So I grabbed all the yarns in the 'green' family that I could find, without regard for their weaving/knitting category.
And I wound them on the warping mill. I enjoyed the selection of yarns as much as I used to enjoy playing with crayons and paper as a child. A little here, a little there, a bigger section over here...
SAORI is about self-expression and freedom of choice. Creating this warp was so much fun!
I sleyed it in the order in which I warped it, but I chose how to place the yarns in the holes and slots. You'll notice I have the reed/heddle (they're combined in a rigid heddle loom like my Schacht Flip) clamped to a table - I find this arrangement, sleying by pulling the threads down through the heddle, easier on my back.
You'll also notice that I've got multiple yarns in holes and slots (in some places, 6 strands in a slot!) and I've skipped a few holes. I did make sure to place all the fuzzy novelty yarns in slots so they'd be in the same shed, reducing any potential sticky weaving issues. Here I've taken it to the loom and am ready to tie on the warp to the front and back rods.
And here it is in progress. I chose an olive green to bring all the shades together in harmony. The wild novelty yarns are tamed and calmed by the weft, but still express themselves in texture and thickness.
Wowza! That is amazing and looks like so much fun.
ReplyDeleteI've been a bit afraid of Saori (I know...that's totally backwards, isn't it?), but I think seeing these in-progress pictures might help nudge me into it.
For me, the hardest thing was starting with a blank slate and being told "BE CREATIVE!!" All I created was anxiety. It helped me to start with color, and work within that scope.
DeleteGorgeous! Beautiful colors and textures. A real weaver's delight.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Leigh! The texture is really nice.
DeleteI'm so impressed by this, Debbie! I'm not in a place where I would even begin to know how to "let go" and weave without "the rules." How nice that you've been able to do this, and the WIP photos show that it's paying off. Really a great project.
ReplyDeleteWell, some "rules" are good! Like, the warp still has to be beamed on the loom in an orderly fashion. I'm glad to have my traditional training to guide creativity.
ReplyDeleteDebbie, it's beautiful. Does it have a good drape? The colors are gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteYou are right it is so difficult to let go. That is exactly the reason I bought my Saori loom. I get to keep my rules and rigid structure with my 8 shaft Schacht and force myself to bend on the Saori. It's so difficult but I love trying.
Karen