Finally, I am set up and ready to weave. Putting together the new baby wolf took longer than I anticipated. Once I got a warp on the BW and was weaving I felt like I could attack the weaving "studio". I finished setting up the Megado (computerized loom) yesterday afternoon and worked on the piles of "stuff". The Megado broken down was an intimidating pile of parts. It was easy to procrastinate and find other things to do first. When I turned the computer on I was happy to see that everything works! I was pleased when I went to bed last night that the room is now useable, although I've still got a few stacks to work through. Today Peter hung my warping board so I'm truly ready to get to work. Yea!
I am a member of the Cross Country Weavers, an annual swatch exchange group. This year's theme is Ann Sutton's design card game, each person was given 3 cards with information pertaining to the assignment. All 3 cards have to be used to come up with a finished cloth. My cards were: use black and white only, use Shadow weave and use metallic yarns. The first two go together perfectly but using metallic doesn't. I did manage to find a nice black metallic to use in the weft. The warp is 8/2 Egyptian cotton; black and white. The pattern is from Marion Powell's 1000+ Shadow Weave designs, design #80309. I'm not sure that the metallic adds anything to the finished fabric, just satisfies the "card" in the design game. When the fabric is finished and washed I'll make my final judgement.
The piece feels a little like a 60's op art, if you look at it from different directions the design changes. In 30 years of weaving I have never woven Shadow weave. I was glad for the push to try Shadow weave. I had a little trouble at first, I lost my place and had trouble finding it. Watching American Idol while weaving is a little distracting. The floors are wood and I felt like I was doing a complicated dance step with the loom! Now I've got a rug under the loom and a system to keep track of where I am.
I am so glad to be weaving again, it's been far too long. Happy Weaving!
Tracy
