Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Marg Gibson - Weaver and internet hostess

Marg Gibson, listowner of the yahoogroup "Weaving" since 1999 has passed away.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Weaving/

This message was posted on the group by Alice Murphy..
I regret to tell the list that Marg passed away this weekend. She was a
personal friend of mine as well as list owner. I have been acting as moderator
for the last few years. I will go find out just how we can keep the list going.
Don't know if there's a way to transfer ownership or if it will be necessary to
begin a new weaving list and keep this one for the information in the files. I
am going to check with Yahoo and some who know more about this sort of thing
than I do.
Alice Murphy in MO. Weaver, spinner crocheter and sometime knitter.

Marg Gibson provided a forum for weavers from all over the world to communicate
and exchange information and ideas.
We are richer for her works and poorer for her passing.
The Creator has a master plan.
Have a joyful day!
Franco Rios

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Caught on the Web

Caught on the web - Fiber Sites of Interest

Discover African Mudcloth. Includes interactive DIY mudcloth activity
via Smithsonian Institution
http://www.mnh.si.edu/africanvoices/mudcloth/index_flash.html

Fibershed - A case study for sourcing fibers locally
http://www.chrismartenson.com/blog/fibershed-case-study-sourcing-fibers-locally/70296

Lost art of weaving Spanish Moss (Video 2:59) - Dawn Klug loves to tell you about Spanish moss. See her harvest, carding, spinning and weaving Spanish Moss. She weaves saddle pads with it for Civil War re-enactors. Published Jan. 16, 2009 [Maurice Rivenbark | tampabay.com]

 http://www.tampabay.com/components/video/lost-art-of-weaving-spanish-moss/8305854001/2652468001

Mermaid woven on a stick weaving loom
Mermaid
http://www.crone-findlay.com/Stick-weaving-loom-mermaid-blue%20%28c%29.jpg

Weaving sticks
http://www.crone-findlay.com/Stick-weaving-loom-sticks%20%28c%29.JPG

And Potholder loom weaving
http://www.crone-findlay.com/Crone-FindlayCreationsPotholderLoomWeaving.html

Have a good day!

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Experimental Sprang Frame Continued


 


After the last report, the sprang project was getting pretty snug on the 13 inch cardboard frame. I had moved the sprang from the long 13 inch frame to my regular 11 inch frame. After this picture I stop using knitting needles as holders because they keep sliding out. I started using string like I did on previous projects. The warp is kind of floppy and loose even with the tubes. That makes it hard to keep track of the intertwining.




So I made a 12 inch frame. The strings fit more snuggly with just one tube. I think I have the system figured out. I'll start on the 13 inch frame with tubes and move to smaller frames as needed.



I move the sprang from the 12 inch frame by sliding the 11 inch frame into the sprang and then removing the 12 inch frame. It worked smoothly. Now you can see the white and blue strings moving closer together as the band works around.


Here is the reason for working on cardboard frames. I can put all three frames into a plastic bag and slide that into my messenger bag for my commute to work and back. That's why I am spending time trying to figure a system to make sprang a compact craft.



So I can practice on the train or the bus! Here I go with my 11 inch frame. Over half finished!


Have a good day!

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Experimental Sprang Frame


Experimental Sprang Frame. (click picture for larger image)

Continuing the Sprang adventure. The goal is to work a continuous warp on a small frame. On a previous test I determined after the first couple of rows are worked in the sprang, there needs to be a method for creating slack in the piece. In another previous project I used a clipboard frame loom with dowels that are removed to create slack. Click here for CLIPBOARD LOOM. So I decided to try it out with a cardboard loom. I rolled up a couple of thin magazines into tubes and secured with rubber bands. Then I tied them to cardboard with acrylic yarn.



Then I wrapped the yarn over the frame and tubes. Yarn is Sugar and Creme Red cotton worsted 4 ply. The blue yarn is twined to help keep the yarn in order. Be careful not to miss any of the strands when you twine. I missed one the first time I twined it. This is my second try.



