Spinning and weaving
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Broken Arrow
Heathen Pagan Witch
It makes wonderful lace weight yarn. It has a beautiful handle and drapes wonderfully. I love it for baby sweaters also since its not itchy at all.
Broken Arrow
Heathen Pagan Witch
Some pics of projects I'm working on as requested. Those are my two sheepie girls, Lucy and Putt Putt. Lucy is 4 years old and Putt will be 1 in May. The fiber on the wheel is Merino and Tencil being spun lace weight for an as yet unknown project. The bottom left is my loom being warped for towels and bottom right is the start of one of the towels.
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marsh
On TB every waking moment
Oh you are such a fine spinner and I love your weaving. I love the feel of tencel. Is it slippery to spin? How do you blend it or have you purchased a blended roving? What kind of wheel do you have? What breed are your sheep?
Your loom looks similar to the Herald I am using. I have yet to venture anything but rugs on it. The warping seems daunting on such a large loom. I have used my smaller loom for towels, placemats and shawls.
I wanted to show my skills progress on spinning. I have only been really spinning regularly for about three months, since I spent a long time on learning to prep and dye. This is Romney fingering weight worsted yarn with a dime for comparison. I am happy with it and so glad I got the Kromski Minstrel.
Your loom looks similar to the Herald I am using. I have yet to venture anything but rugs on it. The warping seems daunting on such a large loom. I have used my smaller loom for towels, placemats and shawls.
I wanted to show my skills progress on spinning. I have only been really spinning regularly for about three months, since I spent a long time on learning to prep and dye. This is Romney fingering weight worsted yarn with a dime for comparison. I am happy with it and so glad I got the Kromski Minstrel.
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Broken Arrow
Heathen Pagan Witch
The tencel doesn't feel anymore slippery to me than anything else LOL. I bought this roving already blended at a wool festival. My wheel is a Country Craftsman Saxony flax wheel complete with removable flax distaff. Hehehe. Haven't spun flax yet but its on the to-do list. It was born on 2/14/91.
I currently have three sheep. The two girls in the pic and their boyfriend I got last week. All three are Merinos. Ill be shearing them next month.
You have a good eye...my loom is a Herald 45" 4-harness. Don't be too intimidated its fun! Course saying that I have to admit that weaving overshot fascinates and scares the hell out of me! LOL!
Your yarn is beautiful! Enjoy the process!
I currently have three sheep. The two girls in the pic and their boyfriend I got last week. All three are Merinos. Ill be shearing them next month.
You have a good eye...my loom is a Herald 45" 4-harness. Don't be too intimidated its fun! Course saying that I have to admit that weaving overshot fascinates and scares the hell out of me! LOL!
Your yarn is beautiful! Enjoy the process!
marsh
On TB every waking moment
I understand that Merino wool is fine enough to put next to a baby's skin. It looks like you do lace weight spinning - something I have yet to master. Do you prepare it for woolen spinning. Can you do a "long draw" (another technique I have yet to master.)
My Herald is the same model. Overshot is lovely. They say it is an American colonial form of design/structure. I have been following several gals on Ravelry who are doing overshot coverlets. The amount of smapling they did before attempting it is daunting. They have thousands of warp threads to contend with. One had a sectional warp, which was fascinating to see pictures of. What will your piece be when it is done?
I had some warp left by the owner of the loom (it is on "keep it as long as you like" loan.) I figured out the pattern and made a couple of rugs with Lion's brand acrylic "homespun" I had in my stash for lord-knows-what purpose as weft. My son and daughter really liked them and they can be thrown in the washer and dryer on low. So I am going to put on more warp and make some more rugs. It is just getting over the hump of getting started warping that is making me procrastinate.
My Herald is the same model. Overshot is lovely. They say it is an American colonial form of design/structure. I have been following several gals on Ravelry who are doing overshot coverlets. The amount of smapling they did before attempting it is daunting. They have thousands of warp threads to contend with. One had a sectional warp, which was fascinating to see pictures of. What will your piece be when it is done?
I had some warp left by the owner of the loom (it is on "keep it as long as you like" loan.) I figured out the pattern and made a couple of rugs with Lion's brand acrylic "homespun" I had in my stash for lord-knows-what purpose as weft. My son and daughter really liked them and they can be thrown in the washer and dryer on low. So I am going to put on more warp and make some more rugs. It is just getting over the hump of getting started warping that is making me procrastinate.
