DVD Project 3
I have the third project from my DVD warped on the loom, and in progress. I recently refitted the loom’s convenient warping pegs with longer pegs to accommodate a reasonably sized warp. This made warping the loom a bit easier. I warped for 59 inches, so I should be able to weave this project and the first project from the next DVD, all on one warp. This project has a neat horizontal curve, some challenging vertical curves, and two circles. By the time I’m done with this, I think I’ll be ready to sink my teeth into the color blending techniques covered in the next DVD.
Once I have the loom warped I really need to get my cartoon prepared. I chose to find items in my house that are the same size as the circles on the provided pattern. I traced my circles and transferred my pattern, enlarging it to its proper size. I used graphed paper and tick marks. I’ve found grid backed Christmas wrapping paper handy for this. I think I would like to try something a tad more resilient, something with a little more stiffness too. I’ve found quilting safety pins great for holding the cartoon to the weaving. They’re bent and the bend helps keep from distorting the weaving with ripples.
Circles are a funny thing to weave. As the warp (yarn running top to bottom) and the weft (yarn running side to side) are at right angles to each other, a circle is an optical illusion. It’s more of a square with angled corners. There’s a mathematical equation involved to weaving a good circle. Nancy Harvey says that a section measuring one-third the diameter of the circle should be woven flat on each of the four sides. She also says that the amount of warps and the diameter of the circle should both have a common divisor. The circle that I wove looks ok at a distance, but I’m not impressed up close. of course it’s my first circle, the next might be better. I don’t plan to weave a lot of circles, but I’m glad that they’re included in the exercises.
As my weaving progresses I have to reach farther away from myself, and I’m getting too close to the heddles. It’s time to advance the weaving and utilize this special function of the loom. The tension knobs are loosened and the tension bars are turned, this releases some of the tension on the warp and allows me to move the weaving down. This brings the fell line of the weaving closer to the bottom, and easier to reach. After checking that the weaving is level, the tension bar is turned and the tension knobs re-tightened. I’m quickly approaching my next circle, and it’s mixed with a vertical curve, so this should keep my attention for a while. I have enjoyed these curves so far, I hope they turn out looking as good as they are fun. I can’t wait to use a different yarn for the next DVD’s projects. I’m a little tired of this Lanaloft, it’s not spun very evenly, it creates a lot of waste, and looks rather flat. Onward and upward, I have a circle waiting to be woven.
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This is simply an awesome post, Janean. Well produced with sharp photos and solid copy writing explaining the process.
Thank you. This is a fun project. It was easy to write about, so many things going on for a design that looks so simple.