelamere di Stabia (south of Naples). Three days saw us at Pompei, Heraklion and a trip down the Amalfi Coast. Back to Rome for one night with an early flight back over the pole to San Francisco for a couple of nights before home.

After sorting a few things at home we lay down for 40 winks about 4pm (that's 40 minutes) and we woke at 4 am the next day!

Round up

2011-09-14T16:41:00.000+12:00

Just a couple a pics, the Kotare blanket

and a 100gm skein of corriedale yarn. I meant to produce a 4 ply but ended up with double knit when it was wet finished.

This will be the last post until the end of October when I'll tell you all about my travels. See you then.

Always the bridesmaid!

2011-09-09T17:21:00.000+12:00

Had a very enjoyable day in Hamilton on Wednesday before going to the Opening of the Creative Fibre Experience. It started with drinks and nibbles and lots of hugs of people I only get to see irregularly and then the prize giving. I received a merit for the merino shibori scarf, 'Kaimai'. The certificate was presented by the selector, Jane Siddell, and she said to me it was such a hard choice between the winner and two merits. Its interesting that the other two prize entries was a handspun knitted baby shawl which was beautiful and a felted scarf which was very striking.

Then we were allowed to go in to the gallery to see the exhibition. I was so intent on seeing everything before the two hour trip home I forgot to take a single photo.

As I moved around the exhibition I was looking at the table of exhibits beside where my "Forest Canopy" scarf was hanging I overheard a lady say "Oh I really like this one" so I was very heartened. My friend Agnes from Fibreholics won the Robyn Hogg colour award and also the top prize, the Creative Fibre Award, for a beautiful wrap with three interleaved threadings. Another friend, Lyn Walsh, took the Complex Weavers Award with a wrap in deflected double weave. Thats the one I covet Lyn. I'll keep trying and maybe one day ...

Where's it gone?

2011-09-01T18:58:00.000+12:00

Have been trying to sort stuff out and finish off a few jobs before going away for a months holiday soon. Not long after getting back I'm going to be teaching a workshop on loom controlled shibori so opened my teaching box and .... where is the sample scarf to show the technique. Oh bother, that's what I dyed up for the Creative Fibre exhibition. No problem, I'll thread the loom and weave another. After all I didn't really need a cotton sunfrock to wear on Rhodes!

Don't tell any of my students but one of the drafts I had sent off for them to use had never been trialed by me so I've killed two birds with one stone and threaded the loom accordingly. I'm so glad I did because I keep thinking of "what if's". Also glad that, for once, I put on enough warp to sample. I'm off to roll on the warp and weave.

New model

2011-08-25T16:55:00.000+12:00

Who could resist those eyes and grin (not toothless).
Modelling the Owl Vest at 8 months. The hat does fit nicely with a turned up brim.

Its happened again

2011-08-23T09:02:00.000+12:00

Earlier this month I entered two scarves in the National Exhibition of Creative Fibre Society. This will be held in Hamilton in association with a huge Quilt and craft show.

It was a performance getting the entry in on time as I missed the Rural Post on the designated Friday. No problem, I thought, I'd do it online. Mucked up my bank account pin and three working days before anyone would help me so that led me to the decision to go to the Loominus weaving meeting on Monday and deliver the forms etc in person. I've come to the conclusion I should never travel alone. Got lost finding Margaret's place for the meeting (I've been there many times before) then got completely bamboozled finding my way around Cambridge. Ended up in Lemmington which is completely the wrong side of town I needed to be. Mission finally accomplished I drove home.

I've had word that both scarves have been accepted and that I should come to the opening, please! The opening doesn't start until 7pm so, say presentations at 8 and, then a two hour drive home. I'm showing my age by hesitating. When I went to the opening of the Bay of Plenty exhibition I realised how important it is to go if at all possible because volunteers work very hard to put on an enjoyable show and it is disappointing if the award recipient isn't there.

NZ Bush

NZ Bush close up

Kaimai

Kaimai close up

Opening is 7 September so we'll all have to wait till then.

NZ Bush is an echo weave with two warps space dyed and then interleaved. Kaimai shows the hazy blues of the hills with a twill back ground and a seperate twill resist pattern. One side shows blue with green and the other dark green with blue highlights. other

Knitting finished, start next weaving project

2011-08-20T14:16:00.000+12:00

I seem to have waffled my way through the last couple of weeks not achieving anything much. I did manage to knit this vest with cabled owls on the front for Jack before the families visit last weekend. I've included this picture to show my row marker; an old earring with a closed ring fixture rather than a hook. Works quite well most of the time.

Owls in Pohutukawa tree

Now on to the next weaving project. Can you guess which bird these represent? Of course, the kotare.

Pounamu

2011-08-05T20:24:00.000+12:00

A (sort of) log cabin knit blanket using the thrums left over from a series of woven Pounamu (greenstone) blankets surrounded by white. All garter stitch, the only rules were that all green knots went to one side and each square had the equivalent of 50 stitches and/or rows. The squares were crocheted together.

Kereru

2011-08-05T20:17:00.000+12:00

Kereru, New Zealand pigeon.

A ~~masterpiece~~ blanket in the making. Below is the mohair weft drying in the morning sun.

23 different colours in the wool warp chains.

570 warp threads tied on and ready to beam on.

All on, smooth and ready to weave. Woven double layer, silver, wine, pink on one layer with teals, greens on the other. A mind bender keeping that flowing while tying on.

Weaving started.

Two blankets off the loom and waiting to have their tassels twiddled.

2011-08-05T20:02:00.000+12:00

This is not a pretty sight. Under that pile of .. um .. stash is the guest bed and you can't see what's behind the wardrobe door or out the passage. I had to empty the cupboard to remove a TV aerial wire which was threaded behind the shelves. Now it needs sorting and dealing to before family comes to visit next weekend. I found bags of thread I'd forgotten about, bags I'd tried to find and given up on and bags of little bits left over from other projects. What to do with it all?

And just so you'll forget the above scene I'll leave you with last nights walk on the beach.

Evening blush.

Bay of Plenty Area Exhibition

2011-07-27T22:06:00.000+12:00

Just home from the opening of the Bay of Plenty Area Exhibition prize giving and what a colourful exhibition it is.

I received a Merit certificate for the shibori scarf "Fire" in the weaving section and the lampshade seen here won the Fibre and Technique Award.

the plot thickens

2011-07-27T08:30:00.000+12:00

This evening is the opening of the Bay of Plenty Area Exhibition. I was talking to the Selector about my loom problems and she asked if I was going to the opening. 'No, I'm going Thursday with friends to catch the trades.' (Like I need more stash enhancement!) 'Oh' she said 'I think you better go to the opening.' So now I'm all on edge ?merit certificate ?something more. Stay tuned.

Echo Weave

2011-07-21T08:47:00.000+12:00

Still trying to find a suitable 'bloppy' weave for a garment. This looked great on the computer screen but not my ultimate dream.
Warp: 5 end advancing twillechoed with a 6 space shift.
TEX 74/2 merino two chains space dyed, 36 tpi
Weft: 5 end advancing twill, fine cashmere
Tie up: plaited twill

And that's the rub. Where the advancing twill came to the end of its sequence the plaited tie up has no continuity. Which made the blops but also an area that doesn't flow.

I might start investigating vertical lines; I don't want horizontal or diagonal lines on my robust figure! Hence the desire for blops. Any suggestions?

I have struck a wee hic cup with the new compu dobby. As its shaken into place shaft 8 decided it'd take a rest break from time to time and not rise. As soon as Margaret and Jim heard they were on to it, offering suggestions on adjustments. For some reason I had lots of phone interruptions yesterday and only wove 1 metre and just on 'knock off' time shaft 12 decided it needed a break too so maybe I need to tweek off the adjustment from yesterday. Excellent after sale care from Mecchia's.

Recent creations

2011-07-21T08:22:00.000+12:00

'Karapiro'

Karapiro blanket and cushion went to Inspirit Gallery a short time ago. Warp mainly wool and alpaca and weft mohair, all hand dyed. Woven two layer twill.

'Pipis and Paua'

As selection for the Bay of Plenty Area exhibition happened yesterday I can show what I entered. This lamp shade has a very open knitted base fabric attached to the frame and crochet shells attached.

'Fire'

And I couldn't resist entering a shibori scarf "Fire".

'Fire' close up

More interleaved samples

2011-07-05T09:20:00.001+12:00

I've closed the sett from 20 to 24 tpi and its much better but now wish I'd tried 30 tpi just to see. The last sample is starting to get the bloppy appearance I could wear but think I'll give up on this threading for fabric. I've closed the sett right up to 60 tpi (gasp .. I've never been there before) for a cotton scarf in, I think, 20/2 and we'll see where that takes me.

Interleaved threading sample 1

2011-06-28T09:00:00.000+12:00

Two days to thread the loom with lots of crossed threads which I think are all fixed by the end of this sample.
I have to revisit the sett as I think too much of the white weft is showing. Every alternate warp thread is an olive green and its not showing at all. Conclusion - warp threads should be of equal strength of hue.
My aim is to find a treadling which I like for fabric for a jacket or tunic top or some such. Any of these is suitable for tea towels but not what I was after. The middle wavey line uses 5 end advancing treadling and it looked like blotches of colour on the original draft on the computer screen. The top sample used a tie up with quite a bit of tabby and of course it weaves as basket weave on an interleaved threading. The patterns would show clearer if I hadn't put stripes in the warp. Anyone any suggestions.

So back to the drawing board.

Why I live here: Reason 2

2011-06-28T07:56:00.000+12:00

Lots of walking tracks, usually up hill and down dale.

Orokawa Bay

Walking track

Breaking wave (Tuhua Island on the horizon)

then (see the dot in the middle of the sea)

da dah

Mr and Mrs Orca and Junior came around the headland chasing dinner. A magnificent site but most of my pics were out of focus. Small as the waves were Mum and Junior were trying to surf.

Why I live where I do.

2011-06-26T08:47:00.000+12:00

Reason 1.

Ten kilometres of beach and not a soul in sight in June, very close to winter solstice.

Sand patterns - ideas for shibori.

Warps

2011-06-23T07:56:00.000+12:00

Handspun yarn, corriedale I think, just because I could.

