Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Sheep to Shawl - 2010

This will be the second year students from Capilano University - Textile Arts program will be participating in the "Sheep to Shawl". This is a yearly event for the guilds of Greater Vancouver to compete against each one another to make the best shawl, by hand of course.

Blurb:

Cheer on local spinners and weavers as they participate in this traditional competition. Watch as they card, spin, and ply raw sheep’s wool into yarn, then weave a shawl - all in four hours! See demonstrations of sheep shearing, view wool displays, and try weaving on heritage looms or spinning on real spinning wheels. Kids can try weaving, or make sheep crafts and pictures while they watch the show.

Saturday, May 22, 2010
11:00am-4:00pm
All ages
By Donation

Entrance to exhibit gallery by admission fee.

at Surrey Museum
17710 - 56A Avenue
For information, call 604-592-6956

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Jacquard Weaving

The jacquard loom was invented in the early 1800's controlled by punch cards. It was used as an example for the first computer. Today's jacquard looms are now controlled by computers. You load an image (which has been edited on photoshop) on to the jacquard software and the loom will weave that picture for you.

One of the tech's at school has a jacquard loom and we were lucky enough to weave on it this semester. I chose to do an anatomical heart. I just have some progress shots so far, but they are still really interesting.


At the top of the picture you can see the heart starting to show in the weaving. All of the threads on the left are controlled individually by the computer. (you can see the heddles, where the threads are attached to the computer, in the next picture)


In the above picture, all of the vertical metal pieces (behind the two girls) are heddles which are about 1/4" thick and are threaded with yarn one by one to control the pattern. As you press the foot peddle the computer tells the jacquard loom which ones to lift up to create the pattern. The operator, ie. the weaver, then "throws" a bobbin of yarn through the lifted yarn to weave the cloth.

(a lot to explain in such a little post, I hope it's coming across alright)

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Spinning Saturday - March 13, 2010

"The Little Mermaid"
143 yards
Merino, corriedale, wool, firestar



"Sherbert"
16 yards
Wensleydale

Both these yarns were spun for a swap on Craftster, in exchange for some hand made gifts. I have not yet received them, but they are in the mail on their way here. I'm very excited.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Spinning Saturday?

I made this yarn.. (last week.. shh.. hehe) and I thought I would share it with you. (I've made 2 more but they are for a swap on Craftster, so I can't post just yet)

(no name, yet)
114yards
Llama and Bamboo blend

The llama (brown) was cleaned, carded and spun by yours truly. I must admit, I do enjoy processing fleece right from the animal as opposed to buying roving. It makes it feel MORE hand spun.. hehe

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