The weaving continues, con brio.
We’ve made an addition to our pride of looms. It’s big, it’s beautiful, it came from a good friend who’s an excellent weaver—great karma! It’s not the loom’s fault that I feel a little intimidated . . .
Since I’ve indulged my ego in my most recent show-and-tell, I’ve woven quite a lot.
A bunch of cotton towels like this, with varying bands of varying colors. Many of them have already been given away.
A set of these towels, heavy on linen, to practice some of the skills I learned at weaving school. You can see one of the handwoven hanging tabs that make me go “squeeee!”
A blanket and coordinating pillow for a baby girl who was so excited to see the gifts that she came 5 weeks early!
And this set of Monk’s belt towels and a runner—you got a glimpse of these when I cut them off them loom.
My husband, Don, has been weaving, too. He made this pretty runner and has two more huge and gorgeous runners waiting to be hemmed and wet finished.
He wove part of the baby blanket, too, since it was a gift from us both. He has been spending a lot of time on a big, non-weaving project that I’ll show you soon!
So many projects, so many plans . . .
Did you have a productive summer, doing your favorite things? Have you done your show-and-tell? If so, leave a link in your comment!
Love Those "Hands at Home" 
Wow, that loom does look intimidating. At first glance, it reminds me of a big church organ. Did you start weaving with a small tabletop loom? Your projects are so gorgeous!
Thanks, Laura! I did start on a 4-shaft table-top loom (not rigid heddle, that’s different) but, whether the loom fits on a table or takes up a room, the principles are the same. I just need to sit down and make friends with this new one!
That loom is quite something. Does it have a chapel of its own? It looks as if it needs something that spacious 😉
A chapel makes sense–weaving is my religion?? It takes up a LOT of space and is heavy. But it’s going to let me make amazing things!
Your weavings are so beautiful. The new loom is for sure something to feel intimidated by, but once you become friends I know you will make more magic!
Thanks, Cathe. I need to remind myself that all looms work on the same basic principles–this one just has more design possibilities. I’ll get friendly with it soon!
wow – scary loom! But wonderful towels, blanket and pillow, table runners. You two do great work. 🙂
Thank you! I’m pretty pleased with the work we do, after just about two years of weaving!
The photos of your output almost (but not quite) make me want to weave again. Is that a Schacht loom?
You’ve found your home, with your quilting. The loom is a Leclerc Nilus II, 45 inches of weaving width, 12 shafts. Eek.
The thought of warping your loom makes me shudder.
Is it a Macomber? You didn’t say, for the benefit of us weaving geeks! Looks like my baby.
Do you wet finish after hemming? I was thinking I would cut the towel warp off the loom, serge each end and wet finish. And then hem. I would think they would shrink so much after wet fnishing…..
It’s a Leclerc Nilus II, 45 inch weaving width, 12 shafts. I wet finish first, then hem. I don’t have a serger so I bought fusible thread and put in 4 picks of that on both ends and then fuse it after I cut the cloth off, so I can cut the towels apart before wet finishing. The fusible thread usually holds . . .
Wow dear Kerry – show away! These are all so beautiful and if I were you I’d be running about the streets with my towels and various other woven bits draped over my arm and about my body to ensure all and sundry knew what beauties were coming off MY loom 🙂 You two are naturals! I can see why the new loom would be a tad intimidating it looks like it knows how to do everything and then make a nice cup of tea at the end ………. The monks belt towels really appeal to me – that is a sure fire winner for your shop!! I’ve been showing and telling over on my blog too – It’s good to be getting back in the groove!!
I love that image of running the streets, draped in handwoven! That would give the neighbors something to talk about! I like the Monk’s belt towels, too–I really like the bold blocks of color that are possible with that type of weaving (did you ever think you’d hear me talking about bold color?!?)
No I did not – and shall I tell you how happy that makes me 😀
Oh my !! your weaving is AMAZING I’m totally in awe
Thank so much! We’re having all kinds of fun!
Beautiful “new” loom! Congratulations, but like some others, I’d like to know what it is. It looks a lot like my LeClerc.
You win! It’s a Leclerc Nilus II–45 inch weaving width and 12 shafts, which is 8 more than I’m used to!