I really want to get a warp on the compu dobby and I have a plan. I have a 7 metre warp woven and dyed so long ago I can't remember doing it but its variegated and every alternate thread had taken the dye less intensely than its mate so I've been thinking how can I make use of this anomaly. Echo weave? I've gone for an interleaved threading but I've never done one before so I went to my "ugly box" and found some cotton threads and thought I'd whip up a few kitchen towels and see how it works (picture above) then I can tie on the next warp. They didn't look too bad when wound on the reel. Some of those cones I've given away and they come back unwanted! Last night I got to try the first 20 threads using the dobby to "treadle the threading" as there is no way my tiny brain can remember more than 2 numbers in a row. This method makes it very easy but I couldn't see where to place the threads in the reed so its a daylight job.

And this is another warp for yet another blanket, and a cushion this time. It was actually tied on and wound on the loom yesterday so ready to go.

Unfortunately we do have to eat so its off to Tauranga today for a big food shop. At least we're past the shortest day so spring and summer to look forward to.

Addendum to last post

2011-06-23T07:22:00.000+12:00

I probably learnt one of the most important things of my weaving career. Tension of the warp. When I started I used to ask and ask and pester - how do you know how tight to tension the warp. In the end I was told just keep tensioning until the shuttle stops falling through the warp! Not so.

When weaving with merino it should be loose enough to be able to press your knuckles into the fabric slightly. It might only be the difference of one click of the ratchet. This gives the threads somewhere to move when tension is released.

Thanks Margaret for that gem. I'm going to have to revisit other types of warp as well.

Getting it off my chest

2011-06-16T08:41:00.000+12:00

Ooops, two weeks since the last post.

We've had Queen's birthday weekend on 4, 5, 6 June. A friend came to stay which meant taking all the studio overflow out of the guest room. Luckily I could put it straight in the car for the Waihi Beach market on Sunday 6th. First confession - not good sales. In fact, none, zilch. I swapped a hat for some smoked salt with the lady next to me. I think I'll have to wipe that market off my list of places to sell.

The following weekend was the night of Arty Bra. The show started with the compare singing and four guys on stage wearing bras from last year including my one. Really enjoyed the show; some creations were brilliant some boring. The Plunket ladies had done a magnificent job of making outfits for each bra. They had made a white cap and apron to go with mine and the guy wore Jockey boxers and black fishnet stockings under the pinny. Lots of goodies had been donated to be auctioned so three and a half hours later about ten bras went up for auction. Confession two. Mine was the last and the compare totally knocked the wind out of my sails by describing it as tacky and he didn't like it. To set the scene this guy, slightly weightier than last year and sweating, was dressed in a bo-peep frock, long curly blond wig, ankle busters of platform shoes and blingy jewelry visible from space. Do I sound tetchy? I was. This was an evening of entertainment. I'm sorry, I don't find one cup covered in buttons, the other in bows or cups covered in felted white alpaca with little brown feathers around the edge cut it. Will I enter again next year - probably to support Plunket. Do I still like Rob - he is entertaining.

As an aside Rob used to own a fashion shop in a local town. While he owned it I phoned and explained what I wove and made an appointment to see him. What a fiasco. He was late with a previous appointment, someone else called off the street and was told to wait till I was finished. I had to open my case on the floor. He'd jump over it to answer the phone. He jumped over it to go collect something downstairs. Everything was too highly priced. Why don't I learn to save my dignity, zip the case and just walk out?

Early this week I had a day in Hamilton at a weaving meeting which I really enjoyed but can't think of any gems I learnt. Maybe just keep my mouth shut. Lunched with a friend and discussed the possibility of an exhibition together next year then I did some shopping - belt for a tunic, shoes that just begged to go home with me.

Now back to work. I have nine scarves and two blankets to tag and get to the post (a 40 K round trip).

Black lace, elephants and pounamu

2011-06-02T17:41:00.002+12:00

We've been to Auckland again, this time for our daughter in laws birthday. It's so wonderful to catch up with family and friends but I do believe the traffic gets faster and faster (except one 100 metre section of road where everyone knows there is a speed camera so they all slow down to 50kph then bury the foot the minute they're over the brow of the hill). Us out of towners get confused, lost, flumoxed not knowing which lane we should be in or which motorway exit to take. The final indignity as we were heading home was being over taken by a school bus on the motorway.

Because we were away I thought I had missed the deadline for the "Arty Bra" show this year but the local paper told me we had an extra week until Friday 3 June so I got to work with three days to do it in. Creation so far:

Hmmm. The story is that for d-i-l's baby shower last year we had to dress in something beginning with 'b'. So I wore these girls under my jacket and every now and then I 'flashed'. As can be seen I still have some stitching to do this evening. Thank goodness we don't have to model as they get firemen, surf life savers and any other guy whose willing. The charity being supported this year is Plunket so we look forward to a fun night out. (I wanted to call it "How clean is your house" but I'm going to the show with the presenter of the NZ tv show so better think of another title.)

Speaking of babies this is for Jack, aged 5 months. This is version two as the first at 6-12 months was too small so this is 1-2 years. He's a solid little chap, interested in all that's going on. I thought the elephants appropriate as d-i-l used to help out at the zoo on a voluntary basis on her days off.

And to prove I haven't been slacking off altogether I've been winding and dyeing warps for blankets. This was taken with a flash so the colours aren't true but I left it too late in the day for natural light. Reminds me a bit of pounamu, our greenstone.

Creative Fibre versus commercial enterprise

2011-05-22T08:20:00.000+12:00

I've been a member of Creative Fibre for nearly 30 years and this Society has a tradition of sharing information, helping and encouraging. I know when I first joined Whangamata club way back 'whenever' I received heaps of help and encouragement. Because I live in a reasonably isolated area I tend to not go to club meetings as it takes so much time travelling which is time away from my production so I like to help whenever I can. But, at what point does Creative Fibre "help" become releasing sensitive commercial information? Where do you draw the line in the overlap?

I wrote the above sometime ago with reference to another incident but then realised I'd done much the same. The line does become very blurred.

A while ago the lovely Jessicah showed some gorgeous yarn she had spun and it seemed to be just the spinning method I needed for a project I had in mind. I wrote to her inquiring but also said I understood if she felt this was commercially sensitive as she teaches spinning. She kindly gave me the method (rather more organised than what we had learnt at Majacraft camp) and I adapted it to suit my project.

I was combining two variegated slivers of merino, one from Awakeri Woolcraft and one from Tracey White (Inspired Fibres) and a variegated sliver of silk dyed by Jessicah. Having put all three through the drum carder with the silk sandwiched in the middle I took each batt off and split it vertically down the middle and put each of them back through the carder so I now had two matching batts partly mixed which I kept in order in seperate boxes. I had parted the dominant sliver at colour breaks as much as possible. It spun beautifully and pretty much kept to tone on tone with a little overlap when plied; just what I wanted.

Now to find time to knit it!

Whew, what a week!

2011-05-15T18:47:00.000+12:00

Well a couple of weeks really. Feel as though I've been swirled around in the washing machine and swished out the spin cycle.

In four days I threaded three looms, wove two blankets and updated the laptop with fiberworks pcw and practiced ready for a workshop. Spent a wonderful weekend at a workshop in Warkworth (north of Auckland) with Maryann Stamford, Australia, tutoring on using fiberworks. Now I've been using this program for 8 or 9 years but within the first few minutes of the workshop I new I'd just been skirting around the edges, hadn't even looked at half the functions. It was a fast moving program and those not familiar with using computers or keyboards got a bit lost; excellent notes and clear guidelines so I now have to sit down and go through it all again.

Got to cuddle (well talk with) Jack, our 5 month old grandson (and see my own kids) before heading home to prepare for a trip to Pirongia (south of Hamilton) for another workshop with Maryann on lace. Again a two day workshop and learnt a lot, especially the relationship of lace to blocks. This will be useful as Bronson makes great patterns for loom woven shibori. If you ever get the opportunity to learn from Maryann take it as you get so much more than just the subject of the workshop and to those who didn't take the chance while she was in NZ bad luck.

My huck samples from the lace workshop. The two at the bottom are positive and negative from a block design. The light area in the middle on the right is pick up.

I had one day to gather my wits and on Friday Margaret and Jim Mecchia came over from Hamilton to "computerise" my loom so I'm now the proud operator of a compu-dobby. Does that make me an IT geek!
Of course, I put completely the wrong warp on to try it out. Nothing like going for glory, dark colours, turned taquete (a new structure to me) and 864 rows to the treadling. Hmmm, have I been a frustrated pattern drafter for a while! Anyway its going great and I'm getting more familiar with it. To put this into context, when my husband bought me an electronic knitting machine many years ago it took me 3 years to turn it on. Don't get me wrong I knitted, I could make the work sing, but I did it all manually.

So down to the loom, after a walk on the beach before the weather packs up ... again, more rain coming.

Cave Bay

Entangled

2011-05-04T11:23:00.000+12:00

Have you discovered "entangled" magazine yet? Have you read "entangled" yet?

entangled is being edited and produced by Genny alias GrannyG and available online from zinio with the first issue for April being free. So go check it out. I'll wait while you have a look.

Its colourful, informative, well written and appeals to a wide range of fibre artisans. I was going to spread the reading joy over several days but couldn't stop turning pages.

Now we need you all to subscribe so Genny can keep bringing great stories (and maybe give up her day job and get back to pod casting as well).

2011-05-02T08:53:00.000+12:00

I had a very enjoyable day at the Creative Fibre Festival "Twist in Thames" on Saturday which was open day.
Met up with lots of friends and spent money I shouldn't have on stash enhancement. While there a friend suggested I should post on the blog more often so I'll try but I do like to know someone is out there reading it!

First off I should have mentioned that the hat shown here knitted from thrums sold at the Whangamata market. Of course the buyers husband said, why do you want to buy that, you can knit yourself, and the lady rightly replied yes, but I could never get the colours. It was hand dyed many shades and tints of a wedgewood blue with bits of quarry grey and dashes of white where the warps had been tied all adding up to a great combination.

I've got myself into a bit of a corner this week in that three looms have to be threaded. Hopefully Tuesday or Wednesday the computer box for my dobby will be delivered and installed which meant I had to have a 16 shaft threading on the loom to test it.

This is half way in dreadful light as a "almost" cyclone was heading our way. Every second thread is a variegated merino in berry shades and quite rich and the alternate threads are a bordeaux shade. I'm threading a network twill and going to sample turned taquete as this is a technique I've wanted to explore for some time but having trouble finding much information. I'm gradually piecing together how to arrive at the tie-up, treadling, etc.

