Innholdsfortegnelse for September/October 2021 i Handwoven

I agree with whoever said that if you learn one good tip in a weaving workshop, the fee and time were well spent. The thing is that often the tip isn’t part of the lesson. I bet at least a few of you know the feeling of sitting in a workshop, ostensibly learning something difficult, while in fact you are completely consumed with how your instructor has used paper clips in an innovative way. Recently, I watched a video interview of Nell Znamierowski, a fiber artist known for her bold use of color, who passed away on April 29, 2021. In the video, she tells the story of listening to her doctor explain how he was going to treat her brain tumor. She pretended to listen, but in truth, all…

Amir Khusro, the famous thirteenth-century Sufi poet, described fine handspun, handwoven cotton so fine that 100 yards could pass through a needle, with a transparency more like water than cloth. He described a fabric so beautiful that it was likened to air, moonlight, clouds, and water: magnificent muslin. In reality, the fabric was so fine that several layers could pass through a signet ring, and it was so light that if washed and tossed in the air, it would dry before landing. Poetry, romance, royalty, legendary tales, trade worth a king’s ransom, secrecy, cutthroat competition—these are all part of the history of muslin and especially the decorative muslin known as jamdani. The term jamdani seems to be from the Persian words jama, meaning robe, and dani, meaning floral vase or…

Be honest: Do you have a pile of UFOs sitting in your studio just waiting to be finished? What is a UFO? Why, that is an Un-Finished Object. We all have them, so you are in good company. I have towels waiting to be hemmed and a few scarves that need twisted fringes. I even have a partially hemmed rug. I really should finish hemming it, but I keep telling myself that it makes a good example for teaching new rug weavers how to roll and sew a hem. Although finishing a project might be my least favorite part of the weaving process, I never underestimate the importance of correctly finishing a project to make it beautiful and useful. When planning a new project, I take a moment to think…

STRUCTURE Plain weave. EQUIPMENT 2-shaft or rigid-heddle loom, 28" weaving width; 5-dent reed or heddle; 4 large stick shuttles. YARNS Warp: 100% fine wool pencil roving (155 yd/3–4 oz; Marathon Basin Wool Mill), natural white, 408 yd. Note: This is yardage after felting. See project steps for felting directions. Weft: 100% fine wool pencil roving, natural white, 318 yd (yardage after felting). Shetland Navajo Tapestry Singles (75% Shetland wool/25% mohair; 190 yd/4 oz; Baize Shetlands), Dark Indigo, Gold, and Variegated Green, about 50 yd each. Note: In addition to the accent stripes, the Shetland Navajo Tapestry Singles are used for embroidery and wrapping the fringe. OTHER SUPPLIES Dressmaker’s pencil; mild detergent; darning needle; spray bottle. WARP LENGTH 136 ends 3 yd long (allows 7" for take-up, 27" for loom waste;…

STRUCTURE Twill. EQUIPMENT 8-shaft loom, 10" weaving width; 10-dent reed; 1 shuttle; 2 bobbins. YARNS Warp: 8/2 Tencel (100% lyocell; 3,360 yd/lb; Valley Yarns; WEBS), Black and Ecru, 449 yd each; Burgundy, 33 yd. Weft: 8/2 Tencel, Black and Ecru, 237 yd each. WARP LENGTH 286 ends 3¼ yd long (includes floating selvedges; allows 8" for take-up, 33" for loom waste). SETTS Warp:30 epi (3/dent in a 10-dent reed). Weft: 21 ppi. DIMENSIONS Width in the reed: 97/10". Woven length: (measured under tension on the loom) 76". Finished size: (after wet-finishing and sewing) 8½" × 70". The detail in this project is not the threading, tie-up, or treadling; it’s the counting. I designed this cowl based on the always-pleasing, never-fail Fibonacci sequence* of numbers. For the warp, I alternated Black…

STRUCTURE Twill. EQUIPMENT 8-shaft loom, 24" weaving width; 12-dent reed; 1 shuttle; 1 bobbin. YARNS Warp: 8/2 cotton (3,360 yd/lb; Valley Yarns; WEBS), #3599 Lollipop, #7198 Burnt Sienna, and #3794 Burgundy, 220 yd each; #4425 Orange, #7327 Tobacco, #1382 Spectra Yellow, #5792 Lime, and #5468 Stone Green, 230 yd each; #5424 Turquoise Green, #2550 Nautical, #2636 Navy, and #6290 Petunia, 240 yd each. Weft: 8/2 cotton, #8001 White, 1,975 yd. WARP LENGTH 554 ends 5 yd long (allows for 14" take up, 26" for loom waste). SETTS Warp: 24 epi (2/dent in a 12-dent reed). Weft: 20 ppi. DIMENSIONS Width in reed: 231/12". Woven length: (measured under tension on the loom) 140". Finished size: (after wet-finishing and hemming) four towels, 18¾" × 24½" each plus 11" sample swatch. For the…

