It’s the summer holidays here in Scotland, which means I have been able to dedicate lots of time to weaving and art-making. On the long train ride down to London, I sewed together my 3 woven panels to create a cushion. It reminded me of my fashion design student days when, the more time you spend carefully hand sewing and finishing an object, the more you feel connected to it.
During my time in London, I went to an incredible yarn shop in North London called Denier Studio, which sells deadstock yarns in the most gorgeous colours and textures. I felt particularly drawn to the finer yarns, as I feel that these are most conducive to creating fabrics that could be sewn into garments. I’m feeling pulled in two ways at the moment, as I sometimes just want to be totally free and creating woven art. However, there’s always a side of me that wants to design clothes. I think I'm going to remain open minded for a while and just create, rather than trying to put too many limitations on myself.
Finally, I ordered myself a mini tapestry loom by Louet. My plan for this loom is to create quick colour samples to see how different yarns look together before putting them on the main loom. This also means I can weave in front of the TV, on the bus etc, which I feel quite excited about!
All in all, I’m feeling very connected to my work and excited about what’s to come.
Book
How to Be an Artist by Jerry Saltz
I listneed to this as an audiobook during the train ride back to Glasgow. Jerry Saltz is a New York art critic, and this book sets out a long list of rules that can be followed to help a person become an artist. He rightfully acknowledges the struggles that come with pursuing a creative practice - financial restraints, time restraints, lack of connections - but he nonetheless sets out a very positive outlook for art-making. Mostly, you just need to work. Nothing will happen unless you're working.
This reminds me of the advice from a tutor during my foundation year at CSM - you have to be looking for inspiration. It won’t just come to you. Making, researching, working, none of it can just happen inside of your head. It’s all about working, and working as much as you can. Even when you have no ideas, just keep working.
In many ways, this book is more interested in the way to have a career as a successful artist, rather than just maintaining a creative practice. There’s advice around seeking a gallery or a collector, for example. For my own needs, I’m not so interested in gaining recognition for my work. Instead, I am more instructed in how to be working consistently.
Exhibition
Yvonde: Life & Colour - National Portrait Gallery
This week, I also visited the Yevonde exhibition at the newly refurbished NPG. Photography has always been a bit of a blind spot for me, and I’m never quite sure how to fully take in the images. However, I loved Yevonde’s use of colour (not a suprise, given the name of the exhibition!), and the fashion images.
My favourite picture was a self-portrait, wherein Yevonde uses an Art Now book to declare herself as an artist. This was a defiant statement for a woman to make during a time that the art world was dominated by men. A wonderful and inspiring image.
Off the loom! One almost finished and one finished blanket that just needs a good wash. 3 more to go!! #sarayoungart #craft #textile #blanket #weaving #woven #albertacraft #art #loom #cat #blackcatweavingstudio #slowcloth #louet #Hollandia #trailer https://www.instagram.com/p/CWCSTIlJecE/?utm_medium=tumblr
Amazing opportunity to see a Louet spring loom and a Louet David loom at @handweavers in London today. Such an excellent shop with very kind people and wide ranging stock of yarns, looms, spinning fibers, notions, and so many books. — view on Instagram http://bit.ly/2WGlfcr
I had persistent problems with my Megado Compudobby during March 2022. Shaft 1 kept falling off the castle, bending solenoid 1 so I had to stop weaving again and again. Whilst looking for help in a Louet weavers group on Facebook, I read about Louet having huge 8 month plus backlogs due to Covid. I panicked each time that my loom wouldn't be fixed for a year. I sent Louet an email detailing the problem and was very relieved to have Nadine from Louet send me a replacement solenoid to go into the dobby box. I then had the problem repeat over and over until we eventually realigned the loom by easing the tension off and lifting all of the parts off the floor and trying to check it was straight and aligned. I got to know my loom better during this time period and we learned to bend solenoids back into being straight enough to work and I became a bit more confident at using her. By the end of this piece of weaving I felt like I knew her better.
