more spool me

As ususal, I marvel at the cultural differences possible in the smallest details. Yesterday, I looked at all spool-pictures inspired by Meg, and I read about making spools out of paper: rolled round pens, taped, made just to take care of "qrumbs" (quill-thrums? sorry – I must be bored...)

As usual, what we all learned from the beginning tends to be the "correct" way – so let me present: the correct way to make weft-packages ;-)

First, take a paper (this is a test print for hang tags for cushions, with some obsolete notes. Almost any paper works, except flimsy newsprint - unless desperate, then take 2 pages of flimsy newsprint). Fold it three times, for an 8-fold thickness.

Cut out an oval (well, 8 ovals). Remember to use the scissors for paper!

Now I am done. Easy, yes?

To use a new quill: the first time, lick on a “corner” before taking it to the winder. The moisture helps to get it snug on the shaft.

When the paper is almost wound on, add the yarn.

and wind on:

When the quill is empty, it looks like this

and can be re-wound, or put in the box for next time it is needed. (It may need licking a few times more)
Warning: do not inset the yarn until at least half of the paper is on the shaft, or it can come out and wind on the spindle, which is bad for weaving...

And, now that I have the pictures – here is my quill box

(Unfortunately, I dropped a shuttle and cracked the glass, but it still holds out most of the dust)

April spools day

Meg, over at Unravelling, suggested we celebrate "the humble spool".

Forgetting to take a picture at the studio yesterday, I was saved by today's flea-market find:

Nice and smooth, it has the exit hole lined with bone, which shows it has been used a lot.

The spool was a bonus :-) It holds a doubled fine cotton, 24/2 at a guess.

The spool itself is of ordinary brown paper, not cut to the "prescribed" oval.

Otherwise, my spool box looks like Cally's, except 95% of the spools are paper. Using paper you never run out of spools, or even need to empty them... and, like Meg, I have some that may be 10 years or older (the paper, I mean! - well, maybe one or two hold yarn that old too...)

*Now* I know!

While surfing today, I came across this:

Just imagine... so that is why mine didn’t fly???

(Found in the Warp-and-weft publication, nov '54. Difficult link, but here it is: http://www.cs.arizona.edu/patterns/weaving/warpweft.html (scroll down, waaaay down). I do know handweaving.net is supposed to be a mirror of the Arizona site, but I could not find this item by just searching...

Traditional warp tensioning systems

There has been a discussion on WeaveTech about warp advancing systems for Swedish looms, and now I have some pictures from "then" to "now".

When I learnt to weave, I went to a school with only "modern" looms – mostly Glimåkra, but also some Öxabäck. All had the now most ususal ratchet-and-pawl system for both warp and cloth beams. Several showed signs of the cord arrangement for releasing the warp beam, but the cords were all gone – "they never functioned well, anyway", said our teachers.

Grenander-Nyberg shows some old "pre-ratchet" arrangements, in the book Så vävde de (ISBN 91-36-00596-7):

When I bought my first loom, it had another system: it had a "crennelated crown" on the warp beam, and a long handle that was maneuvred from the weaving position. (I have long replaced that warp beam, so the picture is taken in the attic – beam only)

The handle, at the weaver’s end, rested in a, well, hook, I suppose:

(If you look closely, you can see the "loom-foot Stadig" under the loom. I love them!!!)

At the cloth beam, there is a ratchet, made from an old saw blade:

The system worked well, once I had adjusted to the fact that the shortest warp-advance was on the long-ish side. (Maybe it would have been better to have several hooks, as on the diagram above?)

Later, I wanted a double warp beam, and ordered "the whole caboodle" from Öxabäck. That included the back uprights, two warp beams and two back beams.

The old warp beam was mounted with an odd arrangement – it was sort-of hung up with two removable brackets on the back of the loom. Here is the inside of the frame:

The bench that came with the loom was ok – but one day I found this:

The seat is triangular, slightly concave and padded. The height is adjustable. And the best: it rocks!!! I can lean over a bit, and it leans with me. Unfortunately, it can’t be used with the AVL, as the foot rest is too low (or the stool has to sit too far back).

More lattice scarves

Still the simplest of patterns, but now woven on a "real" loom (meaning the old CM ;-), and therefore threaded on 6 shafts, to get the shuttles to always come out on the correct side. I also changed the tieup to have a better "bottom" of the shed, for easier shuttling for wider warps. Tieup for sinking shed:

Even though I use the same yarn as always, I haven’t got the wet finishing "perfect" (meaning it fulls/felts a little different for each machine load). Maybe I should invest in a few more mesh bags?

Anyway: finished and properly pressed:

I meant to leave them in the Lammhult gallery, but they looked too much like "trellis on trellis", so they will be in my home shop/studio instead.

Instant display... "thingie"

As I was invited to participate in a kind of co-op gallery that was to open yesterday (on the "designers saturday"...) – and as the gallery had next to nothing for displaying wares – and as the time was short – I had to invent something, and fast...

I went to my trusty near-by hardware store: "Emma, please – I have to invent something... NOW!" We found some plastic trellis. It was a) plastic (means there is no fear of splinters), b) collapsible (would easily go in the car) and c) available immediately!!!

I bought 3, took them home and tested. Seemed they would work.

Now they are in the gallery, forming a fairly stable triangular "cage":

I’m going to think more on this idea. White plastic is, well, white plastic – but, choosing a wooden thing would mean not only painting, but also lots of sanding

Designers’ Saturday

used to be a fairly ambitious event. This year it was less so.

Or... perhaps the whole "in" crowd has moved to facebook?

Myself, I must be getting old... :

Now, this I could use:

Finally, a free-standing bookshelf!

Back home – the first water spout of today: