This is the first month of the Traveling Empty Bowls Fundraiser! Second Year I have worked with Second Harvest Food Bank on this project, taking bisque ware bowls and underglazes out to groups in the counties served by the Food Bank through their local food pantries.
So far we have worked in Forsyth (most of those are not mine this year.. but met some folks at the Y I hope to schedule with!), Rockingham County at Beulah Baptist Church (really nice, fun and enthusiastic community supporters!), North Stokes High School with art students with wonderful designs and on to Rockingham Middle School today, out to Yadkin County and more. This is a great social project and we hope to represent all the counties that the NW NC Food Bank serves.
As I get to meet folks I share everything I know.. (almost!) as I get to work with so many different organizations that have opportunities. At Beulah Baptist Church I get to share the Penland Scholarship for Rockingham County residents, at North Stokes High I get to share my
LOVE of inkle looms!
One of my favorite weaving looms, an Inkle loom is a very old type of loom that weaves warp-faced bands. There are a gazillion publications on how to build one and how to weave but with lapses in threading I need a refresher. So here is one for all of us! As I was searching for a good image I found two of the looms showing how the heddles (circular knotted threads of a very firm non-fibrulating yarn) that wrap around alternating warp threads. These heddles are held stationary by wrapping around one of the specific pegs on the inkle loom.
By alternating warp threads, many colors and patterns are created. and there is always the opportunity for "pick-up" threads to float and make more designs, add beads if you are the beady type-- lots of options for variations. Smoother yarns work best as this weave is warp-predominate- i.e. the warp threads are the ones to show the most. The weft is visible on the sides and can be a fun accent as it travels up the band. As always, the archives of Mary M. Atwater give us great direction.
Hope you get a chance to weave on an inkle! If you are inspired, message me! I love this as a workshop! it is simple, fun and a great project for bands, sashes, trim and --- just throwing it out there, you can replace those heddles with cards to create card woven bands using the inkle as the tensioner.. helping to keep the tangles of a long strand under control.
Regrettably my images are not loading.. will try again later. (sorry!)
So far we have worked in Forsyth (most of those are not mine this year.. but met some folks at the Y I hope to schedule with!), Rockingham County at Beulah Baptist Church (really nice, fun and enthusiastic community supporters!), North Stokes High School with art students with wonderful designs and on to Rockingham Middle School today, out to Yadkin County and more. This is a great social project and we hope to represent all the counties that the NW NC Food Bank serves.
As I get to meet folks I share everything I know.. (almost!) as I get to work with so many different organizations that have opportunities. At Beulah Baptist Church I get to share the Penland Scholarship for Rockingham County residents, at North Stokes High I get to share my
LOVE of inkle looms!
One of my favorite weaving looms, an Inkle loom is a very old type of loom that weaves warp-faced bands. There are a gazillion publications on how to build one and how to weave but with lapses in threading I need a refresher. So here is one for all of us! As I was searching for a good image I found two of the looms showing how the heddles (circular knotted threads of a very firm non-fibrulating yarn) that wrap around alternating warp threads. These heddles are held stationary by wrapping around one of the specific pegs on the inkle loom.
By alternating warp threads, many colors and patterns are created. and there is always the opportunity for "pick-up" threads to float and make more designs, add beads if you are the beady type-- lots of options for variations. Smoother yarns work best as this weave is warp-predominate- i.e. the warp threads are the ones to show the most. The weft is visible on the sides and can be a fun accent as it travels up the band. As always, the archives of Mary M. Atwater give us great direction.
Hope you get a chance to weave on an inkle! If you are inspired, message me! I love this as a workshop! it is simple, fun and a great project for bands, sashes, trim and --- just throwing it out there, you can replace those heddles with cards to create card woven bands using the inkle as the tensioner.. helping to keep the tangles of a long strand under control.
Regrettably my images are not loading.. will try again later. (sorry!)