Loom number two is always threaded for blankets and I tie on the new warp. Again dreadful light but you can see the white cross threads I use to keep everything in order. This gold will be crossed with one blanket, gold to cream and the other in purple. What would I do without the stairway railing to dry skeins on.

The berry skeins are the weft of yet another project, summer and winter scarves, that I really should have been working on before the immanent arrival of the "box". Its next, I promise.

One of these wraps was a commission. When I started winding the warp I thought it was so pretty I wound enough for two. I started weaving the top version and remembered the lass had said she didn't like spots so wove the second in chevron which she chose. She didn't suit grey next to her face so I arranged the colours so the soft winter white could be uppermost but still keep neutral grey. Lots of different threads in the warp and the weft a soft angora at about a 4 ply in kiwi terms.

Whangamata market

2011-04-26T08:41:00.000+12:00

Winter has struck with a vengience; heavy rain warnings for Bay of Plenty and the Coromandel and my street is flooded at both ends so a great day to spend in the studio.

Saturday was market day in Whangamata where they open the doors at 8 am; how uncivilised. It takes an hour to get there from my home. A great crowd came through but I didn't sell a great deal; enough to have made it worth going but just little things like fingerless mitts. My friend with her jewelry stand, on the other hand, did very well and kept calling for help. I did have visits from two people I supply and have enough orders to keep me out of mischief for quite some time so a good day to get on with it.

Weave, knit, spin

2011-04-07T18:21:00.000+12:00

There are actually two blankets here. The one in the bottom right corner has black warp and the second has stripes of blues and greens similar to the warp.

A shibori worm! After the fabric came off the loom I dyed it using a shibori technique and then pulled up and knotted the supplemental threads ready to dye the loom controlled shibori pattern into the scarf. I'm not going to show any more of the finished scarf as I think it is so fabulous I've put it aside for the Bay of Plenty Area exhibition.

Another pair of Hodge boottees, these are a bit bigger at probably 6 months size. Had a wee disaster as when I was finished knitting the reverse stocking stitch side showed on one of the fold downs. Rather than reknit the foot I pulled a thread and reknitted the fold down. Not as neat as it could be but when little feet are cold ....

See that peg hanging off the thread! I don't know why I didn't think of this (saw it at Majacraft Camp). I use pegs to hold yarn on the knitting machine, I pop pegs on loose warp threads on the loom, I use them in the pantry to close packets and in the freezer and now on the wheel. No more winding it around (and around and around) the tensioner or the hooks where it never held anyway but I kept trying.

Talking of pegs (I told you I use them lots) this is a secret project I've been working on for an exhibition - monofilament and wire. They don't mix folks. But the weaving part of the project is now done and all these weights a distant memory.

2011-04-04T11:47:00.000+12:00

Have been weaving blankets; was about to start another one when I realised that some of the mohair was handdyed (and had therefore been in hot water) and some was straight from the warehouse so put the unwashed into hot water for a few minutes so hopefully it will have shrunk it if it was going to. So, while waiting for that to dry what shall I do?

I've replaced the foam on the knitting machine felt bar with door draft foam trim and ironed vylene on to that so hopefully the needles will slide properly and I'll be able to knit lace.

While dyeing the wool and mohair for the above blankets I threw a little romney sliver into each pot so I now have a collection of bits to spin more "compost" yarn (as learnt at the Majacraft Camp recently). Must get some mohair locks from the Pokeno place when next heading to Auckland as they add vibrant colour and a little shine.

Last Friday I had a very pleasant outing to lunch at the Ohinemuri Winery in the Karangahake Gorge to celebrate the hanging and opening of an exhibition by Esther Nitschke, weaver from Whiritoa beach. It'll be hanging right through April so if anyone's passing through the Gorge do pop in; the food and coffee are great too.

These boots were made for walking - or exploring Hobbit homes in old pohutukawa trees.

Yarny things, new and old

2011-03-29T16:23:00.000+13:00

You might not believe I'm a weaver with the amount of spinning and knitting that appears on this blog but this hat is knitted from thrums. I have bags and bags of thrums which I'm trying to think of ways to use up. I tried putting it through the knitting machine but the machine didn't like the knots - it might work to try weaving on the knitting machine. It does take time to hand knit, pushing the knots to one side all the time.

Here we have spinning from batts made from the "compost" heap as seen at Majacraft Magic camp recently. Wonder if GrannyG or Jessica would recognise their hand dyed sliver now. Also bits of silk, rayon and shaggy knitting threads in there. My drum carder is a bit small so I had to divide everything in half and make two batts to get a decent sized skein.

I've finally reached the point of deciding what to keep (and what to pass on) of my mother's. Trouble is she kept everything and packed it in the draws real efficiently. Who could pass up this old Patons Woolcraft booklet, cost one shilling. When we in NZ changed to decimal currency way back in ?1967 that would have been 10 cents. This is way older than that because tucked inside were these handwritten patterns, some in my mother's script and some in her mothers, all in fountain pen, of course. Balaclava Helmet for Seamen, Scull cap (Red Cross pattern), Mittens for Fighting Services. Some of the patterns in the book are wonderful and could find their way onto my needles one day.

The poem at the end of the mitten pattern reads:
Rumour
Actual evidence I have none.
But my aunt's charwoman's sister's son
Heard a policeman on his beat
Say to a housemaid in Downing Street
That he had a brother, who had a friend,
Who knew when the war was going to
end.

So that's all this time, I've got wool in the dye pot which should be ready for rinsing. I'm preparing for a run of blankets influenced by the tui bird. Also have some shibori scarves being woven on the dobby loom but white twill is rather boring to photograph.

Majacraft camp

2011-03-16T16:17:00.000+13:00

Just spent a very relaxing but busy weekend in Rotorua at the Majacraft camp. This is an annual event organised by Glynis and Owen; they looked so relaxed but I'm sure it took a lot of work behind the scenes to keep it flowing. Several participants from USA and about 8 from Australia joined us. Tutors were excellent including Flore Vallery Radot from Paris/Sydney, Heather Dunn and Mandie Chandler from Australia, and from NZ we had Jessicah Win, Heather Kearins and Genny Stevens. There were a lot of "art yarns" floating around the campus in various stages of drying or being worn as neck warmers etc. It was very free and if you didn't feel like going to a workshop you could sit on the deck in the sun and spin or walk around the shores of Lake Rotorua.

I have one of the early Majacraft Suzie wheels and Andrew was kind enough to give it some TLC so that the wheel doesn't wobble. I was told my bobbins rattle cause they're more than 20 years old and the bearings are wearing. I must give it a wax so that it doesn't look so neglected.

I cut it off!

2011-02-27T08:48:00.000+13:00

Well, I went back to the cashmere scarf, threw the shuttle twice and broke two warp threads so out came the scissors and its gone. Tied on some black merino in 110/2 TEX and have woven a scarf 2.2 metres long with not a problem.
Last post I also mentioned keeping knitting records. Went to the knitting machine to repeat a project I'd made about 4 years ago, found the page in my work book with a few bits of information like tension, stitches and rows per inch but did I keep a record of colours - no - did I keep a record of the actual stitch pattern - no. Nothing like making work for myself.
Have had a muddly week dyeing yarn for this, working on patterns for that, deciding which sample is best for this. Now I have guests coming to stay so will have to return all the overflow from the studio back to its home and squeeze it in. Enjoy your week.

Its been a while

2011-02-19T09:58:00.000+13:00

It seems I'm still being plagued by the virus bug from Christmas time. Appears it has probably left a residue in the middle ear causing what amounts to sea sickness (this has a name which I can't spell). So no fun sitting at the loom or washing dishes, cleaning oven, etc.

Finally finished this little number with envelop neck in bamboo 4 ply. The way the little chap is growing it will be too short soon so when I saw a ball of the same yarn in a "throw out" bin for $1.50 instead of $10 I grabbed it. Figure I can take the rib off the bottom and knit downwards.

This next might be a bit heavy for delicate ears! When I finished the Poutama blankets I thought it would be
good to use the same threading for a new set of placemats for myself. I raised all the odd numbered shafts using a tabby shed and slipped the lower layer out of the reed. Then I put in two rows of tabby behind the reed and resleyed to the correct threads per inch, the tabby making it easy to find the correct threads. With two rows of tabby inserted in front of the reed I then tied on the white cotton warp and pulled it through the reed and heddles. I then went to the back of the loom and cut off the old warp, knotted groups of new warp ends and tied to the back apron. Roll the warp onto back beam, tie to front apron and ready to go - when new dobby chains are made. Six mats and one long runner later I did the same thing again to reduce the tpi for a scarf. Met my waterloo this time though. I used a 74/2 (48 wraps per inch) cashmere for the warp but after weaving 50 cm the threads started breaking. I pushed ahead for another 50 cm but oh dear, an awful lot of broken threads. Do I keep going for another 50 cm and a short scarf or cut it off and run?

I have read recently on a couple of blogs about keeping knitting journals or records of projects. I keep a weaving work book and could pretty much repeat anything I've ever made but with knitting projects I've always delved into the waste bin and grabbed an old envelop - very elegant as you see above. I had this rosey journal on the shelf for many years so thought I'd put it to use. How long will this last?

My "baby" celebrated her 30th recently with a Zombie themed party so we had to join the fun in Auckland. I contributed eyeball biscuits with a stuffed olive placed into biscuit flavoured with paprika and tasty cheese. Also made fingers with baby carrots with the end slivered off and used a dot of cream cheese to attach an almond sliver then carved a couple of lines for knuckles. After bbq and salad Rind served cup cakes that looked like brains.

Proud parents! click to embigen.

its just not normal

2011-01-27T17:26:00.000+13:00

I put on my togs, wrapped a sarong to hide the cellulite and bulges, donned sun hat and jandels, and went to the surf for a swim. Its just not normal for a human being to want to get into the cold Pacific. I got wet to my knees and came home hotter than ever.

I've finished the blankets whose warps were on the loom January 1 (or heading that way).

Poutama (Stairway to Heaven)

Lava, wool warp, mohair weft all hand dyed by me. Both these are for Pauanesia, a lovely shop in Auckland with product celebrating New Zealand and the Pacific.

This is some spinning I've been doing on and off over the past while. It was a sliver of cria alpaca and 15% mulberry silk from the alpaca place in Hot Springs Road, Katikati. Just lusciously devine. That's a 20 cent coin to give an idea of how fine I was silly enough to spin it. I'm thinking knitting it in a lace pattern for maybe a triangular shawl but maybe dyeing it a deep eggplant first. Time will tell.