The birth of our kente-style liturgical stoles arose quite simply from workplace lunchroom conversations. In addition to working as an occupational therapy professor, Linda is also a supervising elder of pastors in the Christian Methodist Episcopal church, a denomination formed by freed slaves in the American south soon after the Civil War ended in the 1860s. Tina, beyond her academic roles, is a longtime weaver who has previously woven ministerial stoles in the commonly used liturgical colors of gold, green, purple, and white. When Tina offered to create a stole for Linda’s ministry, Linda requested that it be made from handwoven kente cloth—and so, to our surprise, our kente project began. We began a text and phone call exchange similar to the “call and response” communication frequently heard in Africa…

“Another thing all writers have in common is we’re all observers. We pay attention to detail.”—Judy Blume The word “writers” in the above Judy Blume quote could easily be replaced by “weavers,” as each of us is governed to some degree by the colors and shapes we see, the textures we touch, or the sounds we hear. As weavers, we might be guided by flowers along the roadside, garments in a shop window, channels in the sand left as the tide recedes, the swish of a silk skirt, or even the project itself telling us what it wants to be. That was the case earlier this year. I’d said yes to participating in a local show, an event that would shine a spotlight on two artistic media: glass and fiber.…

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 Reflecting on Deflecting Deflection is caused by multiple factors including weave structure and yarn choice. This issue will feature techniques that cause deflection and the beautiful projects that result. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 Deep Stash We all have yarn stashes, but have we ever looked at them critically? What yarns should be in a stash? How should you care for a stash? Is there really such a thing as a stash-busting project? Should you have one of every color of cotton or just the colors you always turn to? This issue will feature projects and articles that are all about using, expanding, or improving your stash, whether that means adding specialty art yarns or workhorse staples. MARCH/APRIL 2022 National Parks and Museums Being stuck at home for much of 2020…

The Weaving Handbook: The Art and the Craft: Theories, Materials, Techniques, and Projects Åsa Pärson and Amica Sundström Over the past decade of reviewing weaving resources for Handwoven, I’ve read many books aimed at teaching individuals how to weave on multishaft looms. This is not an easy task given the depth and breadth of the subject. In their newly translated book, The Weaving Handbook, Swedish designers and weavers Åsa Pärson and Amica Sundström tackle this challenge head-on and are, on the whole, very successful at doing so. Unlike similar books, this one starts out with a selection of projects. While this might seem a bit odd at first glance—why showcase projects the reader might not even be able to fathom weaving at the start?—it makes sense. There’s a good chance…

The staff who run the Hartford Artisans Weaving Center work hard every day to ensure that the center’s mission “to enrich lives through handweaving” is accomplished. For example, its core Artisan Program targets individuals with low or no vision as well as seniors. This program challenges assumptions about disabilities and aging, while showing that everyone deserves a chance for creative expression. As one of the artisans recently noted, “This is a place where not having vision is no longer an obstacle. Vision is optional here. They work with your ability.” Some of the artisans have dealt with losing their vision in midlife; others never had vision. Artisans also vary in age. Derek, in his thirties, is one of the youngest, while Joe is the oldest at 102. At the Weaving…

STRUCTURE Plain weave with patterned inlay. EQUIPMENT 4-shaft loom, 23" weaving width; 12-dent reed; 1 boat shuttle; 1 bobbin; 2 small stick shuttles. YARNS Warp: 8/2 Tencel (100% lyocell; 3,360 yd/lb; Maurice Brassard; Yarn Barn of Kansas), #5206 Aqua Marine and #8021 Cactus, 468 yd each; #112 Slate, 397 yd; #5068 Dusty Teal, 241 yd; #4269 Pale Lime, 156 yd. Weft: Plain weave: Bambu 12 (100% bamboo; 6,300 yd/lb; Jane Stafford Textiles), Cloud, 1,100 yd. Pattern: Mora (100% mulberry silk; 225 yd/50 g; Malabrigo; Eat.Sleep.Knit.), Lettuce and Plomo, 1 skein each. WARP LENGTH 532 ends 3¼ yd long (includes doubled floating selvedges; allows 8" for take-up, 29" for loom waste; loom waste includes fringe). SETTS Warp: 24 epi (2/dent in a 12-dent reed). Weft: 20 ppi. DIMENSIONS Width in the…

