Adalia Fibre Arts Studio

A new tangent

2011-12-08T07:27:00.001-08:00

So many scraps of fabric and yarn and finally something to use them for: rug hooking! I took a 6 hour workshop with Carmen who has been 'hooking' for 18 years. We used a 2 x 4 wood frame cut to the dimension of our item, in this case a pillow top, and stapled the burlap (coffee bean bags from our local roaster) and drew the pattern in black marker. The tool is called a 'speed tufting tool', readily available and popular in the 70's, and the learning curve was short! What fun to find a way to use recycled materials productively in a fairly short time frame. My next project is a small rug and it will be interesting to see it develop. I might actually run our of scraps!!!!

more ristlets

2011-12-08T07:23:00.001-08:00

Just for fun, a simple 2/2 rib worked with woolly nylon throughout, easy peasy and so warm! Seems to take about 150 yards on average, I had about that in this two ply hand spun, hand dyed alpaca. I used 3.5 mm needles.

Mittlets

2011-10-27T09:49:00.000-07:00

Everyone seems to be knitting fingerless gloves, topless mitts, wristlets with added thumb.... many names for these little beauties. I was so excited to try this pattern that I grabbed the first thing at hand: 100% silk in navy blue. This pair has a lovely, simple lace structure that is worked all around and an easy, effective thumb design, all of which will show up better in my next pair!

Foulard

2011-08-19T15:43:00.000-07:00

Defined as a soft silk fabric like a 'handkerchief'. This is a bit of a stretch from the definition, but the theory is that these light, soft mini-shawls were kept in a cloth packet (like an envelope) and when the ladies were chilled, they would put these over their shoulders. Since they were so light and small the packet could be kept with them at all times. I used a two ply handspun yarn (one ply silk, one ply mohair) and 8 mm needles (they are supposed to be lacey). Starting at the point, cast on 3 sts, each row is the same: slip 1, knit to last st, k into front and back of last st. When you run out of yarn you're done! This foulard is 3 ozs, about 180 yards. I used a 10 mm needle and a suspended cast off so it would not draw in at the top when blocked. Just for fun I sewed a fabric 'envelope' to put it in, I can't wait to start another! It is easy to knit, soft and light, a bit of luxury.

Handspun, Handknit 'Sidewise Vest'

2011-08-19T15:31:00.000-07:00

Two different yarns, only 250 yds of each? I chose a two ply wool dyed with onion skins, and a 2 ply blue face leicester dyed variegated in autumn colours. Circular 7 mm needle, cast on at under the arm 'seam', knit row 1 with yarn 1. Go back to beginning of needle, with yarn 2, k1 p1. Turn, with yarn 1, k1, go back to beginning, with yarn 2, k1 p1. etc. Do this for 10 rows, then increase for depth of shoulder. Work across the back, about 18", decrease for depth of shoulder. Then work 10 rows, increase for depth of shoulder, work for 6 or 7 inches, then work, decreasing 1 st at neck edge each row, until stitches match original number of cast on stitches, cast off very loosely. Pick up cast on row, increase to depth of shoulder, work 6 or 7 inches, then decrease as for other side. Easy? Then block it really well to the length and width of your choice. I needed to block mine a bit longer (not because I am tall, just because I like my vests a bit longer). Yup, it only took 250 yards of each yarn!

July 2011 Quilt

2011-08-18T15:37:00.000-07:00

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A Little Project

2011-07-27T10:27:00.000-07:00

First take two squares of fabric and sew right sides together, then turn inside out. This little purse is made by folding that square of fabric in half to make a triangle, then sewing one seam each side, about one third from the points. Then turning each point inside out to lay on top of each other, and stitching down to create a pocket on the front and back of the purse. The seams create an inner pocket as well. I used a ribbon for a strap as it is a little summer purse. The complimenting buttons are just sewn over a velcro closure. The size of the purse is only limited to the size of the fabric square...a fun, quick project for pretty fabrics or even leftover large quilt blocks.

Saori Weaving

2011-07-15T12:53:00.000-07:00

So, this fabric was one of my first saori weavings, I chose this colour scheme and collected all the yarns I had that would work together: dark brown cotton chenille, hand dyed variegated silk, gold cotton chenille, brown and copper 2/8 cotton... the fabric was about 14" wide and about 60" long. After I washed and dried it, and purchased a wonderful auburn gold piece of silk for lining, I realized that there just wasn't enough to make a traditional style vest. Then Lynn's vest idea from a Saorisaltspring web post a few weeks back inspired me to get it off the shelf and give it a try. Only the tiniest scraps left over, but it feels wonderful and I love it!!!

Rug Hooking

2011-07-05T20:24:00.000-07:00

A workshop at the April Spinners and Weavers Retreat yielded this hooked trivet. It took two months to finish but I've learned a lot!!

Heriot Bay Local Tartan

2011-06-14T13:49:00.000-07:00

This is a tartan that I designed to represent Heriot Bay where I live. The colours and their sequence are as follows: medium blue for ocean, beige for beach, dark green for forest, medium gray for mountains, white for snow on the mountains, and light blue for sky. The colours are arranged in the approximate proportion to the view. After choosing the yarns and wrapping them to check how they work together, I warped up the loom in 4/8 cotton to do a sample... the placemat is warped at 12 epi but is woven in plain weave (my small loom only has two harnesses)... next I will prepare to do the twill.... This tartan was registered with the Scottish Register of Tartans through the National Archives of Scotland.

Studio Tour 2011

2011-06-01T11:49:00.000-07:00

This weekend 3 other fibre artists and myself, are sharing a space for the Studio Tour. It will be a nice blend of rugs, tea towels, scarves, shawls, and handspun yarn, and we will do weaving and spinning demonstrations. I will offer 14 shawls and 16 scarves, a few years of work!