My mindless project I work on while travelling or too tired for anything else is "sort of" log cabin squares for a blanket. These are warp ends or loom waste left over from a series of blankets in the Pounamu (green stone) range which I've knotted together. There won't be enough on their own so each square will be edged with white or grey, whichever looks better.

Garden ramble

2011-01-19T08:19:00.001+13:00

Well, I'm not doing too well with creating work to blog about. I was sick for a month right through Christmas and New Year and still not a hundred per cent so just muddling along. Have started weaving off the white summer and winter blanket warp but the body will only let me do about half a metre a day. A blimming nuisance to be 4 weeks behind on what I have, need and want to do on the looms.

Collected my work from the Waihi Exhibition last Sunday with neither piece selling. Saturday was the Festival Garden Ramble with an artist in each garden. I new it wouldn't be very busy so I set up a display in my allotted garden and sat and talked to my hostess and host. I did have my spinning wheel with me but did very little. But surprise surprise, on a really hot sunny day I sold two scarves.

Just so this post isn't all misery here's some blooms from the garden.

Yesterday we had rain all day expecting a downgraded cyclone last night (actually two cyclones met and combined) but it wasn't as bad as some storms we get and today the sky is blue and the sun shining so think I better visit the dye pot before the cold front from the south hits tonight, meaning I can get the mohair weft for blankets dry.

Waihi Summer Festival Opening

2011-01-08T12:05:00.000+13:00

or alternate heading ... smile, smile, smile two, yes two, merit awards

Last night, Friday here in the antipodes, was the opening of the Waihi Summer Festival at the Waihi S. F. Exhibition which has been running for 40 years straight. I had two pieces of work exhibited, one in the fibre section and one in the retro section. My husband also had two photos entered in the photographic section so when we got the call, "are you coming to the opening" we didn't know which of us it was for.

It was me! I entered Sea Spray (from Low Tide exhibition at Inspirit) in the fibre section. Woven doubleweave

with monofilament thread and angel wing shells inserted into pockets (wish I or the organisers had straightened the bottom edge). Because we were only allowed one piece in each section I put Coromandel Waves into the Retro section and it received a merit as well.

When we were travelling in Crete in 2009 I had time to draw and plan projects while Pete photographed ~~old piles of rock~~ ancient sites and I have in my notebook plans to make this project. Imagine my surprise to get home and open a copy of Handwoven magazine and a similar project done using wood. The judge's comment was, I''m told, why didn't she put the wave piece in the fibre section. The judge was Pat Old and the standard joke for the evening was "pays to know the judge".

The organisers put a lot of time into a smooth running festival and I enter work to support them. There can only be one winner but without entries there isn't a show. I'm delighted with my merit awards.

Whats on the looms January 1 2011

2011-01-01T19:44:00.000+13:00

White warp for next summer and winter blankets, just waiting for the warehouse to reopen on Jan. 5 to get the weft yarn.

This hand dyed warp in the colour of lava is ready to tie on to the Nitsckhe loom for more blankets.

And I really should be working on the table loom threading it with monofilament from this cone for an exhibition piece.

My fibre plan for the New Year is more experimenting, fine fabrics and garments. Hope its an excellent one for you all.

Baby and bugs

2010-12-23T18:51:00.000+13:00

Only I could pick up a virus just before Christmas; coughing my lungs out which really annoys me because I've been going to Power Plate exercise since April and have felt so well. Hope I don't feel so bad tomorrow as I'll have to do a grocery shop for the weekend which means a 20 Kilometer drive each way.

The great news is that Jack Andrew arrived on 17 December and is a really cute little ~~garden gnome~~ treasure. I had forgotten just how tiny bubs are.

On the weaving front I really worked hard and got 4 blankets off to Pauanesia before we had our family Christmas get together just before Jack arrived. But there was so much going on I completely forgot to get photos and one was onsold before they even got to the shop. This is one as seen on the loom.

Shock, horror. My studio has been reinfested with carpet beatle. And its appeared in other parts of the house as well. Where ever wool has been left on the carpet its been munched so I had to take everything out of the loom room, shake it in the bath and now the floor has been sprayed. I've reorganised my yarn shelves to try to make more space but I really must use up at least some of the stash soon.

One thing which has been taking up quite a lot of space was some knitting I had done using loom waste all knotted together. The plan was to make a jacket but it made me look the size of a house so I've stitched up across the shoulders and the front opening, frogged the sleeves and am now knitting an edge on the sides and it can be a knee rug or animal blanket. I'll take it to the SPCA op shop which has just opened in Waihi.

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and will look forward to sharing more fibre adventures next year.

Sewing, dyeing and spinning

2010-12-02T18:48:00.000+13:00

A very long time ago my lovely daughter in law asked me to make cushions from her wedding frock - what else can you do with a frock no one wants to buy. I procrastinated for a long time because it was just too pretty to cut up but have finally made a start with three cushions, using the beadwork from the frock and using a grey thread to machine embroider to break up the white.

As you can see the cushions are sitting on the Tree of Life throw which I threw (well placed carefully) into the dye pot and it (along with a pair of boottees) is now a lovely minty bluey colour (Landscape dye called Tasman). Also another pair of boottees in a varigated green, mint, blue yarn.

I've been spending the evenings spinning after waffling through the days not being able to focus on anything and spending a lot of time just sitting. This is how I spend my springs due to pollen allergies and lack of sleep due to heat and humidity. Thank goodness I'm coming out of it with the start of summer.

This was a sliver from Little Wool Company, 50% halfbred wool, 30% kid mohair, 20% silk. I'd query the kid mohair bit, more like grandma but very pretty. The wool was black and deep navy running together and the mohair and silk different pastel tones, gold, olive, green, mauve, pink and more. I've Navajo plied it to keep the quite long bands of colour running reasonably true. There is over 400 gms so I'm thinking maybe use it for weft in fabric or ...? Why do we call it Navajo plying? I assumed it came from the American Indians but I've read American literature where its called "chaining off".

This was a tiny bit of singles left on a bobbin so I plied it with commercial navy cashmere and everytime I came to a bit silver I made a bobble.
I have been weaving but no pictures yet. I've made a piece to put into the Waihi Summer Festival Exhibition in January. I've started weaving a pale pink cotton scarf in bead leno on the table loom which, if it works out OK, it can be used to raise funds for breast cancer at the Waihi Garden Ramble in January and I've just tied a cherry red warp on the dobby loom for more blankets. No rest for the wicked.

Knitting projects completed

2010-11-20T09:57:00.001+13:00

Lion Brand Yarn's Tree of Life baby throw for Kicky McFidgit. Now I have to decide, or rather let DiL decide, whether to leave it white or paint it greens and browns. There is a mistake in the cabling but I'm not going to cut threads to fix it.

I chose to make this because I loved the pattern. Excuse my ignorance but does the tree motif have any religious significance?

This is an awful photo of this project partly because I'm nearly twice the size of the dummy but just to show I did persevere from the post at the end of July and complete the tunic. (I can't make the link work.)

Maybe a little more stitching where the plait crosses and it stretched from a jumper to a tunic.

Continuing the tale of November

2010-11-20T09:23:00.001+13:00

The exhibition "Oarsome Waipa" hung for nine days and out of 30 pieces we had 5 sales so that wasn't bad odds. Many things went wrong in that things promised didn't eventuate, but it was a great learning experience. If doing it again I (or the group I was with) would want full control, with maybe a small committee with overall say and onsite to pick up the pieces when things went haywire. I was proud to have been part of the exhibition.

Bikes Te Awamutu

About midday on the last day of the exhibition approximately 70 motor bikes came around the corner into our street and parked up just opposite the venue. They only stayed about half an hour and as they were leaving I beetled out and asked anyone standing around if they had 5 minutes to view our exhibition. Quite a few came in and as I was talking to one lady it transpired she lives not far from where I grew up and new my folks well - small world!

I had hardly got my breath back from Oarsome when I packed the car again and went off to Whiritoa early Wednesday morning to set up a display of my weaving at my friend's home and helped her serve tea and scones to a bus load of gardeners from Avondale. About the third lady off the bus announced "my daughter tells me you have a blue jacket I should buy" and that was the last I saw of Esther until the bus left. She had a very successful morning sales wise. Me, naught. (Emma, the dummy, was dressed but the poncho sold.)

Esther's studio

On to the next project - a haberdashery sale to raise funds for the Waihi Museum. I sorted through embroidery fabrics and books from my mother's stash and went along. Needless to say my best customers were the ladies from the Waihi Embroidery Guild on the stand next to me. It was a long day though; by 11 we were saying "another hour to lunchtime". It was enjoyable talking to my next door stall person who is a spinner/knitter from Hamilton and has a bach at Waihi Beach so hopefully we'll meet up again before long.

Homunga Bay

The past week has been a blur of making the most of fine days to go bush walking, shopping in Tauranga and working on the Poutama (Stairway to Heaven) blankets in between times. I might add that the walk down to Homunga takes 45 minutes and over an hour to walk straight up a very steep hill. I was nearly crawling by the time I got to the top but had no choise but to keep going.

Rocks at Homunga

No pics of weaving as Pete has flown to Wellington today to his Aunt's funeral and taken my camera. Later in the week maybe.

Oarsome Waipa - a Weavers' Response

2010-11-04T14:49:00.000+13:00

To continue from the last post, we were walking along the beach and as we neared people I was handed the lead and told "its a woman's accessory". I ask you!

This knitting project has been so much fun. Baby Tree of Life Throw from Lion Brand free patterns. I've actually finished the body of the throw (another row of trees at the top) and about 1/3 of the edging is done. Only 7 more weeks but I think I'll get there.

I don't think members of the Loom'nUs weavers cooperative will mind me showing pics of our exhibition on in Te Awamutu at present. We had the opening of Oarsome Waipa last Friday and it runs till next Sunday. This exhibition represents each artists interpretation of what the Waipa area means to them in terms of land, rivers, lakes, outdoor activities. Just incidentally the World Rowing Competitions are on at Lake Karapiro at present.

Two very clever members did the display for us. It was a challenge as the screens I had been promised were nonexistent as was a lot of other things including signage. I think we got a more interesting display by having to think outside the box. There are a couple of other areas with work displayed as well. The blue striped blanket is my work, Karapiro - Morning Mist and I have a couple of scarves in the top image.

The opening was the start of the Te Awamutu SCREAM Festival and our exhibition was included in that. Shock, horror, I had to make a speech! As we had already had the Mayor and someone else talk I was short and sweet. While in Te Awamutu I met up with quite a few people and friends I had known from way back.