Broken Arrow
Heathen Pagan Witch
I love your sampler! Great way to learn. And makes a lovely rug. Try not to overthink warping. Its really very tedious work. Easy but tedious. The warp in my pic above is 600 ends 10 yards long and took 8 hours for the original warping and about 4 the second time. I tied new warping threads to the original warp since I was using the same pattern in reverse. They are towels btw. Ill get 10 towels out of this tie-on.
Yes its woolen preped and spun in an S twist. Its spun about 45 to 48ish wpi as a single. I can spin long draw. Course that depends on how my back and shoulder feels. LOL! I switched out bobbins and am spinning some bamboo and merino in blue/green/purple shades. Its not quite as thin as the pink stuff. Prob a 40 wpi. I haven't checked yet. Its telling me to weave the single into a scarf.
Yes its woolen preped and spun in an S twist. Its spun about 45 to 48ish wpi as a single. I can spin long draw. Course that depends on how my back and shoulder feels. LOL! I switched out bobbins and am spinning some bamboo and merino in blue/green/purple shades. Its not quite as thin as the pink stuff. Prob a 40 wpi. I haven't checked yet. Its telling me to weave the single into a scarf.
marsh
On TB every waking moment
Do you use those as dish or hand/bath towels? I can't imagine using something so lovely as a dish towel. I have yet to spin a mixed fiber. Did you dye the merino/bamboo? If so, did you use a union dye (animal + vegetable fiber.) I understand that veggie fiber won't take the wool dyes. What is the advantage of mixing fibers? I assume you are getting some quality out of the bamboo that is not in merino. Did you blend it or buy pre-blended. If you belnded it, did you do it with a carder or hand cards?
Will you use your handspun as warp - or just weft? I understand that because of the tension put on it, that it is better to use worsted spun as warp.
Sorry for all the questions. I have a curious nature.
Will you use your handspun as warp - or just weft? I understand that because of the tension put on it, that it is better to use worsted spun as warp.
Sorry for all the questions. I have a curious nature.
Broken Arrow
Heathen Pagan Witch
Yup they are dish drying hand drying spill sopping towels. LOL! I usually make a bunch of them and give them as Yule presents to friends and family.
I bought the bamboo/merino as a pre-dyed roving. I haven't done a lot of dying on my own. A little bit of natural dyes and a little bit of acid dyes for a class years ago. As for what I get out of it well, honestly, it was shiny! LOL! And I loved the colors in it. So it had to come home with me. It does spin beautifully though. Mostly I just let the fiber tell me what it wants. "Take me home " "spin me skinny " "knit socks with me " hehehe. The stuff I have blended on my own I use handcards to do it with. I had a Duncan electric carder but it was way too big for what I was doing. I think a smaller tabletop hand crank carder would be nice to have someday.
I haven't used handspun for warp. I worry it wont take the tension and will keep breaking so I have been sticking to commercial warp. I'm on the hunt for a warp thread that will compliment the bamboo/merino for the scarf (unless the fiber changes its mind and wants to be something else)
Please feel free to ask away. I am a shameless enabler!
I bought the bamboo/merino as a pre-dyed roving. I haven't done a lot of dying on my own. A little bit of natural dyes and a little bit of acid dyes for a class years ago. As for what I get out of it well, honestly, it was shiny! LOL! And I loved the colors in it. So it had to come home with me. It does spin beautifully though. Mostly I just let the fiber tell me what it wants. "Take me home " "spin me skinny " "knit socks with me " hehehe. The stuff I have blended on my own I use handcards to do it with. I had a Duncan electric carder but it was way too big for what I was doing. I think a smaller tabletop hand crank carder would be nice to have someday.
I haven't used handspun for warp. I worry it wont take the tension and will keep breaking so I have been sticking to commercial warp. I'm on the hunt for a warp thread that will compliment the bamboo/merino for the scarf (unless the fiber changes its mind and wants to be something else)
Please feel free to ask away. I am a shameless enabler!
marsh
On TB every waking moment
Interesting, I was watching the new "Spin To Weave" DVD by Sarah Lamb (Spin-Off) and she uses her handspun for warp in warp dominated fabric. She will use highly twisted in the ply 15-18 wpi handspun wool as warp and then a commercial neutral or solid color for weft - sometimes cotton. I gather it is a warp with more wpi. The handspun then dominates as stripes. I too would be afraid my homespun would break. She says that joins in fanned out end to end in making the yarn rather than going above the break to join is better as it won't pill up in a bubble and withstands stress of warp. She doesn't use sizimg, just handspun dipped in hot water and dried to set the twist. She also uses a sett just slightly more than her wpi. - usually what is closest to the reeds she has. She also warps front to back and designs the stripes using lease sticks at the front and threading the reed before she releases the warp.
