Complex Weavers' Showcase 2008

To see the items showcased in 2008, scroll down
To see the items showcased in 2011, click Showcase 2011
To see the items showcased in 2010, click Showcase 2010
To see the items showcased in 2009, click Showcase 2009
To see the items showcased in 2007, click Showcase 2007
To see the items showcased in 2006, click Showcase 2006
To see the items showcased in 2005, click Showcase 2005.
To see the items showcased in 2004, click Showcase 2004.
To see the items showcased in 2003, click Showcase 2003.
To see the items showcased in 2002, click Showcase 2002.

A Shimmering Top

Wendy Morris wove this shimmering top and showed it for us at the Fashion Show at Complex Weavers' Seminars in June, 2008.

Wendy writes " ...the warp for my top is 60/2 silk. The weft is gold-colored 'metallised silver', ie silver rolled into very thin strips and wrapped around a rayon core. It is echo weave, but with an unbalanced tie-up (lifting 4 shafts out of 12) and an unusually expanded (or do I mean extended?) advancing treadling so that there are different densities of interlacement in some areas. The silver weft deforms when wet, moving into the areas of loose interlacement but held firm in the areas of dense interlacement. The weft behavior is more like deflected double weave than collapse weave."

Used by permission.
This is the seventy-ninth item in our showcase of what members are doing.

In Memoriam

The weaving world was greatly saddened by the announcement on October 9 of the death of Peter Collingwood. He died in his studio, as befits a master weaver.

Since Peter could not come to Seminars, Wendy Morris and Stacey Harvey-Brown interviewed him for a video to be shown at the meeting. In his message to Complex Weavers, Peter said, "Hello you lot. I just want to say something very simple to you complicated weavers, that I'm really sorry to have let you down and not be there, but the integrity of the human envelope has been disturbed and I cannot walk very well, as you have maybe seen in this film. So the journey was not advisable. But I hope this video will give you some idea of my workshop.

"I'm very interested in what you are doing or will be doing and I hope to see a report of it because I think it's from your concentrated study groups that new things can come - new ideas, new aspects. We talked at some point in this film about the future of handweaving, and I said I thought it depended on people rather than on this abstract thing "handweaving". And it seems to me very likely that it's amongst you that the future may be changed - it may develop, it may go sideways, it may ... it won't go down, I hope it always goes upwards..."

Read the complete report from Stacey and Wendy on their time with Peter in Complex Weavers Journal, Volume 88, October 2008, page 15. Order the videos from Margie or Wendy - see the addresses above.

There's an obituary on Peter Collingwood in the TimesOnline http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article5018987.ece

Alice Schlein wove this "Portrait of Peter Collingwood" for the 2008 CW Seminars in St Petersburg, FL. She writes that the technique is lampas with two pattern wefts; one of the wefts is handspun gray wool. The warp is black tencel and peach silk. The piece was designed in Photoshop and woven on the TC-1. Alice says, "To use one of his favorite puns, 'Peter, you loom large.' "

Used by permission.
This is the seventy-eighth item in our showcase of what members are doing.

Biltmore Rep Weave

Lynn Smetko, who designed and wove this sample for the Fine Threads Study Group, writes

"...Arizona Biltmore Hotel in Scottsdale was the inspiration for 'Biltmore Rep.' Frank Lloyd Wright designed cast concrete blocks used on the outside of the buildings, suggestive to me of weaving draft tie-ups...

"After the block pattern is set, it is time to create the warp color plan. The top layer holds the pattern colors; the bottom layer is comprised of background colors. So that there are no abrupt changes in the design and for added complexity, the top and bottom colors are never the same, and they never change at the same time. I then framed the pattern design with vertical borders, where the top and bottom layer are the same color, forming solid stripes, or 'constants.' I used colors that reminded me of Arizona: peaches, corals and orange for the pattern; beiges and whites for the background.

"Warp: 16/2 unmercerized cotton
Thin weft: 16/2 cotton
Thick weft: ... since the planned Swedish mop yarn made the ribs too wide for my design, I substituted either Katia Papiro cotton/linen yarn or an equivalent weight 4-ply cotton yarn. "

This work was part of an article featuring work by members of the Complex Weavers Study Group: Fine Threads The article was published in the June, 2008 issue of Complex Weavers Journal. See the article for details.

