Two For Tuesday

 




  It's not that unusual after all....two shawls getting started on the same day.  Today was one of those days.

  We had two guys weaving side by side.














 
Two Ladies wearing their turquoise tops.
 

  Two Ladies who have the same red top!!!!














     Student and teacher....that makes two!

  
  T-shirts and blue jeans....a donation from a church's rummage sale.  A few more than two bags full!!!!
  (I see some rugs in the near future!)












  Two times three equals SIX.  That's how many rugs came off of Betsy's loom this afternoon!  (That means she'll be winding a new warp for that loom!!!)













   Carl knows all about that....after all, he's getting near to the end of his warp, too.

  The rest of us just keep on keeping on.



Happy Weaving!
LouAnn

Starting Rugs

Weaving rugs is a slow process. Sure, you wind a warp, get it on the loom and just weave away on rugs. Sure. However, it's much more than that! 

If you're weaving loopers, you have to clean them. You spend hours outside shaking the loopers to get rid of strings and tiny bits of thread. Loopers are waste products from the production of socks. They're thrown away unless someone can use them. It's truly fun to know we're rescuing something from the dump but, it's work. Lots of work..

Another thing is selvedges, more waste product but this time it long narrow strips of "fabric" that were part of the production of afghans, upholstery, etc. They come in great bags of piled up strands. They're not as messy but you still have to find the end and then roll up balls of them.

If you're using fabric or jeans, there's lots of cutting, sewing and then cutting narrow strips to then weave into rugs.

So I've spent the last week or two just getting ready to weave.

I just got going. It's nice to have a few done, ready to serge apart and then sew hems.

It's nice to see the start. The next few weeks I'll be weaving more.

Should have pictures next week!

Until then, keep weaving!

Carol

Narrow Bands

You may notice a similarity in thought between LouAnn and myself, we have been overcome with narrow bands lately.   Narrow bands are quick to warp, and fun to weave, they can be as complicated as some of the Scandinavian "Pick up" bands, or a quick simple plain weave band.  You can use them to tie things up, like gift packages or maybe a bundle of items you need for a project.  They can be used as ties on an apron, straps on a bag or collars for a goat.  Before there were buttons and zippers, there were narrow bands.

We still use commercial narrow bands these days, in many ways, lantern wicks, book binding, even zippers are made with narrow bands, and teeth or spiral coil.  Many hand weavers make a bit of narrow band or tape to make tabs to hang a hand towel or item of clothing.  Anyway, I think that is what  has spurred us once again, into the world of narrow band weaving.

I have been weaving some bands with what I had on hand, 8/4 carpet warp, sewing thread, and that was working well enough.  But, a couple of weeks ago I read about a crochet cotton distributed by "Knit Picks" an online yarn company.  I went to check it out and I found that they offered a 20 ball sampler at a really good price, and since I was in a "gathering" mood, I ordered the sampler.  A few days later there was a box on my porch when I got home.

The box was literally bulging!  I brought it inside and opened it right away!















There were 2 layers in the box, this being the bottom one.  There is a really good variety of colors and even though there a couple that I would not normally have ordered, I think that it may push me to use some color combinations I may have otherwise not done.

I was so tickled with my new stash of band weaving yarn that I was loathed to break into them, I didn't want to mess up the neat tidy little balls, once you start to use them they never look so good.  Anyway, I wanted to share them with the group on Tuesday before I disturbed this lovely picture.







On Thursday, I was finally able to sit down and choose my narrow band pattern from Anne Dixon's "Inkle Pattern Directory".  I chose the pattern "Single Flowers" but I changed the pattern a little bit to make it a symetrical band.  I stayed close to her color choices, and I am pleased with the results.

The weaving of this band is going pretty quickly, since it is plain weave and I do not have to do any extra steps to get the pattern, it is all decided while you warp.  I warped the full length on the Schacht Inkle loom that I have borrowed from the center, I expect to have a good bit of band to use as apron strings.

