The Loom

 

After my last post, (where I was so happy to get such positive feedback on reuniting with my loom - thank you!) I was asked by several of you to share photos of the loom, so I am :)

(Oh, and please forgive the lighting quality, I have been busy with outside commitments and the days that I have had a chance to be home, have been a bit overcast. Plus, I realize now that I should have taken a few more photos to better illustrate my post, but alas, I didn't and must make do with what I have.)

Okay, here is the loom... it is a 26 year old, 4-harness Artisat Leclerc jack floor loom, given to me all those years ago by my parents, as a graduation gift from art school. (By the way, no textiles were taught at this school, and all my teachers thought I was nuts to want to pursue weaving... and quilting hadn't even occurred to me at that point.)

The "jack" part means that on this type of loom the harnesses are lifted or pushed upward when the foot peddles, (or treadles, as they are more accurately known as) are stepped on. The 4-harness part refers to how many harnesses or shafts there are on the loom. Each harness is filled with wire heddles. When you warp the loom you place the warp threads through the slots in the reed, and then through the holes in the middle of the heddles. The design of your weave pattern is based on what thread goes through which heddle, on which harness, and which foot peddle/treadle that harness is tied to, and in what order you treadle those foot peddles!

For example, if you wanted to weave a simple plain weave, (over one, under one...) on a 4-harness loom, you would thread your warp threads through the slots in the reed, and then you would thread the first warp thread through a heddle on harness #1, your second thread through a heddle on harness #2, your third through a heddle on harness #3 and your fourth thread through a heddle on harness #4. Then you would repeat the process... 1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4, and so on and so forth. 

You would tie harnesses #1 to the first foot peddle, harness #2 to the second peddle, #3 to the third peddle and #4 to the fourth. Then when you were ready to weave you would step on peddles one and three which would lift harnesses #1 and #3, creating an opening or "shed" that you would pass your shuttle through, (the shuttle holds the weft which is the thread, yarn, or in this case cut up fabric that you weave with). After each pass of the shuttle, you beat the weft in place with the beater and the reed. Next you would step on peddles two and four, thus lifting harnesses # 2 and #4, throw your shuttle, and beat the warp into place. 

Repeat that above process over and over and you get cloth!

And then you can keep the cloth whole, or cut it up and make things,  like this pincushion... of which I had hoped to make a whole bunch of before Christmas,  but so far this is it. 

Better one then none, right?!

And speaking of Christmas... may you have a blessed one. May you find yourself in the warm embrace of family and friends. May your hearts be filled with love. May peace and goodness rain down on you and yours. xo

Cozy Little Comforts

16 years ago I put my floor loom into basement storage because with a new, but smaller house, and two small children, I no longer had room for it. There was a positive side to that as it really threw open the door for me to learn to quilt... but the down side was I missed my loom.

Well, after all these years I have finally decided it was high time to bring her out of storage. We still really don't have the room, at least not the ideal room, but what does that matter? I am tired of waiting for that perfect space. 

So, as of now, a hunk of our bedroom has become home to my loom. She sits there pretty but awkward, taking up more space then seems aesthetically available. But what better way to use space then to fill it with something you love? And I have always loved my loom.

The first thing I had to do was give the loom a good cleaning. Then I had to remember how to put on a warp. Turns out it was pretty much like riding a bicycle. After a moment's hesitation and some head scratching, I was surprised at how quickly it came back to me.

Next I needed to pick a project, and these mug rug coasters seemed the perfect fit. Quick to weave and fun to make. Best of all they allowed me to use up some of my batik stash that I acquired in my beginning quilting days! I adore how they add a bit of extra cozy comfort and warmth to a morning cup of coffee.

And speaking of quilting... I know that most of my blog readers are quilters, and I hope that you will be so kind as to indulge me for a bit as I rekindle this old spark with weaving. I am really rusty right now, so baby steps and simple projects are in order to relearn what I have semi-forgotten. I'm curious to see how my quilting experience and esthetic eventually translates in the weaving. I hope that whatever comes from it will be of interest to you as well as me. Enjoy your week everyone!

Tickled with Ticking

Something about ticking fabric has always appealed to me. I suppose it's the simple, understated elegance and functionality of it. 