May Weaving

2011-06-01T11:44:00.000-07:00

Cleaning up various yarns, and since my loom is warped for 5 epi, I blended 3 burgundy yarns and wound off a shawl warp. The weft used the same three yarns to yield 5 ppi. I worked to make the fringes shorter than normal, I thought with such a warm thick shawl, it would be better. After fulling, it came out 29 x 80, and feels wonderful!! The scarf was a quick study using the same yarns, sleyed individually, it is not as soft as I would like but does have a very nice hand.

April Weaving

2011-05-06T16:47:00.000-07:00

Shawls and Scarves for the Studio Tour, stash reduction, experimenting with different fibres and setts. The cream shawl is cotton and a variegated mohair, the green scarf is cotton and bamboo. The wool shawl is a New Zealand three ply wool, three colours, done in a modified fibonnacci sequence. The gold/purple scarf is a boucle mohair with an acrylic "wool", both variegated.

Shirley's Neck Scarf

2011-03-13T13:30:00.000-07:00

Shirley found this pattern on the internet and I just had to try it! It works up quickly on 5.5 mm needles with less than 50 gms of wool. This one is a mohair/silk/merino blend and at first was rather scratchy but after a wash with Eucalan it feels wonderful!!! The fit is so comfortable, it's just one of those little things that is fast, fun, and fabulous!

Hospice Fundraiser

2011-03-13T12:53:00.000-07:00

Every year our local Hospice Society hosts a dinner, dance, and auction. This year I have offered a handwoven shawl and a quilt. The shawl is acrylic with a bit of wool, 29"x76" with a 5" twisted fringe. I used a variegated yarn with a very long repeat so the transitioning is very interesting.

The quilt is a large lap size (54" x 62") and is an old traditional block called "Century of Progress", with a creative border to create the proper dimensions. Hopefully these items will significantly help this worthwhile cause.

Woven and Quilted

2011-03-07T12:42:00.000-08:00

From a workshop by Leslie Forbes of Vancouver, BC, a technique of weaving strips of fabric, then overlaying them with organza and quilting along the weaving edges.
My finished piece, 30" x 38.5".... I started with two large pieces of fabric but when it came time to quilt, I realized I did not have the experience to do it justice so I cut the piece into four sections and quilted and binded them individually. The pieces were then handstitched back together in the exact arrangement that they were cut, so you are looking at the original fabric as laid out. I used a slightly darker organza on the bottom two pieces, and on the top two pieces the organza was the same, except reversed vertically. A very fun project.

Baubles and Beads

2011-03-05T17:13:00.000-08:00

Playing with beads and wire I made these, single "stick" pins for handwoven scarves, and the circle and stick pin for shawls. So much fun!

Teddies for Tragedies

2011-03-05T16:30:00.000-08:00

When you just gotta knit..... these little teddy bears have gone to the local Medical Clinic. They are given out to little ones who need stitches or who need a little extra comfort. We made 7 last summer and they are used up, so it looks like we'll need to keep up a regular supply. They are fiddly to make, but fun, and use up odd bits of yarn. It's amazing how they come to "life" when they faces are embroidered on!

Helping Out

2011-03-05T16:26:00.000-08:00

Local high school students are off to Nepal to help with an irrigation project and put out a call for knitted toques to take along for the villagers. My contribution: these two, bulky yarn on 6 mm double pointed needles, cast on 63 stitches, knit for 6 inches, then a 7pt decrease (k 7, k2T, pm, k2T, etc).... when done I continued the last three stitches into a long I-cord, then looped and knotted it to finish off.

Bits and Pieces

2011-03-05T16:20:00.000-08:00

We dont quit playing because we get old, we get old because we quit playing... so the last month has seen me playing with lots of little projects. First "woven then quilted", an interesting quilting technique that, rather than another wall hanging, I turned into a bag. This bag pattern was shared at one of our guild meetings so the timing was perfect. What the photos do not show is that the bag has two sides (both opening) and a center pocket. First make a 21" quilted square, then sew a coordinating fabric all around, right sides together, leaving a short opening, then turn inside out and finish off the opening. Fold the square in half to create a triangle, mark the base of the triangle off in thirds and sew up at the marks. Fold the points over themselves and fold the top points down, one in front, one in back. Very cool. (I added the strap when I sewed up the thirds.) Then a little handstitching to anchor the points, a velcro closure accented with handmade pottery buttons on each side.

Holiday Weaving

2011-01-04T08:24:00.000-08:00

Who would think there would be time to weave over the holidays? Well, thankfully I have a room I can go to when everyone else is busy, and grabbing 15 minutes here and there gives me an opportunity to choose a warp, wind it off, tie it on, and I'm ready to go. I have had the handspun wool for this shawl set aside for a month, the sett was 5 epi, calculations were all done, and it wove up very quickly. The variegated acrylic yarn was leftover from October's project and I wanted to see the difference when I wound the warp one strand at a time (the first was wound three strands at once). It was also set at 5 epi, so tying one on after the other was quick. I was given a handmade wooden shawl pin which accents them beautifully.

Cold on the Hands!

2010-12-08T12:07:00.000-08:00

Winter has finally got the best of me. I decided to whip up a pair of fingerless 'mitts' in a hurry. I took a handspun single of alpaca and plied it with woolly nylon and a thread, to get a three ply novelty yarn. They knit up quickly in a 2/2 rib throughout on 3.5 mm needles with 36 stitches. Warm hands now!!!

Istanbul Shawl

2010-12-08T11:31:00.000-08:00

This wool shawl is woven at 6 ep so the yarn has been doubled in the weft and the warp. It is soft and has a nice drape, and is a good size at 27 x 69 with a 5" twisted fringe. (The yarn was purchased in Istanbul hence the title)

p.s.

2010-11-09T16:06:00.001-08:00

The Children's Center Auction .... I was very pleased that the shawl raised $75 and the quilt $225!