STRUCTURE Doublewidth. EQUIPMENT 4-shaft loom, 26" weaving width; 8-dent reed; 1 shuttle; 4 bobbins. YARNS Warp: 2-ply sportweight wool (1,515 yd/lb; Meridian Jacobs), Natural and Coreopsis (rust), 352 yd each; Hollyhock (green), 176 yd; Black Walnut (brown), 264 yd. Weft: 2-ply sportweight wool, Natural, 232 yd; Coreopsis (rust), 255 yd; Hollyhock (green), 153 yd; Black Walnut (brown), 204 yd. OTHER SUPPLIES Wool wash; sewing thread in a contrasting color. WARP LENGTH 416 ends 2¾ yd long (allows 7" for take-up and 24" for loom waste; loom waste includes fringe). SETTS Warp: 16 epi (2/dent in an 8-dent reed). Weft: 8 ppi in each layer. DIMENSIONS Width in the reed: 26". Woven length: (measured under tension on the loom) 68". Finished size: (after wet-finishing) 45½" × 54" with 4" twisted fringe.…

STRUCTURE Plain weave. EQUIPMENT 2- or 4-shaft loom, 22" weaving width; 10-dent reed; 28" wavy stick shuttle or wavy stick; 1 boat shuttle; 1 bobbin. YARNS Warp: Pima Lino Colori (60% Pima cotton/40% linen; 464 yd/50 g skein; Diamond Luxury), #796, dark blue, 499 yd. Weft: Tangier (53% silk/17% cotton/16% acrylic/14% rayon; 220 yd/100 g; Cascade Yarns), #28, 320 yd. Note: This yarn has been discontinued. Substitute a slowly striping yarn in a similar worsted weight, such as Noro Akari or Noro Kureyon. OTHER SUPPLIES Four 12" × 22" rectangles of coordinating fabric for pillow backs; two 16" zippers; two 20" down pillow forms. WARP LENGTH 222 ends 2¼ yd long (includes doubled selvedge ends; allows 5" for take-up, 28" for loom waste). SETTS Warp: 10 epi. Weft: 10 ppi.…

STRUCTURE Summer and winter. EQUIPMENT 16-shaft loom with dobby, 31" weaving width; 15-dent reed; 2 or more shuttles; 10 bobbins. YARNS Warp: 10/2 pearl cotton (4,200 yd/lb; UKI), #116 Black, 3,648 yd. Weft: Towel #1 (beige and gold): Tabby: 10/2 pearl cotton, #34 Maroon and #17 Wine, 555 yd each. Pattern: 10/2 pearl cotton, #7 Oak and #122 Mead, 67 yd each; #89 California Gold and #108 Light Rust, 89 yd each; #43 Beige and #140 Safari, 311 yd each. Towel #2 (gold and blue): Tabby: 10/2 pearl cotton, #48 Dark Turquoise, 1,110 yd. Pattern: #94 Tyrol and #89 California Gold, 334 yd each; #117 Stone and #46 Champagne, 89 yd each; #113 Yellow and #30 Antique Gold, 45 yd each. WARP LENGTH 452 doubled ends (912 threads total) 4…

STRUCTURE Twill. EQUIPMENT 8-shaft loom, 14" weaving width; 15-dent reed; 2 or more shuttles; 5 bobbins. YARNS Warp: 10/2 pearl cotton (4,200 yd/lb; Lunatic Fringe Yarns), Black, 1,288 yd; #10 Purple, 126 yd. One contrasting thread for cutting line, 4 yd. Weft: 10/2 pearl cotton, Black, 298 yd; #10 Yellow, 60 yd; #5 Red, 27 yd; #5 Green, 106 yd; Bleached White, 53 yd. OTHER SUPPLIES Mild laundry detergent; 24" black thin bullion fringe trim with 2" long fringe; 12" black charmeuse satin fabric, 60" wide; 6 yd ebony?" lip cord trim; black sewing thread. WARP LENGTH 405 ends, 3½ yd long (includes doubled floating selvedges and 1 contrasting thread; allows 7" for take-up, 36" for loom waste, 21" for sampling). To weave additional stoles, add 2 yd of warp…

I don’t think I’ve ever seen this method of warp repair/replacement in Handwoven (or anywhere else) and thought you’d like to use it as a weaving hint. Rather than weighting replacement threads with film canisters, bolts, water bottles, etc., I’ve found that empty yarn cones are the perfect solution. You can wrap any length of thread around one cone, then slide another cone on top to hold the warp in place. If you need more tension on the thread, simply add more cones for more weight. The replacement warp thread never gets tangled and is easily unwound as you weave. —Nancy Taylor I very much enjoyed the May/June 2021 Handwoven. I want to tell you about the book that I used when I wove my Colorado and Israeli tartans. I…