The week that was

2010-10-24T09:07:00.000+13:00

Spring has not really sprung; its warm enough but cloud and rainy days making photography trips to the bush frustrating. This rainbow was straight out from my deck; maybe there's a pot of gold in them there dunes.

Early in the week I went to my daughter in laws baby shower which was very enjoyable. I was surprised to hear that the new mothers can't buy wool boottees bigger than size 3 months and at this time of year no wool boottees at all - not in season. Guess NanD better get the needles clicking. I have tried a lovely pattern called Hodge from Stella which she has refined to stay on.

I thought these looked so tiny and now I see they should have been made with 4 ply, not 3 ply. I think I will make the feet longer though and as Kicky McFidgit is very likely to be tall with feet in proportion.

I'm not the photographer on our bush walks but I love the lace effects of looking up through the punga ferns.

This weekend is a holiday weekend and we have a guest. As you can see from the sky the day was perfect and I'm off to enjoy the rest of the weekend.

PS I have been weaving and dyeing yarn but they're either secret projects or for the shop.

Thames Spin In

2010-10-14T21:08:00.000+13:00

On Monday I left my car in Waihi and went to the Thames Spin In with Esther and her friend Gretta. It was a really fun day and if that was a practice for festival next year we're in for a real treat.

Of course some obligatory stash enhancement happened. The first enticing stand was a lovely young lady, Jessicah Win, with fabulous fibre on Spinning a yarn. I bought a plait of green variegated silk to spin and ply with the merino I bought at the Opotiki festival back in July. Now I feel I have enough to spin a decent yardage. Best of all Jessicah has been learning to weave.

Another trader was Raeleen of Woolrae Studio, Kihikihi Road, Te Awamutu. A great range of wool sliver, merino, merino/silk, corriedale, polworth but most important for me she has taken over the franchise for Landscape dyes, an Australian range which I use a lot.

And who can resist sliver from Anna Grattons wonderful colour range. Also Sentosa Silks were there so I got a couple of hemmed Paj scarves to try shibori on.

I have been weaving blankets but as they are for Pauanesia I can't show photos; maybe after the brochure comes out.

Workshop with Yoshiko Wada

2010-10-09T10:51:00.000+13:00

I've been reluctant to write this post because I've felt so flat about the workshop. I don't know what it was but it just didn't gel from start to finish. Yoshiko was delightful, fellow students great, we made some wonderful samples, learnt quite a bit but its still flat. Someone asked me to give it a number from 1-10 and I impulsively said 3 - that's not good.

I might be wrong but Yoshiko had been teaching on the east coast of Australia for about 3-4 weeks before coming to NZ. We were the last of three workshops here and I think she was exhausted.

Our class started 3 days before the main forum so we didn't have the excitement of other classes going on at the same time and I guess I'm used to attending classes where everyone is a weaver or spinner so have a common bond to start with. I did think we were given a bum stear at the end as the next tutor wanted to set up in our classroom so we were moved to another room. Had hardly finished our windup (before 4pm) when we were turfed out of there so the new lot could have their glass of wine so everyone just scattered. A bit poor as we had paid good dosh to attend and didn't need to be treated like second rate citizens.

Enough moaning! I enjoyed the stitching but it is slow so had to do a lot in the evenings and soak and part dry the samples overnight ready for the indigo bath the next morning, early before the days talk started at 9am. Haven't decided what my favourite would be, perhaps the folding and stitching, katano. Clamping is instant gratification - minimum effort for maximum result was Yoshiko's quote - minimum for maximum. We briefly touched on pole wrapping at the end and the notes give many variations for this so much still to try.

Kanoko dots

Karamatsu and maki-nui - another favourite

Clamp resist

This was an old fushia coloured scarf, folded and clamped and dyed with a square block. This was removed and the circle clamped and a second dip dye.

Katano

This was preprinted cotton lawn, the sample on the right looks like pegboard, the left hand sample works very well. Fabric is folded, layers of calico placed on each side and its stitched to resist the dye.

I enjoyed the indigo dyeing, especially as I find it so hard to dye cotton with procion dyes but it seemed very hard to get solid information on looking after the indigo. Yoshiko seemed to instinctively know how to look after it, just how much lime or zinc to add and when from long experience. I wouldn't have the patience for it now.

Having ironed the samples and been through the photography process I think I'm going to give the overall experience of the workshop a 5!

Catch Up

2010-09-15T08:02:00.000+12:00

Its a while since last talking. Spring is here with the spring bulbs almost finished flowering, the trees are leafing up in many shades of luscious green and most days there is some rain but its warm.

Recently we decided to make the most of a sunny day and took a thermos and picnic lunch and walked a track in the Karangahake Gorge starting at Dickey's Flat. A lot of time was spent watching Pete watching the river through his camera - I said next time I'd pack my knitting. Very peaceful and the birds (which aren't plentiful at all) were brilliant in their spring plummage.

Blankets galore. Red Pohutukawa were on the loom in the last post. One has gone to its new home and the other is to be shown in a joint exhibition called "Endangered" at Inspirit gallery in November. The darker blue one in the foreground went to the gallery on Thursday and was sold by Monday (called Karapiro Lake). These were all an exercise in emptying cones but as a gap appeared on the shelf it was filled with a cone of yarn from the floor. These three all had angora (from rabbit) weft giving a slight haze and very soft. The fourth lighter blue has a mohair (from angora goat) weft and has been put aside for another exhibition in November - Oarsome Waipa to be held in Te Awamutu.

After the Low Tide exhibition at Inspirit I was asked to be guest exhibitor at Creative Fibre Experience which has just taken place this last weekend in Hamilton in association with the Craft and Quilt Show. Not so much craft on show, most stalls were geared towards quilting. When I found out how much a stall cost my idea of taking one next year went out the window fast. The whole show now travels to Christchurch. The CFE exhibition was great to see and very well displayed by Shona Schofield. Well worth a visit to see it. I was proud of my little corner among some elite company.

Two scarves, one shibori, one echo weave and two works done in Theo Moorman and then machine embroidered over. You can just see the edge of a monofilament hanging with angel wing shells.

Finally persuaded Pete to buy some new shirts. I learnt that if we get three the same I can use one to add length to the sleeves and body. You might see in the bottom left the two flat fell seams where about 4" have been added in. This works well as he usually wears a jumper or rolls the sleeves up.
And thats about it. I've done more samples for the Poutama Stairway to Heaven blankets and hopefully will get the next brief on colourways today.

More weaving

2010-08-21T08:14:00.000+12:00

The red blanket mentioned at the end of the last post. Hard to photograph I discovered and doesn't show the many tones and shades of red. This was to be a stash buster, 1 kilo of wool per blanket in the warp and 350gm angora in the weft of each blanket. Didn't make a dent on the shelf. In fact, there is enough of this yarn for at least one more blanket. Its all hand dyed. These are now off the loom and waiting for ends to be tasselled.

And for a change of colour scheme, this olive cotton/linen warp was left over from another project threaded 1,2,3,4 so am trying this 1;3, 3;1 stripe with a teal cotton. Have no idea how much warp is left maybe a metre maybe 2. Aimee, if you read this, its the same warp you played on but whereas you had the shuttle go over 2 threads, under 2, I'm going over 3 under 1 for the teal stripe and over 1 under 3 for the olive stripe and its the reverse on the back. Its quite neat to go back to basics as a change from the rather complicated projects I usually tackle.

What's been happening in the last two weeks

2010-08-19T14:46:00.001+12:00

Oh dear, I'm not very consistent with this blogging. When exciting things happen and I get busy I miss posting about it.

The first thing is I've been asked to be Guest Exhibitor at Creative Fibre Experience at Claudelands show grounds in September. A surprise invite but excited to be part of the exhibition. Have included some pieces from Low Tide and a couple of new scarves, one shibori from the warp I quickly wove off recently. Hope people enjoy viewing the work.

Fire

When we went to collect my work from Low Tide a couple of weekends ago we made a day trip of it with friends and visited the Waitakaruru Arboretum and Sculpture Park for several hours. This Park is built in an old quarry, has been landscaped wonderfully and the sculptures added a very interesting dimension to the garden wandering. In summer there is an onsite cafe. Some of my favourite sculptures.

Parlez lentement by Niko Thomsen

Ups in downs by Matt McLean

Stairway to Heaven (Poutama) finished and looking rather wonderful, I think. Unfortunately I have to go back to the drawing board as the mohair weft is making the floats too long so now I have to use two shuttles with floating selvedges and two layers. I've nearly got my chains sorted and the wool for the weft is in the dye pot so we'll see how it goes.

I was so enthused after my daughter in law brought two lovely friends to see my looms (they are so keen, its wonderful) and Aimee brought her spinning to show me I got my wheel out, dust and all, and produced this.

It was the remains of some sliver from Little Wool Company which I plied with a fine black alpaca thread. At some stage I had pinched some of the red from the sliver so the very beginning of the skein has a lot of green. I have just under 500 metres of ?10 ply thickness - what to do with it? I have to say I enjoyed spinning thick. I've always spun as fine as I could so the thread would go through my knitting machine but this was very satisfying to have a product finished quickly.

There seems to be a lot of red on this page and there are two more red blankets on the Nitschke loom so I better go finish them while the dyed wool dries.

Poutama

2010-08-05T18:34:00.000+12:00

Can you see it? In the red stripe! Horror of horrors, a mistake and it repeated with the repeat of the chain and every repeat of the 4 block pattern. Just what you don't want to see when you cut a complete blanket off the loom and it really only showed on the inside of the fold so it wasn't seen till the end. One pin was missing from the dobby chain, either I never put it in or it fell out before I got to hammer them in securely. It was just on dusk as I was finishing off so either could have happened.

Its put me a day behind schedule but I cut each thread and needle wove them back correctly. Fulled the blanket today and its looking great. It'll be in Pauanesia before long.

This pattern is Poutama or Stairway to Heaven and, in Maori mythology, its symbolic of a climb made by a dude called Tawhaki to collect three baskets of knowledge from the Gods.

The indignity of it all!

2010-08-05T18:18:00.000+12:00

Hi, I'm Ted and I've been woken from hibernation and its still winter. Guess I've been asleep about 30 years give or take a few. Been rather indignant at the things being done to me lately; cotton buds up my nose, a soak upside

down in warm water but the bubbles in my eyes were no fun and the worst of it - to be hung on a wire line by ... my ... ears - how undignified!
I must be getting on in bear years, not much substance in the limbs and cataracts on both eyes but I was well loved once and maybe Reggie would like me to keep him/her company in the nursery.