Bumberette

2010-11-09T16:02:00.001-08:00

I learned a new weaving pattern this past month: bumberet on four shafts (although I like to pronouce it bumberette, it sounds more fun).... the first scarf used two colours and the second all one. I think the pattern is very pretty either way. Scarves are a wonderful way to sample new things, and these will be donated to charity.

The Cape

2010-11-09T15:54:00.000-08:00

Several years ago I bought this fabric to make a coat. I have since determined that I am not really that wonderfully suited to tailoring so I decided to create this cape. With minimal trimming I made the best use of the melton wool fabric and hand stitched the edge binding. I wove the scarf from handspun merino that I had chosen to match. The frog is the first closure, I may yet try another, maybe a silver clasp, or a pottery button.

Just for Fun

2010-10-15T16:00:00.000-07:00

I have long wanted to weave with variegated white/black fibre and was excited to find that this particular yarn had a very long repeat of colours. The shawl is 28.5 x 73 inches and was sleyed at 4.5 epi in plain weave. The yarn is an acrylic boucle, very soft and light, but nice and warm. It will be donated to the Children's Center fundraiser.

Back to Work

2010-10-15T15:53:00.000-07:00

So a mild case of tennis elbow has sidelined my activities for the last few weeks, but its been great to be back at it. This quilt along with the companion book will be donated to the Children's Center for their fundraising auction next month. 'The Quiltmaker's Gift' is a wonderful fairy tale that, although a children's story, has inspired me in so many ways. A simple 9 patch, so effective with a busy fabric, but a little more time spent on the mitred border to make best use of the striped fabric. All fabrics were based on the book so it should be fun for a little one to match the fabrics to the pictures in the book.

waulking song

2010-10-09T10:18:00.000-07:00

WARP 2010

2010-08-21T15:55:00.000-07:00

So, the market project is over for 2010, we passed along 27 scarves and 28 baby sweaters and raised $1250 for local charities (which will be dispensed soon).... it was a wonderful summer of sharing our crafts of spinning and weaving! Now to prepare for the next market season for us in 2012.

Bamboo Silk

2010-07-31T17:41:00.000-07:00

This yarn is from Paton's, 70% bamboo, 30%silk. It wove up beautifully at 8 epi with no significant shrinkage when machine washed. It is a very softly spun 2 ply yarn so there was some 'blooming'. A wonderful hand!

Quilt Sample

2010-07-19T15:10:00.001-07:00

I really wanted to try this technique from Jinny Beyer so decided to start with a table runner. It is hand pieced and hand quilted, which I think made the curves easier, and it didn't really take that much longer...now to try the full size quilt!

in the meantime

2010-07-19T15:06:00.000-07:00

We made up a batch of teddies, some to our local medical clinic for little ones who need a new friend, and the rest to Victoria General Hospital ... they are so much fun to knit but we actually hope they won't be needed too often...

Trellis Pattern

2010-07-19T15:03:00.000-07:00

Roz is teaching us this wonderful trellis pattern: I am using handspun alpaca on 5 mm needles. The secret to the "knit into 7 sts 3 times" is the double wrap on the previous row, I love the way the stitch "swirls".

Summer Fun

2010-07-19T15:01:00.001-07:00

A 5 lb fleece, four dye pots, and I'm good to go for the winter!

Winter Project 2010

2010-05-26T12:33:00.000-07:00

So, I unknit two shawls and a vest, then skeined and washed the handspun yarn. It yielded about 1500 yards after shrinkage, a three ply wool, 2 ply silk and mohair, and 2 ply dog hair, I put it all in a blue dye bath to even out the colours and then wove the fabric at 6 epi, with a warp sequence of two wool, one dog hair, and I saved the silk and mohair for the weft. My sample was calculated to be a scarf so it could be worn as a collar for the coat. I used a simple pattern, rayon lining, but rather than add pockets, I left a "slit" high up the side seams, this makes the coat very comfortable for walking or sitting. The 3/4 sleeves are out of the way when I'm knitting or spinning but long enough to be warm. I used a twisted yarn stitched to the front edge, with an "e loop" for the button closures, then made the buttons from fimo (but they may be temporary, I'm thinking they are a bit large). Overall, I am hugely pleased, it is comfortable and warm, perfect for these cool spring days!

Market Scarves

2010-05-21T11:56:00.000-07:00

These two scarves were woven at the Market last Saturday. It is a real treat to weave in public and experience the interest folks have in our wonderful craft. The dark green scarf is wool and mohair, the gray is wool and silk/mohair. They were both sleyed at 8 epi, but the green fulled much more in the wash. Interesting.

Wedding Quilt

2010-05-21T11:45:00.000-07:00

This quilt was made for my daughter's good friends, Erin and Darryl, who will marry in June. I used five different "orange" fabrics for the dark squares, and just one yellow fabric for the contrasting squares. One of the orange fabrics was shaded so I used it in the border with the mitred corner technique. I tufted the small yellow squares with pale yellow mercerized cotton and handquilted inside the large yellow squares with gold thread. It finished up at 58" x 74", a good size and I am quite pleased with it. I hope they will be too!

Small Knitting Projects

2010-05-20T19:30:00.000-07:00

So, just for fun I got out the Teddies for Tragedies pattern and used up some small bits of acrylic to make this first in a series for this year. And I finally finished the socks from the toe up with a traditional gusseted heel, the yarn is a silk/merino/cotton blend called "silky tweed", very nice to work with!

May Weaving

2010-05-20T18:59:00.000-07:00

Three new scarves, using up bits and bobs of yarn around the studio. The white one is a cotton, cotton chenille, turned out very soft and lovely. The gold/red scarf warp was two red ribbon, one variegated wool boucle and the weft was the variegated boucle. It turned out soft and the red ribbon, although difficult to deal with in the warp, gives it a pretty sparkle. The navy scarf is plain but has mixed yarns in the warp and a soft singles wool in the weft, a practical, functional scarf with a beautiful hand. These will be hanging at the Market this weekend in hopes of finding a loving home.

