Colours of Spring and Summer and lots of Log Cabin

 Plain weave placemats by Fran Gurwitz - 4/8 cotton for the warp and Maysville rug filler for the weft.

The end of the teaching season nears and this coming Monday will be the last class until regular weaving classes resume in the Fall. I've been busy with organizing other special weaving workshops for the Toronto Weaving School. There will be a Kasuri/Ikat weaving workshop June 11-15 and July 9-13. If you think you're interested in participating let me know. It will be awesome! I am so looking forward to it. What is neat about kasuri is that it is only plain weave and its what you do with dyeing by wrapping and tyeing that creates the patterning in the fabric. The workshop is $250 or $300 with lunch served. The Toronto District School Board will not let us host the workshop in our weaving class, so Burr House  in Richmond Hill, has offered to host us. Their information can be found at https://sites.google.com/site/burrhousefiberarts/home . It's really a lovely place and weavers and spinners guild. They have a tea room open weekends as well as a gallery and boutique. It's a lovely way to spend an afternoon. They are always looking for new members and membership is nominal.

 Swedish Lace pattern from the Handweavers Pattern Book by Amy Stein. This was made to be a curtain to hang on her dining room door.

Weaving classes for the Fall resume Monday September 17 and Wednesday September 19. If you haven't pre-registered with me, I'll send out a reminder to register. The Toronto District School Board will commence taking fall registrations August 13 2012. There is a small increase in fees. Regular General Interest will be $234 for 11 weeks, and $140 for seniors. Now , ALL SENIOR RATES WILL BE THE SAME, regardless of the time slot you sign up for. People complained about that and the TDSB listened! Good going.

 Log cabin scarf done on the knitters loom by Cheryl Yetman.

Log Cabin has been quite popular of late and many people have undertaken projects using it,  of which many are featured in this post. Cheryl, featured here, also discovered this great adaptation of log cabin for serviettes....and this adaptation would be good for scarves too. Here is the link to it

http://www.weavezine.com/summer2008/wz_su08_EricadeRuiter.php.

 Carol Adams, a former weaving student, wove this tabby and twill silk fabric to make a needle case.

You have all been sending many pictures of projects you've done or other weaving related articles and photos. I've fallen behind in posting everything and keeping on top of it but don't let that discourage you from sending them to me. They will eventually end up here. There are periods when not much is emerging.  I'll continue to send out these pictures as the summer progresses to keep you inspired and hopefully eager to rejoin us come the Fall. For instance, Lynne Wilson Orr recently returned from Peru and I'm looking forward to sharing her weaving pictures with you.

 Laura Dymock also a former weaving student, designed and wove this handsome  cotton  scarf in twill.

 Log cabin scarf in peach and blue woven by Sandra Dunn for her mother's birthday gift.

This picture does not do justice to how beautiful these log cabin rubs are. The warp was beige and white in 4/8 cotton and the weft was an 8/8 cotton in lavender. They were very subtle and attractive.

Taking on Challenges in Weaving

Many of us have watched this project hatch and evolve since September 2011 and it was with great excitement that I witnessed Janice McClenaghan cut this tartan blanket that she designed based on her family tartan,  made of Blue Mountain 2/8 worsted wool. What an incredible undertaking, woven at 16epi, a 60" width and about 7' in length ( I think). This will certainly be a prized family object for generations to come. Congratulations Janice for a successful completion of what was definitely a daunting and challenging task.

Speaking of daunting and challenging tasks, many of us remember Jill Bidgood weaving this very sophisticated shawl a year ago and which we have only just now been able to get a photo of it. It was a very fine  alpaca lace weight wool, woven in a huck pattern with a black warp and dark gray weft. Those of us who were present while Jill was weaving this recall the many technical challenges that this shawl gave her due to the fact that she was using a yarn made for knitting and not formulated for weaving. When doing fine weaving it is advisable to use yarn formulated for weaving. Again, congrautlations Jill on this extraordinary effort and you wear it with style and pazazz (or is it pizazz?!?)

Mimma Draga wove several beautiful scarves based on designs that were featured in Handwoven Magazine a couple of years ago, based on Peter Collingwood's designs. She used 2/18 merino wool and the pattern thread is a merino knitting yarn. While setting up, Mimma discovered an error in the pattern. She noticed that in the photograph for the project that Peter Collingwood's original notes, were casually placed on the table, intended mostly as a prop for  whatever else was in the photo. She magnified the image to figure out what his notes actually said about the pattern and was able to correct the error in the instructions. If you'd like more details about it let us know.

Susan Abrams just finished this 8 end M's and O's table runner. She too the pattern from page 114 in the book Mastering Weave Structures by Sharon Alderman. The colour is actually navy blue. Very dark colours are the most difficult to photograph and still get the detail, especially if it is subtle patterning in the same or similar colour.

Past and present students  Links, events, activities, resources, exhibitions related to weaving:

• Donna Kim is having a chair caning weaving class starting soon. Go to www.edgeofyourseat.ca to find out more about the exciting project she'll be teaching you how to do.
• Linda Needles, president of the Nottawasaga Handweavers and Spinners sent this link for all tapestry lovers http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005/04/11/050411fa_fact
• In Europe in the coming months? visit this tapestry exhibition

European Tapestry Forum's triennial
exhibition ARTAPESTRY3 opens in Silkeborg Bad on May 17.

Attached please find the invitation and a press release. Please feel free to use them to publicize the exhibition. A more comprehensive press kit and images are availble if you are interested. The 80-page catalogue will be on sale through mail order via the secretariat at mail@tapestry.dk later this month.

