The Warped Rainbow

Last night was a "late night" at my house.  Earlier I started putting the warp through the reed and heddles.  After a pleasant time listening to an eclectic mix of music as I threaded it, it was ready for the loom. The clock said "Nearly Bedtime!"  - Abby said "It won't take long to get it wound onto the loom."
Guess who I listened to for my advice?   Yep, Abby had the final say.  So the winding on started. It wasn't long until I realized that some of the black threads/yarns that I had chosen were not the best choices for warp threads.  One of them has a pretty slub that looks great woven.  But the reed in use is a 5 dent per centimeter reed. (that means narrow slots that the yarn passes through!)  The slubs kept catching on the reed.  Another black thread was a bit stretchy and not as strong as I thought.  Oops, at least two of those broke as the winding went along.
**note:  For a traditional weaver, a broken warp thread is a problem. Some would have even scrapped this warp.  For a Saori/Freestyle weaver, this is a design change and something that we can live with. I can always add a supplemental thread if desired - or just leave the space and add to the design that way.

The stretchy yarn and the slub yarn wanted to tangle. This made the winding on take a bit longer than usual.  But it went on anyway.  At about an hour past my bedtime, it was on and I was able to go to bed.  Say what?  I could have left it and finished in the morning?  If that is what you think, you have never visited my world.  Sleep would have been fitful.

Here it is on the loom in all its glory.

If you look closely at the bottom you may see one or two of the broken threads wound around the warp beam. When the wind off enough, I will add them back into the warp. No problem!

Since this will be traveling soon, I wanted to weave enough to cover the tying rod on the cloth beam. Here is the beginning of the fabric.

The fun part of this will be weaving in the colors that are in the warp and watching the color play across the bands of black and color. I may follow the warp design for a while OR I may just go wild playing with it. As you can see there is already a bit of play with the traveling inlay in aqua and purple.

Wish me luck - it will be tempting to weave on this before the get-together. I hope Abby understands......

(In case you are wondering, I was in bed before midnight.)
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Getting Warped

Some of you who know me well may know that I have a warped sense of humor at times.  This is not about that at all.
I realized that I have shown woven fabric, a fresh warp on the loom and fabric on the loom.  But I have never show the warp at the beginning. This is not quite that either!
A warp starts with cones of weaving thread/yarn or possibly skeins of yarn.  For the warp that I made today, I used yarn from 40 different cones.  I used from five cones of black yarn for the bulk/background color of this warp.  There are 170 threads total that I will put through the reed and then through the heddles on my loom to get it ready for weaving.   OH, but what about the other 35 cones of yarn?   I used five each of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple and violet.  So, in addition to the black yarns, I have a rainbow of other colors. Yes, I know that it isn't exactly the ROY G BIV rainbow - I substituted purple for indigo - I thought the dark blues of indigo would be lost in the blacks.  I only finished off one of the cones of yarn while doing this warp.  So  I will have the ability, if I choose, to weave those same colors across the weft of the fabric.  These threads/yarns are a combination of  cotton, rayon and bamboo. The three fibers behave nicely when woven together as they have the same washing and care requirements.

Here it is after winding the warp on the board and tying the ties so I could chain it off.

That doesn't look very exciting hanging there does it? 

The black is hiding most of the color.

 Here is the end where I started chaining before I said "Oh, I need to take pictures!"

 How about a close up after I chained it off to take to where I will warp the loom?

Look at those vibrant colors!  

I can hardly wait to get this threaded and on the loom ready to weave. 

I have a few days to do it, but I also have other things that need done - you know those silly things like laundry and food preparation and such.  

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Last Woven Fabric of the Year -maybe

The fabric from this warp is off the loom and wet finished.

I love the way the colors of the weft play throughout the warp yet still leave the warp color visible in the piece.  There is about 6 yards (5 yds and 32 inches) and it is 9 inches wide. There is certainly enough to make something fun with it.  I have ideas, but I need to do some calculations and check my pattern book to see if what I have in mind will work.