STRUCTURE Twill with inlay. EQUIPMENT 4-shaft loom, 11" weaving width; 8-dent reed; 1 shuttle; 1 bobbin. YARNS Warp: Fingering-weight Kashmir Silk (65% cashmere/35% silk; 434 yd/3.5 oz; 1,985 yd/lb; Henry’s Attic; Yarn Barn of Kansas), white, 454 yd. Weft: Fingering-weight Kashmir Silk, white, 336 yd. Supplementary warp and weft: Scraps of Cascade Petite Silk (100% silk; 2,975 yd/lb; Henry’s Attic; Yarn Barn of Kansas), hand-dyed, or 2/12 Gemstone Silk (2,800 yd/lb; Halcyon Yarn). Note: Fingering-weight Kashmir Silk may be special ordered from Yarn Barn of Kansas and other retailers. Although Nancy used silk yarns for her supplementary weft and warp, other yarns of similar size could be used as well. OTHER SUPPLIES 2–4 tapestry needles. WARP LENGTH 165 ends 2¾ yd long (includes floating selvedges; allows 7" for take-up, 27"…

STRUCTURE Monk’s belt. EQUIPMENT 4-shaft loom, 13" weaving width; 12-dent reed; 1 shuttle; 1 bobbin. YARNS Warp: Kiku (100% silk; 5,000 yd/lb; Treenway Silks), #304 Chamomile Gold, 273 yd; #951 Tequila Sunrise and #212 One Hundred Acre Wood, 198 yd each; #39 Tasmanian Myrtle, 297 yd. Weft: Kiku, #57 Raven, 720 yd. WARP LENGTH 351 ends 2¾ yd long (includes floating selvedges; allows 7" for take-up, 26" for loom waste; loom waste includes fringe). SETTS Warp: 28 epi (2-2-3/dent in a 12-dent reed). Weft: 28 ppi. DIMENSIONS Width in the reed: 128⁄12". Woven length: (measured under tension on the loom) 66". Finished size: (after wet-finishing) 11½" × 63" with 1½" fringe. I began weaving in November 2019 after a neighbor gave me an old, broken four-shaft direct tie-up loom he…

STRUCTURE Overshot. EQUIPMENT 4-shaft loom, 37" weaving width; 8-dent reed; 3 shuttles; 3 bobbins. YARNS Warp: 8/2 cotton (3,360 yd/lb; UKI; Yarn Barn of Kansas), #54 Dark Navy, 1,468 yd. Weft: Tabby: 8/2 cotton, #54 Dark Navy, 591 yd. Pattern: 3/2 pearl cotton (1,260 yd/lb; Valley Yarns; WEBS), #3800 Currant, 202 yd; #2574 Heather, 321 yd. WARP LENGTH 587 ends, 2½ yd long (includes doubled floating selvedges; allows 5" for take-up, 37" for loom waste and sampling). SETTS Warp: 16 epi (2/dent in an 8-dent reed). Weft: Hems: 15 ppi. Body: 24 ppi (12 ppi each for pattern and tabby). DIMENSIONS Width in the reed: 366⁄8". Woven length: (measured under tension on the loom) 48". Finished size: (after wet-finishing and hemming) 30¾" × 38½". A couple of years ago, a…

STRUCTURE Summer and winter. EQUIPMENT 8-shaft loom, 20" weaving width; 10-dent reed; 2 shuttles; 5 bobbins. YARNS – BLUE TOWELS Warp: 8/2 cotton (3,360 yd/lb; Valley Yarns; WEBS), #2636 Navy, 542 yd; #2550 Nautical, 539 yd. Weft: 8/2 cotton, #2636 Navy, 600 yd; #6122 Very Berry, 68 yd; #5792 Lime, #1205 Banana, and #6974 Grayed Lavender, 51 yd each. YARNS – WHITE TOWELS Warp: 8/2 cotton, #8001 White and #8418 Silver Birch, about 541 yd each. Weft: 8/2 cotton, #8001 White, 600 yd; #6256 Eggplant, 68 yd; #5792 Lime, #6122 Very Berry, and #6974 Grayed Lavender, 51 yd each. WARP LENGTH 393 ends 2¾ yd long (allows 6" for take-up, 27" for loom waste, 9" for sampling). SETTS Warp: 20 epi (2/dent in a 10-dent reed). Weft: 20 ppi in…