25.5.12

and another thing


So while I was at the Carolina FiberFest, I spent some time with Carol Leigh Brack-Kaiser.  I first met her last year at SAFF and saw her demo the continuous strand weaving method.  I've been noodling on it ever since, trying hard to resist weaving, as yet another thing to be obsessed with ... but on seeing her again and having the same extreme MUST sort of response, I splurged on a travel-size triangle loom.  Carol Leigh and her husband Denny were so generous with their time and knowledge.  Here is the result of my first weaving, all with handspun I had lying around...  I was so surprised how little yarn it took and how quickly it worked up.  





**Narcissa among the hydrangeas.

In some ways it seems random to get into weaving right now, but also inevitable.  And it is fitting in so well with some of the issues raised in Jude's Boro 2 class on clothing construction.  To actually make cloth and with my own handspun in this new way, it feels like it's filling some huge gap in my fibery repertoire and understanding...

18 comments:

  1. Dru, this is amazing...... Love the colors. Did you dye your own wool? xo Sandy

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    1. hi sandy, not for this i didn't, these were just bits of yarn i had around from roving and batts that were gifted to me. i'd love to try the next weaving with yarn i've dyed too... xx

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  2. oh your woven shawl is beautiful. what size was the loom?

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    1. hi deanna! it's a three foot loom, but the fringe makes the finished shawl much bigger. i figured it was a fairly versatile size since more than one triangle can be stitched together. at least until i get up the nerve for a bigger one!

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  3. Hi Dru: your shawl is just beautiful - love it !!! and your fiber is incredible !!! I have now started to spin, yes - I've actuallly learned how to spin on my beautiful Kromski Fantasia I bought in April - yippppeee - what a difference it makes to have your own wheel and practice, practice, practice, ha : ) I love it very much and unlike my little spindle, Fancy K loves me back : ) anyway, I've been meaning to pop in and say "hi" and catch you up on my spinning trials, ha : ) Hope you had a fabulous outcome from the Fiber Fest and congratulations on your beautiful handspun, hand woven, shawl, it is scrumptuous !!!!!
    Blessings, Sandra in AZ : )

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    1. thanks sandra!! i'm so excited for you and your fantasia!! fancy k, what a great name. post pics somewhere of your spins!!

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  4. Dru ~
    This is beautiful weaving! What size is the shawl?

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  5. thanks nancy!! i haven't measured... the loom is 3 feet across and then the fringe adds another six inches or so. it feels very comfy around my shoulders. will have to take some pics of me wearing it!

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  6. beautiful colors, and I love the lightness in the weave.

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  7. fantastic Dru, i have resisted weaving too for the same reasons. But you are right it does fill the gap between cloth and handspun in a way knitting does not I guess? beautiful shawl btw !

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  8. ok, that's gorgeous, pretty pretty plaid, but i still can't figure out how this kind of weaving works. youtube was no help. maybe we can see your next shawl in progress? or you can do a youtube video?! or your next craftsy adventure! i love the airiness of it.

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  9. beautiful! shearing spinning dyeing weaving sewing you're making it all happen!
    (oh, the lure of weaving....I am still resisting)

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    1. doesn't it though?! thank you for saying so!!

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  11. Love your shawl! I know just what you mean about creating fabric and having that lead towards cloth making.

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  12. Oh Dru, is that a turkey named Narcissa!? And let us praise your leaning to obsess!

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    1. yes that's her name!! her partner is named gomez. thank you for the praise!!! xxxx

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  13. Great shawl! I too, got into weaving after learning to spin, and had great stockpiles of yarn to use. It is very gratifying to be able to make something so quickly and with such lovely results. Next thing you know, you will be collecting looms - but beware, they take up a lot of room!

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