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Sunday, May 18, 2014

Detours

A while back, a mate of mine had his favorite wooly scarf stolen. We've never met; he's one of our Internet/photography friends, but he's coming to visit in June/July. From his description the stolen piece sounds like a lovely chunky hand-knit piece, creamy/beige-y and ribby. I told him then I don't knit, and weave mostly flat cloth, but this was roughly when Geodyne was churning out beautiful pleated pieces, so I've been plotting to give it a go. I remember I need closely-sett two-faced twill using good shrinky weft. And as a contingency plan, in case the shrinky bits don't shrink/buckle/rib enough/properly, I'm going with a interesting twill at least in one part.
In theory, something like this, and an 8 meter warp should give me loads of samples and perhaps two good pieces.

Is usually-18EPI warp in 20EPI close enough or would you go closer? At present, I think I'd like different width for the two twills/ribs, but is there an optimal ratio?   What other matters should I take into consideration? Suggestions are all much appreciated. Thanks.

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I had more of less a yuck week last week. I wove for two hours on extremely fragile warp, getting off and on the bench too too many times, and sure enough my right hip, which I thought was on the mend, acted up again, and the rest of it came back. So yesterday I did some collage postcards. It had been a while; I almost had to remember how to work without intentions and some made themselves beautiful while some not, but it was lovely to forget results and concentrate on the making. I also caught myself applying design theories I've picked up in the past.
I feel buoyed by yesterday, so I'm going to do some more sample/experimental drawing.

Funny how I enjoy something, (collage), but when I start making it into/about something, (exhibition), all the fun goes out and the Critic stomps in.  

9 comments:

  1. Even though I'm hoping to use one yarn in the warp and one in the weft, I don't feel much like rethreading to try out different widths and proportion, so I need some preliminary shink test and maybe even a sample on the table loom. Or do-or-die attitude.

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  2. GREAT postcards! Hope one finds its way to me soon. Hugs.

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  3. Isn't it strange how some cards naturally and easily come out nicely and others are, I guess you could say, heavy maintenance? I feel like a kindy teacher sometimes, Connie.

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  4. Oh, gee, I'm confused now. Geo used merino in the warp and often silk in the weft, which sounds counter-intuitive to me as I thought merino would want to shrink more. "It's not necessary to use overtwisted yarns in the weft to achieve this effect. These scarves prove that, as they've woven using rayon flake and the most passive reeled silk thread you're ever seen." Did she mean loosely spun silk?

    Further, she said, "ideally, the weft should be about half the grist of the warp" but this also means don't make the PPI too high?

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  5. Meg, I did a collapse weave in the 2009 small scarf exhibition. 4 to 5 ply thick warp yarn to a lace weight weft. You actually need the ratio difference to be quite high

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  6. I think, but can't be sure, re the fun/critic, you always have to do it for fun/you....even on commision....or the pressure comes on nd others opinions matter too much.

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  7. Right-o, thanks for that, Sampling. I think I'm going to change the configuration of my yarns completely now.

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  8. I'm coming at this late, but want to put on the record that I only ever used silk as the weft because I like playing with silk. You'll get far more predictable results using wool.

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  9. Oh, predictable is welcome in this instance. Can't get my head around it, so I just need to sample. After the current warp.

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