Fabric

Enough of the dog already.
Next weekend is Professional Weavers Network annual seminar in Auckland and after seminar we're having a workshop on designing/styling fabric/garments from handwoven cloth with Sue Scarf so I thought it time I got out my fabric stash and fulled it, finished it and had a jolly good look.  Both pieces have been maturing in the fabric stash cupboard for some time.  Do you know they do improve with age!  I rather like them now, can see possibilities.

This is wool, teal and anenome stripes with a variegated stripe every so often.  For some reason I threaded it and wove it with a space every 2 inches of about half an inch and of course the threads moved to fill the gaps.  I can imagine it with a contrasting (maybe hot pink) lining peeping through the spaces.  There is at least 5 metres.  A jacket is the obvious style but maybe a long tunic top.

The second bolt I wove so long ago I couldn't remember which loom I used until I saw the network drafted pattern so it must have been on the dobby and that must be two or three years ago.  Yikes!
Its mostly cotton with one acrylic thread which didn't shrink and has made little loops at irregular intervals - I think that's why it was never made up.  Again there is about 5 metres and I had planned to use a Burda pattern for a shirt with a tie feature at the front.  Hmmm.  Apologies for the photos but if I went back to try again this would never be posted.  You can just see the networking on the blue bolt.

Ben

Look what I've got!

 

Actually he's just on loan for the night.  He hates cars and his Mum has to go to Auckland once a week and if he's left at home he does naughty things and if he's taken in the car he gets up to mischief.  So his Mum says he can go to a caring home where he doesn't have to travel or be left on his own.  I'd keep him myself if I wasn't so transient.

On the fibre front it's a bit dismal.  Went to the Whangamata market on the last Sunday of January (Auckland Anniversary weekend) and sold absolutely nothing.  Mind you the humidity levels were very high (who wants to touch wool), the day had been changed from the usual Saturday to Sunday, and as it was wet the organiser had crammed tables in.  I'm in the foyer with 4 stalls in all, this time there were 7!   Shall I try again at Easter - million dollar question!

This weekend just gone the Katikati Art and Craft Trail had a special two days.  Every studio had to be open 10 - 6 each day.  I didn't mind the hours as I got a lot of work done but I only saw two people on each day and no sales.  I am 20Km from Katikati so guess that's not going to work either.

Exhibition weaving and spinning

I'm still weaving away most days.  Have 4 sofa throws ready to go to Pauanesia next week and am working away at the clear filament projects for my exhibition later in the year.  It   is   so   slow!  I can't see if the threads are crossed, I place them neatly in the shed, close and beat, and sprong, they're all over the place and the selvedges ... just don't look, organic might describe them.  I seem to remember from the last time I used this fibre thinking if the shuttles (stick) drop one more time the whole lot's going out the window.  I was pretty close to it this afternoon!  So what do you do? take a long walk along the beach, that's what.  Relieves the spirit and the muscle tension.

Found this on my camera when looking for another photo.  This is the filament warp before winding on the loom, with many choke ties.

Remember the pile of compost (thrums) in a previous post, about three posts back I think.  Part of it is now yarn mixed with all sorts of things I found in the cupboard, combed silk, sari silk threads, Italian silk throwsters, slivers I deconstructed to pinch the blue.  I plied it with a very fine (Tex 1/18) navy blue cashmere I had to hand to emphasise the handspun variety.  I have about 220 metres so what will that make?