I started to interlink the string. I used knitting needles to hold the pattern. The process of twisting the yarn shortens the warp over the frame and that tightens the yarn on the frame.




After the second row, I found the yarn was pulling on the cardboard frame so I removed one tube. That created some slack but the frame keeps flexing as I work.


Here is picture of the working side without the tubes. I am sliding the knitting needles out of the pattern and inserting to the new row as I work down.


Here is picture of the other side. I slide a second knitting needle to move the pattern "down" over the edge of the frame to this side.

Again the reason for doing this is to work Sprang on a continuous warp on a small frame with common materials for the frame.

I'll be sharing the experiment as it continues.

Have a good day!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Twilight in Sac



(click pictures for larger image)
Twilight in Sacramento. The docks at Old Sacramento on the Sacramento River.





View toward West Sacramento side of the Sacramento River.



Light sculpture illuminates the lobby of U.S. Bank (621 Capitol Mall) in Sacramento at dusk.

That's my corner of the world!
Have a good day!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Marilyn Greaves Display Case

Marilyn Greaves is a Sacramento fiber artist. She puts up a display with her own work every year at the Fair Oaks Calif branch public library to advertise the upcoming Open House event of the Sacramento Spinning and Weaving Guild!

This year's show, "Fantasy Fibers", will be held on February 11 and 12, 2012 from 10 am to 4 pm each day at the Shepard Garden and Arts Center, 3330 McKinley Blvd, Sacramento, CA.

Read more about the Open House
http://www.sacweavespin.org/annual-show-and-sale/annual-open-house-and-sale---2012

The photos are provided by Marilyn Greaves.

You can read more about Marilyn at CoastalWebWeaver
http://www.coastalwebweaver.com/ashtlo/documents/weavingbios/bio_greaves.html

See you at the Open House!

Have a good day!








Saturday, January 7, 2012

SWSG Saturday Group Jan 2012

At the Saturday Jan 7 meeting of Sacramento Weavers & Spinners Guild Saturday focus group we focused on spinning in honor of St Distaff Day which comes after the 12 days of Christmas.

From right to left, we have Betsy showing some baskets she wove and she dyed to get the different colors. There is Connie with a lovely drop spindle, Ardeth with a vintage Clemes & Clemes wheel. That's Linda with her Schacht 15 inch 4 harness table loom trying to finish off a second set of rep weave place mats she has been working on for many weeks. And Debra is spinning some alpaca from her animals on an Ashford Traditional.



From right to left, Linda and Debra again, then Vonnie is giving drop spindle spinning tips to Stephanie and Monica who brought their drop spindles.



From right to left, Arlene brought a drop spindle, Susan is passing some of the chunky "art" yarns she likes to spin to Cathy who is sitting with her Nagy wheel from New Zealand.



Linda also brought her Spindolyn, a supported spindle that sits in a wood block. She likes the concept but it does not spin long enough for her liking.


Vonnie is using a supported spindle here with a margarita glass for support.


Susan shows us some of the newspaper she spun on a drop spindle for a project.



Hooray! Linda finished off her placemats and cut them off for hemming!



In the blue sweater, Ardeth is spinning on her Clemes & Clemes Modern spinning wheel. She says it was considered modern when she bought it 30 years ago.


Here is another picture of Debra spinning alpaca on her Ashford Traditional. Debra also brought some nut bread for us to snack on.


And the other Sue missed getting her picture taken but we got a picture of her Ashford Traveller spinning wheel. She showed us the cotton she is spinning with it.



Betsy said another weaver was cleaning her studio and sent these items for anyone who wanted them. I took the little blue loom in the upper right.

Arlene and Monica are trying to watch the video "Respect The Spindle" but we need some thing bigger than a tablet for people to see and hear it on.

Because we had 4 hours of time instead of 2 hours we were able to work and chat until we pretty much chatted ourselves out.

Our schedule can be seen at the Guild website
The Saturday Group is part of Sacramento Weavers and Spinners Guild
http://www.sacweavespin.org/saturday

It was a good day!