August Meeting: Card/Tablet Weaving

Sue Timpany demonstrated card/tablet weaving to an enthusiastic group, and showed how to make your own cards.

There were five lots of cards warped, using a variety of methods for attaching and tensioning the warp: G-clamps to a table, then attached to a waist belt; tied to a door knob or chair, and round the waist; on an inkle loom; on a table loom with the castle removed.

Joan plays her cards, with Jan on the chair as ballast

Tricia, Sue and Joan

Jan, June and Win discuss a tablet weaving pattern draft

A selection of Sue's tablet woven book marks

Thanks Sue, for a very informative night. You gave us a taste of the incredible range of patterns available to the card weaver, and de-mystified this technique to the extent that several who had never tried it before went home with cards! Watch this space.

by Chris Beech

The Linen Piece, by Win Currie

A nephew was married a few weeks ago and as is the modern way the traditional ceremony/reception, honeymoon scenario was turned on its head. In brief the reception for rellies is to be held some weeks later and was accompanied by a request for no ‘boxed’ items. This was translated by the mother of the groom into ‘why don’t you weave something’. Here is what I did. I might add that this was no simple matter since I hadn’t done this sort of linen weaving for many years and so had go back to ‘Weaving linen’ 101. Not only that but I had to completely retie my loom ... twice... I did it wrong the first time.

By Win Currie

The Wrap, by Win Currie

About three years ago I wove a piece of material ....fine 2 ply Merino yarn and a long, long strip of a piece I intended to use as a fancy trim. By the time I had done that something else came along that I felt was much more urgent/ interesting so all that got put in the ‘too hard” Box. Earlier this year the Weavers Group was challenged to make a garment .. with proper seams .. not just a scarf or similar. I wasn’t especially keen on this idea since my sewing ability is limited so in a desperate moment I got out the material and edging , cut the material in half and sewed it into an L shape [one seam]. And put on the edging. I also made a frill to go around the neck edge fixed all that together and here is the result.

by Win Currie

July Meeting: Part 3: Show and Tell

Rosemary has her first piece since her return to weaving off her loom. This lovely throw has a handspun warp and incorporates some mohair boucle in the weft to give a slight texture and a hint of blue.

Judy is well on with her garment project, having made two coordinating fabrics as part of the plan.

Joan is wondering how Judy got her cashmere/silk yarn from China in four days to make this glorious scarf.

Judy's beautiful shawl with a lovely soft handle.

Chris has a look at Rose's fabric, a backed tabby with a coarse cotton surface reinforced by a fine merino in soft blue.

An old faithful. Rose periodically weaves a few yards of bookmarks with a different warp patter each time, using oddments of yarn and ensuring a supply for small gifts.

by Rose Pelvin

July Meeting: Part 2: Show and Tell

Scarves are still in!
Clockwise from top left: Win, Jan, Betsy, Chris and Joan.

Jan completed this tapestry in a mirror image design. Next time you see this it will be a book cover.

Joan made this double cordiroy rug in the glorious colours of rata flowers fallen on to a clump of bird's-nest fern. Her meticulous finishing of the warp ends is a work in progress.

Detail.

Win rediscovered an old favourite, dog roses in plain weave on a background of Bronson lace. She used Irish linen weft on a cotton warp.

by Rose Pelvin

July Meeting: Part 1 - Frames

The email from Group Mum Chris read:

Frames are not just for tapestry weaving.
What about woven frames for loom woven pieces [or even your body] ??
Bring along examples of woven pieces displaying a woven frame, or examples where you feel a frame might have been advantageous - tea towels, table runners, wraps, rugs etc.
Examples of frames that didn't work are as instructive as those that did.
Think outside the square!

June conducted the meeting on the importance of using framing in designing one's work, using previous members brought in.

Clockwise from top left: work by Joan, Chris, Betsy, Rose, Rose, Joan

Center, Dawn's small Pohutukawa tapestry. Clockwise from top, Win, Win, Win, Tapestry Group, and Jan's embroidery.

Win, Betsy and Jan.

Chris and Nancy.

Judy, Win, Betsy and Nancy.

by Rose Pelvin & Chris Beech

Lake Rotoiti Retreat - A Couple More

The mind boggles with this knitted scarf. As well as the interwoven strips it has stocking stitch at one end, reversed at the other end, and to add to the puzzle, one end is knitted in short rows across the scarf and the other half is knitted with long rows along the length. Sorry I don't have a name to put to this but whoever made it is probably still lying down in a dark room!

This scarf (shown by Jan) is Joan's, felted not woven, but a gorgeous green colour and full of artistic holes (or should that be spaces?)

by Rose Pelvin