Overshot gets the upper hand!

I have started setting up my loom using newly purchased yarn rather than playing around with my leftover knitting cones. It is noticeable how much more worthwhile this feels. I have also realised that weaving yarn is stronger and better finished for the weaving process than knitting yarns.  I am going to weave some cushion covers for my sofa and armchairs. These have been given to me by my elderly mother when she recently moved into a small flat. They are good quality and recently recovered but need a little lift in terms of cushions.

I attempted to pick out some of the colours by gazing at the sofa cover. I ordered the mercerised 2/6 cotton, wanting  add a little  shine to the texture. Sadly  I was a disappointed with the colours when they arrived. The coral turned out to be a bit too pink, well more like salmon actually, and I realised it did not really tone in  with the gold or blue. The gold is the easiest shade to start with and at least reflects the chair colour . I have measured a warp of 3 yds which will give me three cushion covers.

 I have been sampling Overshot recently, and though I feel its possibly  rather a fussy  tecnique I think it will add a traditional feel to the chairs. I think the ghost of great aunt Margery may be hovering as I believe she specialised in designing and sampling these traditional designs. The Bergman just wants to get on doing what it is used to….I will steer it into other paths next warp!!

I continue to find getting all the warp process accurate and methodical a tension making task.( in more ways than one) I have great trouble counting anything and calculating ends and amounts a challenge. I tried warping front to back this time rather than using my raddle. I am not sold on pre-sleying the reed and think I will settle for the raddle next time. I am still mixing in old cones of knitting yarn and though quite pleased with my efforts will give more thought to colour in future. Somehow these tones are remeniscent of 1950s soft furnishings, but what goes round comes round!!

I have been using Ann Dixons Handweavers Pattern Book and this is “Small Honeysuckle”. I got a bit carried away experimenting with colours. I would like to try it with brighter clearer tones in a thinner yarn next time.

I went to a Guild meeting last week . I am really enjoying these. People have been so helpful and encouraging.  I have met a wonderful 80 year old lady at these meetings who runs workshops from her house, she has a studio in a barn. She is a retired Occupational Therapist ( she was principal of a training college) but was a  weaver before that. Her workshops are very popular and I have put my name down for the New Year. She is rigorous and demanding as a teacher but I have seen the results in examples of work and can’t wait.

I borrowed some wonderful books from the Guilds library, another treasure house of out of print weaving books, all kept securely locked in a rusty metal cupboard in the outer reaches of the hall where we meet. Amongst the ones I took away with me “Swedish Hand Weaving” by Malin Selander and Mary Meigs Atwater’s “Recipe Book”. Both are out of print and seem to be very expensive second hand. I love them and its set my mind off planning futute projects. I have been thinking about the way weaving has grabbed me over the last few months. Part of it is the endless potential available. Modern textile technology , sewing and knitting machine demand extra attachments and endless expenditure to keep up to date. A loom comes with hundreds of years of experience, design and history. You can start very simple and develop to intricate. The variables are endless, and I find it exciting, to the point of not sleeping due to planning and imagining.

Reading them and absorbing drafts and design ideas I have come to a realisation. I want to weave thin, light, and airy rather than thick, heavy and no doubt quick and easy. My husband made a lovely comment when he looked at my cushion covers.”Fantastic but why does weaving look so rustic? ” Well I’m not sure I want to be rustic….. which leads me to imagining more delicate warps!! I love the Scandanavian style. I yearn to try textures and linen…….I think I have a tendency to look back and to imagine I am weaving a bottom drawer of linens and bed spreads!!

I also bought half a fleece as I think I should refresh by spinning skills. I once went to classes but have never spent much time spinning. I started when we kept sheep but got bored trying to spin enough to knit a jumper. My spinning wheel was also Margery Fulleyloves and is beautiful It spins a very thin yarn and the wheel goes extremely fast.

I had a cone of off-white 2/22 mercerised cotton and some thin browny mauve Italien wool. I have started a scarf and its not at all rustic. Its smooth and resembles fabric. As part of educating my weavers head I have threaded up another Ann Dixon draft, a twill on p71 which makes little twill squarish diamonds and looks classy !! I am weaving all hours in a freezing converted garage which is my work room trying not to use the heating which has pricewise gone through the roof.

I am almost ready to thread up the other 4 shafts which are piled up on a window sill just waiting.

One last thing. The University of Denver contacted me to say they had by chance read this blog and wanted me to know that they have a photo of Margery working at her loom. I have seen it but am not sure whether I can post it here because of copyright. Unfortunately her loom is not the one I am using but a much larger one and not a Bergman as far as I can see.