Proof

Some proof that I've been a busy little bee in the studio this past month....Only a sample. Lots more to come!

variegated wool warp with cranberry cotton chenille

very yummy to touch. feels like velvet!

variegated wool warp with olive cotton chenille
very yummy to touch. feels like velvet!

Briggs & Little wool scarf
rosepath design - slightly felted. very nice for cold days!

Briggs & Little wool scarf
rosepath design - slightly felted. very nice for cold days!

oh where oh where have u gone?

I'm back in the studio...after 2 years of baby raising. Darling son is now old enough to come in with me and keep busy playing in the all the yarn - and in the loom.

Christmas sales are fast approaching. It's the last week of September and the first sale is November 5. This year I'm trying something new...scarves. I've made them before, so they're not new, new. But I've never focused so much time and energy into making them for a sales. My second decision was to limit myself to my yarn stash. So far so good. I'm on warp #4 and have one more ready to go after this one. Then I'll make some more warps and get working again.

I'm hoping to take photos later - it's a beautiful sunny September day.

Keep posted for those updates...in the very, very near future!!

Well, hello there!

my little helper

I have been away from this blog for far too long. It all comes down to not being in the studio. But now I'm back in. I finished my teaching degree this year and am now a supply teacher. To fill my time between supply calls, I'm weaving. The best part? My little guy likes to come in the studio with me to play at the "woom" (aka loom). He's a great helper.

September featured a piece of mine in an alumnae show at UNB, ars de centum.

So, I'm making scarves. Oodles and oodles of velvety scarves. I'm not usually a scarf weaver, but I am prepping for Christmas sales, and they are a good item to have on my table. They make a great, practical, fashionable gift.

Stay tuned to see what's new!

vacation = procrastination

We've been on vacation for two weeks. Camping in beautiful New Brunswick. First to Grand Manan Island and then to Campobello Island. Ah, the beauty of the Fundy Bay.

baby & mommy head to the beach

But....

For all the lovely time on vacation, there has been not one moment spent in the studio. Family time came first. But we're back and it's time to get down to work. There is a runner on the loom now, the Olive/White one to match the one I took off as a wedding gift commission last month. When that comes off, there is a rug to put on.

The rug is a commission for a sweet little girls room. It will be fun to do. The yarn is ordered, and I anxiously await it's arrival at the post office. But not to anxiously, of course. I have to get the runner off first. Hopefully that will all be complete early next week.

delivered

There is no greater satisfaction than delivering a commissioned item on time.
I finished the table runner (white/white) and delivered it yesterday. I wasn't able to get a photo before of the fringed runner, mostly due to lack of time. But I did get a detail shot. It was lovely. Subtle. Elegant. One-of-a-kind.

photo taken before washing. detail shot.

Now I have the white/olive one to finish. I started it and it's completely different! I love that my choice of weft (yarn that weaves into the loom) can have such dramatic outcomes, even when the pattern is the exact same.

Next project ready for the loom is a blanket. And not for anyone in particular. Just to add to inventory. That will be nice.

the rag rug

me with some of my rugs

left to right: blue with blue threads (2x4), burgundy with stripe (runner) ,
checker board (4x6), burgundy with stripe (runner)

When I was a student learning weaving, I was mesmerized by rugs. Of course, the easiest ones for me to work on were rag rugs. So, away I went. Designing and playing within the boundaries of rag rug territory. I loved it.

Now, I don't get to make them as often as I used to. They are a lot of work, but well worth it. Here are a few of my favorites from over the years.

the one that started it all
Rainbow Rug (3x5)

blue rug with mauve dyed threads (2x4)

The rugs I made were cotton warps, some dyed cotton threads and broadcloth rags. Now, technically, that would be strip weaving...since the cloth is bought new and cut to use. But the technique comes from rag rug weaving..so I stick with the name rag rugs.

These days, when I make one, they are cotton threads in solid colors (stripes usually) and then broadcloth strips...sometimes even flannel, which makes for a really SOFT rug on the floor. They are always machine washer & dryer safe. Very easy to live with and seem to live forever...or at least the ones in my house don't seem to show wear. They just get softer and softer with time.

So, how much would one cost?? Good question. I charge $25 per square foot. The sizes I usually make are 2x4, 3x5 and 4x6. I've made hall runners too that were 2x8. Width is my limitation on the loom...so 4 ft is as wide as I can go.

I don't keep rag rugs in stock. Too much money tied up in inventory that might not suit a persons house. Instead, I make them special order to fit a specific room. Interested? Message me!

threading the loom

This is probably the most time consuming part of weaving. Threading the loom. But it's worth the extra time to make sure I don't make any mistakes in the pattern. Even when I'm doing a simple 1-2-3-4 threading, mistakes can occur if I go too quickly.

I thread the loom from front to back. Most weavers do it the other way round. But I was taught front to back and that's how I roll with it. In fact, I often do my color designing "in the reed" (the comb part) as I thread. I always have the colors picked out and counted out ready to go, but sometimes as the last minute, change my mind on how they should be arranged in the reed. It's fun!

through the reed

Today I'm threading a cotton warp (the threads that go through the loom) that will be a table runner. It's a commissioned wedding gift. So I need it done this week. The pattern is a broken twill that will make lovely diamond "W" shapes. I'm making two: one white/white and one white/olive. We'll see which one is best when they're both fringed, washed and ironed. My gut says white/white. But who knows?

Photos to come of finished project.