I plan to put on a new warp next week, but I don't plan to do very much weaving on it. I need a warp on the loom for a weaver's gathering I will attend in January. It is just a one day thing, but  I do need the loom to be ready to go.

And just a reminder of the sale with my affiliate link:The holidays are here! Craftsy is decking the halls with $20 Craftsy classes. Stuff your stockings with some sweet new skills or treat yourself to some holiday "me" time.

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For you or as a Gift!

Did you know that you can give Craftsy Classes as gifts? Click Here to find out how! And if the recipient doesn't love the class you picked, they can swap it for another class- no trip to the mall/shopping center etc involved!

Of course you can also treat yourself to that class that makes your heart go "pitter-pat."

Happy Holidays! 

The holidays are here! Craftsy is decking the halls with $20 Craftsy classes. Stuff your stockings with some sweet new skills or treat yourself to some holiday "me" time.


The event begins at 12:01 am MT on Friday, December 23rd and lasts through Monday, December 26th at 11:59 pm MT.

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otherwise stated. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in posts may be affiliate links for which I am compensated if you click through and purchase.

Weaving and Stitching

The last warp I put on my loom is nearing the end of weaving.   The end of the cloth beam looks like this:

The warp was six meters long. With loom waste and finishing shrinkage,  I will get a little less than six yards of fabric.
This particular section makes me very happy:

I love the way the thin strip of batik fabric,  that I trimmed from a project piece, plays against the blue  adding a bit of extra interest.

I also did one little project as a holiday gift. I am hoping she doesn't read my blog.

This little art quilt is just over 12 inches square. I am not sure it shows well on the photo, but I added some irridescent paint to give it a snowy sparkle effect. It was really a fast job because a certain muse named Abby said that I needed to get it done quickly. So on Tuesday night, I was up later than usual stitching away.
I hope to post again before the "big day" - but if I don't, Have a happy holiday, merry Christmas,  peaceful Hannakuh and/or whatever holiday your celebrate.  And if you don't celebrate, then have a great week, anyway!
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Patterning

An update on the discharge dyeing.  I tried some other techniques on the other two quadrants of the discharged fabric from the previous post.
I attempted making a dotted grid by painting some bleach onto bubble wrap and pressing the fabric onto it.

This would have been better if I had used the "splashproof" bleach that is thickened.  At least that is what I think right now.  I will have to try it and see.

I also tried using Elmer's school glue, the kind that washes out,  as a resist.  I just painted it on straight from the pointy cap that comes on the bottle.  It dried completely and then bleach was brushed on the area.

The patterning could be really cool if the glue was brushed onto a rubber stamp and stamped on. OR a stencil could be used. This could also be done in reverse (switching lights and darks) by using thickened bleach to write on (or stamp or stencil) the fabric. For writing/drawing the bleach would need to be in a fine applicator bottle somewhat like the glue bottle.  I don't believe that the lines would be as sharp, but I think it would make interesting fabric.

For now the entire piece of cloth looks like this:

I think this would be fun as a background for an abstract mini quilt or even as part of a mixed media artwork.  The other obvious option is to cut out pieces and use it in traditional/modern quilt blocks.

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Discharging or Un-dyeing

About a month ago, I took an online class in Cloth Dyeing.  Very soon after that, a notice of a book sale showed up in my email - or somewhere else possibly. What did I discover?  The instructor of The Art of Cloth Dyeing, Jane Dunnewold, has a book and it was on sale for a very low price.  I had to order it! The book is "Complex Cloth" and in addition to some dyeing techniques, there are various other ways shown to change cloth.  One of those is "discharge dyeing" -or as Abby likes to say "Un-dyeing."  The method is to use bleach or another color removal chemical to take out some of the color on the cloth.
Abby and I played with several pieces, both hand-dyed and commercial solids.  For now I only have one photo of a piece that was partially successful.

