Soy Silk Scarf in Huck Lace, by Judy Bool

This scarf is woven on 8 shafts at an epi 24. Soy Silk is made from tofu manufacturing waste. I find it beautiful to weave. Weaving a huck lace draft, I used a light, firm, single beat. Allowance was made for shrinkage. Once the fabric is off the loom and gently washed, the fibres ''collapse'' into lovely soft shapes. The Laces (Huck and Swedish) are my favourite weaves. Old-fashioned and romantic.

This scarf was exhibited in a Small Scarf Exhibition on the Internet.

by Judy Bool

Some Cloud, by Peg Moorhouse

"Some Cloud" is woven in pink 16/2 linen with a series of white whispy or textured yarns appearing to float over the surface. As you can see in the photo the lighting was excellent and enhanced the work.

This and and "Silver Lining" were exhibited in "A Common Thread" Professional Weavers' Exhibition, held in Palmerston North, Rangiora and most recently in Timaru at the 150 year old Landing Services Building.

And this has been our 50th post on Marlborough Weavers blog. We thank you for your continuing interest and support.

Photo by Rose Pelvin; text by Peg Moorhouse and Rose Pelvin

Bag, by Jan Hannay

Front and back views of a bag woven by Jan Hannay using a cardboard box as a loom. The instructions were in a 2008 issue of Handwoven magazine.

by Rose Pelvin

Profile: June McKenzie

June has been weaving for more than thirty years. She lives in Blenheim but spends as many weekends as possible in the Marlborough Sounds where she and Dougal have a beach house and June has a second loom. She enjoys the bird and plant life which she finds inspirational. June is not competitive, just weaves for the love of weaving – usually fine fabrics and household items.

June's work can been seen here.

by Rose Pelvin

Silver Lining, by Peg Moorhouse

"Silver Lining" has a white linen damask base with streamers of novelty silver metallic yarn. The rough stone walls made a perfect backdrop for this in what what was often referred to as a "medieval castle" corner.

This and and another piece were exhibited in "A Common Thread" Professional Weavers' Exhibition, held in Palmerston North, Rangiora and most recently in Timaru at the 150 year old Landing Services Building.

Photo by Rose Pelvin; text by Peg Moorhouse & Rose Pelvin

Ornaments and Box, by Jan Hannay

These ornaments and box are belts woven on an inkle loom and stitched together.

by Rose Pelvin

And her Scarf Stopped the Traffic, by Meg Nakagawa

This scarf ended up being "funky" at 160EPI by accident. Because of several interruptions in my life this summer, a plan for an installation piece turned into a set of delicate stoles, which in turn turned into three very closely sett scarves because I had the wrong reed in the beater! I had to rethink and rework the draft several times because that sounded much easier than resleying 1530+ ends. But I also managed to include 25 colors in the warp, which was a challenge I had given myself.

I used 2/60 Nm mercerized cotton both ways for this piece. One scarf was in our recent Funky Fibre exhibition.

by Meg Nakagawa

Oh My Stars, by Rose Pelvin

Table setting: linen runner 41 x 111 cm, four double weave linen coasters, four cotton napkins approx 38 x 38 cm, all with gold rayon accents.

This set was in our recent Funky Fibre exhibition.

by Rose Pelvin

Dusk, by Chris Beech

I love weaving wool/mohair throw rugs, as the possibilities with weave structure and colour are infinite, the product is saleable, and the rug can be as simple or challenging as I choose. This rug, which I titled "Dusk", is the result of finally using a mohair boucle yarn that I bought in a sale in 1983 at theTaranaki Festival!! All the effect is in the colour change weft yarn, though there is a very subtle warp pattern, goose-eye twill.

One evening when I was weaving this rug, there was a glorious Marlborough sunset which reflected the colours of the rug - I endeavored with only moderate success to capture it on film through my weavery window.

This piece was in our recent Funky Fibre exhibition.

by Chris Beech

Funky Fibre, Part 7

Chris Beech, "Southern Comfort - Two for the Cavalcade), handwoven saddle blankets in wool.

