Needles, Shuttles and Dye

It finally hit me. What do needles, shuttles and dye have in common? You dye, you stitch and then weave! Weaving has completed the process of my love of textile and dyeing! Not that I don't like quilting anymore, but I know there are other textile crafts that I love to explore. For as long as I remember, I love all kind of yarns. I use yarns in my basket weaving, in knitting, and now weaving.

Once upon a time the only image of weaving I knew was of old lady hunched over an old loom. I had no idea that those old ladies who weave are clever, smart, creative and talented. You have to have all of the above to be able to weave. I'm nowhere near as smart as the ladies I met in my weaving workshop including my teacher Ilka White. All the skills I acquired from spinning, sewing, stitching, quilting, dyeing and designing come in handy in weaving. I'm glad I started learning how to weave! 

Remember this images of  weaving "Rose-path" I showed a few times here, on FB and Instagram? It's now finished and off the loom! I finally cut the warp and removed it from the loom in the workshop last Saturday. I wove like crazy to get it finished in order to start a new project. 

Here it is, still hairy, in need of fringing, trimming and washing. Everyone was so supportive of me because from a simple Rose-path pattern I have included the variation of patterns into the piece. It was a lot of fun!  

Crazy colour I know, but I love it! The result is so pleasing indeed. I will do it again in blues yes, I think indigo blue with just a small amount of white and that same grey warp will look great!

No time to waste!  So here is the next project I prepared the warp ready to go on the loom as soon as the other one came off. This is a simple design of Hounds-tooth pattern with only three colours. The pink cloth is a header to be removed at the end. 

I'm so happy I can get to use the blue woolen indigo dyed yarns and the cream hand spun yarns I have had for ages. I added a tint of red throughout the piece. I thought it needs red, don't you? It's coming along quite fast. I'm working overtime to get this one finished by next Saturday!

When I feel the need for stitching between weaving, I go back to this slow-cloth again. I really need to finish it by November for our exhibition. I have put the last outer row on last night. The outer edge needed turning. 

I posted about this cloth here almost a year ago . Slow-cloth is a good name for it. I wanted to use the piece of dyed moon for the center. I added thin strips around the moon. The strips got bigger and bigger as I went around the moon. Some of the fabric for the outer strips I only dyed recently, so it was really a slow-cloth! 

So much stitching so few hearts! I must have started stitching these hearts after last Christmas. Most of these hearts were stitched on the road trips. I think I will put them in the exhibition too. 

I gathered some oak leaves in the park in Canberra and it's now soaking ready for dyeing. I bundled these up the other night and they are now soaking in the oak bath. Will steam them this weekend. 

Quilts in the Barn is happening this weekend. Quilts in the Barn is only less than an hour's drive from where we live. I visited a few years ago, but this year is a must for anyone who can go. The exhibition showcases Chintz Dutch quilts. I love both Chintz fabric and Dutch quilts. So thanks Linda for bringing the show to us! 

Until next time

Nat