The upper left quadrant came out perfectly. (the darks in this piece are darker than the photo.)
The lower left quadrant got some patterning but it is much fainter.  The right side was not processed at all.   The reason that the lower part is fainter: The piece was folded in half and the lower part was the inside.  Because the bleach discharges quickly, it did not have time to penetrate the fabric like a dye bath would do.  But even with a dye, the inner parts come out less due to the "resist effect" of folding.

If you try bleach discharging, remember that you must be ready to rinse immediately and thoroughly. I use cold water, warm water, cold water and then warm with some soap/detergent.  This piece is roughly a fat quarter or slightly larger so I rinsed in the sink.  For larger amounts of fabric, it would be advisable to run it through the washing machine.
After the holidays, I want to try techniques with dyes. I have lots of ideas, but I need to gather some items to use as resists to make interesting patterns.

I think this is satisfying the urge I had several years ago (2009 and after) to design fabric. Since that never came about -and I realized that I would not get rich at it - I am fulfilling that desire on a small scale with dyeing and discharging.   Of course it is still possible to find some of my 2009 fabric designs available on Spoonflower.

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Garden Path Update

Until the proper name presents, this is called "Garden Path."  I had thought that Abby (the muse) was leading me down a garden path at the beginning.  However, I think it has come together wonderfully.   

While sitting with Mom,  inspiration struck. Why does it always come at the oddest times? Perhaps the muses like to keep us on our creative toes.   The inspiration was to add a framing element inside the piece, to visually shift the focal point without cropping the quilt top.  I think it worked fairly well. If it weren't fused already, I might...but then, it is fused and I am calling it a success.  After all, Abby seems very happy with it. 

The borders add a contrast to the background while pulling in the cool colors in the composition and making them stronger.  Now it needs quilting and maybe some hand embellishment to finish it up.  I am waiting on Abby to nudge me in the right direction for quilting it before I do anything else.

I do believe I will do some more small abstract design quilts.  But we will see, Abby may have other ideas.
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Down The Garden Path with Abby

My muse, also known as Abby, took me on a journey today. Actually the journey started this past weekend with a piece of hand dyed fabric. More precisely a hand-dyed gradient from ColorWays by Vicki Welsh.  I have a habit of hoarding collecting these and not using them. But this one had fusible web attached to it already. I had started something and clearly got interrupted.

Abby, muse that she is, started gently nudging me toward it. After a few weeks, I said "Enough! I don't know what I am doing, but I will do something." There was also a strip of yellow laying with it that I cut into wavy strips. (not sure if it originally was part of the same gradient.)  I cut slots in the bigger piece in the orange area and wove some of the strips in.  But the slots weren't big enough. So I added the three leftovers across the bottom.  A little bit of heat from the iron fused it to a piece of release paper. It also made it stable to continue working on.
And then it sat until today.

Yes, Abby, I know it is there, I groaned. I just didn't know what to do with it.  So upon Abby's urging I pulled out my pre-fused pieces and scraps.  Hmm.....I can't get any ideas.  So I cut some free hand circles and went back the ironing surface.  I laid out pieces, moved them, then moved them some more.  Well, that looks nice, Abby said. Grabbing the iron, I fused them into place.

Triangles! Abby stage whispered.  That will make magic for sure. Don't tell her, but I said "whatever, my dear." in my head. So I cut triangles, laid them out, moved them, moved them some more.

IRON! Quick, she said.  So I did.
Bias cut strips now, please? she begged.   Okay, I like doing those. And they can be shaped into fun curvy lines as they are fused into place.  A few strips cut - and a few more - and one pulled up because "ugh" and this is what I have.

I like it, but I see that it doesn't have a strong focal point - at least not in one of the 4 magic spots called the golden mean.   I am not sure that absolutely matters, but it is one of the rare rules that I like to follow.
While taking photos, this one was a "mistake" (but someone said there are no mistakes.)

It is possible that cropping it like this would make it better. What do you think? I think it may lose too much this way.
Adding a piece to the left edge could also move the focal point. But I have no clue what I would add that wouldn't change it too much.
Has Abby led me Down the Garden Path?  If it works into a nice piece or not, I had a great time playing with fabric and with Abby.

