Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy holiday season!
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Merry Christmas!
For unto us a Child is born...
Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy holiday season!
Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy holiday season!
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Handwoven Gold Waterfall
Here's the first project on my new Saori loom, though I didn't weave it Saori-style. I've had this rayon/silk yarn for awhile - I got it from a Ravelry destash, and have been petting it for months, trying to decide how best to use it. I decided to use tencel as its weft, and wove a shawl as my Saori loom's first effort. I love how the finished shawl turned out - after hemstitching, twisting the fringe, giving it a gentle wash, and a good pressing, it has fantastic drape and shine.



The shawl/wrap is a generous 75" x 14", with 6" handtwisted fringe on each end. The rayon/silk was divine to weave. I think I need to get some more!
The shawl/wrap is a generous 75" x 14", with 6" handtwisted fringe on each end. The rayon/silk was divine to weave. I think I need to get some more!
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
All Hemmed Up and Ready To Go!
Monday, December 10, 2012
Fresh off the loom!
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Chouwa: my new loom!
Here's the latest addition to my loom family - just arrived today! She's a Saori loom, the 60 model (floor loom, , square frame, non-folding).

The wood is birch, and just lovely, with beautiful figuring. Tiny footprint, too - 24" deep by 26" wide, with a 23" weaving width. Only 2 harnesses - this loom comes in either 2 or 4 harness models, I opted for the 2. I wanted this loom for plainweave shawls and scarves and blankets, and didn't need more harnesses on it - I have the Macomber and the Baby Wolf for complex patterns.
Her name is "Chouwa" - it's Japanese (because she's from Japan) for "harmony, balance, tranquility". My spinning wheel has a similar name, from the Navajo - "Hozho"... the name of my blog, too. Spinning and weaving keep me grounded and centered - balanced.
The mechanics/ergonomics of the loom are wonderful. The brakes for both cloth and warp beams are hand-operated, it has an on-board bobbin winder, and the action of the loom is SO quiet.
I look forward to many years of making lovely peaceful loom music together!
The wood is birch, and just lovely, with beautiful figuring. Tiny footprint, too - 24" deep by 26" wide, with a 23" weaving width. Only 2 harnesses - this loom comes in either 2 or 4 harness models, I opted for the 2. I wanted this loom for plainweave shawls and scarves and blankets, and didn't need more harnesses on it - I have the Macomber and the Baby Wolf for complex patterns.
Her name is "Chouwa" - it's Japanese (because she's from Japan) for "harmony, balance, tranquility". My spinning wheel has a similar name, from the Navajo - "Hozho"... the name of my blog, too. Spinning and weaving keep me grounded and centered - balanced.
I look forward to many years of making lovely peaceful loom music together!
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
More Scarves - Picture Roundup
As you know, I'm not terribly fond of the photography side of weaving. I could skip it altogether if I didn't want to show them to you and to list them in my shop. Alas, it's a necessary evil. Maybe I could add "joy in photography" to my Christmas list!
Here's the Advancing Twill scarf I wove in an early November workshop. It's two colors of 8/2 bamboo, and I really like the feel/hand of the bamboo fabric. It's silky and soft with great shine, similar to tencel. This one is 64" x 9", with hemstitching and handtwisted 6" fringe on each end.
Next up is a pair of tencel scarves that I wove in October, woven on the same warp - variegated purple/blue/green tencel, with a navy tencel weft for one and a black tencel weft for the other. Both scarves are 64" x 9", with hemstitching and handtwisted 6" fringe on each end.
And finally, two chenille scarves that I wove for my sister-in-law. I'd hoped to see her at Thanksgiving, but she wasn't able to attend our family feast, so they're being mailed. I wove this in plainweave at 16 epi/ppi, and gave them the "tennis ball treatment" in the dryer after washing. They're buttery kitten soft.
I'm weaving on the rainbow dishtowels today - I've got 4 done (2 pink, 2 teal) and am working on #5. I'm hoping to have them all woven by Friday so I can start the hand-hemming. Fun!
Here's the Advancing Twill scarf I wove in an early November workshop. It's two colors of 8/2 bamboo, and I really like the feel/hand of the bamboo fabric. It's silky and soft with great shine, similar to tencel. This one is 64" x 9", with hemstitching and handtwisted 6" fringe on each end.
Next up is a pair of tencel scarves that I wove in October, woven on the same warp - variegated purple/blue/green tencel, with a navy tencel weft for one and a black tencel weft for the other. Both scarves are 64" x 9", with hemstitching and handtwisted 6" fringe on each end.
Black tencel weft |
Black tencel weft |
Navy tencel weft |
Navy tencel weft |
I'm weaving on the rainbow dishtowels today - I've got 4 done (2 pink, 2 teal) and am working on #5. I'm hoping to have them all woven by Friday so I can start the hand-hemming. Fun!