Priorities

I'm expecting the flooring people in about three hours. The first wave will be the "rip it up" guys. I've been awake since 4 am and am clearing the front room, hoping to have most of it done before they arrive. So, guess what I did before anything else?

That's right, packed my things for spinning class tomorrow. Then I made sure I had all my weaving supplies, so I can get on with the damask while I'm away. Eventually I'll work out some clothes and other essentials to take with me, but it's nice to know I've got my priorities sorted!

By the way, I've managed to keep access to my computer in this room so far. It would be nice to be able to squeeze in here and check mail etc, but I'm not counting on it. I'll see how I go.

Going Off Air

Hello friends, followers and readers. I just had a call from my flooring guys. They're coming in tomorrow to start ripping up carpet and tiles. So chaos is about to happen! I don't know when I'll be able to get back to my computer as the contents of my living room are about to be stacked into this room. Meanwhile, I have my spinning course on Saturday, so I'll need to at least extract my spinning wheel and essential tools.

I'm not looking forward to the mess and disruption, but I'll try to keep a picture of a beautiful bamboo floor in my mind to keep me going .

I'll be back as soon as I can.

Yarn Magazine Excitement

Getting my copy of Yarn Magazine was right up there on the priority list yesterday. Here's why:My "Maker in the Making" is on the Contents page. I made her for the Craft Victoria, Members' Exhibition last year. Of course I knew about it before I saw the magazine, but I had no idea how it would look, nor what words from my Artist's Statement they would include. So I was excited and more than a little anxious until I saw it. Then I was just very pleased!

I have to admit, I spent a significant part of the afternoon running around showing her off to friends:). So if you see me clutching a magazine and smiling warmly in the next few days, you'll understand.

Scraps of Warmth and Colour

I'm teaching my first ever "One Skein Wonders" class tonight. I'm planning on more of a workshop format, with a bit of useful theory. Of course I want there to be lots of fun and inspiration as well. Over the last few days I've prepared a few more samples using small amounts of special yarns.

I'm particularly pleased with this little wrist warmer. The lacing means it can fit a good range of sizes. I think it would even work as an anklet on a small person or a very slim one--that's not me!
I've prepared an outline for the class already. Today all I need to do is pick through my collection for a few more samples. I'll also pick out a few small skeins of my handspun and hand-dyed yarns to use. This is a new venture for me, but one that's close to my heart. If it all goes well, I'll do it again soon.

Damask Step by Step (for Gertie in South Carolina and anyone else who might be interested)

OK, here goes . . . Damask, Step by Step, with photos! If you're not a weaver, or you already know how to weave damask, or you don't want to know, please feel free to skip this, or just admire the pretty pictures :) Otherwise, I suggest you read through the whole thing before you start. Hopefully it will help!

First the instruction sheet, as supplied by Gerlinde Binning:

• We are working on an 8-shaft table loom. The background is an irregular satin and I'm using a pick-up technique. You can see I have the instructions clipped to my loom so I can check on each step.

Here is my design

• If I had my time over, I wouldn't make the tail so complicated, that's a lot of counting. You can see how I've counted each square on each line of the design. The ticks are marking off the lines I've already completed.

• This is a close up of the beginning of a few lines of the design. The ruler is there to help me keep my eyes on the line I'm working on.
  

Instructions:


1. Raise 2,3,6,7


Using graph, pick up one pair of threads for each shaded area unit, 1 square on graph. Skip any pairs not shaded in design.

• First a general view showing a line picked up
• This pic shows the first pick-up. The white card under the warp threads makes it easier to see and pick up the pairs of threads. The pick-up stick is flat and pointed (thanks John). The point makes it easy to count threads. A flat, pointed stick like this is called a "sword".

• Then a close up view showing the pairs of threads as they are picked up. If you want to count from the right: I have left 9 pairs down, picked up 1, left 3 down, picked up 1, 1 down, 2 up, then picked up more threads that go on off the left hand side of the picture.

Place sword with this pick up behind reed

• You can see the reed at the front of the pic. The sword is placed under the threads which were picked up in front of the reed.

Lower shafts. Raise 1 & 5.

• OK, we're still looking at what's happening behind the reed. Shafts 1 & 5 are raised. The next step isn't on the instruction sheet, but it's "washing" the shed. This means pulling the sword forwards and backwards to make sure the shafts are sitting in the right place and the shed is clear. I've taken a pic of this step further down, but didn't want to confuse things by placing it out of order--in case you're looking at which shafts are actually raised.
• By the way, sorry this pic is on it's side, I can't find a way to make it turn the right way--it is rotated anticlockwise on my file.

Weave one pick.

• Finding this shed is maybe one of the trickiest things to get a handle on. That's why it's important to "wash" the shed before trying to weave.

Remove sword

2. Raise 1,4,5,8

Using graph, still the same line, pick up one pair of threads for background unit (split pairs)

• General view with shafts 1,4,5,8 raised.

• Close up view showing split pairs. This is the same line as I counted out above, so the count is 9 down, followed by one pair picked up etc. The threads are grouped differently though: at the far right you can see a pair and a half--that's 3 warp threads--then another 7 pairs of threads and another half pair for a total of 9 pairs--1 and a half plus 7 plus another half makes 9. I hope you're with me as this is maybe the second trickiest bit to communicate.

Place sword behind reed

• This is a different view, so you can see the pick-up stick (sword) in front of the reed and the second sword placed behind the reed. Turning the front sword on it's side makes it easier to place the second sword.
  

Lower shafts

Raise 3 & 7

• This is "washing" the shed, by moving the sword forwards and backwards.

• This is how it looks once the shed has been "washed". Only shafts 3 & 7 are clearly raised.
  

Weave one pick.

Lower shafts.

Do not remove sword

3. Raise 2 & 6

• The sword stays in place behind the reed while the shafts are changed. Then it's time to "wash" the shed again to clear it for the next pick.

Weave one pick

• I've taken this shot at a different angle so you can see the sword behind the reed.

Lower shafts

Remove sword

4. Raise 2,3,6,7

Repeat line 1 pick up

• This pic shows the front sword on its side in front of the reed and the second sword behind the reed.

Raise 4 & 8

Weave one pick

Remove sword

These 4 steps represent 1 line on design

• Here's how it looks so far.

That's as much detail as I think I can provide using photos. I don't have a video camera or an operator to hold it for me today. I'll be interested to hear from anyone who has a go. I'll also ask Gerlinde, our weaving teacher, and Robyn, our tutor, to have a look at it for me.

Now I'd better go back and do some weaving!

Action Shot

I didn't get much homework done for my weaving course last week. So while the rest of the class went on with the new exercise, I tried to catch up with my damask weave. While I was at it, I tried to take some photos to demonstrate the technique. I'm going to have to have another go at that, but meanwhile,here's a shot of how the pick-up technique looks:

I've picked up the threads which correspond with the picture on my graph. The white card underneath is there to make it easier to count threads.

What I realised when I tried to take step by step shots is that there are four or five actions to carry out for each section of instructions. With four sets of instructions to weave each line in the picture, that comes to a lot of actions. I wonder whether it's time to try a video!

Another Bluebird

Those display racks of advertising postcards found in many city cafe's--I do like them! I've found some great inspiration there. I've called today's pic "the bluebird of wistfulness". The artist calls it, "Budgie Boy":

I'm drawn to the mood of this little fellow. There's no smile there, but there is a gentle appeal.

I'm still trying to sort and pack the contents of my house. I've thrown out a fair bit of stuff, but this little card is one I'm going to keep, just because I like it.