Advancing Twill Towels

The second set of advancing twill towels is ready to go - I have 18 hemmed, washed, pressed and stacked. Here are some samples:

They're all 100% cotton, machine wash and dry, and these ones will also last for ages!

Advancing Twill

Most of my weaving projects presented in blogs use a type of twill weave. Most people think of twill as a weave structure that produces straight diagonal lines. True. However, twill weaves have huge potential, as they are simply weaves with floats of two or more threads. The weft can pass over two or more weft threads, or the weft can pass over two or more warp ends. Add weft pick after weft pick of different float patterns, and the varieties are pretty well endless.

Alderman (2004) regards twill as the "simplest weave structure based on floats" and considers twill the basis for many other weave structures. I find twills very versatile in the variations they create, expanded even further with colour effects. As well, the need for only one shuttle to create such rich cloth is an added advantage.

Advancing twills take the twill concept a step further. The threading advances from 1234 1234 to 12345. Then the next group of threading is 2345 2345 23456. And so on to 81234, then repeat. The pattern is shown in the heddles:

Advancing twill is fun to work with and to weave. Here are some reasons why:

The next two photos are examples of "tromp as writ" which is weaver lexicon for treadling the weft in the same order as the threading of the warp. This produces diagonal squares with soft lines, as predicted by the threading order which is so obvious in the heddles above. I was excited to discover this.

I'm almost finished a second batch of towels in advancing twill and I look forward to other projects using this fascinating weave structure.

Memories Blankets in Greens and Yellows

Six new Memories Blankets are finished and ready to go. They are 100% cotton and they machine wash and dry well. Each blanket is about 150 cm (60") long and 112 cm (44") wide, which is a good size for a baby to grow into or a nice lap blanket. Price is $115. Here are some of them:

M033

M031

M029 and M030 | Available in Ottawa in September

Shetland Wool Blankets - Batch #6

Another batch of Shetland wool blankets is mostly finished and ready to go. A few are still in the fringing queue, but three are available. They are again 127 cm (50") wide and about 170-180 cm long. Some of these blankets are all natural colours, mostly soft browns, and some include bright but heathery colours that were fun to weave.

SH027 | 100% wool 

SH028 | 100% wool 

SH030 | 100% wool 

Art or Craft? ... Art and Craft

Weavers have been producing cloth for millennia, initially using linen and wool fibres. The history is fascinating. Looms have been in use for just as long, starting with very basic and primitive looms that simply stretched the warp threads and kept them under tension for the weft; such looms are still in use around the world. In recent centuries, many everyday items have been woven for essential use - from cloth for clothing to household items such as towels and blankets. Many traditional blanket patterns using more complex looms have been passed down through generations, establishing a legacy for weavers to reproduce.

That is why I've most often regarded my work as craft compared to art.  To me, art is starting from scratch to produce something unique, although based on extensive technical knowledge of the materials to be used - and often building on other artists' ideas.

However, weaving does include a lot of art. If the weaver is designing a series of blankets using a certain weave structure for an intended purpose, then there is a great deal of craft involved. But I find that more and more of my work involves careful design, such as balancing colours and dark/light sequences in both the warp and the weft. This is all further to the basic properties of the fibres and how the finished cloth should feel and work. Lately, I've followed some interesting design themes that I've developed, tested and reworked.

So, I've let go of the classification of whether I'm a craftperson or an artist.  I think I'm both.

New Shetland Wool Blankets

These blankets are finished and ready to go. They are all 100% wool and 127 cm (50") wide. Lengths vary but most are approximately 180 cm (71") except for the last blanket which came out at 140 cm (55"). Please let me know if you're interested in any of these.

SH021 | 100% wool | Sold

SH023 | 100% wool | Sold

SH024 | 100% wool | Sold

SH025 | 100% wool | 140 cm long | Sold

First Artwalk

I've always enjoyed Artwalk in Williams Lake every August, but this Artwalk is particularly special for me because this year I'm one of the artists. I just set up my blanket rack in the city hall foyer and have three wool blankets and one cotton one displayed.

The ongoing support by the City of Williams Lake for local arts and culture is evident in their hosting of an artist, and I also appreciated the input of Wendy and Shelley this morning to help me set up.

Now I look forward to walking the Artwalk to see the works by the other 53 artists!