Hemp by Hand Workshop Opportunity

 

Echo and Jin Revisited

Shelley N. took the "Zoom" Echo and Jin workshop with Denise Kovnat last year and has found a great way make her sample a usable piece.  Here is what she says about her process.

 "I took my sampler that had varying sized spaces between colors and Echo or Jin efforts and threaded a nubby viscose thread in this spaces and the hemmed and tied on fringe for a table runner! Finally a use for a sampler!"

 

Huck Lace Workshop with Rosalie Neilson Part II

Because there are many projects yet to be posted, Part II seemed to be a good idea.  Don't forget to scroll down to  Part I to see all of the huck lace weavings from the workshop.

Virginia's Towels - woven on a four shaft loom

 

 

 

None of these have been washed or hemmed.  I had fun playing with other colors, and for the last one I alternated sections of plain weave with the huck - just to see how it looked - and because plain weave is faster to weave.
Virginia G.

Suzanne's towels - woven on an 8 shaft loom

 

I really enjoyed learning Rosalie’s system - use of her grids and transparent overlay for designing blocks of huck lace.  It was also interesting, and sometimes disappointing to see that not all designs wove up as nicely as they looked on the graph paper!  I’ll definitely get back to weaving more block huck lace designs after I experiment with Turned Twill designs using Rosalie’s Exaltation of Blocks grids and overlays Suzanne W.

Diane's Towels - woven on 24 shafts in Natural Colored Cottons

Loved the weaving and designing.  Thanks again, Rosalie, for a fun workshop.                  Diane S.

Huck Lace Workshop with Rosalie Neilson

Reno Fiber Guild has not been meeting in person because of the Covid virus for a year now, but we haven't been away from our looms during that time.  A week ago we started a virtual class about Huck Lace with Rosalie Neilson via Zoom.  Because we can all use our home looms, this has been an adventure in which we chose our own yarns for the projects and designed them ourselves with the help of Rosalie.  What follows are projects woven on 4, 8, 24 and 32 shafts.  Each different with the special touches that come from the individual weavers.

 From Anni's loom

After weaving two towels with sections in ten different colors and a different pattern in each row, I decided to try weaving the patterns with the same color as the stripe in the warp.  I also took an idea from Suzanne and did the separating stripes in the two other colors.  I rather like this one.  I think it's my favorite.

I also did a set woven completely with a natural off-white color and designs that were only comprised of weft floats.  It kind of looks like there is a warp float were the floats hold the threads in, but there isn't.  The reverse shows all warp floats.  -  Anni B.

Shelley's Projects

Shelley used a slightly different red for weft to create contrast in the red block on this towel.

These are the designs for Shelley's towels, using the overlays from Rosalie's book.

 "I learned so much.  I now have a much better understanding of blocks, and how to design - so cool!  I may be tying on to this warp and trying two 4 shaft designs on the same row!.  Big jump for me!  Thanks Rosalie and Suzanne for organizing!"     Shelly N.  

Cathie C.'s Napkins  woven on 32 shafts

 There can be a bit of a disconnect between the drawdown image and the way the actual fabric looks. I think I have a better handle on that now with huck after designing so many blocks.    Cathie

 Beryl's Table Runner woven on 36 shafts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I quite enjoyed this class and learned a lot about designing huck.  Rosalie was there for all of us, making sure that we understood her directions and giving assistance when needed.    I designed a whole lot of blocks and was fortunate that I could use my multishaft loom to weave my projects.  Love Zoom workshops! - Beryl M.

Susan M's Towels 

 4 towels of cottolin.  When I was warping back to front, I found 100 threads short by one yard. I tied on these 100 threads so I would not waste so much warp. It worked!! Enough for 4 huck towels and not much shrinkage with cottolin.  Now will add on a  towel kit I found of natural dyed cotton  and use Huck instead
Susan M.

Nancy B. Towels

I really enjoyed Rosalie’s workshop.  Besides feeling like I was finally beginning to grasp the concept of weaving with blocks, I also gained some great general weaving tips.  I will look forward to the next workshop!! Nancy B.

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 Darla's huck project

 This Zoom workshop was great for me. The second day of the workshop a multitude of conflicts appeared suddenly on my schedule, but I knew I would have access to the recorded videos so I was able to alleviate a lot of stress.

My warp was inspired by images of 18th century Indian calico or chintz. I used my bright red and greens, but softened it with a pale buttery yellow and sky blue.

All in all, I’m enjoying this weaving project--despite the puppy literally running away with my warp while winding on, pull-in (solved with a temple), and unattractive scalloped edges (also solved with a temple)  Darla G.

Echo and Jin Workshop Part II

Here are more photos to share from the Echo and Jin workshop with Denise Kovnat.  Instead of adding them on to the previous post, I'm making room for them and any others to follow in a new post.  Enjoy!

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Would like to say this was a great workshop for both structure and color.  Denise did a great job presenting it on Zoom—so much so that I’m ready to do another!   Diane S.

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 Samples from Suzanne W.

 I’m Dharma 16 shaft.  The first one is my sampler washed and ironed for a complete view of the difference patterns woven with various wefts.

 

This Dharma Echo as a Double Weave, resleyed at 48 epi using two wefts.   I used turquoise and a rusty copper 10/2 yarn which were 2 of the colors in the 4-colored warp. 

 

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Everything I thought I knew about weaving with colours, went right out the window with this structure.  This is different.  I tried several colour combinations before I found the right one.  Once you found the right colour, it is absolutely beautiful.  The class was excellent.  Denise did an excellent job. Eileen L.

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After the workshop, I finished hemming and washing this towel from my second set of samples of Dharma 16S 4 Color.   So many of the changes due to both weft colors and treadling we tried were not always what one would expect so it'll be fun to have this available to view as future inspiration, and to show off, in my kitchen.

Great workshop.  Besides learning how Echo works, this workshop is inspiring me to delve deeper into network drafting and tie-up changes.  So much more to explore!  Next on this warp, some place mats, each different but coordinated.

Many thanks to Denise and all involved in providing this workshop,
Barbara C.

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 16 shafts. Next project is Dharma for over the fireplace and if there’s warp left perhaps some clothing fabric in one of my own Jin patterns.  Anni B.

 

 

"Echo and Jin": A Zoom workshop with Denise Kovnat

 In March, COVID closed the door. Not just for Reno Fiber Guild, but for most guilds in this country.  The unthinkable became a reality.  We would no longer be able to meet in person.  We couldn’t hold our monthly meetings with guest speakers.  Our pending workshops had to be cancelled. Our regional conference and Convergence were both cancelled.  But, we are a resilient group and soon Zoom meetings started popping up and discussions about virtual workshops gave us hope that we could continue meeting, sharing and learning in new ways.

In late July and early August, Denise Kovnat held a “virtual” workshop for our guild.  Several other guilds had members who also wanted to join in and so two separate sessions were held over a period of a few weeks.  This coming together with members of other guilds is something that usually only happens at conferences, so we were excited to be meeting old and new friends online.

What follows is the remarkable collection of samples woven using the technique of “echo” threadings and treadlings and also jin (aka turned taqueté) in our workshop with Denise.  In many ways, this was a challenging workshop. Participants chose patterns based on the loom they wanted to use and patterns ranged between 4 and 16 shafts.  Some chose a four color warp and some a two color warp.  The threadings were difficult and without a dobby loom, treadling sequences hundreds of picks long were hard to follow. But, the woven results are fantastic and I think the comments that accompany the samples will give you a good idea about the success of this workshop.

 Here is our show and tell.  Each participant took their own photo. ___________________________________________________________________________________

I had a great time! Learned a lot, have so many resources from the class to continue my learning! This is the Fun House, two color (purple and gold-Lunatic Fringe 10/2); 8 shaft, 2nd treadling with a dusty red (Lily 20/2) weft. I am weaving this as a scarf, hoping I have enough weft! I do have some other red that is very, very close so I think I will be fine. Excited to try the Double weave in Echo.
So glad I did this class!
Shelley N.

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 I absolutely loved this workshop.  I have been reading Denise's blog for some time now and was thrilled to discover I could take a class from her.  Due to the pandemic and the stay at home order, I am very grateful for the opportunity to partake in distance learning via Zoom.  Thanks to
the Reno folks who made this possible!  Sue V.

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This was my sample of 6 patterns(2 colors on each) of 4 shaft blooming leaf.  I have enough warp left for 2 scarves Still deciding on color for weft.  Thanks Denise.   Sue M. 

 

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This is Fish Tank Double Weave.  I sent front and back pictures.  It had large pockets and with one of the wefts cotton 20/2 and the other Jaggerspun Superfine Merino I got some lovely texture!  It was a fabulous workshop!
Mollie F.

 

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Eight shaft samples from Kathy R. after wet finishing.

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 I had a terrific time weaving these samples and trying out all sorts of different color wefts.  Being able to weave at home, made it possible for me to weave with 16 shaft patterns.  I learned lots and have lots more ideas for the future.  Thanks for the workshop, Denise.  Beryl M.

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Thanks to the Reno guild for the opportunity to attend the Echo and Jin weaving workshop. Denise Kovnat is a knowledgeable and patient instructor. Her ability to pivot and teach via Zoom is outstanding. I am thrilled that I was able to complete and document all the samples for the class. As a slow weaver, that rarely happens. I am inspired to deepen my understanding and have started planning a project based on my new skills.  Mary P.

 

 

Controlling Creative Chaos Workshop with Kathrin Weber

Reno Fiber Guild members have long been awaiting this exciting workshop on how to warp several painted warps at once.  The workshop has come and gone and what follows  is eye candy for weavers in the form of a myriad of painted warps on the loom and being woven.

Cheri B. said this about the workshop. "The Controlling Creative Chaos workshop was excellent. Kathrin’s enthusiasm as a weaving instructor was contagious. It was helpful to learn her design techniques using a dummy warp and tying on color groups at the loom.  I summoned up some courage and used color as I never had before. This is a rep weave and I will use as a table runner."

 

Kathy R. wove a bit of repp weave in the class and had the rest of this warp left to weave at home.  She says "I can't wait to change it to my other loom and get going"