Really enjoyed knitting this garment, haven't done lace for forever. Of course, I do have two operating knitting machines so don't hand knit a great deal. The body is all in one piece to the armhole, including the front bands, which saved a lot of stitching up. The shoulders I used three needles and knitted the stitches together and cast off (what's that called). I did the same around the armhole which just left the sleeve seam which I used a flat seam. Not perfect but at least something is finished.

What have I been doing?

2010-07-22T17:42:00.000+12:00

What have I been doing? Probably not what I should be. Lets see, knitting. I started knitting this jacket

(Vogue pattern) last winter but had to put it aside through the summer as it was just too hot to have so much fabric sitting in my lap. Picked it up again in the autumn and finished the body but now I find the armhole slits are in the wrong place. I could graft the slits shut and open for armhole in the middle of the garter stitch band but I just am not interested. Have gone right off the garment! Its in the frog pile.

So started knitting this jersy loosely based on a pattern from Rowan magazine. What's with those plaits? They'll have to be stitched at the least. Gone off that too.

So now I'm knitting a jacket for baby Reggie, due in December from bamboo yarn, size 3-6 months with length for the next size up. I'm enjoying this and it does seem to be proceeding OK. What are the best seams to use on babywear, anyone?

Weavingwise, I've done about 200 samples [well 8] (a miracle for me) to work out a pattern in Summer and Winter in two layers, joined at one side, with the pattern following through correctly on the reverse side. This is an order from Pauanesia and the colourways will be chosen by them. I used scrap yarn for the samples. Also the more astute will see its not true S & W as I have put alternate thick and thin wool threads in the warp to reduce bulk and the weft is all mohair as I didn't want to use two shuttles with two layers - that would have been too much. This sample was made to get the fold correct so I threaded the least needed to test. The bands will be wider and the vertical and horizontal areas equal in the project. You'll have to put your head on the side, the fold is down the centre.

The shock of so much sampling, and the thought that my dobby loom will be tied up with the above project for some time I quickly designed and put on a warp for three shibori scarves and am weaving my way through them at present. Will pull up and dye at a later date.

See the diamond and "X" shapes that will hopefully offset by the dye process.

While putting the photos on here I've taken a second look at the knitting and maybe it is worth persevering. Rather than frog the jacket it could be a blanket!

Opotiki Fibre and Fleece

2010-07-13T08:52:00.000+12:00

The Opotiki Fibre and Fleece show has been running alternate years for more than 20 years and I've never managed to get to see it until this year. On Saturday a friend and I drove to Opotiki (2 1/2 hours from my place), a pretty drive along the Bay of Plenty coast.

We did a little retail therapy.

Merino sliver (100gm) from Awakeri Woolcraft. It looks a bit washed out on this screen, the brown is a rich chocolate and the greens brighter. Apparently it is becoming very difficult to get merino sliver here as manufacturing is being sent off shore to China.

The exhibition was amazingly well set out with lots of space for every creation. Most 2 metre tables had just one or two pieces on them allowing you to really appreciate the work.

After lunch we set off for the Theatre where the fashion parade was being held.

I was really taken with the old buildings in this town (old by New Zealand standards), many of them dated 1912, 1914 and this 1926. Many of our early buildings were built in timber, often kauri, and have not survived.

Images from previous years fashion parades taken through a window, we weren't allowed to take photos on the day.

Home about 7.00 to find DH cooking dinner. The most fun day I've had in quite a while.

More Echo

2010-07-08T15:50:00.000+12:00

Had an enjoyable evening at the Low Tide exhibition opening on Saturday, 3 - 5 pm. After the speeches that is. Not my favourite activity and especially when dosed up on antibiotics for infected sinuses. (That's right, no winter virus but pesky sinuses.) Got to talk to lots of people and catch up with a few friends, then went into Hamilton and had tea with my daughter at a Greek restaurant.

These are a couple of the extra scarves which are in the gallery now. I can't figure how to put captions on the photos but the one on the left is lava with a black alpaca/silk 64/2 weft and hand dyed merino warp. The echo shows quite nicely there, more so than the scarf on the right, Fire, with same warp but deep red, almost burgundy merino weft. What you don't get in the wool echo weave is the iridescence a reflective yarn such as silk gives.

Another version, rippling water with one warp chain painted and the second plain navy. I have now changed the dobby chain and there is another take from both these warps. What I did was leave enough red warp for another scarf, tie the blue warp on and pull through reed and heddles to back beam, weave the above blue scarf, repeg dobby chain, weave another blue scarf, wind the knots forward through the reed and heddles and weave another red scarf. Is that all too much for sensitive ears. I do this sort of thing all the time and don't have any problems so long as the knots are all even. Pictures later.

I've been working on some samples for the next range of blankets and until I get the go ahead for them I think I'll blob out with spinning wheel and a movie.

Low Tide Exhibition at Inspirit Gallery

2010-06-30T08:14:00.000+12:00

You wouldn't believe it but the busiest week of my year, the week I've been working towards for soooo long and I've got a winter virus, eyes, nose, throat, the works.

Yesterday was "hanging" day at Inspirit so I drove the 1 1/2 hours to Hamilton with car loaded with goodies. After the arrival of Colleen and Dave and coffee and scones we got going. I think I'll let the pictures, which were taken before everything was finally settled, do the talking.

The fabric for the Theo Moorman work is courtesy of Pauanesia in Auckland. Once it came off the loom it was machine embroidered to enhance the image. I'm not too keen on the height of the two pieces in the middle of the top picture but the hooks were already in the wall! The monofilament and shell pieces are what inspired the title of the show. I love walking the beach at low tide and some days if there is the right amount of cloud and the sun in the right position it feels like walking on clouds and on a rare occasion if everything is perfect its magic, like walking in space. I really like the way Colleen Dewhurst's paintings and my work complement each other. A proud moment for me.

There is a lot more to see as Jenny also wanted a selection of my scarves and blankets in the gallery (but not the exhibition) as well. Some are on 'necks' on the empty plinths you can see.

Silk prize

2010-06-30T07:37:00.001+12:00

On June 19 Susan over at Thrums was having fun offering a prize to a follower of her blog to celebrate her 100th follower. If you go read the wee story the first person whose name came out of the hat didn't respond within a week and at the second draw my name came up. After some correspondence with Susan its Murphy's law but she then heard from the first drawee who had been shifting home. Susan graciously sent silk to us both and mine arrived yesterday, 100gm of luscious semigloss silk. I'll let it mature for a short while till a worthy project comes along. Many thanks Susan.

"Low Tide" Exhibition

2010-06-16T13:58:00.000+12:00

What makes a successful exhibition?

2010-06-03T18:01:00.000+12:00

How do you judge if an exhibition has been a success or not? For all my anxiety and feelings of inadequacy I think I did OK. I had fun, I was challenged, judging by the questions asked I challenged others, I made a couple of sales, and met some lovely people. I vote success.

One of my favourite moments was getting an elderly lady to try weaving on a rigid heddle loom, she managed about six pics before her concentration failed, but the look of joy on her face was priceless. Her carer was also amazed and I think some of the rest home residents will now be given more opportunity to try activities instead of being told to watch. Hmmm maybe I did absorb more occupational therapy training than I thought even though I fluffed out after 18 months!

Now concentrating on the paperwork for "Low Tide" exhibition at Inspirit. CV, Artists statement, photos, and finishing off the hanging mechanisms, framing etc.

Am also side tracking and spinning some gorgeous white alpaca and mulberry silk from Ridgedale Alpacas in Katikati - devine. No end use planned, just enjoying the spinning.

Jail House Rock

2010-05-28T11:39:00.000+12:00

Because Meg asked for it.

Guest Exhibitor at Tauranga Exhibition

2010-05-27T08:05:00.000+12:00

Catch up

2010-05-22T09:28:00.000+12:00

My goodness, three weeks since the last post!

The Arty Bra night out was a great success and a lot of fun. It was very hard to photograph the "models" as some moved very fast with intricate dance steps, somersaults, leaps, etc. so excuse the blurry photo.

Another night planned for next year and I have ideas for more interactive creations!

Exhibition work is coming along. The Tauranga Spinners and Weavers Exhibition is set up this coming Wednesday and the Opening on Thursday. Article in a local paper says "Renowned NZ weaver Dianne Dudfield is the featured artist .... ". I would have described myself as Fibre Artist as quite a few of my exhibits are knitted and one crochet as well as the weaving and, of course, most are hand dyed. I have learned that the dummies for my display are white so I've been busy making black skirts to dress them as this shows off the weaving better.

I got rather antsy at the focus, focus, focus needed to put together an exhibition so have been side tracked into exploring some echo weave structure.

This one I called Tradewind, its a beige and deep grey warp with black weft scarf. Grey and black are cotton and the beige is ramie which I thought was a crap yarn but on googling I find its made from nettle and much valued in China. Sett at 48 tpi which I think is about as fine as I've ever threaded and surprise, its no different to a looser sett, one just doesn't see the progress as quickly. This wasn't what I was planning to do so rethreaded to this.

More like ripply water. The warp is merino wool 74/2 (about 42 wraps per inch) which all the literature says is a no no for echo weave. I wound skeins and dyed them then, as I unwound the skeins to balls, I ran it through wax and it has woven with no problems at 36 epi. The weft is a singles silk which my daughter got for me from the Kyoto Museum shop a few years ago. On the right of the blue stripe you can see the dark echo and to the left a paler echo. This is a warp dominant weave and the weft is hardly seen being squished between the warp threads.

Must get back to the skirt creating and labelling and CV writing ... and its such a lovely sunny day after a week of bluck that a beach walk is called for.

What makes an exhibition?

2010-05-02T09:19:00.000+12:00

A friend (April 27 Taking a Stand) has started a conversation about work for exhibitions so thought I would add my tuppence worth (though it might come back to bite me in a few weeks time).

An exhibition piece should be an example of your best work, a very special work. An exhibition offers the opportunity to push the limits, push boundaries, try new techniques and colour combinations. It should be recently made but I don't have a problem with the same work being displayed multiple times so long as the audience will be different. For instance, in my present case, I imagine the audience at Tauranga Spinners and Weavers Exhibition will be quite different from those viewing my work at Inspirit Gallery, Hamilton. The work should be fun to create and look at, it should have creative magic or tell a story whether happy or tragic.

