It's been a LONG time !

I have today put the last stitch into my cloak for the PWN Exhibition in June. It has to be delivered to the annual Seminar in March.  I began winding the warps in January 2015 so it has been a year in the making, not counting the "thinking time" and planning before that.  I will not do this again - working on something piecemeal, over a long time. If I ever make another exhibition piece I will decide what I am going to make and make it - finish! Now I need to return my living room to something like normal and less like a workshop. I also look forward to getting back to my loom, though there are a few things to catch up on before that happens. I don't know when I last had such a long break from the loom.

I will not publish any photos of the cloak until the exhibition opens. Instead I will put here a couple of photos, not of weaving but the result of a burst of creativity I just felt I had to do. . . and it was such fun!

This bird bath was triggered off by finding the gorgeous blue plate in an op shop for $10. A few jars and a piece of PVC pipe to secure in into the garden were all that was needed. I love it - but I've never seen a bird on it yet. Maybe it will be a bird feeder in the winter.

Model No. 2 is made from several microwave plates and jars from the re-cycle centre with a glass platter and a torso of bath salts. This one sits on a large paving tile - also from "wastebusters."  Each item is extremely heavy, including the "handle" which reads "Don't worry, be happy." So far it has not blown over in a nor'wester.
I have to tell myself "that is enough!"  I don't really want the whole garden full of weird sculptures - but it's very tempting.
 

My entries in Handworks 2015

It's some time since I wove this tablecloth but it is its first outing

My only sale - a large soft throw

Another throw, this one in blues

My favourite at the moment. Alpaca and silk lace weave with beaded fringe.

Another lacy wrap. No beads on this one. The items on top are not mine.

Wrap number three, very light, soft and shiny.

 

 

Busy, Busy Spring Time

Not busy at the loom but weaving still seems to be involved in everything I do.  A most pleasant task was to be present in Birgite's garden on 9 & 10 October when it was part of a Garden Tour for St Andrew's Church.  I set up a small display of accumulated scarves to complement Birgite's loom which she was setting up in the foyer of her lovely home. So people had a bonus to check out as well as being able to wander around her extensive garden and riverside walk.

This swing/seat was SO tempting!

No sooner was the Garden Tour over than the Nelson/Marlborough/Buller Area Exhibition was upon us. It was held in Marlborough this year.  I'll post some photos from it next time.

Exhibition Cloak - Work in Progress

A lull in other weaving projects seemed like a good time to bring out another warp for my cloak project. This time a darker blue than before and a bit more heavy handed on the copper. This piece will make the two panels for the centre back of the cloak.

 A narrow panel so threading was quick

 I needed at least 6 shuttles so had to fossick for them. 

Used a mix of throw shuttles and sticks.

 Quite pleased with the "shreds and patches" effect which gives the cloak its title

 Pressing and trimming took a while. 

I like to leave trimming the ends off until last to make sure they are secure

 My show and tell for July

Lucet cords will be used to lace the panels together

Not my best work!

I tried really hard to help someone out by reproducing their family tartan. It needed seven colours and I only managed to find them by sourcing bits and pieces including some from a friend.  It looked pretty good when I took it from the loom but a wash reminded me of the pitfalls of differential shrinkage.  My perfect selvedges waved and wriggled and the fabric just didn't want to sit flat for more than half a minute after it was pressed. Afterwards my sister reminded me that years ago when I had made tartan scarves for our family that I had said, "Never again!"  Now she tells me!  In fact I would do it again if I could be sure that all the yarns were the same to start with.

This is my 1996 model, still going strong.

An Exciting Commission

They may look like "just scarves" but these are special. Normally I make scarves one at a time and go to great lengths to make them all a little bit different. This time I had a commission for TEN scarves, all made to the same specifications though in five different colours.

They are now finished and are winging their way to Qatar!  I still find it hard to believe but my bank balance is the proof of this puddling.  I was a little bit afraid I might get bored by the end but that didn't happen, mainly because of the softest, lightest fibre I have ever worked with I think. It is so luxurious. What is it?  Believe it or not, it is MINK.

A ferret by any other name . . .

I try not to think too much about the ferret likeness!  Apart from that cringe factor, the whole exercise has been a challenge, fun, and very satisfying.

Summer is long gone

Oops, where did March and April go?  Part of March went into the PWN Seminar which my colleagues from Nelson and I hosted at Teapot Valley.  This annual seminar is always a highlight and this time there was a bit of added responsibility to make sure it was a great weekend and ran smoothly. Twenty-two members attended and a few husbands were in residence as well.  I think everyone had a good time.  Much of April disappeared into family occasions including a trip to Central Otago for a family wedding. It felt good to take a handwoven throw for a wedding present and also a couple of teatowels and coasters as a gift for a recent engagement.

But I have been weaving. . . scarves, scarves and more scarves. Here is a series I wove in lovely alpaca yarn.

 Just a little bit of bling to add interest.

I am also working on a commission for overseas that I am a bit excited about but I'll keep that under wraps for now.

I should probably keep this project under wraps also but will document it in instalments as it happens. It is to be a minstrel's cloak and is planned to be part of the PWN exhibition due to open in June 2016.  I am calling it "A Thing of Shreds and Patches" so am weaving it in odd size and shaped blocks with a merry mix up of yarns. There will be four separate warps for the free-floating panels, two of each colour blend.  More about it as it happens but in the meantime here is the first piece which will become two of the panels.

 Just off the loom. You can see a mix of weave structures as well as
a conglomeration of different yarns.

 A quick wash and drip dry.

 A press and a trim, and it's almost respectable.

Now it has to wait for its companion pieces,
but in the meantime I have scarves to weave.