Broken Arrow
Heathen Pagan Witch
Cool!
marsh
On TB every waking moment
I think I posted about Brink - the ewe that seems to get saved from perilous circumstances. Here is some of her yarn. I "flicked" the cleaned locks with a dog brush and my carding board to keep the salt and pepper variegation. I plan to use it as a stripe in an open plaid woven throw blanket. (reds, gray, carmel and off white)
Broken Arrow
Heathen Pagan Witch
Ooohhh pretty! Love that grey color. The yarn is beautiful.
Taz
Deceased
I am just soooooooooooooo impressed with your skills with the fiber, Marsh. You have learned it all so fast and done so well with it. We are finally all moved and I now have a designated room for my loom. I just need to get it warped. I hate that job so it is easy to keep it low on the list. Right now I am still into unpacking boxes and getting stuff put away. Also trying to get some garening done, plus fencing a chicken yard, building nest boxes, etc. Will bring the chickens over next week and that will be the end of moving. I am lucky that a good friend, another spinner, bought my place in the woods so I have been able to move a little at a time. But its past time to get settled down and live like a normal prepper once more. lol
And Broken Arrow, your weaving just makes my eyes cross. If I tried that stuff I would surely go into a seizure!! At my age I just have to be satisfied with making rag rugs. I don't even use fiber anymore. But I enjoy doing the rugs and people seem to enjoy receiving them. But I sure enjoy reading about what you gals are doing. Hugs
And Broken Arrow, your weaving just makes my eyes cross. If I tried that stuff I would surely go into a seizure!! At my age I just have to be satisfied with making rag rugs. I don't even use fiber anymore. But I enjoy doing the rugs and people seem to enjoy receiving them. But I sure enjoy reading about what you gals are doing. Hugs
marsh
On TB every waking moment
Thanks Taz. It has been a real learning curve. Soon I will finaly have enough decent homespun yarn to make some throw blankets for the lady who lent me her loom and my elderly father.
Sounds like you are on the verge of getting things ship shape. What kind of loom do you have? Do you still spin?
I love Broken Arrow's towels. That picture of all the warp chains on the loom looks daunting - lol.
Sounds like you are on the verge of getting things ship shape. What kind of loom do you have? Do you still spin?
I love Broken Arrow's towels. That picture of all the warp chains on the loom looks daunting - lol.
Taz
Deceased
No, I don't spin anymore. In fact I sold my custom made loom sometime ago...to the gal that bought my house. She has 4 or 5 wheels, one of which is a walking wheel. She wants to sell that as its too much work and too slow. She is 89 years old.
My one loom, which I am fixing to sell, is an old unmarked jack loom. 4 Harness. Thats about all I can tell you. I learned on it and kept it because it was small enuff to put in back of pickup truck and take places. I used to make rugs at some of the local pioneer days. But once I used the new loom, now about 15 yrs old, I couldn't bring myself to use the old one. Both are floor looms. The new and bigger one is a Le Clerc Fanny that is counter balanced. It also has the warping beam on the back, plus I have lots of odds and ends for it that I use on occassion, such as different size reeds. Its a four harnes and I have no need for any more. Its 60 inches in width. But I am too old and tired to do big rugs anymore. Most of my rugs are 32x44, for door, in front of sink and I do lots of terry clothe bathmats. While I do use a lot of rags, I also use tons of loopers, they are cotton or wool or cotten/poly mix. I do all my own dying but use mostly Rit dyes. I am not an artistic weaver by any means. I can knock a rug out in an hour and a half if all prepared to go onto the loom. An artist I ain't!! And since loopers were getting hard to get as the sock industry went to new machines, I have hundreds of pounds of them. The 100% wool ones I keep for special rugs for special people. lol
My one loom, which I am fixing to sell, is an old unmarked jack loom. 4 Harness. Thats about all I can tell you. I learned on it and kept it because it was small enuff to put in back of pickup truck and take places. I used to make rugs at some of the local pioneer days. But once I used the new loom, now about 15 yrs old, I couldn't bring myself to use the old one. Both are floor looms. The new and bigger one is a Le Clerc Fanny that is counter balanced. It also has the warping beam on the back, plus I have lots of odds and ends for it that I use on occassion, such as different size reeds. Its a four harnes and I have no need for any more. Its 60 inches in width. But I am too old and tired to do big rugs anymore. Most of my rugs are 32x44, for door, in front of sink and I do lots of terry clothe bathmats. While I do use a lot of rags, I also use tons of loopers, they are cotton or wool or cotten/poly mix. I do all my own dying but use mostly Rit dyes. I am not an artistic weaver by any means. I can knock a rug out in an hour and a half if all prepared to go onto the loom. An artist I ain't!! And since loopers were getting hard to get as the sock industry went to new machines, I have hundreds of pounds of them. The 100% wool ones I keep for special rugs for special people. lol
Broken Arrow
Heathen Pagan Witch
Taz they make my eyes cross too! I can only sit weaving for about 20 mins at a time before I go buggy!
