On the Mending of Bobbins

My favourite ebony bobbin, the one that has been my faithful weaving companion throughout, came apart again; my whipping technique was not enough to withstand my weaving technique!

Enter my colleague Andrew, of Artisan Bobbins, who mended it with glue and boxwood dowels (only 2mm diameter!) with ebony shards. Watching a craftsman at work is always a delight, and he was very happy to be trying out his new lathe to turn the dowels.









Very glad to have it back in working order; the reserve bobbin was just not the same.

Location:West Dean

'Geode (139:15)' : Panels 1-4 Completed

I have been adding extra texture to what will be the outer surfaces of the geode form by weaving thinner wefts over singles (using my lovely treadles :-)) and thicker ones over quads, as I did for 'Shrine'. Texture and form are my thing.

Location:The Loom Room

'Geode (139:15)': First Panel

The weaver's cat does like a basket to curl up in......





I finished this first panel on Monday evening. I am pleased with the 'crusty' effect of weaving with sari ribbon. There are also amethyst chips and other beads embedded in areas. I will attempt to take some close ups next time I am at home in daylight. Yesterday I put the next pair of cardboard spacers in and wove the slim triangular area between panels which will become a rib when the piece folds up. Moving back into single warps for that area enabled me to use my new treadles again. After a busy day at the office, I am just re-energising myself with tea (M&S Extra Strong, loose leaf; splash of whole milk) before beginning panel 2. I received a parcel today with more stocks of the Coton à Broder which figures in the pink to mauve areas, so there is nothing to hold me back.

Location:Cuckoo Fields,Chichester,United Kingdom

'Geode (139:15)' : The Weaving Begins

As it turned out, making the treadles work on Lemminkäinen was as easy as tightening a bolt. The contortions necessary to reach said bolt are another thing! But they work, and made weaving the header so much faster than usual.





The cartoon stitched on, card spacers inserted, and the beginning of the first inner panel:-





The layout plan in miniature. The observant will notice that it is rotated 180 from the cartoon. There are fourteen panels; seven inner and seven outer. Starting with one of the inner ones, the join will be hidden inside the hollow form.

Location:Cuckoo Fields,Chichester,United Kingdom

Restoring Lemminkäinen to Life: Part the Fourth

Tied onto the cloth beam; shed sticks made of scrap Perspex from WD workshop. I like to recycle and reimagine :-))


Ready to go....


And lo, she weaveth!! Only the scrap header, but even so. It is so great to be able to open a whole shed for this bit, rather than picking a few warps at a time. I already LOVE having heddles!

Location:Cuckoo Fields,Chichester,United Kingdom

Restoring Lemminkäinen to Life: Part the Third

Heddled and tied on to the warp beam.





Chained and secured with ladybirds :-) (I use clothes pegs of all sizes in so many ways)





Wound onto the warp beam with corrugated cardboard.





Ready to tie onto the cloth beam - in the next exciting instalment :-))

Location:Cuckoo Fields,Chichester,United Kingdom

Restoring Lemminkäinen to Life: Part the Second

All photos taken on iPhone for Instagram; apologies if quality is poor on larger scale.




Clamping the beater assembly to access the reed.


The reed marked for the width of 'Geode(139:15)' (Because, yes, I did decide to start with a smaller project!)


The warp (Weavers Bazaar linen, as used for 'Shrine') on my improvised warping board.


Chained warp (136 ends, 2.7m)


The reed sleyed and chained in bundles of eight. This is my first ever warping of a vertical loom, and, apart from my rigid heddle loom, the first sleying I have done in 10 years - that was on a 16 shaft Dobby loom at De Montfort.

I am hugely grateful to Tommye Scanlin's Tapestry Share blog for guidance:-
http://tapestryshare.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/tissart-tapestry-loom-warping-one-method.html

Location:Cuckoo Fields,Chichester,United Kingdom