Basic weaving lesson #1

The first thing in starting a weaving project is deciding on what you are going to weave and then do the designing.   Most designs that I do I get out of weaving books.  I am not good enough to design my own yet.

 Once the designing is done then you pick out the yarns that you will be using.  There is a lot more to learn about design and yarns and for me I would have a book in trying to explain to you what is involved.  I am using a cotton that is 20/2 which means in basic terms the size and ply of the yarn.  I am using two ends because the piece that I am making calls for 30 threads to the inch, the video will explain what this means, and it will be approximately 18 inches wide.  This is the yarn that I will use to make the warp, which means that there is a warp thread and a weft or filling thread in each project, and you start making your project by winding what is called the warp.  The warp goes on the back of the loom.

I put the yarn ends over the back of my loom to wind on the warper, because it keeps the threads from twisting and getting caught.

 This is what is called the cross in the warp.  It keeps the ends (threads) in order for me when I take the warp to the loom.   It also helps me keep track of how many inches I have warped.  This project is going to be a coverlet sample and it is going to be approximately 18 inches wide.  In the next picture, that is my warper.  I wind the yarns for the coverlet sample with all the threads that I need to make it 18 inches wide and as you can see I am going around the warper and that tells me how long I will make the warp. I am winding a 6 yard warp.   So, when I take the threads to the loom and set the loom up, I will have an eighteen to nineteen inch wide sampler and each sampler will be approximately 1 yard long which will allow me to end up with approximately 5 samplers.  When a project is on the loom it is under tension, so when it comes off you have some shrinkage because the filling takes up warp and then the relaxing of the fabric once it is off the loom and then when it is finished.  So, you want to always wind extra in a warp.  Same with the width.

I did have a video of me warping, but the video didn't want to down load.  When I wind on the warp I go around until I have the width in inches on the warper.   The ties you see on the warp is what I use to keep the warp from getting all tangled when I take it off to put on the loom.  I will try to down load the video later today.  This is just the beginning.  I will have your next lesson soon.

Have a great day.

Work

The top picture is the drill that the hubby is using to do the drilling at this particular job.  The second picture is the drilling site.  It is in the middle of the Mohawk River under the dams, Lock 13.  He is right on the water, which makes it a heck of a lot colder than if you were on land.   He dresses in about three to four layers of cloths just to stay warm.  Can't imagine having to try to work and walk in all those cloths just to be able to stay reasonably warm (reasonably is a relative term!)   What a man (woman)will go through to take care of their  family!

Hope you are staying warm in this deep freeze of a winter.  We are trying, the hubby had a head cold(still does) and the husband he is, gave it to me!  I am waiting for the son to be the next one in line!  Not too bad, but still leaves you not wanting to do a whole heck of a lot.

Not much else is going on at this moment.  Just trying to stay healthy and find a warm enough time to go out in the barn and get some weaving done.

Stay warm!

I am still here!

This is the last project that I have just finished.  The niece wanted a rug to go in the front of the crib so she didn't have to stand on a cold floor when she went to get the baby.   It wasn't very large but it fit perfectly in front of the crib.  I have to wind a warp to do the wash or dish cloths for the towels that I just completed.  Then I will be winding a warp for the coverlet samplers that I will be doing.  I know it does not tell you what that is but I will make sure that I post the pictures of what I am doing.  I will be having the son video tape me on the process of getting a project going and what it entails.

Not much else has been going on.   The same thing goes on from day to day.  Chores, pick-up house, doing errands, weaving and so forth.  We had a few days of 47 to 50 degree weather with some rain.  Now it is cold again and calling for snow showers.

Take care and have a great week.

Winter Wonderland

The wind is blowing, and lots of snow to go with it.   The cold hasn't been too bad for the last couple of days, that is if you don't have to work out in it!  As the daughter is walking back across the road you get an idea on the snow banks that we have.   We are supposed to get around 47 degrees by next Friday, which means mega snow melt.  Not good for the rivers and creeks that have lots of ice on them.

Not much has been going on.   I finished my curtains and now all I have to do is get them hung.  Have some minor adjustments to do to the fixtures so that I can get curtain rods put up on the windows.   I so envy people that can keep clutter out of their houses.  Unfortunately, my house has lots of stuff which causes lots of clutter that drives me insane at times.   Have you ever had those moments that you just want to throw up your hands and just get a dumpster and start throwing things into it.  I have those moments a lot now that I am home more often than not.  I can't wait for the 30's to make its appearance and stay that way so that I can spend all my time out in the barn weaving.