Do you have pics of your rugs? I would love to see them!
I love our virtual spinning/weaving guild!
Do you have pics of your rugs? I would love to see them!
I love our virtual spinning/weaving guild!
Broken Arrow
Heathen Pagan Witch
Beautiful work Taz!
Broken Arrow
Heathen Pagan Witch
Go for CWR!
marsh
On TB every waking moment
Oh Taz, that is nice! I am not familiar with loopers. Are they from sock cuffs? How long are they? Do you cut them apart and tie them into a long weft? I saw where one lady got selvedges from Pendleton woolen mills and was using that. I have only ever used a jack loom, although I saw a counter-balanced once in a DVD. They look huge and intimidating.
Why do people have more than one spinning wheel. Are they really that different in function?
Why do people have more than one spinning wheel. Are they really that different in function?
Broken Arrow
Heathen Pagan Witch
I only have one. I wouldn't mind having a second one with a larger bobbin for plying though.
Different reasons for different spinners, I think. Some are collectors, some are unhappy with a certain aspect of their wheel, some want a wheel for home and a wheel to travel with, some want a wheel to perform a specific type of spinning ( a bulky wheel for example). I have 8 different kinds of spinning wheels. Two are antique wheels that are not really usable, but they were in the family, one was made for me by my first husband and it is no longer usable, but has sentimental value, one was bought for me at an estate sale by my DH when we were broke, but he knew that I missed being able to spin. I used that wheel to make enough items to sell to purchase my Ashford Traveler which I never loved. My DH bought me my Norman Hall handmade wheel as an "I love you and now I can" gift, I bartered with someone for an Indian head spinner that I mounted on a treadle sewing machine base and I use it to spin bulky and for plying, the last one is a charkha that DH handcrafted for me that is a gorgeous piece of craftsmanship. It looks like a jewelry box and is completely hand made, the spindles are handturned brass and even the latch and hinges are hand cut brass. It is beautiful!
So, I think that it is an individual thing.
I am enjoying all of the beautiful work that you are all posting.
So, I think that it is an individual thing.
I am enjoying all of the beautiful work that you are all posting.
marsh
On TB every waking moment
It is so wonderful that you have the support of your spouse in a creative endeavor from which you derive so much pleasure. On Ravelry, they were discussing how some spinners had to sneak their fiber and other ourchases into the house.
So you spin cotton. That must be VERY time consuming. The boxes are so tiny so I imagine the threads are as well. Looks fascinating, but I think that is one I am not yet ready to try. The handmade charka sounds beautiful and I am sure the love from which it sprang finds its way into every fiber you spin.
So you spin cotton. That must be VERY time consuming. The boxes are so tiny so I imagine the threads are as well. Looks fascinating, but I think that is one I am not yet ready to try. The handmade charka sounds beautiful and I am sure the love from which it sprang finds its way into every fiber you spin.
Broken Arrow
Heathen Pagan Witch
Spinner if your doing cotton have you spun on a takli spindle?
Actually, I don't spin cotton. I am ashamed to say that I rarely use my charkha. I have spun some soy silk on it and some fine wool. I have that on my someday list.
I am blessed to have such a loving and supportive DH. He is a very special person and he understands the creative urge as he has it as well. He designs electronics and writes for magazines. We understand each others creative frenzies and help each other. He is just now finishing up a project that he has been working on for 4 months straight barely coming up for air.
I can't imagine sneaking fiber or anything else for that matter! Many has been the time that DH drove me home from a shearing with the back of the car 'packed' with smelly (I love that smell, but he doesn't) wool. He is a dear! He respects me and what I do and I respect him and his work.
I am blessed to have such a loving and supportive DH. He is a very special person and he understands the creative urge as he has it as well. He designs electronics and writes for magazines. We understand each others creative frenzies and help each other. He is just now finishing up a project that he has been working on for 4 months straight barely coming up for air.