The exhiibition of 51 tapestries by 38 artists from 14 countries is in Denmark from May 17 - August 26 and then travels on to Finland, Sweden and France before closing in Riga, Latvia (as part of the European cultural capital program) in 2014.

• A great interview with Barbara Heller, a reknowned and well respected tapestry weaver. It's very candid and truthful and I'm sure you'll enjoy it. http://www.worldofthreadsfestival.com/artist_interviews/059_barbara_heller_12.html

• Gwen Tooth has a couple of exhibitions happening right now:

 “IMPRESSIONS OF LAKE ONTARIO”, show of small pastel sketches, Mimico Centennial Library, Toronto, May, 2012 http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca.  47 Station Road, Toronto M8V 2R1. 416-394-5330. Second floor study area.  (stairs; no elevator)  Artist in attendance: Thursday, May 17 from 3 pm to 5 pm. Library hours: TuWed 12:30 p.m. – 8:30 pm.; ThFr 10 am to 6 pm; Sat 9 am to 5 pm.

“DIVERSITY IN ABSTRACTION” two person show, Alice Berloni and Gwen Tooth, Neilson Park Creative Centre, May  15  to  June 3, 2012 www.neilsonparkcreativecentre.com.  Artists in Attendance:  Thursday, May 17 from 7 to 9 pm. Main level entrance; no steps.

The Wednesday classes have now terminated for the year. There are still two Monday classes left: May 28 and June 4. Classes will resume mid September and I will be sending out an email to remind you to register and to give you the dates the classes will start up again.

There is still room for more people in the dye day August 25, Saturday taking place in Georgetown all day. The cost is $30 and let me know if you'd like to join us. Prepare warps and skeins ..... silk, bamboo, soy, tencel and cotton are the fibres that can be dyed.

Lots more photos of projects to share with you still over the coming weeks. Have a good long weekend!

Line

Passionate about weaving

Linda Morganstein wove this stunning tapestry. She was inspired by a photo downloaded from the internet. Below, the reverse side of the tapestry, which makes the flames look more 3 dimensional! Linda makes incredible special event cakes and if you need one for a special occassion email her at lindacakesca@yahoo.com and or visit her website at http://www.onceuponacake.ca/ .

Over the last several weeks we've been doing a painted warp workshop trying an assortment of fabric dyes, paints and other media. This scarf was recently dyed and woven by Carla Duncan. Below is also another shawl that she has been weaving in the class and those of us who have been there have watched it proceed very slowly and impeccably. All of us noticed how perfect Carla's edges are. Notice the irridescence of the fabric. To obtain an irridescence combine two colours, one for the warp and one for the weft, that are close in value and close to each other on the colour wheel. If you don't know what a colour wheel is then we've got to talk!

Here are some pictures of the last of the techniques we tried in our painted warp workshop and here we are trying on loom warp painting techniques. Further down you can see some of what the participants tried on their warps.

I haven't had many people express interest in the dye day for August 25. It is $30 to participate and you have to prepare your own yarn to dye. Please let me know if you'll be participating and rsvp your spot.

There is still room left in the Ikat/Kasuri workshop in July - the 9th to the 13th. Please let me know if you are interested. I promise you it will be very inspiring. You don't have to be an advanced weaver to take this workshop. Kasuri is usally done in plain weave so its an easy set up. Its $250 for the week 10 to 4 or $300 if you want lunch. If you think you are interested you should let me know because there is preparation you need to do to be ready for it. If you have any questions about it let me know.

Leslie Wynn always takes an unconventional approach to her weaving. She was inspired by another students project, Cheryl Yetman who used the same pattern. Leslie put her own spin on it by deciding to maintain elements that might be considered mistakes, or even waste. She likes assymetry which is why the band of what was supposed to be scrap at the beginning of the weaving was kept.

Many of you have reserved your spot for the June 6 Field trip to the City of Toronto's archive for historical textiles. Neil Brochu, one of our weaving class participants, works there and will show us some samples from their collection. Those of you who have signed up will get detailed instructions as to the location and address. Its a top secret location because its not usually open to the public except for researchers and other related organizations. We have reached maximum capacity for the number of people on this field trip.

You can see people have been super busy with their weaving and lots are coming off looms of late. Michelle Dubois has been thoroughly exploring the possibilities with a knitters loom. In the above sample, she played with colour order and the patterns that this can create. This is called colour and weave effect. All with plain weave. Plain weave is so diverse and has so many possibilities. She's promised to make one for the class.

Michelle also wove these scarves and she says she took yarns from the weaving class scrap bin to make them. All cotton.

This dazzling array of colour are placemats woven by Maureen Krinicic. She wove 11 placemats (though she wanted 12)...ooops! something went wrong with the calculation there! Her theme was Easter and she was very successful in capturing its essence in her choice of colours.

Andrew wrote to me recently :

Here is the link about the blue jean story on CBS Sunday Morning ( aired last Sunday ). Part of the story showcases a one man high-end blue jean maker:

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7407648n&tag=cbsnewsTwoColUpperPromoArea
 Blue Jeans: The fabric of freedom

Serena Altschul explores the history of denim, from America's mines to the designer jean stores of today.

Here is the company website and the back story...

http://www.roydenim.com/story

There are lots more pictures of projects coming in the next few weeks. If a picture of your project isn't here, it will be coming in the next few weeks. We just have too many right now.....which is of course, great!

Lastly, thank you to those who have sponsored me on my Ride for Heart that will take place on June 3. Some of you said you want a photo of me there and I'll be sure to send you one. If you would like to sponsor me go to http://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=482564&lis=1&kntae482564=16302EB53DAB46C29930A7ECB67EDA29&supId=356112001