I finished this custom handwoven scarf this morning! I’ve written my weaving notes on my blog (link in profile) for those interested and there are also a few more photos there ☺️ I’m going to let my looms sit empty for a few days while I test out the louet s17 spinning wheel and take some photos of it for @threadcollective 🙌 • yarn from @gistyarn woven on a @louetloomsaustralia David loom. • • • #weaving #weaversofinstagram #handwoven #handmade #weavingaustralia #floorloom #handwovenscarf #floorloomweaving #handweaving #textiles #findyourcozy #textileart #fiberart #fiberartist #makersmovement #thatsdarling #weaverfever #weavingloom #makersgonnamake #thehappynow #yarnlove #littlestoriesofmylife #darlingmovement #creativelifehappylife #slowfashion #oneofakind #wovenart #madeinaustralia #theartofslowliving #handmadeisthenewblack (at Ma Ma Creek, Queensland, Australia)
Once upon a time when I acquires my Louet s10 I also acquired a table loom. Dug it out of storage today. I think I have all the pieces... because I needed more reasons to spin yarn mwhahaha #tableloom #nilusleclerc #handspunyarn
Materials: High twist lambs wool in warp, Poly Flex white 3d printing filament in weft.
A 3D pen was used on this woven honeycomb sample. A 3D pen is a pen that extrudes 3D printing filament, allowing the user to create 3D forms. I used the 3D pen flexible filament (PolyFlex) as the weft itself. It was a very fiddly process that often involved lots of stringy residue clogging up the warp yarns. As the 3D pen is attached to an electric cable, the weft can only be inserted from one side of the warp, drawn through the shed and finishing on the side of the cable. The extrusion of the filament is continuous, but can be slowed down, when not being used in the weft.
I burnt my fingers on the nozzle of the 3d pen, every time I extruded a pick. This was because I had to break the filament from the pen to stop it being extruded from the nozzle when the 3d pen was moved back to the starting position on the left hand side of the warp.
This blog is part of my masters study in Learning and Teaching for the Arts and RCS. As part of the Artist Development module of the course, I have decided to record my experience of learning how to weave on my 50cm Louet Table Loom which I bought in December 2022.
My decision to buy my loom stemmed from a few different goals that I had for myself and my creative practice. Firstly, I didn’t really have a creative practice at all, probably due to feeling frustrated at my inability to produce work that met my expectations, and permanently unsure where to begin. I had taught weaving projects in school, but never moved beyond a basic, cardboard loom. However, I decided it was time to really delve into my love of textiles and craft, and learn the skills that I’d dreamed of having and admired in others.
This blog will encompass the experience of learning how to weave on my loom, and all the highs and lows that come with acquiring a new skill. It will also record exhibitions I’ve visited, books I’ve read, podcasts I’ve listened to, with particular focus on evaluating and reflecting the way in which artists discuss their creative practice. As a perpetually frustrated artist/designer, I think it may help me to look closely at the work and artistic practice of others, rather than focusing on my own.
Below is my most current weave - currently being sewn into a cushion. It’s made from undyed wool from Uist, which means it smells amazing and you can feel the lanolin on your hands after working with it for a little while. I’m finding a lot of joy in the sensory experiences of weaving, rather than placing too much value in how good I think it looks (although I do quite like how this looks!).
Chicken Dossier - Episode 559 - The Knitmore Girls
This week's episode is sponsored by:
Taking care of the planet and people are at the heart of everything we do at LoLo Body Care. The impact we’re making on the world and environment is something that we think of with each decision we make. We're working hard to make products that are a combination of the best possible ingredients and innovative technology. If we initiate a small carbon footprint, your purchase continues the small footprint and the planet benefits - which benefits all beings. Support us in big changes and tread lightly with us.
Dragonfly Fibers creates hand-dyed, artisan yarns and fibers in vivid and sophisticated colorways. We are ending our run as owners and have sold the business to Canon Hand Dyes and White Birch Fiber Arts. If you're in the Washington, DC area, please come to our final holiday party on December 7th at our studio in Kensington, Maryland. More details can be found in our Ravelry group, on our Facebook page or on our Instagram feed.