Originally, ticking was a tightly woven, (usually a twill weave) medium to heavy weight cotton or linen fabric whose pattern generally consisted of thin, dark colored vertical stripes on a white or beige background. True ticking was supposed to be so tightly woven that no light would pass through the weave.

That's because, way back when, when mattresses were stuffed with either feathers or straw, ticking was created and used as mattress fabric. It's close, tight weave and sturdiness was necessary in order to keep the pointy ends of feather shafts, or the ends of straw, from poking through the mattress and into the persons skin!       

Today, modern ticking fabrics are used for multiple purposes, and patterns are a bit more diverse. Also, unlike the original versions that were so densely woven, it can now often be found in quilt weight fabrics and sold alongside commercial homespun fabrics. (By the way, "homespun" gets it's name from fabrics that originally were spun and woven in one's home, as ticking might have been).

Now, when making these table runners, I wanted to keep the integrity of the ticking's simplicity. Thus, I focused on various ways to make an interesting runner without much, (or any) piecing.

For the runner above, I kept the cloth whole. Then I quilted it with various wavy and straight lines that followed the pattern of the stripes. This added a fun pattern and texture, without competing against the pattern of the fabric. The chocolate shot-cotton binding goes nicely with the brown ticking stripes.

This runner also started out as a whole cloth, which I quilted in straight rows going down the center of each wide, tan stripe. I then added some patches in the same fabric, placing them cross grain and appliquéing in place with a zig-zag stitch. I then quilted the patches as well. A rust-brown shot-cotton binding helps add to this runner's rustic warmth.

For this last runner I began with a center panel of ticking, then edged it with two smaller panels of a linen/cotton blend. Once again, the quilting was kept simple as not to compete with the humbleness of the fabric. Thin wavy lines were quilted along the ticking and slightly wavier lines along the solid linen/cotton boarders. The multi colored striped ticking fabric that I used in the first runner worked great as the perfect binding for this piece.

Striped Whole Cloth Quilted Table Runner

Quilted and Patched Ticking Table Runner

Cotton and Linen Quilted Table Runner 

For more information on any of these quilted ticking table runners, just click on the links below each one.  

And until next time...

Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

The Beauty of Blue

I found these beautiful, blue, made in Japan, Moda fabrics at my local quilt shop a few weeks ago, and absolutely had to add some to my stash. That faded and aged looking print is by far one of the best commercial prints I think I have ever seen!

Finding it hard to creatively focus with all of the stuff that went on this past month, I have decided to just keep concentrating on making some table runners for the immediate time being,  as I love their versatility and simplicity.

These blues are as soothing as can be, don't you think? They've got a good zen quality going on.

And speaking of blues, our yard has been filled with flocks of blue birds! We usually see them here and there from time to time, but we have never had flocks of them before. This lifts my spirits, as for years I have attached positive meanings with certain birds. They are kind of a symbol to me that all is well. Cardinals signify that I am on the right track, and blue birds, not surprisingly, symbolize happiness and joy... a reminder to really let go of my worries and count my blessings. 

Hmm... does that sound crazy or not? Do any of you have certain symbols that you look for as reminders that, as Robert Browning once wrote, "God's in his Heaven - All's right with the world!" If so please let me know in your comments, as I am curious.

As usual, you can find more about this runner in my shop. Just click here.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Thankful

Got the good news today that my biopsy results were A- OK. I am so truly thankful. Many heartfelt thanks for all of the understanding and kind words left after my previous post.

I am not sure why, but after years of these types of scares, (and as I said before all of them ending in good news) I truly think that this time I was just overcome with battle fatigue. When doctors work so hard to try to rule out and/or find cancer in you, (and God bless them for looking so carefully) it's hard to not after awhile start to believe that your number is indeed going to be called. And after I received my good news late this afternoon today, that is where my mind did go... to all the woman who didn't get the good news. To all the woman who already have, or will now have to, find the courage, faith, strength, energy, time and money to fight the battle of breast cancer. My thought and prayers go out to each and every one. And hopefully, one day, may our daughters and granddaughters not have to worry about such a disease.

Maybe now I can get the cobwebs out of my brain and post some work. A few new table runners are awaiting completion. I hope to post them soon. Again, many thanks for all the kindness you all have shown me with your caring and good wishes, and all-around niceness. I deeply appreciate it. xo