Learning to Weave and my New Spindles...

I was so excited to realize I was going to be in Colorado in time to take Jane Patrick's Rigid Heddle Weaving Workshop, May 16th at Shuttles. 


Jane is Schacht Looms and she had us weaving on the Flip in no time. We picked out yarn, "direct" warped the loom, wove the scarf using "Tabby" or "Plain Weave" and then removed it from the loom. I was shocked to realize just how little yarn it took - this is what's left:

For the scarf project I picked Sport Wt Brown Sheep Naturespun in a Spring Green for the warp. The weft was an unknown mill end White Chenille. We wove a plain weave and left some spaces in between sets of warps and wefts. 

I was surprised at just how fast the project got done! We finished it in class. Although we used the 15" Looms in class, taking Jane's one day workshop really helped me figure out which size loom to buy. Shuttles was out of the 20"Wide size that I had decided on, as it's the most popular. Being only about $20 more than the 15". The 25" looked really wide to me and it was much heavier. It would be hefty to carry around, and so an order was placed for the 20".

Got my Schacht Flip 20" Rigid Heddle 8 Dent Loom Tuesday! Took it out of the box and it's still waiting for me to put on the apron rods. 

This is what the scarf project looked like just off the loom:

Really cool...then we were to full it in the machine. Instead I felted it, ouch! I left it in too long and it came out significantly smaller and tighter than it was supposed to. After panicking I stretched it out widthwise as much as i could. I was relieved that it did stretch. I was happy to see that, no matter the compression, it had maintained some of the intended and original character of the scarf. 

I'm okay with it as a narrow scarf - although I'd have made it longer if I'd known it was going to be this narrow. Still, it's useable. Also the fringes really needed twisting or braiding before felting as they turned out a bit clumpy. Live and learn...here it is after fulling (felting):

(The picture's are a bit fuzzy.)


I've been a busy bee since my last post. Not only did I embark on my new hobby but I received another Navajo Spindle in the mail in CO. This one in Red Oak from a Tennesee Woodworker, John Plutcheck, who makes spindles for one of my Florida LYS's, Uncommon Threads. It was mailed to me in Colorado. This one is very sturdy and has a shorter spindle than my Roosterrick. It's well made but far less delicate and elegant than the Roosterrick. It's also undecorated and did not come with a support bowl and hence, was less money than the Roosterrick. Still it spins quite well and is okay to use sitting in lower couches and chairs:

Here is the underside of the whorl:

Here is the bottom tip in the Cello Stop that I've been using, very successfully - this spindle also spins fast in it:

John accidentally included a small, approximately 5" Diameter Plate of Burled Maple. I sat wondering what to do with it after he told me not to bother returning this pretty little thing...flipping it over I saw a lip on the underside and had another light bulb moment! Lo and behold the NS spins in that also...and even faster than in the Cello Stop, although the lip needs to be a bit bigger as the tip will jump out sometimes:

Here is a closer picture of the Red Oak NS with the lovely sparkly 2.5oz art batt I'm currently spinning with. Of Superwash Merino and Sparkle, color Ocean Sky, by Etsy Shop How to Use Art:

AND...I got a very nice buy on Ravelry of a used, basic model, Little Meggie kick spindle, which, apparently, can also be used on a table and be made to spin by hand. They are very hard to find right now and this one is in super condition. I simply haven't had a chance to try it out yet:

This video shows how it is normally used. This is the same technique as used on a Little Meggie but it's demoed on a Mother Marion (scroll down to see it) instead.

Lots to learn....