Sunday, June 18, 2006
Guild project
I am a member of the Potomac Craftmen Fiber Guild, study Group G. We weave. For our study project this year, we decided to work with color. We each picked 5 colors from the Color Aid Kit, which apparently has Every Color In The World. Then, as a challenge, since it would be TOO EASY to use colors we actually LIKED, the person to our left picked a color out of our hands and mixed it in with hers, kind of like Old Maid. We went around the circle, and then we picked a color from the person to our right. We ended up with 3 colors we originally picked, and 2 colors we didn't. Then we had to find fiber to match as best we could, and weave towels for an exchange. We had to use all 5 colors. We could add ONE color if we wanted. We had to use some sort of twill pattern. I know you can't tell from the monitor, but I ended up with a screaming electric yellow, an insipid pale washed out green, purple, red, and green.
I wrapped some cards to try out different stripe combinations. They look nice next to each other, but when you start to weave, whatever warp color you use will dilute the colors, so the stripes would not be as vibrant. I like my colors bright. I would have to go with some sort of twill squares.
I chose none of my stripe combinations. I used a block twill pattern from "The Weavers Book of 8 Shaft Patterns" by Carol Strickler, page 61, pattern # 248. It uses alternating light and dark warps and weft, and you get these really neat blocks of color. If you use only 2 colors. I had 5. I alternated my colors kind of into light and dark: yellow, purple, light green, red, green. It was at this point I realized I was working with 2 complementary color combos (yellow & purple, red & green) plus the insipid pale green. What can I say--I'm slow on the uptake. Here it is on the loom
Here's the page I did for the group G members, except after I did the photo I realized I forgot to put the weaving instructions on it. Instructions: Sett 24 epi, 8 harness loom, 12 dent reed. 546 ends, 22.75 inches in the reed. Warp length for 3 towels: 4 yd. Towel hemmed off loom, not washed: 21 x 28 inches. Washed: 19.5 x 24 inches. I used Cottolin 22/2 from Halcyon Yarn.
Here's the finished towel. Despite not liking the colors, I actually like the towels. I think they look very festive & summery. I left the warp ends on the loom so I could tie on & pull through for 3 more towels. I think I could randomly pick any 5 colors off my shelf and make it work. Kind of liberating, that.
I wish I had thought to take a picture of all the towels at our exchange. No one used the same twill pattern. All the colors were different. It was quite amazing. I got pages with pictures and instructions from everyone, so I can try their patterns too.
I wrapped some cards to try out different stripe combinations. They look nice next to each other, but when you start to weave, whatever warp color you use will dilute the colors, so the stripes would not be as vibrant. I like my colors bright. I would have to go with some sort of twill squares.
I chose none of my stripe combinations. I used a block twill pattern from "The Weavers Book of 8 Shaft Patterns" by Carol Strickler, page 61, pattern # 248. It uses alternating light and dark warps and weft, and you get these really neat blocks of color. If you use only 2 colors. I had 5. I alternated my colors kind of into light and dark: yellow, purple, light green, red, green. It was at this point I realized I was working with 2 complementary color combos (yellow & purple, red & green) plus the insipid pale green. What can I say--I'm slow on the uptake. Here it is on the loom
Here's the page I did for the group G members, except after I did the photo I realized I forgot to put the weaving instructions on it. Instructions: Sett 24 epi, 8 harness loom, 12 dent reed. 546 ends, 22.75 inches in the reed. Warp length for 3 towels: 4 yd. Towel hemmed off loom, not washed: 21 x 28 inches. Washed: 19.5 x 24 inches. I used Cottolin 22/2 from Halcyon Yarn.
Here's the finished towel. Despite not liking the colors, I actually like the towels. I think they look very festive & summery. I left the warp ends on the loom so I could tie on & pull through for 3 more towels. I think I could randomly pick any 5 colors off my shelf and make it work. Kind of liberating, that.
I wish I had thought to take a picture of all the towels at our exchange. No one used the same twill pattern. All the colors were different. It was quite amazing. I got pages with pictures and instructions from everyone, so I can try their patterns too.