Thank you for 11 wonderful years! We hope you continue to love and support Dragonfly Fibers as it evolves with its new owners.
Ever face the tedious task of having to drop down and correct a mistake in your knitting? The Fix-A-Stitch is here to help! It’s a double-ended tool that uses a patented method to change stitches from knit to purl or purl to knit quick and easy. Check our website for great tutorials and other ways to use it. The tool comes in a package of three for light, medium or bulky weights. A lace weight tool is sold separately. Fix-A-Stitch is available at local yarn shops around the country. More information available at www.fixastitch.com.
Carry your creativity with Erin Lane Bags! Whether you show your fiber fandom with the woolly wonder Sheepleverse, or dive into history with the Curiosities collection, our project bags, totes, and hook and needle organizers are at the ready to keep your hobby happy.
We all have it, we all snicker about it.
Fun Fur.
Whether it’s eyelash, boucle, or just generally furry, it’s hard to find projects for novelty yarn.
With a sweet face, spiraling horns, and delightfully rotund body, Friendsheep by Cate Carter-Evans lets you transform your novelty and textured yarns into sweet, fleecy little friends. Pattern available on Ravelry; more info at infinitetwist.com
Have you ever had to frog because you forgot a step several rows back? Or lost your spot because you dropped your magnet board or lost track with your highlighter tape? Instead of wrestling with paper, use the knitCompanion app. It keeps you on track so you can knit more and frog less. knitCompanion works with ALL your patterns and is available for apple, android and kindle fire devices.
On the Needles:(0:32)
Jasmin FINISHED her Polwarth pullover.
Jasmin has finished both fronts and the back on the Jedi cardigan .
Gigi was working on a baby wrap cardigan out of Hue Loco for the True North Hearts and Hands donation.
Body is done. Started a sleeves Started a pink Wee Envelope. Left sleeve is done
Jasmin is at the toe on her on her White Birch Fiber Arts socks in "A Study in Peach, Mint".
Gigi worked on the Regia Pairfect All socks are done, need ends woven in.
Regia Kidperfect: these could have been 3 pairs. Lucy Neatby’s garter short row heel.
Jasmin cast on Genevieve’s Christmas Sweater (Oliver Sweater) out of Onyx Fiber Arts DK.
Gigi: Also Patons Kroy: Vanilla is the new black sock
Gigi wove in ends for a languishing sock. White, gray, blues color stripes in Kroy
Gigi started the last ball of yarn for the polygon blanket
We will be collecting hats (locally) for refugees in New England:
Fresh off the loom 💗 this scarf is already spoken for but the next will be for the shop. I just have to decide on colours/pattern first 🤔 • • • • • • • #luxuryfibres #silk #alpaca #handwoven #handwovenscarf #searchwandercollect #weaversofaustralia #australianweavers #floorloom #louet #winterfashion #shoplocal #handmadeisbetter #handmadeisthenewblack #texturesoflife #theartofslowliving #slowfashionmovement #slowfashion #weaveweird #weaversofinstagram #fiberart #yarnaddict #mypetitejoys #ladyboss #fibreboss #myeverydaymagic #memade #australianmade #aquietstyle #seekthesimplicity (at Ma Ma Creek, Queensland, Australia)
Pompeo lands in Saudi Arabia, immediately calls for new sanctions against Iran — RT US News
Pompeo lands in Saudi Arabia, immediately calls for new sanctions against Iran — RT US News
welcome to AIPAC hollywood show // France has proof Syrian government conducted chemical weapons attack: Macron
John Irish, Sophie Louet
3 MIN READ
The secretary of state has commenced a three-day tour designed to rally American allies in the Middle East, as new sanctions against Iran loom and the nuclear deal with Tehran hangs in the balance.
Source: Pompeo lands in Saudi Arabia, immediately…