So, how many looms do you have now? Just curious 🙂
Love that baby blanket and pillow. Great colors.
By the way, congrats to Penn State yesterday!
We have four in all–two 4-shaft looms, one 8-shaft, one 12-shaft. The number of shafts increases the design possibilities. The baby blanket colors were the request of the new parents–unusual choices but I love the way they worked! And YES, yes, yes, to Penn State and VaTech! Good luck with Tennessee–it’s clear they can be beaten . . .
I refinished two chairs: one for my daughter, the new teacher and a second bentwood chair that I painted and put on a new seat cover. Fun! https://joycepoggihager.com/2016/08/08/teachers-chair/
I saw the post about the chair for the new teacher–great!
Boy, if you can weave those beauties on a loom that you are intimidated by, I would love to see what you can do when you are not intimidated!! They are all fantastic and you have been so prolific as well. Keep the Show and Tell coming!
This link is not quite a Show and Tell, but I have been loving doing these samplers.
https://annelawson.wordpress.com/2016/08/25/samplers/
Thanks, Anne! To clarify, I wove the things I showed on a four-shaft loom–this new one will give me even more possibilities! I’ve enjoyed watching you experiment with your samplers–it looks very liberating!
You have been soooo busy! I have been trying to decide which I like the best and I can’t…I like them all! The new loom is enormous!
Thanks, Clare! The new loom is a behemoth but, believe it or not, there are looms that are much bigger! Another commenter, a very experienced weaver, says I’m going to get big leg muscles weaving on this one!
The weaving work-out!
Ah, my summer projects are at the garden and the garden and…getting out in the sun and if I’m lucky doing some canning for the winter. This year? Ha! Still, I’ve had some nice kayaking today and an opportunity to admire your weaving, which is really at the “Wow!” level. I love the towel tab for the hook especially.
I get such a kick out of those towel tabs! Silly, but true. I’m glad to hear you got to go kayaking–I always mean to but never take the time and pretty soon the kayaks will be stored for the winter . . .
Weave on my friend! For I am so enjoying all the projects, and looking forward to many more projects . 🙂 beautiful loom
I better make many more–I’ve spent a lot of money on this hobby! Thanks for your encouragement, Deb!
Those are very impressive pieces. Please don’t look my was as I’ve just turned a bright shade of green. Weaving your own cloth is something to be VERY proud of and you are doing it so beautifully. I’ve been working on several projects one of which finally made it to a post. I have more that I haven’t had time to post on yet.
Your big project returned out great–I was so impressed! And thanks for your comments–taking string and turning it into pretty fabric really does seem like magic!
There is a little bit of magic in it all, isn’t there? Thank you. I’m glad you liked it. It scared the heck out of me but it was better than continuing to look at the worn wood.
This is wonderful, Kerry! How long does it take to do a towel? You guys are whipping stuff out at Mach speed!
It’s so hard to say how long one towel takes. I usually put a long enough warp on the loom to do 5 towels so there’s all the time involved in measuring the warp and “dressing” the loom–this actually can take longer than the time when I’m actually throwing the shuttle. Once I sit down to start the weaving, I might do a towel in two days, but I never weave all day, usually a couple hours at a time. It’s hard to say, really . . .
You’ve gotten a lot done – beautiful work and very show-and- tell-worthy. I especially love the blue towels and the pattern of Don’s runner.
I sewed some gingham pants and shorts, culottes, tees, and finished some embroidery. I never did get to that shirtdress I was planning to make.
It’s funny–Don did his runner from a pattern in a magazine and followed the directions carefully. And the pattern is entirely different from the one shown in the mag! Luckily, it’s still really pretty! You’ve done a lot of clothes sewing, I know–the shirtdress can still happen!
I am squeeing at everything, but I have an extra squee for the linen towels. Have you woven a label yet which says Made by Kerry? Our clothes for boarding school always had woven labels but I think the names were actually machine embroidered onto woven tape.
I don’t know of any way to make a woven label with writing, although there’s a complicated kind of weaving, called name drafting, that involves building a kind of word code into the pattern! I like my linen towels, too–I hadn’t worked with linen until I went to weaving school, because everyone talks about how persnickety it is!