It should not be churned out with the purpose of filling a hall. An exhibition should allow space for each piece to be viewed with the appreciation it deserves. Every inch of every display board does not have to be filled. I know an artist who deliberately puts wide frames on her tapestries so they can't be crowded out.

A little self critiquing could help. Does this piece have wow factor, was it made with passion? The artist usually knows when they have made a really great work - that's the piece to submit for exhibition.

Bra Art

2010-05-02T08:08:00.000+12:00

Next Sunday (Mother's Day) Waihi Beach has an evening focussed on Bra Art at the local hall. A lady from Athenree is organising it as a fund raiser for Cancer Research as her young son has leukaemia. To make it more fun for Carolyn and I when we go I put together a creation, mainly because I saw the flowers in a bin for $1. Thanks for the bra Kylie.

Coco

2010-04-22T17:38:00.000+12:00

Saw a great DVD last night of Coco Chanel by Anne Fontaine starring Audrey Taurou, just beautiful viewing. It is subtitled and so captivating I couldn't figure my knitting to do it while watching. I must be getting old!

Two for the price of one

2010-04-21T17:05:00.000+12:00

Things I've just finished. The brief was for red and grey blankets in a tartan for Anzac (which is this Sunday) but another order got in the way so they will now be in Pauanesia for Matariki (Maori New Year for my overseas guests). I'm very pleased with them; wove nicely, fulled well and fun to weave.

One scarf is for a friend's Mum's friend but its not worth putting on a warp for one scarf so she can have a choice of bright red or ruby red - doesn't show up very well in the photo.

That's all the orders filled and can now concentrate on exhibition work.

Panic attack

2010-04-15T08:12:00.000+12:00

Woke this morning having a panic attack about the lack of anything getting done or finished for exhibition and the house looking like a tip. Decided I wasn't getting anywhere lying in bed worrying so got up and with cup of tea to hand did the two baskets of ironing while watching the sun rise over the Pacific. What's not to enjoy?

Have now drawn up a calendar for myself to July 2, Opening at Inspirit. I have 5 and 1/2 weeks till Tauranga opening and about 11 weeks till Inspirit. Some Inspirit work must be framed/mounted by 1 June for photographing for advertising. Have made a big decision to name the Inspirit exhibition "Low Tide" having gone from a working title of "water", its talking to me. I also need to take time off to go to Auckland to see my kids so 5 1/2 weeks will be reduced.

One reason for the panic this morning was that some time ago I opened my mouth (wide) and gave a speal about exhibition versus sale of work and how only ones best work should be submitted for exhibition and how it was better to have a few really well made pieces than a room full of mediocre things etc. I don't feel I have given my best to Tauranga yet but there is still time.

Exhibitions

2010-04-05T08:35:00.000+12:00

It is so hard not being able to show the weaving I'm doing for the exhibitions. Yes there is an "s" on the end of the noun. As announced in the latest Creative Fibre Magazine (produced by New Zealand Creative Fibre Society) I'm guest exhibitor at the Tauranga Creative Fibre Annual Exhibition at the end of May, my own exhibition opening on 2 July at Inspirit, combining with a group of weavers from the Waikato to exhibit in Te Awamutu in November and the work for the Professional Weavers Network exhibition has to be ready by March 2011. I keep asking, why has it all happened in the same year, spread it out, why not!

At Inspirit I'm sharing with a painter from Tauranga, Colleen Dewhurst, who does bright Pacific-y style work. Not so keen on the religious pieces but love the ladies and fish.

I better get on with it!

Old Socks!

2010-03-28T07:22:00.000+13:00

Why am I showing a picture of leash sticks and my husband's holey socks on my kitchen floor?

Some time ago I read an article asking for submissions of unusual uses of weaving equipment in a non-weaving way but then couldn't find it again. Turns out it was Weaving Weekly who asked and its been published in the latest issue of Handwoven.

My use is to attach an old (clean) sock to a leash stick with a rubber band and clean out the dust bunnies from under the stove, dish washer and fridge. If the sock is wet it gives it a scrub as well. My stove is dual gas elements and electric oven and the gas comes through a copper pipe. Constant movement of the stove would weaken the pipe, hence my invention.

Auckland weekend

2010-03-18T20:32:00.000+13:00

My goodness, have two weeks gone by since we headed for Auckland for the weekend seminar of Professional Weavers Network. The Auckland girls organised a wonderful four days with inspiring, stimulating events. It was full on from the moment we arrived until the last piece of pizza at lunch on Monday. I was so enthralled with all going on around me I didn't take a single photo!

We started at the Auckland War Memorial Museum where our group spent 40 minutes viewing some of the fibre artefacts in storage. I do hope the staff make an effort to find out more about, and record information about, the pieces in their possession. We could have spent 4 days there but we moved on to the Museum Library. Who would have known there was such a wonderful resource available to the public.

Show and Tell is always inspiring. It was interesting the number who had deflected double weave articles, some could understand how it worked and others like me, were still pondering the process.

We had an afternoon with Ailie Snow entitled "Between the Concept and the Creation" or Between the Idea and the Reality where we listened, did exercises, drew mind maps and played with leaves. Different ways of progressing an idea to creation.

Susan Holmes, fibre artist extraordinaire, brought in many of her creations she has made for World of Wearable Art and installations for Textile Fibre Forums where she has been Artist in Residence. An amazingly energetic artist.

Our final tutor was Susan Scarf, founder of the label Silkroad and more recently using her own name. We had all taken along a length of handwoven fabric and had to design/style a garment suitable for that fabric and our body. But we started by measuring ourselves and finding out what body shape we are and what styles suit us and surprise, surprise I discover I'm half way between sizes so no wonder everything is either two big or two small, I have square shoulders where I always thought they were round and I new I had a narrow back. I designed a longish jacket for the variegated stripy fabric of a previous post then thought about where I live and my life style and decided a tunic would be more practical. The way the wind has been blowing today and the autumn touch in the air I should be making it up!

In between all this we had our AGM and had much discussion about the next exhibition we plan on holding. I was absolutely exhausted by the time I got to my kids place for tea. Sorry I wasn't much company. We cruised home on Tuesday calling on a couple of friends on the way.

Its always great to be away, especially to such an inspiring event, but just as wonderful to be back home.

Weaving and Knitting

2010-03-04T19:47:00.001+13:00

First I should explain that the Professional Weavers Network (mentioned in the last post) is a small stand alone group of weavers in New Zealand who hold a seminar once a year usually alternating between the North Island and the South. Much of the discussion at seminar is on exhibitions, either past or the next deciding what, when, how and where. The exhibition is held every two or three years. We also have very inspiring guest speakers and tutors. The basic aim of the Network is "to further develop the art of weaving through pursuit of excellence and the promotion of handwoven textiles". I can't wait for the weekend to start.

A couple of views of fingerless gloves. The pattern was in a recent Vogue Knitting magazine and I've used a yarn of 50% wool 50% cashmere. Just gorgeous! I've borrowed a friend's slim arms to model them.

Fabric

2010-02-27T18:14:00.001+13:00

Enough of the dog already.
Next weekend is Professional Weavers Network annual seminar in Auckland and after seminar we're having a workshop on designing/styling fabric/garments from handwoven cloth with Sue Scarf so I thought it time I got out my fabric stash and fulled it, finished it and had a jolly good look. Both pieces have been maturing in the fabric stash cupboard for some time. Do you know they do improve with age! I rather like them now, can see possibilities.

This is wool, teal and anenome stripes with a variegated stripe every so often. For some reason I threaded it and wove it with a space every 2 inches of about half an inch and of course the threads moved to fill the gaps. I can imagine it with a contrasting (maybe hot pink) lining peeping through the spaces. There is at least 5 metres. A jacket is the obvious style but maybe a long tunic top.

The second bolt I wove so long ago I couldn't remember which loom I used until I saw the network drafted pattern so it must have been on the dobby and that must be two or three years ago. Yikes!
Its mostly cotton with one acrylic thread which didn't shrink and has made little loops at irregular intervals - I think that's why it was never made up. Again there is about 5 metres and I had planned to use a Burda pattern for a shirt with a tie feature at the front. Hmmm. Apologies for the photos but if I went back to try again this would never be posted. You can just see the networking on the blue bolt.

Ben

2010-02-15T17:11:00.000+13:00

Look what I've got!

Actually he's just on loan for the night. He hates cars and his Mum has to go to Auckland once a week and if he's left at home he does naughty things and if he's taken in the car he gets up to mischief. So his Mum says he can go to a caring home where he doesn't have to travel or be left on his own. I'd keep him myself if I wasn't so transient.

On the fibre front it's a bit dismal. Went to the Whangamata market on the last Sunday of January (Auckland Anniversary weekend) and sold absolutely nothing. Mind you the humidity levels were very high (who wants to touch wool), the day had been changed from the usual Saturday to Sunday, and as it was wet the organiser had crammed tables in. I'm in the foyer with 4 stalls in all, this time there were 7! Shall I try again at Easter - million dollar question!

This weekend just gone the Katikati Art and Craft Trail had a special two days. Every studio had to be open 10 - 6 each day. I didn't mind the hours as I got a lot of work done but I only saw two people on each day and no sales. I am 20Km from Katikati so guess that's not going to work either.

Exhibition weaving and spinning

2010-02-04T20:27:00.002+13:00

I'm still weaving away most days. Have 4 sofa throws ready to go to Pauanesia next week and am working away at the clear filament projects for my exhibition later in the year. It is so slow! I can't see if the threads are crossed, I place them neatly in the shed, close and beat, and sprong, they're all over the place and the selvedges ... just don't look, organic might describe them. I seem to remember from the last time I used this fibre thinking if the shuttles (stick) drop one more time the whole lot's going out the window. I was pretty close to it this afternoon! So what do you do? take a long walk along the beach, that's what. Relieves the spirit and the muscle tension.

Found this on my camera when looking for another photo. This is the filament warp before winding on the loom, with many choke ties.

Remember the pile of compost (thrums) in a previous post, about three posts back I think. Part of it is now yarn mixed with all sorts of things I found in the cupboard, combed silk, sari silk threads, Italian silk throwsters, slivers I deconstructed to pinch the blue. I plied it with a very fine (Tex 1/18) navy blue cashmere I had to hand to emphasise the handspun variety. I have about 220 metres so what will that make?