I really like this yarn, it is smooth, strong, shiny and colorful, just right for narrow band weaving.  Each ball of yarn has over 700 yards on it,  I could even see using some in a project on my floor looms.  The only complaint that I have read about this yarn is that people want to see more colors come available.

I can't wait to get this band off the loom so that I can see how it looks and feels in comparison to some of my previous bands.

It is comforting to know that I have more than enough colors and yardage to experiment with for the next couple of years.  Until next time, Happy weaving, Tina

Sunny March Thursday

   I asked them to light the fire in the Peter's cabin...but, when I got to the cabin, the thrum of a banjo was coming from inside.  Rather than disturbing the musicians inside, I plopped down on the steps of the Loom House.
  The Museum was hosting some travel writers today, and I volunteered to weave while they were there.  I ended up taking my wee Inkle loom instead on the box loom.  I had a warp that needed weaving off, and today fit the bill.  Besides, it fits right inside my totebag!!!
 


I've been reading my new book at night before bed.  There is so much information, and I was able to use some of it today as I talked to the visitors about the bands that I'm weaving.
  I had the best time sitting on those steps and weaving and talking!  At first I thought it might be too chilly, but the building blocked the breeze that was blowing, and I had my fingerless gloves that Tina knit for me.  The sun felt really nice.
  And, I reminded folks that when they come back after it warms up, I'll be weaving on that lovely old rocker beater loom!!!

  This is how my saucer magnolia looks today.  Yes, it did get "bit" on Sunday morning, and it has a brownish look to the blossoms.  If you look under the tree, you can see lots and lots of pinkish petals.
   They're calling for snow flurries in the mountains tonight.
  It's March in East Tennessee....anything could happen!!!

I'm looking forward to my reading time tonight....so much to learn!!!

Happy Weaving!
LouAnn

Let The Good Times Roll

  Every Tuesday, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., you will find a happy group of folks that have one thing in common.  WE LOVE TO WEAVE!!!
  And, you might wonder....how did this come to be?  Good question!
Way back in the late 1960's, President Johnson had declared a war on poverty.  Grace Foster and Sarah Starr thought that one way folks in this area could benefit was to start a Community Craft Co-op with the mission statement of "For our souls and pocketbooks."  They found an old store front on the highway next to the Museum of Appalachia, and set up a shop to sell handmade Appalachian crafts.  The Museum loaned them an old barn loom, and they had three other looms for weaving.  A pottery workshop was also set up in the building, as well as space for piecing and quilting quilts.  Their claim to fame was the only handicapped accessible outhouse in East Tennessee.
  Carol came to the CCC in 1980.  The new shop was built in 1987.  Somewhere along the way the name was changed to the Appalachian Arts Craft Center....but the mission has stayed the same:  Support arts and crafts in Appalachia through education, sales and community involvement.
  Now days, we are blessed with a good sized retail space upstairs (although we would love to have more room.)

  You can find our placemats, rugs, scarves, shawls and other woven items that are produced downstairs in the studio.
  You'll also find beautiful pottery, jewelry, wooden items, photographs, paintings and quilted items throughout the rest of the shop.

As part of our mission, we have continued to offer beginning weaving classes here at the Center.  Sometimes folks (like ME!) continue to come back Tuesday after Tuesday.  The weaving that we do in the studio not only benefits the Tuesday Weavers, but part of the purchase price goes to the Center.  As most weavers know, we are life long learners...there will always be something new to learn.  One of the best parts is that we learn from each other.  Carol gets us started on the road to weaving....and we drive the rest of the journey.

  One of our signature items is the "Ellen's Pattern" placemats.  Ellen was the first weaving department chairman, and she came up with this crammed and spaced threading for our placemats.  The original ones used a white warp in 8/4 cotton, and five strands of natural 8/4 for weft.  Now....you are already thinking....let's try a another strand of color!  Sure, why not!!!  The possibilities are endless, aren't they!  We have found the white and natural combination a sure bet for folks buying for gifts....keeping it neutral!!!  We buy 8/4 in large quantities for lots of different projects.  You can see part of our stash on the shelves behind Tina and Linda.  And, that's an Ellen's pattern in black 8/4 on Linda's loom.