WARP

2010-04-30T11:41:00.000-07:00

The Weaver's Action Revival Project will start up again soon at the Farmers Market and in preparation for that I wove three scarves this month. The green is handdyed handspun from a local fleece, the "gray" is cotton viscose, and the burgundy is a mixed warp of silk, wool, cotton, and synthetic. It is interesting that all three were woven at 8 epi, 96" long warp, and after washing and drying all come out different sizes.

Knitting

2010-04-30T11:28:00.000-07:00

This slipper pattern by Fibre Trends creates a slipper with a double sole. The pattern is not difficult but it needs concentration. The wonderful thing about it is that as felting occurs most efficiently in the direction of the knit stitch, the slipper structure works into a perfectly shaped slipper. Using the exact same directions for both pairs, I knit the green pair with 2 strands of coloured buffalo yarn on 10 mm needles, they were machined washed three times and came out to a size 8 ladies (too big for me). The gray pair was knitted with 2 strands of natural buffalo yarn on 9 mm needles, machined washed twice and came out to a size 5 childs (too small for me)... so next I will try a 2 strand blend (one natural and one coloured) on 9 mm needles and see what happens.

Naturals Shawl

2010-03-31T16:21:00.000-07:00

I wove this shawl at 6 epi using a warp of handspun wool and anita's 3 ply merino/mohair blend. The weft is handspun in grays, beiges, and browns plied for a tweed effect. It finished up at 14 x 58 with a 6" twisted fringe so can be worn as a shawl or folded as a scarf. It will go to our local hospice annual fundraiser.

quilts

2010-03-15T14:27:00.000-07:00

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Warp by Colourway

2010-03-12T11:16:00.000-08:00

This scarf was woven using a warp of "silky tweed" in rust, a gold bamboo, an orange 4/8 cotton, and a gold cotton chenille. The weft was "silky tweed", a yarn by Elsebeth Lavold, made in Italy, comprised of silk, merino, cotton, and viscose. The shrinkage was 20% but the hand of the fabric is fabulous, it finished up at 6" x 70" with a 5" twisted fringe.

March Weaving

2010-03-12T11:09:00.000-08:00

I had some fun with novelty spinning, thanks to Carol's instructions. A local romney fleece was carded with bits of handspun and commercial yarns from recent projects. After trimming fringes, I sliced and diced the trimmings and added them to the fleece as it was carded. The yarn was spun to be used as weft in the scarf, and the warp consisted of 4/8 cream cotton, cream boucle, and a variegated sock yarn.

February Knitting

2010-03-02T08:32:00.000-08:00

Baby Booties, shirley taught me how .... a suede/faux fur fabric with holes punched around (no easy task that!) then single crochet around to attach to the sole, then one row of double crochet, pick up 6 sts across toe and knit 8 rows, picking up and knitting the edge stitches. Then switch to dp needles and knit in the round 8 rows, then switch to smaller needles and work 8 rows of 1/1 rib, casting off with a larger needle. Machine wash and dry, they are just too cute! (one skein of patagonia araucania hand dyed 100% cotton made three pairs)

Peace Banner

2010-02-17T20:08:00.000-08:00

So at the Community Thanksgiving last November, I warped up the saori loom and took it along for folks to try out weaving. I had a variety of weft yarns available and encouraged the curious to give it a try. At each change of weft and weaver we tied the yarns into a bow. Finally got it off the loom today and sewed a casing at the top for a dowel to hang it, and twisted the fringe at the bottom. I haven't decided where it should hang first, but I'm sure the solution will present itself soon. With all the different yarns, it finished up at 12 feet long after washing! A special thanks to Terri Bibby of Saori Saltspring for the inspiration of this project. It was a wonderful experience!

This week's weaving

2010-02-17T19:59:00.000-08:00

These scarves were sleyed at 8 epi (except the short one on the right, which was 12 epi). The first on the left is handspun mohair/wool blend in warp and weft, the weft alternated with two shots of fine gray wool. The next is natural cotton and a gold boucle warp with the same stranded in the weft. The third is a warp of beautiful variegated silk alternating with a navy shiny yarn. The weft is a black wool/mohair boucle, this scarf has a particularly nice hand. The short one on the right is a "gotta weave" project, 12 epi of any odd yarns i could find and the weft is a pink wool stranded with a variegated gray/green wool.

2010 Scarves

2010-02-16T20:55:00.000-08:00

I have started weaving for this summer's WARP at the Farmer's Market. I am working with a bit more cotton as many folks don't like to wear wool and that has been a learning experience: some cottons soften beautifully, some do not even shrink!

January Knitting

2010-02-16T20:40:00.001-08:00

So I started the year off with two small projects, a pair of socks from the toe up, and a pair of wristlets. The socks are knitted with a two ply handspun (1 ply mohair, 1 ply blue face leicester) and after fulling, they have a nice soft halo. The wristlets are 2 ply wool dyed with onionskins, the pattern is a spiral rib (3/3 rib, shifted one stitch every 5th row). The end yarn is crocheted and attached to loop around the thumb or finger. Quick, easy, and rewarding after the long projects of last year!

Year End

2009-12-31T10:10:00.000-08:00

So as 2009 comes to an end, I take time to go through my efforts of the last year. I keep a journal of my spinning, weaving, knitting, and quilting, with photos of the great successes and the abysmal failures. There are notes on each project, "try again", "don't ever try again" and "what was I thinking?".... it gives me great satisfaction to know that so many will be warm and comforted by the items I have made this year, and it gives me great joy to reflect on all the support I have received from other fibreists. Many thanks to you all and here's to another year of discovery and creation!