I am in the process of getting the next warp ready to weave some cloths do go with my towels that I have just finished.

Hope you all have a wonderful evening.

More

Brown with tan stripe

Green with a olive green stripe

Green with a coral stripe

White and blue(navy)

Tan with a cream stripe

These are the new towels that I have  woven.  I just finished them yesterday.   The next project is to weave the niece a rug so that when she goes to the crib to pick up the baby, she will have something warm and comfy to stand on.  Then I have some other rugs that need woven and table runners.  The looms will be empty and then it will be time to design my next project to go on the looms.   I actually am thinking of doing a shawl.

The weather has been mild compared to some folks that are getting below zero even during the day.  We have snow on the ground now and they say we might have more coming.  It is supposed to hit south and east of us!  So, we might not get much.  Not much else is going on.  Just trying to stay warm.  I had to go to the dentist yesterday and have a root canal done.  I am still a little sore today.  Most of the time they don't bother much.  This one is giving me fits though.  Hopefully in another day and it will be lots better.

Click on the pictures to get a better look at the color and design.  These towels are 15 by 25.  Some vary in length.  I will be putting these up on the web site.  I haven't decided if I will sell them on the web or keep them for doing craft shows this spring and summer.   I think I need to keep building the inventory up some more first though.  I have only 10 large towels and 4 small ones.  Lots more work to accomplish yet.

Have a great day.

Hay!

The pony decided that he need a little added warmth on his ears.  The snow piled up the other day.  We had around 14 inches.  I kept the horses in the barn during the storm and then let them out.  Boy, did they love that fluffy stuff!

I took off another set of towels and when I get them finished I will blog them.  I think I did blog about weaving in one of my older posts.  I am going to get the son to video me explaining the parts of the loom and what they do for you and post that soon.

Not much going on here at the farm, weaving and taking care of the animals.  Matt is working pretty long hours and he has time to eat, relax for a hour and then to bed and back up at 4:45 the next morning to start the day all over again.  He will have to work Saturday and Sunday also, until the job is finished.  I should ask him if it is worth working closer to home or not!

Have a good evening.

Weaving

Connie suggested that I let people know what weaving is.  So, I put together a short video of me weaving.  Let me know if this would be good to put up on my web site.   I still have lots of modifications to make to the web site.  I love your suggestions, so go have a look and give me lots of suggestions.  I will be updating the web site Thursday.

We are getting our snow storm.   We are supposed to get anywhere from 9 to 14 inches today.  Lovely!  I kept telling everyone, that once February hit the snow would begin!  We had seen lots of cold and ice and rain even a little of snow but the big snow storms usually start this month.  (at least in the last few years).

The other picture are the towels with a little closer look.   They will look so much different once they have been taken off the loom and finished.  They are under a lot of tension when they are on the loom.

Hope you have a good day.

I am lost!

I find myself lost as to what to blog.  I take the camera and then decide that there is nothing new to really take pictures of!  So, I think some of  my posts are going to have to be picture less!  I am working out in the barn on my weaving most of the time when it is warm enough to stay out there.  I was working on curtains when I had to stay in the house, but have not finished them yet.  I still have to make it to the store to get new curtain rods for the windows in the back porch.  I now have my web site up and running, www.southviewweaving.com go check it out and please, all comments are welcome.  I am new to this web design stuff.   I always go to it and see things that I need to add or take out.  I never said I was creative when it comes to words and websites!  

The hubby is going to be home at night for the next month!  The company he works for got the job by the locks on the river.   So, that is about 25 to 30 minutes away from where we live.  It will be great to have him home, but then it will be bad when he has to be gone again during the week.  I told him to make sure he doesn't get used to it.   I don't think he going to listen to me though!   He is so excited about being able to come home every night that it will be hard not to get used to it!

It does have its down side, now I have to make sure that I make his lunch everyday, I have to do his laundry, and I have to make sure I have good dinners instead of making things that are fast and easy(which suits the son and I just fine).   Just kidding, I love to take care of the man!  He does a great job of taking care of his family!    I sure would be lost without him, he is my life!   Love you honey.

The weather has been reasonably warm for the last week, but tomorrow night into Wednesday we have around 5 to 15 inches of snow on its way.   Then on Thursday back down into the teens and low 20's.  It sure is winter still.  

Have a great day.