"Recycling at its best. In the early days of the Guild, members spun and dyed wool and wove into fabric to make curtains for Bobbin Cottage, (our regular meeting venue.) After many years of service the curtains were replaced and the originals cut into strips which were then woven into this colorful and attractive floor rug. "

Raffle.

And Cherie Maffey played harp at lunch time during the opening weekend. Her scarf is made from home grown kid mohair.

Funky Fibre exhibition closes today. Thank you very much to everyone who visited, in life or virtually.

by Rose Pelvin

Funky Fibre, Part 6

Joan McLauchlan, handwoven jacket.

Anne Udy, scarf, hanwoven, hand-felted, and hand-dyed in silk and merino.

June McKenzie, "autumn tones and Textures", handwoven ribbon cushions.

Chris Beech, handwoven fabric for cushion covers.

by Rose Pelvin

Funky Fibre, Part 5

Joan McLauchlan, "After the Storm", handwoven double corduroy floor rug.

Win Currie, Funky Scarf, filled neck decoration, handwoven in silk, alpaca and merino.

Jenny Murray, "Fractured", woven tapestry in wool, silk, and cotton.

Tricia Jane, Scribble knitting scarf.

Meg Nakagawa, "And her Scarf Stopped the Traffic", cotton.

by Rose Pelvin

Funky Fibre, Part 4

Rose Pelvin, "Oh My Stars!", table setting: linen runner, four linen coasters and four cotton napkins.

June McKenzie, "Remembering Tamarillos" vest, handwoven, wool and rayon ribbon, handmade cord and beaded buttons.

Judy Bool, ruana in merino/mohair and alpaca/silk.

Chris Beech, "Dusk", handwoven wool/mohair throw rug.

Jenny Murray, "Falling Shadows", woven tapestry.

by Rose Pelvin

Funky Fibre, Part 3

Peg Moorhouse, "Silver Lining", Linen damask hanging with metallic yarn and Christine Marks, doll, calico body, painted, clothes made of felt.

Cherrie Mitchell, "Arctic Spring Flowers".

Katie McDonald, striped felt slippers.

Felting Group, "The Street Where We Live".

by Rose Pelvin

Funky Fibre, Part 2

Win Currie, "Funky Scarf", silk, alpaca and merino.

Judy Bool, "Red and Camel Scarf", alpaca and silk.

Chris Beech, "Class with Glass", table piece, three glass vases linked with woven yarn and wire.

Andrea Forrest, felted jacket and matching scarf.

by Rose Pelvin

Funky Fibre, Part 1

Marlborough Guild, of which Marlborough Weavers and Tapestry Weavers are sub-groups, opened its 40th Birthday Exhibition, "Funky Fibres", on Friday night at the Marlborough Art Society Gallery, 204 High Street, Blenheim. Our catalog says:

"This exhibition has been staged with the Guild activities of the last forty years in mind, using props and equipment from the improvised to the expertly crafted. (Yes, upside-down table legs have been used more than once for warping pegs!)

"The Guild began in 1969 when the majority of members were spinners and knitters, with a few venturing into weaving.

"Today you will see examples of all these crafts in their traditional form plus many innovative applications of them — and myriad yarns of colour and texture that were not dreamed of forty years ago. Look for tapestry weaving, flax weaving, felting, crochet, braiding — some practical, some decorative, and all made with a passion for fibre."

Here are some snapshots from the opening night. The exhibition is open until Sunday 10 May.

Dawn Hansford spins at the entrance.

Do you get the mood of the exhibition? Centre front is Rose Pelvin's "Oh My Stars!" table setting.

Scarves were displayed on a warping board.

This is the red section, including Christine Mark's "White Vase", felt vessel, and Win Currie's "Go the Crusaders" rug in mohair and wool. The Crusaders is a Christchurch-based rugby union team, red and black used in her piece are their team colours.

Among other works, you see Cherrie Mitchell's "Flower Power" place mats and Rose Pelvin's "Bubbles" blanket, and cotton tea towels in pairs.

by Rose Pelvin