Alpaca Scarf

2009-12-20T18:16:00.000-08:00

I received a half fleece from a 4 year old male named Saku at Windy Ridge Alpacas and decided to spin it straight out of the bag, and weave a scarf as a sample. It was a joy to spin and I did up 225 yds of two ply to sett the scarf at 8 epi, 7" wide and 72" long. After fulling in the machine for 2 minutes, hanging to dry, then finishing in the dryer for 2 minutes, the scarf was 5.75" wide and 66" long (excluding fringe). It is wonderfully soft and light, with a lovely hand... I will gift it to Les, who arranged for me to get the fibre, and thanks to Denise at Windy Ridge Alpacas! The remaining fibre will be spun up for scarves for W.A.R.P.

Quilting

2009-12-19T10:49:00.000-08:00

This quilt pattern is called "shadow box" and it is made by adding a dark strip offset to the main block (which can be any block). The trick to achieving the shadow effect is to add a piece of the background fabric to the dark strip. I quite enjoyed this new technique and although this quilt is tied, handquilting the sashing would accent the shadow effect. Karen has been my quilting co-conspirator since she first taught me to iron, press, and iron again! and she has a wonderful sense of colour for fabric choices. This quilt is my gift to her.

Handspun

2009-11-22T15:22:00.000-08:00

So last September I dyed some local fleece (see photo) and have now got some spun up and woven. The warp was 8" wide in the loom (96" long on the warping mill) and I used 6 epi, balanced tabby, and about 200 yds of two ply handspun. The scarf was somewhat rough when it came off the loom, but it washed up beautifully soft, finished at 6.25" wide by 70" long, with 7" fringe.

Last of the Scarves

2009-11-22T15:18:00.000-08:00

These are the last scarves for the community free day. It brings the total scarves woven and donated to 120 since last January. It has been an amazing project, very rewarding and I've learned a lot about weaving!

Community Thanksgiving

2009-11-07T17:33:00.001-08:00

What a day! It was wonderful to be part of giving to the community, 44 scarves and 25 hats! The few items left will be passed on to Victoria for their homeless project. During the day we wove on a peace banner, prayers and good wishes to all those in trouble and strife. It is a 12 epi mixed warp, 7.5 yds long. There were lots of folks who wanted to try out the loom and contribute their thoughts to the weaving.

Winter's Work

2009-10-23T21:20:00.000-07:00

We got a purebred romney fleece on Thanksgiving Weekend. It is now washed and dried, ready for teasing. An hour's worth of work for the two of us yields only one pile ready for carding, but I love raw fleece!

Scarves Again

2009-10-23T21:07:00.000-07:00

It has been a busy three weeks, we are getting ready for the Community Thanksgiving in November where we will be giving away hats and scarves. Its a real stash buster project! Carol is working on the hats (with a minor contribution from me) and Deb and I are doing the scarves. We are aiming for 2 dozen of each, so just a few more to go!

9 to 4

2009-10-03T13:19:00.000-07:00

This quilt pattern is called 9-4 because a 9 patch is cut in half both ways to create 4 blocks. Then the blocks are repositioned. There are several ways to lay out the blocks, so that most of the time is in choosing a layout and not actually sewing. These two quilts are examples.

Fall Days

2009-09-24T19:24:00.000-07:00

A beautiful week for dyeing! A romney fleece Rachel gave me was divided into three sections and soaked in a low pH water. These two sections were done by sprinkling dry dye in blue and yellow onto the wet fleece, then heated to 125 degrees for a half hour. The dyes were slightly different hence the two "colours". I will tease and card each and am anxious to see how it spins up. The third section of fleece was dyed in a blend of all four colours, so after spinning I can use it for the warp with either of the first two sections and it will "match". That should keep me busy for a month or two!

Cathedral Windows

2009-09-24T19:17:00.000-07:00

A few years back Laurie Ann showed a beautiful cathedral windows wall hanging done in golds, blacks, beiges, it was inspiring. Then a friend of a friend showed me a cathedral windows quilt in progress. Rose was making a queen size and she spent three years to get it done. And Stella took over a year to finish hers but so well worth the time. So I am in the mood to give it a try. I acquired the 45" wide perma press muslin, all 25 yards of it and 4 yards of a jewel tone for the inset squares. (This is a short cut of course, as all squares are cut from the jewel tone, but each looks a little different.) My first few blocks were clumsy but I am getting better. The plan is for 68 x 81 needing 320 squares. A challenge to complete but I'm up for it!

Blanket

2009-09-21T17:45:00.001-07:00

So, I put a dummy warp on, 12 epi for a 6 epi double width blanket. It was 30" in the loom and took several hours to thread all 360 ends! I used a random mix of cotton and wool in grays and browns for the warp and for the weft 6 strands of buffalo wool. Preparation was very time consuming as I chose to blend single and double strands of grays and browns to get the 6 strand weft. After fulling, the blanket came to 52 x 54, a nice size for a throw. I am pleased with the result, but I dont think I'll do anymore double width for awhile.

W.A.R.P. Report

2009-09-14T21:18:00.000-07:00

So the Market is over for the year, we raised over $2,000 for charity, and passed out 87 scarves, 18 baby sweaters, and two dozen other knitted items. We are excited for next year, we hope to add a display of local fleece as many people were interested in where the wool comes from! Our next event is the Community Thanksgiving where we will offer scarves and toques and again, demonstrate our craft.

Community Quilts

2009-09-14T21:10:00.000-07:00

It has been my priviledge to create quilts for families in my community who dont have anyone to make quilts for them. The Guild has been very generous donating their fabrics and batting so that I can pretty much choose whatever patterns I want!

