I was part of a start-up trying to initiate a fiber arts group. I do fabric collage and was excited to meet people of like mind. What I found was most of the group were knitters and weavers. We had donations of spinning wheels and floor looms, and other assorted goodies. We became part of FallKill Creative Works in Poughkeepsie, NY. We opened a studio and I became a studio assistant (SA). I was really committed to bringing this community to life.
I decided I needed to learn spinning and weaving so I could be more helpful as a SA. I took a beginner spinning class. I thought I was doing great – I had a rhythm going and I was in a zen state, thinking I was loving this. Then I stopped to check my progress. There was no progress! The same knot/ tie on was in the same place as when I started. That’s how it went again and again. I only stopped when I broke my fiber. So I gave up on weaving. I will probably try again because I really like the rhythm, the zen and the connection with the past.
So then I tried weaving on a floor loom. To my horror there was math involved and calculations. Then warping, I was going cross eyed. I was already thinking uh uh, not doing this again. So I started with simple weaving and that was OK but not too creative. There was a book full of patterns, it was like learning a new language. I tried some but I had trouble keeping track of what I was up to, pedals and numbers, oh my. It got frustrating and not fun. But now I had the basics.
Like spinning, sitting at the loom looked and felt really cool. I pretty much decided I was done with weaving. We can’t like and be good at every craft but we can try it.
Then I saw a class on weaving techniques at a table loom. I liked the pix of the teachers’ work (Pauliana was her name. Sorry I don’t remember more).
This loom, 12x16, (Lost Pond Looms), a tabletop, was much easier to warp, no math. It was all free form.
Make it the size of the loom or anything smaller than that. I’m still not crazy about the start of a project but I love what I can do and experimenting. I’ve used ribbon, roving and trims not just yarns of all sizes and types. I now realize these techniques can transfer to floor looms.
I’m on my fourth weaving in 3 months. Now I look to the internet for new techniques. I’ve learned Rya knots, for fringe and loops, soumak and using roving as texture. I’m going to try using fabric next.
I tried a Christmas theme.
This is my third tabletop. Much more colorful than my usual . I bought the yarn at a local shop and then just used what I had around that complemented it.
I just took this one off the loom. I may or may not be done. I have to look at it a while before I decide. More my colors and texture. The solid pink is velvet and feels so good. I will probably start a series of narrower pieces. I will definitely continue weaving.