Persnickety, lol! Linen towels have standards! Name drafting sounds like what Madame Defarge was upto with her knitting.
I think creepy Madame Defarge is probably the reason I’ve never warmed up to knitting . . .
Ha! 😀
I love those blue and white towels with the hanging tabs! And I am amazed that you had room for another loom.
As for me, I’ve been working at keeping the bittersweet at bay. It hasn’t engulfed the house yet so that’s a good thing.
I, too, am amazed that we found room for this loom. It wasn’t easy. If we get one more, a couch or a bed will need to go . . . . I’m glad to hear you’ve won the bittersweet battle, if not the war . . .
Beautiful towels! I’m *finally* weaving off the towel warp I put on in the spring. As soon as I get into it I wonder why I kept putting it off. Is that a 12 harness?
Thanks, Jennifer! I sometimes get really sick of a towel warp by the time I’m done with it. Yes, it’s a 12-harness, 45 inch, Leclerc Nilus II. Plenty of loom for me!
You work is so beautiful! Had I not found quilting many years ago, I’m sure I would’ve been a weaver. Keep showing and telling!
Thanks, Pam! I was a very involved quilter for years, too, and said I would never take up weaving . . . famous last words!
beautiful weaving, love the blues. Can almost see the LeClerc trade mark on the side of the new loom, those 12 harnesses are going to give you great leg muscles!
Thanks, Jean–if I didn’t force myself to try other things, everything would be blue! Yes, it’s a good, old Canadian Leclerc and my leg muscles could probably use a bit more exercise!
Wow Kerry! They’re all lovely! Lucky are the people who received them!
You are a very talented lady!! 🙂
I feel like I spent the entire summer reading in a coffee shop!! Winter is my most productive time 🙂
Reading in a coffee shop sounds so appealing! Thanks for the kind words about the weaving!
That is a beautiful loom. I had a tiny plastic loom as a child but never really learned how to weave.
I think so many of us had those small looms! I had been intrigued by weaving for a long time but felt I had too many hobbies already. Then I took one class . . . and was smitten!
I cannot weave but I love looms, they are so intricate and I love its sounds! Your work is so incredibly beautiful…and indeed next time keep those presents hidden for babies to come! No wonder it arrived right away!! Lets not talk about my summer…I just look forward to fall. we had a couple of cool days and I knitted a hat in 2 days. xo Johanna
I like the sound of the looms, too–noisy but a nice rhythm and it’s easy to tell work is being accomplished! That baby arrived even before her baby shower was held! And you know I agree about fall–we are feeling it quite definitely here and I am SO happy.
Now this is impressive – both of you are weaving. Wow. The couple that weaves together stays together. 🙂 This looks like an amazing piece of equipment so I have to ask do you have a dedicated work/studio area? Your finished project are quite lovely and I can only imagine how happy you made the recipients of the gifts. 🙂
The fact that Don and I both weave is lots of fun–we can help each other through all the mishaps we face! We have four looms–two are in a spare bedroom, one is sort of portable, and this new one is in a room that I used to use as a jewelry making studio (yet another hobby). I didn’t quite realize how big it was going to be . . .
Do you sell your items on your Easy shop?
Oh, jeez, not yet, although that’s the plan. I have been procrastinating all summer over setting up a new Etsy shop . . .
Beautiful! and anything which can be done ‘con brio’ is definitely to be encouraged!! 🙂
I try to live as much of my life “con brio” as I can! You do, too, I think!
Indeed I do! It’s a wonderful philosophy – thanks for highlighting it 🙂
Everything here is awesome. The colours are just amazing. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Liz–one of the best parts about weaving is playing with colors.
I’m so proud to know you! You and your husband are the only weavers I know. I’m always so impressed by your work, Kerry. “Con brio” indeed. Brava!
Ha–that’s a lot of pressure, representing the whole world of weavers! If you knew more weavers you’d know how basic our work is–but isn’t that cool about weaving? You don’t have to be very experienced in order to make completely credible work!
One of the good things in life, enjoy every minute of it.
Oh, I do! I just wish I never had to stop to clean the house or do other chores!