Quilting

2009-08-12T16:43:00.001-07:00

So the summer challenge was to create a quilted item representing the enchanted universe (whimsical, fanciful, mystical, matical, ethereal). This was an opportunity to step out of my traditional quilting framework. I was inspired by reading "The Shack" by Wm Paul Young and this wallhanging is the result. We are expected to attach a written explanation with our submission and mine goes like this:

Centered, the home is where the heart is,

the center of the universe, my universe,

everything radiates from home and heart.

the path of light leads to a dark hole where all appears lost yet all is gained within .....

the radiation of light and dark is not predictable or consistent, it is what it is

2009-08-12T16:37:00.000-07:00

The Saturday Market was very successful this past week, we passed along two hats, one baby sweater, and 12 scarves! This week has been busy preparing more warp!

Recycling

2009-08-04T07:58:00.001-07:00

So I had this intarsia diamond sweater from 16 years ago that was showing signs of wear. It was early spinning so some was overtwisted and tough, others were undertwisted and thin. But it was hand dyed and hand spun so must be salvaged. I unravelled the whole sweater, skeined and washed the yarn. It yielded 700 yards and the gauge was 2.5 sts per inch on 7 mm needles. EZ's adult surprise jacket seemed a perfect project, as I could use the colours without a random plan but with a balanced result. Her pattern is done in garter stitch, which is not my favourite (it seems like it is always inside out), however I am pleased with the result overall. And there was not a scrap of yarn left.

and back to work

2009-07-31T09:59:00.000-07:00

These last 10 days saw the production of 7 scarves, I am gradually working through a stash of odd balls of yarn and learning how different fibre content affects drape and shrinkage. The big lessons of the week: (1) if a mohair yarn does not feel soft under the chin, it will not feel soft in the scarf, even after washing, and (2) a merino/silk yarn in a balanced plain weave is softer when used as weft, rather than warp. Interesting.

a break from weaving

2009-07-31T09:52:00.000-07:00

a close friend's 50th birthday called for something fun, special, and sentimental. First a 50 pompom scarf for fun, a quilted table "cloth" with 50 3.5" blocks, for special: not one fabric repeated (the 50th block is in the border), and for sentimental: a miniature wall hanging of 50 unique buttons! (Her Mom collected buttons)..... so a few days work but worth it!

Baby Surprise Jacket

2009-07-13T10:05:00.000-07:00

So, here is my attempt at EZ's baby surprise jacket. I used cotton and acrylic yarns (a poor choice after all, the variegated yarn makes it too busy), and larger needles of course. I had to unknit the first attempt, the consistency of the decreases and increases is crucial to the overall look of the sweater, and I was not satisfied. The second attempt went better. It fits my 4 year old granddaughter and will make a good outdoor play sweater. She chose the buttons. Now to start on the adult version for myself!

More Scarves

2009-07-13T10:01:00.000-07:00

Using up stash is taking longer than I expected. But what a range of options! One scarf with a pink/white cotton warp, and pink eyelash weft, wonderful! The next, black cotton/variegated merino warp, and variegated merino weft gives a "tartan" look, and last a black boucle rayon/black novelty (with gold and white slubs) in the warp, and the same in the weft. It needed a gentle pressing but what a lovely hand!

Scarves

2009-06-25T15:42:00.000-07:00

This week I wove four scarves on the Saori loom, the first is cotton chenille and cotton viscose, both fibres (sage green and sky blue) have a lovely hand but the chenille is unpredictable and tangles easily in the warp. The scarf is beautiful but I would not work with those yarns again. The next was a green/black/turq colour combination, in cottons, tencel, rayon, and wool. Machine washed and dryed, very successful. Then a variegated alpaca yarn (alternated in the warp with a cream coloured sock yarn), washed gently and although significant shrinkage (from 70" to 60") it has a lovely feel. The last scarf was a spontaneous project, a dark gray boucle, with a mix of cotton, wool, and tencel in grays and black. The boucle twisted and stretched, the warp was very difficult to wind on the loom, and overall a real challenge. I used a soft mohair for the weft, which was the saving grace of this scarf. Surprisingly it turned out quite nicely after a gentle machine wash and dry. Now for a break from weaving!

Saturday Market

2009-06-25T09:39:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday was cloudy and cool, we put up a new tent, and contributed 9 scarves to the community. The interest in the spinning wheels and the loom is very enthusiastic and we are enjoying the "work in public" aspect.

Saori Top

2009-06-16T14:16:00.000-07:00

So I wove the band to make the top wider (to fit me), and sewed it on one side, I turned it at a 45 degree angle to make a closure, I thought of a button, but in the end left it natural, it is sewed to the other side. I am very pleased with the result, the fabric is light and has a nice hand, yet soft and warm. I was so excited to create my first piece that I admit I rushed the finishing somewhat, my next will be better.

W.A.R.P. UPDATE

2009-06-16T14:06:00.000-07:00

The Weaver's Action Revival Project has been going well. Three of us have looms and spinning wheels and knitting set up each Saturday at the local Farmer's Market. Our woven and knit items are offered and if chosen, the recipient puts a donation in "the box". Fifteen scarves, two pairs of baby socks, and five baby surprise sweaters have elicited just over $300. We have donated every penny to charity. And we keep on weaving and knitting!!!!

First Try

2009-05-27T20:57:00.001-07:00

Here is the top I made from the saori fabric. There wasn't a scrap left, and I really would have liked a panel around the front and neck. I can hardly wait to weave more!

First Saori Fabric

2009-05-26T08:51:00.000-07:00

The first completed piece is off the loom, 29cm x 390cm, after washing: 25 x 378. It is a mix of wool, cotton, silk blend (and a few shots of acrylic ladder yarn, which although the perfect colour, surprisingly shrunk badly). I particularly enjoyed working with the variegated yarns, a nice range of colour without changing bobbins. I am trying to measure metrically now as the Saori patterns are that way, and have a few in mind for this fabric. (after I learn to weave, I'll learn how to take photos! that is a shadow across the left).

Community Market

2009-05-21T20:10:00.000-07:00

As part of W.A.R.P., we have started attending the Community Market each week, demonstrating weaving, spinning, and offering handwoven and handknit items. All money collected is then donated to local charities. Not only do we get a lot accomplished during the four hour market, but we enjoy interacting with folks who have never seen a spinning wheel or a loom, and they are fascinated by the process.