Handspinning

2010-01-19T08:50:00.000+13:00

I have been doing fibrey stuff. I hope there is enough of the blue/brown to knit a pair of socks and I don't know what the teal will become but it has been half spun for years so will be good to look at yarn instead of sliver, there's about 400 gm.

I have been dyeing wool and mohair for sofa throws for Pauanesia, two are woven and ready for wet finishing and tying the next set on the loom. Also working on exhibition project and I thought I could do some sewing for myself in between times ...! Never enough time!

Markets

2010-01-09T07:41:00.000+13:00

Last Sunday, a glorious hot, non-windy summers day, I had a stand at the Whiritoa market, held each year to raise funds for the "first response" unit. I didn't sell a thing, not even close. I new it was a gamble as most of my work is wool though I do have a few cotton wraps and scarves.
So I have made the decision - no more outdoor markets - which means I don't have to purchase a pergola.
I am booked at the Whangamata market at the end of January but indoors. Its still a bit early for woollen sales but this market is held each long weekend and if you don't attend you lose your prime spot. My space is next to my friend with her jewelery and we help each other and natter.
Other fibrey news, well I've had a lovely visit from my daughter this week and she helped me go through my wardrobe as I was complaining it was full of clothes but I had nothing to wear. We put all the winter things, and a few garments I hope to shrink into soon, to one side and then had two piles; what I can wear and "Sallies" (thats the Salvation Army). Next morning I still couldn't find anything to wear! Seems I badly need beach clothes so now I know what has to be made or bought. I better get to it!

Look what I got

2010-01-02T08:29:00.002+13:00

Look what I got for Christmas. I've read it cover to cover, twice. This is an excellent book, a very easy read but full of wonderful information from wheel types to designing your own designer yarn and how to get there in between. Its about deciding what yarn you want and how to create it whether worsted, woollen, designer or plain. I've been to workshops with Pat and the book reads as though she is standing at my shoulder helping me get the yarn I want. There are two very useful pages talking about fleece types and breeds of New Zealand sheep which I'm sure anyone from other countries could substitute with their own breeds. A must have for any spinners library available from Majacraft.

This pile of "compost" is the thrums left from my last woven blanket and could be my next designer yarn if I can be brave enough to risk life and limb climbing an extension ladder to the attic to use my drum carder. That's how inspired I've been by this gem of a book.

Whats on the looms

2010-01-02T07:55:00.000+13:00

Meg suggested we show whats on our looms on New Years Day. I'm a bit late, as usual, but did photograph my Bambina yesterday.

Not that I'm going to say much as its an exhibition piece. Its double weave, clear monofilament thead of unknown origin and the knitting needles mark a slot just big enough for the hanging rod.

My other ladies are naked!

Happy Holiday Season

2009-12-24T07:54:00.000+13:00

The New Zealand Christmas Tree - Pohutukawa

Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season and best wishes for 2010

Bags

2009-12-23T21:25:00.000+13:00

Well, I hope there will be more than one as I'm so excited by this one.
I'll have to take you back to Crete again I'm afraid. While in Chania, our first stop, we went to a market, a huge market, two or three blocks and up side streets, lots and lots a veges and fruit but right at the end several stands of ordinary things like shoes, knickers, embroidered table linen and .... fabric.

A Russian lady selling Turkish fabric to a Kiwi in Crete.
This trip I travelled with a small suitcase and an empty back pack thinking I would have plenty of room in the pack for purchases. This would have worked but as we moved from town to town the pack was used for food. So how to choose which fabrics and restrain myself and this was the first stop of a months travel. I loved so many of them and seeing this photo again I could have chosen many more.
Anyway, duh dah -

I think I'll call the range "from under the bed" as a friends mother used to hoard beads and treasures under her bed and I was given a few years ago. They still inspire creativity.

Taking it to the line - er reed

2009-12-19T08:56:00.000+13:00

This was a very economic warp. After two blankets you can see how close the fabric is to the reed and you can see the previous red warp through the heddles, the knots were touching shaft 8. I tie warps on and pull through. With 15 cm allowed for tassels there was about 5 cm waste. And even the mohair weft had minimal waste. That is all that's left from 350 gm. I hand dye all these threads, the wool and mohair, so if I run out its pretty difficult to get a match.

I have been weaving

2009-12-13T09:26:00.000+13:00

Before leaving for Crete I had started weaving this double weave scarf, the black is 100% merino and beautiful, the white is 75% merino and 25% corn silk and is awful. It feels harsh to the touch and didn't full. A local newspaper recently ran an article on how corn silk had been added to carpet wool making it strong and durable. I ask you, who would put it with merino? And in a scarf? Duh! And it took so loooong to weave, every stripe change was a change of dobby chains.

Number 2 scarf has been improved considerably by weaving a lovely soft grey wool over the corn silk. Notice the barber pole fringe where I twisted a black strand with a white one whereas on the striped scarf I separated the layers and twisted black with black and white with white which I like better.

I had some warp left at the end so wondered what would happen if I turned the dobby chains around, back to front and circling backwards. Not only did the colours reverse but the circles offset also.

As I worked on these I was inspired to use the same threading for some sculptural pieces using monofilament and shells as part of a body of work for exhibition.

On Thursday afternoon I had about 20 ladies from the Mount Maunganui Creative Fibre club visit my studio and we had a major show and tell. A lot of fun.

I'm now back to the bread and butter of weaving blankets for Pauanesia which I love doing as the colours inspire.

Spindle whorl

2009-12-13T09:00:00.000+13:00

I thought you might like to see this image, number 8, of a spindle whorl from a shrine, 7th Century BC taken in the museum of the Athens Agora. No. 7 is a clay disk cut from a pot and no. 6 is a stone disk.

Naxos

2009-12-01T21:58:00.001+13:00

The last island we visited was Naxos which I enjoyed far more than Santorini, more down to earth and not existing with the sole aim of fleecing the tourist.
One day we took a bus ride to a historic village called Halki, about 20 minutes drive from Naxos town. Wandering down a street I heard swish, bang, bang and my heart jumped and thought that can only be a loom in action. Sure enough there was Marie beckoning to me in her shop window.

She was using 4 shafts, 80cm wide,1080 threads and the warp was 800 metre long. She thought it would take 2 years to weave it all off. I was surprised that there didn't seem to be any seperaters in the warp.

A bit further on I met Penelope.

She had been taught to weave by her grandmother who also was called Penelope. Her warp was shorter at 600 metres and she used an 18 dent reed, 36 ends per inch. She told me she loved her work made with love and taste from her hands and feet.

More Crete Textiles

2009-12-01T21:08:00.000+13:00

While in Heraklion, our last stop in Crete, we walked past a yarn shop which was closed. Bother! But later in the evening while looking for a restaurant for dinner we passed it again and it was open. Lots and lots of yarn from Italy. I chose a couple of unusual balls of black to go with a vest I'm knitting/crocheting for myself. Might have been tempted by more but the shop assistant was not at all obliging so left her to her missery!

Our hotel manager told us of an antique fibre collection held by the Lycium Club in a wee street nearby. Quite a challenge finding it as it wasn't marked but ended up yelling through a grill door up the stairs of the only place it was likely to be and a lady appeared and showed us around. Well what a collection. Costumes from all areas of Crete, and all sorts of weaving, beautiful bobbin lace, antique bags, old weaving shuttles.

I saw such a wonderful bag at the Lycium club I decided I had to have one. Most of the ones I saw in the market place felt like they were made with acrylic and very simplified patterns. Until ....Pete found this one.

Wow! Turns out it was antique with a price of Euro300 which was about NZ$650. Needless to say I came home without a bag.

Monastery Irene, Crete

2009-11-25T07:58:00.002+13:00

So much has happened since our return from Crete but thought I'd share this story with you.

Monastery Irene, Crete

Before we left we had read about Monastery Irene which had been reduced to almost a pile of rubble before European Union money was donated to restore it. The nuns had also studied, restored and practised the traditional weaving techniques of their area.

We went to the local Rethynon bus station and bought return tickets then found the bus we needed. Driver says no. We said that man said yes. Driver winds down window and with much shouting and arm waving conversed with man in office who leaned back in his chair and laughed! (At us or the driver?)

We new this was the last bus of the day but we thought we would be dropped at the monastery, the bus go to the end of its run and pick us up on the way back. But no, we suddenly realised we were turning around and heading back the way we had come. We followed the same road for a while then turned into a side road. The bus stopped and we were told it was Monastery Irene and we should get out. So much for our return tickets as the bus disappears into the distance.

We had a lovely visit with a nun showing us around the Monastery, then the shop which she admitted didn't have much stock as it was the end of the season. I did buy a wee bag in the tradional inlay technique of the area. I found out later that this is also done by embroidery with a needle and thread.

Then I was taken to the loom room. The loom in operation was about 60" wide and had 4 shafts but 1 & 2 and 3 & 4 were strapped together and operated as tabby. A fly shuttle was used. A "usually reliable man" wound the warp on the beam, all 800 metres of it and this took about 2 years to weave off. But the nun was having trouble with threads at one end of the beam not making a proper shed and breaking every time the shuttle was thrown. I hope she has the problem fixed now. She used mostly linen thread from France for the fabric and DMC pearl cotton for the inlay. Occasionally silk from northern Greece was used for the weft, particularly on table clothes.

Then she asked us how had we come. Oooh, no one has come by local bus before, everyone comes by taxi. We understand why. When we said we would have to walk the 5 km to the coast and catch a bus from there she pointed us in the direction of a one lane service road and we had a lovely walk about 4 km down hill past olive groves to the coast.

Pahoia Mystery Bus Trip

2009-11-24T08:41:00.000+13:00

Tuesday last week I had 20 guests from the Pahoia Creative Fibre group (my guild) come visit my studio and have afternoon tea. They were on a mystery bus trip taking in the Waihi Water Lily Gardens, lunch on the Waihi gold mine train, a mosaic artist and Val Tubmann, a painter, and my studio was the end of the day.
This was one of several tables displaying my weaving. I have an upright set of rails for the blankets and several mannequins. I had borrowed jewellery from my friend, Cornelia of Kaizen Design, and it was fun to colour co-ordinate the weaving and necklaces. Unfortunately, it was all packed up before I thought of photos!

The ladies enjoyed the scones with whipped cream and strawberries and the zucchini and parmesan muffins and as they were running late and didn't arrive until 4 p.m. the cup of tea/coffee was most welcome. Its always fun to catch up with my fibre friends and each time we have a get together like this I wonder why I don't go to more meetings. So much to do, never enough time...