Vicki, if you read this, can you tell me the name of this gradient? I couldn't find it in the shop, but it is possible that it isn't in stock.
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Newly Warped - and Improv Take 2

My loom was empty and that is not a happy sight in my eyes. It also tends to make Abby just a little bit squirmy. (Abby is my muse) Abby said, "The loom is naked! Would you want to sit there naked for the world to see?"  It is easier to appease her - plus it keeps me moving along.  A friend was visiting so I said "Pick a number, 1, 2 or 3."  I had three warps ready to go on the loom, but I didn't want to make a decision. This way Abby can't tell me I chose the wrong one, ha ha.  He chose #3 and I put it on the loom.  Fortunately, this friend doesn't mind that I work while he visits. He even helps at times.

 It takes a while to pull all the threads through the reed and the heddles. But it is totally necessary and a part of the process.  The heddles pull alternate threads up/down so that you have a "shed" to pass your weaving threads through.  The reed spaces the threads and also "beats" them into place.

Then once that it done, the warp gets rolled onto the back beam.  I warp from the front to the back of the loom. Some weavers work back to front.  With my loom it is easier this way.  And my friend helped by holding the warp as I rolled it on.  (Cue Abby quietly singing "That's what friends are for")
Once the warp is rolled on and the tension is adjusted, the loom is ready to weave.  I love seeing a fresh warp on the loom. It glows with possibilities.  This warp is all cotton and rayon.  You may see some fuzzy bits on the yellow especially at the back right of the loom.  That is a fun textured thread.  It will add interest to the finished cloth. Besides, Abby loves it.

Of course, I haven't woven on it yet because Abby kept asking about the improv block. She said that I needed to "improve" the improv. (I think that was a jibe since I didn't proofread my last post and put "improve" instead of "improv" three times - Hey, at least I was consistent.)  So, I added to it and made it into a 16.5" square block.

Maybe now Abby will let me do some housework.  But I have to agree with her motto "Housework is no fun!"  She thinks life should be filled every minute with creative joy.  Of course, isn't that the job of a muse?


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Playful Piecing

After the long vacation with no sewing machine, I needed a warm-up exercise to get back into sewing.  I have a class I am watching but before I get into something a bit precise, I wanted to play.  So I got some scraps and made an improv block.  It isn't square but I can always add or subtract as needed to make it work later.

You see a couple of improv curves in there also.  The purple against the yellow came out much better than the inset bit in the blue.  Yes, my curves need work. Or maybe I just need to practice sewing a bit more.   Regardless, I like this improv block - and it certainly made me want to get back in the sewing mode.
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Wild Abandon- Fabric

Abby is so happy,  I finished weaving the fabric.

It is loaded with color and texture. 

It may be happy to simply be a wall hanging/banner.

I am not sure what will happen if I wash it. So I am not sure if 

I could make a vest out of it. 

But it would be a lovely and warm vest. 

Here are some other photos with details.

 The orange you see on the left is some of my corespun silk. 

It repeats in several places in the weaving. 

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Wild Abandon - The Muse of Joy and Play

My muse got upset.   To tell the truth (shhhhh lean in closer,  don't let her hear this)  she pitched a fit! And I suppose it was deserved - but I won't admit it to her.  You see, I have not done any grand acts of creation in over a month.  Abby, (Wild Abandon Prism is her full name, but Abby for short) needed to be splashed with colors and set free.  She said that she felt like a genie locked in a bottle. So after a bit of discussion, I made a 100 thread warp for my loom and threaded it up - but with one big change.  There is no reed to guide the threads or to beat the weft in as I weave.  Abby grinned a huge grin of approval at that idea.   She wasn't too sure about the warp in black, gray and navy blue though.  Color!!! I need COLOR she ranted!
No fears, I had ideas.  So as she leaned over my shoulder, her anxious breath tickling the back of my neck, I started weaving. Oh my!  she started singing and dancing - jumping and shouting with extreme joy.  Yes she said!  YeS!
So what was I weaving?  Heck if I know what it will be - but it will be bright and happy.
See:

It is wild and happy and it dances with color. Perhaps it is a scarf woven by a madman. Perhaps it is a wall hanging. Perhaps it is pure unmitgated creativity  Whatever it is, it made my muse happy and she is singing to me a song of creative joy.