Carl is weaving on the original barn loom that was loaned to the CCC to start their weaving department.  Yes...we are still weaving lots of rugs!
  Behind Marie, you can see some of the other threads we keep stocked for other projects.
  In addition to the profit from sales in the shop upstairs, we do two shows a year to raise funds for the weaving department.  We have been able to add some new looms to our inventory.

  We are a wee bit crowded....maybe one day we'll get to add on to this building.  But, for now, we just keep on helping each other learn more about weaving.  It's a safe atmosphere to learn to weave and test your wings.  (I didn't even go into our fantastic library of weaving books!!!  It is such a wonderful resource to have at hand!)

  So, since I couldn't be in New Orleans for Fat Tuesday, the weaving studio in Norris, Tennessee, was the perfect place for me!

Happy Weaving!
LouAnn

Asheville

Last Friday, Tina blogged about our trip to Asheville to drop off a spinning wheel.  I thought I was just along for the ride....but, you never know who you are going to meet when you're meeting fiber folks.
  The drop off point was with Alan and Milissa Dewey.  Their website is here:  http://www.chessspy.com/BOBBIN-BOY/BB-resources.htm

  I soon realized that I had seen many of her posts on Facebook!  She is an amazing resource, and we had a great discussion about weaving on a box loom.  (Just one of many discussions, by the way!)  Since I'm demonstrating at the Museum next week, I pulled out my box loom that Linda's husband made for me, and I've been using some of the pointers that Milissa shared.  This will also be good for Sheep Shearing Day in April.

Yes....it's still officially Winter, but someone forgot to tell East Tennessee.  My saucer magnolia is in full bloom.  I'm going to enjoy it while I can.....it's supposed to dip below freezing on Sunday morning.  That should take care of the blooms........

  I do enjoy the extra hours of sunlight we are getting.  I was able to get out today to work in my garden. It won't be much longer until I can start planting!

Happy Weaving!
LouAnn

Not The Newbies Anymore!

Alyce, Ruth Anne and Liz are no longer the Newbies....meet Helen, our newest weaver.  She got started on her warp, and will get her loom dressed next week!!!  She started on a good day....there was a lot going on in the studio.

   Pat got her runner and placemats wet finished at home and brought them back to be tagged for the shop.  And, look what she made!!!  She used one of the "mistake" mats to make a soup cozy.  This one is lined with fabric....but, it's not going upstairs!  Lanny snapped it up as soon as he saw it!  She's going to make another one for him so he'll have a pair!  (His wife might appreciate that!)    She also used some of the leftover woven fabric to make a wee purse!

  Ray is taking over that loom with Pat's warp.  There is still plenty of thread on the loom.         Betsy got her loop of fabric set up at the table to cut strips for the last rug on her loom.  She's using up a bunch of different fabric strips that have been donated to the weavers.  Since this is the wrong side of the fabric, you can't see the lovely floral pattern.  It's a perfect piece to tie all the other strips together!

Linda is back from her cruise, and she was ready to get back to her loom.    Although Tina thought she had a bunch of threading errors, when she sampled with the black thread, she realized that there were no mistakes!  But....she's not happy with her pattern after all.  That means some rethreading !!!

  Lanny always has such great concentration when he weaves!  Of course, that's why his scarves are so lovely, too!!!  We were so glad to have Karin with us today....her work schedule is crazy, but she needs her Tuesday Weaver time!!!

Shirley is introducing some solid blue into her twill scarf.  She will finish it with the variegated yarn.  Bonnie is trying to finish up her scarf so she can start weaving on the 8H Baby Wolf.  (Yeah!!!)  At the end of this row of Ladies is our own Ms. Ila.  She is sleying the reed, which means weaving next week!!!!

These weavers just get it done!!!  

Yes....another warp going on a loom!  Marie and Sharon were working to get lease sticks on in preparation of a new scarf warp.

I wonder what Helen was thinking at the end of today??????

Happy Weaving!

LouAnn