I can't imagine sneaking fiber or anything else for that matter! Many has been the time that DH drove me home from a shearing with the back of the car 'packed' with smelly (I love that smell, but he doesn't) wool. He is a dear! He respects me and what I do and I respect him and his work.
marsh
On TB every waking moment
Monday. April 8, 2013 today is the last day for the sale on Craftsy online beginner's floor loom weaving $14.99 http://www.craftsy.com/classes/weaving Excellent class. I am taking it as a brush up since I was never formally trained. You go at your own pace and can perpetually recall any lesson. You can ask your instructor questions and communicate with other classmates.
There is a free class on "Know Your Wool" which is very good on the different characteristics of wool from various breeds
Spinning classes: http://www.craftsy.com/classes/spinning
There is a free class on "Know Your Wool" which is very good on the different characteristics of wool from various breeds
Spinning classes: http://www.craftsy.com/classes/spinning
WildDaisy
God has a plan, Trust it!
Not sure if it was mentioned here, but Craftsy has a free "Know your Wool" class, where the woman (forgot her name) takes you through a bunch of common breeds, tells you about their consistiency and even how they knit up. I'm not a spinner, but a newbie knitter, and since the class was free, I thought it wouldn't hurt to understand the breeds of wool used in yarn.
www.crafty.com.
www.crafty.com.
marsh
On TB every waking moment
For the curious lurkers, here is a photo essay on warping the loom:
(1) is a top down view of a warping board where the "warp" or lenghtwise threads are wound and counted out for the cloth
(2) is "beaming the warp where it is attached to the back beam for winding onto the loom on a big roller
(3) is the trapeze I have mounted in my ceiling beam for leverage
(4) is a photo of the warp going up over the trapeze where it is weighted to provide tension on it while it is being wound. (I am warping alone, otherwise someone can hold the warp and apply tension and another can turn the crank to wind it on.
(5) this is threading the heddles or little verticle wires with eyes in them. They are mounted on a shaft and go up and down when you step on the peddles or "treadles" to form a "shed" (like a tunned of threads) through which the shuttle of "weft" yarn (the threads perpendicular to the warp) is passed.
(1) is a top down view of a warping board where the "warp" or lenghtwise threads are wound and counted out for the cloth
(2) is "beaming the warp where it is attached to the back beam for winding onto the loom on a big roller
(3) is the trapeze I have mounted in my ceiling beam for leverage
(4) is a photo of the warp going up over the trapeze where it is weighted to provide tension on it while it is being wound. (I am warping alone, otherwise someone can hold the warp and apply tension and another can turn the crank to wind it on.
(5) this is threading the heddles or little verticle wires with eyes in them. They are mounted on a shaft and go up and down when you step on the peddles or "treadles" to form a "shed" (like a tunned of threads) through which the shuttle of "weft" yarn (the threads perpendicular to the warp) is passed.
marsh
On TB every waking moment
This is a top view of the threads as they pass from the back beam, through the heddles and through the "reed" or slots in the moveable beater. The final photos are of the threads tied on the front rod of the loom. It is now ready for spreading the threads so they are all even. Then the shuttle can be thrown through the shed tunnel of threads - over some, under others, to weave the cloth.
Once it is taken off the loom, it is often "fulled" to expand the threads and get them all firmly interlaced.
Once it is taken off the loom, it is often "fulled" to expand the threads and get them all firmly interlaced.
Broken Arrow
Heathen Pagan Witch
Great pics! I warp from front to back. Have you tried using a raddle? I have one but haven't used it yet. I love your ceiling tension beam!
marsh
On TB every waking moment
I do use a raddle. It's home made, but you can see it in the second picture slashed to the beater. (It's that pale wavy line of dowels.) I think I am going to make one with finish nails next. The other one is pretty fragile.
Here is a video on how the trapeze works: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfoYVH-nRcA
Here is a video on how the trapeze works: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfoYVH-nRcA
Broken Arrow
Heathen Pagan Witch
Eeewww gorgeous! I love the color and pattern!
Broken Arrow
Heathen Pagan Witch
Sheared the sheep yesterday. Got about 30lbs of unskirted fleece from them. They are sure happier now that it has warmed up here!
Broken Arrow
Heathen Pagan Witch
Why yes, yes I do! LOL! I had one fleece bunched up in my arms to bag it and just gave it a big hug and stuck my face in it! Smelled so good!