Abby and I  hope that you are making your muse sing and dance.
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Channeling My Ancestors

Today Mother had an appointment with her physician.  As she can no longer drive, I am the designated one to carry her.  I don't mind at all, but sometimes it eats into my "creative time."  As I
am still trying to not overdo activity, I haven't been creative today.

Daughter of the Moon - Painting by Gene Black
Read about the painting here

But,  couple of nights I did play with my Native American flutes.  I made a couple of recordings that I have put on SoundCloud.   I thought some of you would enjoy hearing them.  If you don't, I don't need to hear about it.  Kind words only, please.


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Life Goes On-

The cold is still hanging on, but so I am.  I plan to "out-stubborn" it.  Once when I was working, we were having a training on customer service.  The "big dog" from the State office in Montgomery who was teaching the class knew me probably better than I realized.  At one point he described me as "tenacious."  I turned to my seatmate/co-worker and said "He just called me stubborn."  Of course, it was and is true.  Tenacity is the good form of stubborn.  The "Free Dictionary" says " te·na·cious (tə-nā′shəs) adj. 1. a. Extremely persistent in adhering to or doing something; stubborn or relentless"  Yes that is me to a tenacious "T."

After being gone for a month, I realized that my pantry is near bare.  Normally, I eat homemade yogurt with homemade granola for breakfast.  Once I started making it, the bought stuff is much harder to enjoy.
So, I started to make a batch of granola- but one of the key ingredients is oats---and I only had a cup and a half.  Off to the store to resupply.  (If I had been clever, I would have bought something to make for supper also. )

After stirring my ingredients together, I lined two cookie sheets with parchment paper.  I spread the raw granola over the parchment and put it in the pre-heated oven.

This is my creative work for today.   I did make one change from my usual recipe.  I added three tablespoons of peanut butter to the warmed liquid and stirred until it emulsified.  If you don't know, I am diabetic and peanut butter is a diabetic's best friend - so I use it when I can to add to a recipe.

Here is a link to where I got my -not a recipe - for granola.  I do lower the temperature to 275 as it works better for me.  My choices for dry ingredients other than the oats in this are:  peanuts, walnuts and unsweetened coconut.  I seasoned it with cinnamon, ground cloves, ginger and allspice. I did not add salt as the peanuts are salted already.  For the liquid sweetener, I use molasses and a syrup that does NOT contain High Fructose Corn Sweetener. (that stuff is bad mojo!)  The molasses adds a depth to the flavor that I don't get with honey or other syrups, but you can use whichever you choose if you are making it.   I also use some oil - in this it is corn oil, but I have used coconut oil, grapeseed oil or sunflower oil.
I can tell you that right now, my house smells yummy!

Another option is to add some cocoa to the dry ingredients and make chocolate granola.  The fact that you can customize the ingredients to suit your taste is a real plus to the "not a recipe" way of making granola.

Have you ever made granola?  If not, did I tempt you to try it?  It is surprisingly easy.  And it also freezes nicely.

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I am still here

I know that I have been missing. Sorry. Saturday morning after Thanksgiving, I woke up with a bit of a sore throat.  It has developed into an ugly cold.   I have been remarkably unproductive.
So until I can get back in the swing of things, here is a piece of art for you to have something to see.

A couple of photos from Mexico

and maybe a quilt or two.

 I made it in two layouts, with the second in different colors.

So for now, more hot tea and rest...but I will return!

(and Joyce, my apologies for the delay, but I don't want to send you this cold with your prize!)

Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible unless otherwise stated. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger"- I can not reply. Links in posts may be affiliate links for which I am compensated if you click through and purchase.