I had a great chat this afternoon at the Arts Council with Debbie Moore, Director of the Fine Art Festival Association that included a lot of sidepaths. We also acknowledged that it is not unusual for artists to have these kinds of conversations, several levels, a variety of topics that carry on a thread to the next story then coming around to the subject you initially began to discuss.
So when I share that I am working on two warps that address a lot of ways to add color to the fabric as it is woven, that idea will resonate much clearer with the less-myopic folks. Not to judge... I truly admire the person that can accomplish one entire task from the beginning to the end without any distraction. I may never know that actual way of working... so I have two warps I am working with for a while.
One warp, a bright turquoise, not too long, about 14 yards, has a varied setting of yarn weights. It is on, ready to start becoming the string of five wraps with about five different wefts of varied thicknesses, a bright silk single-ply slub the first adventure. It gets all my attention during drying time for the second warp.
I love ikat, space warps, ties, clamps and all sorts of warp dyeing techniques. the one that is easiest to control the patterning for me is a painted warp. Often I use diluted textile pigments, this time I've mordanted the warp and am painting with Procion MX series dyes (there are lots of recipes online and through the dye companies so I won't waste space here.. it is time well-spent to check them out!). So I decided on color fields for this one. I wound on the warp carefully without much combing or shaking (used a nice mercerized, some tencel and a bit of rayon so it is a pretty slick warp) and pulled off about a yard to paint on a large piece of foam core. As soon as it is dry I'll start to weave it with the two-block pattern I have threaded on this loom.
Pulling out short distances of warp and painting them on the board, letting the threads air dry, winding them back on the back beam and weaving the threaded warp lets the weaver create color fields and pictures without the disruption of threads stretching, twisting and getting out of place. Weaving starts in a couple of days... I'm excited!
So when I share that I am working on two warps that address a lot of ways to add color to the fabric as it is woven, that idea will resonate much clearer with the less-myopic folks. Not to judge... I truly admire the person that can accomplish one entire task from the beginning to the end without any distraction. I may never know that actual way of working... so I have two warps I am working with for a while.
One warp, a bright turquoise, not too long, about 14 yards, has a varied setting of yarn weights. It is on, ready to start becoming the string of five wraps with about five different wefts of varied thicknesses, a bright silk single-ply slub the first adventure. It gets all my attention during drying time for the second warp.
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| initial color field sketch |
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| color pencils help with color selection |
Pulling out short distances of warp and painting them on the board, letting the threads air dry, winding them back on the back beam and weaving the threaded warp lets the weaver create color fields and pictures without the disruption of threads stretching, twisting and getting out of place. Weaving starts in a couple of days... I'm excited! 