May Scarves

2009-05-21T19:55:00.000-07:00

I have been playing with 8 epi, using cotton, wool, acrylic, and even linen in mixed warps. I am getting my stash reduced slowly, and am enjoying the surprises. One scarf in particular, using one to one of acrylic and wool (in the warp and weft) came off the loom stiff and scratchy, but a light machine wash and dry, fulled and softened it beautifully. These scarves are for W.A.R.P. (see February post).

Red Mohair Shawl

2009-05-06T09:47:00.000-07:00

I wove this shawl with a cotolin warp at 6 epi and a mohair weft at 6 ppi. It was very difficult to find a good match for the red mohair (from Fleece Artist). It was very fluffy and stuck in the shuttle frequently but the overall result is well worth it. The skein contained 400 yards and there wasn't a scrap left (although I had enough to add a strand of mohair to each fringe). It measures 29" x 76" with a 6" twisted fringe. After a wash, I dried it flat overnight and then fluffed it in the dryer for 1 minute, the 10% shrinkage occurred only in the warp. It feels fabulous!

Mending

2009-04-27T19:43:00.000-07:00

I wove this long vest many years ago, I dyed a fleece yellow and blue, then hand carded to blend the colours. I used a commercial two ply wool in dark green to augment the warp and weft and was very pleased with the result. Now several years later, it didn't quite fit, I can't imagine why, but it's just to wonderful to wear to get rid of it. So I used some hand dyed hand spun two ply, and the same commercial dark green to weave a collar/front band. This gave me the additional 6 inches needed to make it fit. I sett the band at 12 epi, 52 ends, 96" long to account for shrinkage and chose to twist the fringes for an accent. I am very pleased with the addition and it is now even more wonderful!

Saori Weaving

2009-04-27T19:27:00.000-07:00

It was so inspiring to meet Terri Bibby of Saori Saltspring at the Fibre Arts Event last weekend. I wove this scarf experimenting with the clasped weft technique, and am excited to do more. It is, of course, slower than plain weave, but it can be excitingly creative, and offers new challenges. The mix of yarns in this warp is cotton and a silk/cotton slub, sett at 8 epi, 96" long, 64 ends. The weft is the same with the addition of a fine two ply wool doubled. I am very pleased with the selvedges in the scarf, but the erratic shrinkage due to the technique must be accepted as the result of the yarns I chose for the weft, and I'm working on that. I think it needs more contrasting colours to really show so I'll try that next!

April Scarves

2009-04-27T19:17:00.000-07:00

So, using up odds and sods, bits and bobs, I wove these scarves for the Weavers Action Revival Project. All of them are sett at 6 epi, using cotton and wool as warp. Each warp is 96 inches long, 8" wide on the loom. I like a mixed warp as the shrinkage seems to be evenly spread over the item. The wefts are several strands of cotton/wool/acrylic, using several strands blends the colours over the whole scarf and uses up odd yarns most efficiently. I have two spinners/knitters who have offered to help with the project and we will be setting up at the Farmers Market most Saturdays this summer.

Sheep to Shawl

2009-04-20T18:07:00.001-07:00

From roving to yarn to weaving, 900 yds of two ply sett at 6 epi, resulted in this beautiful wool shawl. It took 5 hours to weave and 1 hour just to do the fringes! 59" x 24" after fulling plus 6.5" fringe. A truly wonderful piece from the Fun Knits Tuesday Spinners group project, this shawl will be donated to the Hospice Society annual fundraiser.

Hospice Quilt 2009

2009-04-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

I made this for the Hospice Society Auction/Fundraiser. Each block consists of 8, 3.5 x 6.5 rectangles, arranged dark to light, or light to dark, and with piano key borders, I was able to efficiently use all the fabric I had. I used arctic cotton batting and tufted it with variegated tencel 2/8 yarn. I dyed the backing (crinkle cotton) in a soft mauve. After all, the quilt is 58" square, a generous lap size.

as you wish

2009-04-08T15:39:00.000-07:00

This pair of socks was created for my daughter's 30th birthday, a special request she made, and of course I was thrilled to make them for her. She chose the fibre, 82 gms of silk/cashmere blend, 8% silk, 15% cashmere. I spun the singles on the largest whorl and then plied three strands together. I believe a 3 ply will wear better. The 82 gm package yielded 305 yards which was plenty. I used 2.25 mm needles, working with 54 sts to accommodate a 3/3 spiral rib, with a six row repeat. I started at the toe, working a short row shaping, and after 12 pattern repeats, worked a short row shaped heel, then after 3 more pattern repeats, I changed to 2.75 mm needles and did another 9 pattern repeats (so 12 in the foot and 12 in the leg), and finished off with 12 rows of 2/2 rib and a suspended cast off. I am hoping the cashmere will be soft and warm, and the silk long wearing. Time will tell!

Spinning

2009-03-27T08:36:00.000-07:00

This past month I have been spinning up all the small bits of fibre in an effort to tidy the stash. These skeins represent wool in shades of brown, gray, or white, wool blended with alpaca, some plied some on themselves, others with commercial wool of different colours. It totals a full pound of yarn, and I mixed up blue dye and put them all in the same pot. My plan is to weave a large shawl or small blanket, depending on the final yardage!

Ice Queen Cowl

2009-03-22T10:03:00.000-07:00

This was knitted with very fine mohair, dyed by The Sweatermaker (got it at Fun Knits), the pattern is from Knitty.com, and I used 4.5 mm needles. The stitch pattern is Feather and Fan, with adjustments for the scallops at the start, and it calls for a picot bind off which was slow but a nice effect. I added 450 beads in random colours to give just a hint of sparkle and I am quite pleased with that, they also add a little weight to the mohair. I knit this as a gift for my daughter who has dark hair so I'm thinking it will look fabulous!

