Tom and Tanya came for a visit in February – to get to the coast…
to experience a bit of springtime – they thought. (Spring has been a bit late this year – oooh that must be ccccold!)
And to spend time at Honeysuckle Cottage….
While they were here Tanya was introduced to Saori weaving …
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She and Tom spent time at the studio weaving together. Two different styles – both amazing….
I loved it!! And so did they…..
Happy Weaving,
Terri
My website: www.saltspringweaving.ca
I have been invited to create a banner for an exhibit in New York City!
The idea is to have banners hung from the ceiling like a waterfall. Each banner will be a minimum of 6 metres long. The exhibit will be in a gallery and there will be dance performances held under the ‘waterfall’ of banners.
Wow – I’m excited to be part of this. The time is short, as the exhibit opens on March 1 and I have just been working on preparing the warp and will be starting to weave.
Here’s the warp colours – I have decided to take the ‘Waterfall’ idea and create the banner with a blue water warp – not sure yet where the weaving will go as that will evolve as I weave.
And some of the weaving so far ….
This part reminds me of the ‘Tide Tables’. As we live on an island, we are more aware of the tides, looking for chances to walk along the beach at low tide, etc.
Each part seems to be evolving with different yarns, different feelings, different parts of the ‘waterfall’…
I’ll keep you posted.
Happy Weaving,
Terri
My website: www.saltspringweaving.ca
A local store has challenged Salt Spring Artists to create ‘Green’ Christmas stockings to be auctioned off to support the Salt Spring Conservancy.
So, I took some denim jeans (that were no longer suitable for wearing – not even for the thrift store) and cut them into strips to weave with. I also put in some bits and pieces from my treasure baskets (aka weaving thrums – leftovers that would often get thrown away) to add some colour and texture.
Here is the weaving as it was progressing…
I have also saved the pockets to attach them to the stocking…
So, I had the (very heavy) pieces of cloth for the leg of the stocking, but what to do about the toe?
One day I was at the local thrift store with my cousin and she found a red hat with tassels – perfect size and great colour for the toe…
I added a crocheted red heel to match, removed the tassels from the hat to use as a stocking hanger at the top, added some bells from old Christmas gifts and decorations that I had saved and here it is completed…
Happy Weaving,
Terri
My website: www.saltspringweaving.ca
The Salt Spring Fibre Festival has a Postcard Challenge
“This year the Festival is planning a display of post-card-size ‘samplers’ – created in any natural fibre, using any technique (woven, knit, crocheted, felted, quilted…), in any style, and illustrating any story a creative fibre worker could want to tell. This is a great opportunity to experiment on a small scale!”
So, I decided to create Postcards for it. I wanted to take the “Postcard” part literally, though that was not a requirement, and wondered how to do the finishing. After trying a number of methods, I used iron on woven interfacing that I could write on for the backing.
Lake Louise Poppies – the edge of Lake Louise has a beautiful array of poppies that I have used as inspiration. The green stems are done in a clasped weft technique with bits & pieces laid in for the flowers.
The Postcards From the Edge theme came about when I started using the clasped weft coming in from the edge of the postcard. In creating the backing, I have left that selvage edge as woven to give the edge a more natural look.
My website: www.saltspringweaving.ca
The ends of the threads of the warp need to be finished in some way to secure the weaving. The easiest way is to tie knots in groups of threads, but you can also braid them, twist them, etc. These ends can then be used to tie together if you are making friendship bracelets, they could be decorated with beads, etc.
Some easy projects are bookmarks and bracelets, but you can also make keychains, ‘mug rugs’ (coasters), chokers, arm bands…..they can be sewn around the cuff of your favourite shirt or across the top of a pocket to add a nice trim – if you are doing this make sure that you use washable materials.
So, for those that were asking, I hope this series helps you. The looms are inexpensive to make, portable and great for group projects and learning the basics of weaving. The finished look depends on the material you use for weaving. Using a thick yarn makes the weaving go quickly, a finer yarn will pack in more and so take more time – but also give you a different look. Please let me know how you make out. I would love to see some projects that you make!
My website: www.saltspringweaving.ca
The next step is to weave. I used a blunt end tapestry needle bought at a yarn store – 4 to a package. Cut a length of any yarn that you want to use, thread the needle and start weaving…
Over and under each thread on the loom…
On the next row, over the ones you went under last time, under the ones you went over and so on as you start to weave. Use your fingers, the needle or a simple kitchen fork to press the threads down into place.
Of course the cat has to get in on the act…wherever there’s yarn, there are my cats!!
So, just keep weaving, changing colors if you want until you are at the other end…
Finishing and ideas for finished weavings on my next post….stay tuned…
My website: www.saltspringweaving.ca
The foamcore looms are easy to make and inexpensive. I bought a piece of foamcore board for about $3 and it made over 10 little looms. It is great for projects for groups, for children, for demonstrations, and so on….
Front…
Back…
The loom can be cut to any size depending on what you want to weave. Slits are cut along the top at evenly spaced intervals. These looms (shown) are threaded with a black cotton yarn. I have started in the middle of the back and looped the yarn around, securing it in the slots, and then finished by tying it in the middle of the back. The weaving is done on the front of the loom – using a tapestry needle.
My website: www.saltspringweaving.ca
Since mentioning foamcore looms in my November 21st entry about the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre in Vancouver, BC, a few people have asked me about the looms. So, I am writing a series of blogs about the looms and how to make them, some things that you can make on them and some step-by-step instructions.
Here is a picture of the pile of looms that I had on my ferry trip over to Vancouver…
It was a dramatic early morning trip over…
My website: www.saltspringweaving.ca
I wrote an article for “Fibre Focus” – The Ontario Handweavers and Spinners magazine – on my “Weaving a Banner for Peace” project this past summer. The magazine has just been published and I am so excited. I haven’t received my copy yet – but look forward to getting it soon.
My website: www.saltspringweaving.ca
This past summer I went to the World Peace Forum with my SAORI loom, a rainbow warp and facilitated the Weaving of a Peace Banner. Over 100 people from all over the world contributed to weaving peace.
It was an amazing experience for me. A chance to share my love of weaving and my hopes, wishes, dreams and prayers of Peace with many others. In SAORI weaving there are no mistakes, each weaving is an expression of the individual and so I thought that the weaving by a community of people would be an expression of that community. So the idea for a Peace Banner was born.
I love the quote from SAORI Worcester:
“The SAORI way is to weave friendships as we weave fabric. SAORI bridges differences between people, and celebrates both our variety and our common humanity.”
The Peace Banner is now at the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre in Vancouver, BC where they have it on display in their drop-in centre.