2nd Danish Tie Shawl

2009-02-21T10:03:00.000-08:00

This shawl was knit with navaho plied wool. I had dyed a fleece in a raspberry colour and also some dyed with turquoise (I know, what was I thinking!). Anyway I handcarded both fleeces, blending the two colours together. The fibre is soft but lumpy, so I used a 6.5 mm needle and I made this shawl shorter than the first. It is wonderful!

Latest Sweater

2009-02-21T09:56:00.000-08:00

This sweater is handspun wool, the lighter was dyed in the roving and spun in a random order to create a variegated colourway. The darker wool was originally brown, and then top dyed with dark green and blue to add depth. Both yarns were navaho plied to maintain long sections of colour. The pattern I used was based on Kaffe Fasset's "Persian Poppy", and I chose to knit it raglan from the top down. It was a fun sweater to knit, but the calculations for the poppies in the yoke kept me awake at night!

Introducing W.A.R.P.

2009-02-06T09:54:00.000-08:00

W.A.R.P., Weavers in Action Revival Project

This project will involve reviving the tradition of weaving, rejuvenating old looms, reducing the stash of yarns into items that will benefit the community. Some aspects of the project will be free handwoven scarves and blankets based on self-assessed need, blankets and shawls for auction at community fundraisers, as well as public weaving to encourage and enlighten folks about this wonderful craft. The inspiration to start this has come from Travis Meinolf, Action Weaver, and I am beyond excited to see where it will lead........

Weaving for fun

2009-01-31T18:56:00.000-08:00

While I had the 6 epi reed dummied, I put on another scarf. The warp was 2/8 cotton and 2/8 wool alternating, and the weft was 4 strands of assorted yarns. The scarf was machine washed and dried which softens up the yarns quite nicely, with just enough shrinkage.

Fabric Sample

2009-01-31T18:48:00.000-08:00

In an effort to get a heavier fabric, I chose to warp with 3 strands of 2/8 wool sett at 6 epi. The balanced tabby required 4 strands of extra fine 2 ply wool, the photo of the scarf on the loom shows how I spaced the warp and weft. After the scarf was finished, I twisted the fringes and put it in the washing machine and the dryer for a regular cycle. The resulting fabric was thick, soft, with a good drape, and should be perfect for the kimono plan.

weaving samples

2009-01-31T18:43:00.000-08:00

This striped scarf is a sample for fabric I want to weave to make a kimono. It is 2/8 wool (warp and weft) sett at 8 epi, a balanced tabby, then machine washed and dried. The scarf is very soft and has a lovely drape but the fabric is too light for my kimono plan.

Camel and Silk

2009-01-24T10:08:00.000-08:00

This scarf was woven with a silk/camel 2 ply yarn as warp, set at 8 epi, the weft was handspun 2 ply camel (spun in Mongolia). It is 8 x 60 with an 8" twisted fringe. The shrinkage after fulling was 10% in length, none really in width. After two days of wearing, the camel is fluffing up beautifully. It is warm and soft and wonderful. The yarns were purchased at Pagan Creations (Campbell River).

Knitting

2009-01-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

Bias Hats.... final pattern:

I used a 7 mm circular, and some hats are three strands of sock yarn, some are single strand bulky. (While working this piece, the last stitch on each row is slipped purlwise with the yarn in front, then the first stitch of the next row is knitted. This gives a very clean edge to pick up for the crown.) Starting with three stitches, work in garter or stockinette, wrong side rows are k1 sl1 across, increasing one stitch at the end of each row until sides are about 8", then decrease one stitch at the end of the wrong (or right) side rows, while continuing to increase one stitch at the end of the right (or wrong) side rows. I chose to decrease on the right side row because that row was a k1 sl1 row. when the long side is about 20", decrease one stitch at the end of each row until there is only one stitch left. Pick up all the stitches on the long side. Then k1 p1 for four rows, then k2T across, then work stockinette for 3 rows, then k2T across for two rows, draw through and sew down.

The bias structure gives a nice soft stretch, and the 8" width allows enough to fold up over the ears. A wonderful soft cozy cap, one size fits all, in only 5 hours of knitting.

Weaving

2009-01-20T08:54:00.000-08:00

Scarves, using up stash. Red mohair with black boucle, 9" x 65" plus 10" twisted fringe, 8 epi set 1/1. Weft 2/2. and then a multi warp, 2/8 wool and 4/8 cotton, 9" x 55" plus 6" twisted fringe, 8 epi set 5 warps at a time, weft three strands of sock yarn scraps.

Wristlets

2008-12-06T12:16:00.000-08:00

Handspun, 2 ply merino knitted along with mohair plied with rayon thread. I used a long tail cast on over 2 needles (4.0 mm), 36 sts. Changed to 4.25 mm and worked a 2/2 rib for about 40 rows, then changed to 3.25 mm and knit plain for about 20 rows... the smaller needle made a tighter section at the wrist. Then I turned and knit in stocking st for 10 rows, rejoined and knit plain for 3 rows to establish join. Then 3/1 rib long enough to fit just past knuckles (the 3/1 rib gives stretch but looks like plain knitting). I casted off using the suspended cast off from Mary Thomas' book so that in maintains the stretch from the 3/1 rib. I then picked up 20 stitches at slit and knit a standard thumb.

Danish Tie Shawl

2008-11-25T15:41:00.000-08:00

An old traditional shawl, starting at the center back neck, with 6 increases every alternate row. I used handspun, navaho plied, 350 yards of the brown lambswool and 300 yards of the variegated romney. I started on a 32" 5mm needle and switched to a 47" 5 mm half way through. The finished measurements are 60" around the neck/front, 120" lower edge, and 20" from center neck to bottom edge. (the top photo is the right colour, bottom photo colour is off due to lighting reflections?)