Used by permission.
This is the seventy-seventh item in our showcase of what members are doing.

A Menu of Stripes

Heather Hubbard, who designed and wove this sample, writes, "I have often admired the figured, striped patterns of historic textiles. Johann Michael Frickinger's Weaver's Tie-up Book from 1740, which contains some of these figured stripes (see figure 1), provides a wonderful menu of mix-and-match stripe possibilities.

"Apparently, Frickinger didn't often work with supplemental wefts. In the text, as translated by Patricia Hilts, he writes, 'The following is one sort of striped pattern. Because the stripes are made with an extra weft, it differs from other work.' The majority of the patterns in the book are either block weaves intended for satin structures or twill patterns, either straight twill or point twill, generally woven with one weft...

"I did not want to use a multitude of shuttles to repeatedly change weft colors, so I used a painted warp to introduce some lively color. The warp was painted simultaneously in two reversed warp chains and threaded in intermingled random stripes. The warp thread was 16/2 unmercerized cotton sett at 30 e.p.i. Changing tabby colors is another way of introducing color variations. I used various colors of 20/2 mercerized cotton and 30/2 unmercerized cotton as tabby. The pattern weft was various colors of 10/2 mercerized cotton.

"All of Frickinger's patterns must be approached with caution with regard to float lengths. The back of this sample has a rather long float, restricting it to use as a one-sided or lined textile. Changing the tie-up to secure that long float would be my choice for future use. Frickinger's text says 'In this kind of work, as in all things, experience will be the best teacher.'"

This work was part of an article featuring work by members of the Complex Weavers Study Group: Twenty Four More or Less The article was published in the February, 2008 issue of Complex Weavers Journal

Used by permission.
This is the seventy-sixth item in our showcase of what members are doing.

Shadow Weave and Log Cabin

Eva Stossel, whose work, Shadow Weave and Log Cabin, is featured in the Showcase this month, has been studying a combination of shadow weave and log cabin. She writes: "I have always been intrigued by weaving patterns that appear complex but structurally are very simple. Shadow weave, a color-and-weave effect and mostly plain weave structure, has amazing possibilities...

"Using Microsoft Excel [CWJ, June 2008, page 20], I started designing profile drafts using 8 threading blocks and 8 treadling blocks, pushing the limits of my faithful 16-shaft Macomber loom. After I finally chose the profile draft that I thought would look nice when woven using fine threads, I derived the threading and tie-up through weave analysis and entered the information into my WinWeave program for the complete drawdown and different pattern views.

"As you can see in the drawdown[CWJ, June 2008 page 21], each block is threaded twice with an extra thread added at the turning points - the even-numbered shafts with a dark colored thread and the odd-numbered shafts with a light colored thread. Treadling is tromp as writ (rising shed).

"I used 20/2 pearl cotton for both the warp and the weft at 38 e.p.i. I washed the sample by hand and steam ironed it while still damp to minimize wrinkles. Shrinkage was about 3 percent.

"This study inspired me to continue experimenting with shadow weave because I know there's a lot more to discover!"

This work was done in the Complex Weavers Study Group: Fine Threads. It was published in the CW Journal of June, 2008

Used by permission.
This is the seventy-fifth item in our showcase of what members are doing.

A Collage of Seminars 2008

Those of us who were fortunate enough to attend Seminars 2008 carry home many wonderful memories. We took pictures of each other taking pictures. At the Silent Auction, we admired the beautiful and practical items for sale as well as the ability of some people to write their names and bids upside down. In the Paean to Peter, in classes, in discussions, in the cafeteria, and especially at the Fashion Show, we appreciated each others' fiber work and ideas. In addition, there was Robyn Spady's talent on the Kazoo to enjoy.

We watched and listened in admiration as Peter Collingwood talked about his life and work and demonstrated his methods. At his request, we toasted him in a glass of white wine. The set of two DVD's of the interview with him and the views of his studio with him at work explaining his methods are available from CW for $15 plus shipping. Contact Marjie Thompson at marjie@maine.rr.com for USA, Canada, or Australia. For the UK, contact Wendy Morris wendy@wendymorris.co.uk

These photographs are among those taken by Jo Earl at Seminars. To view a larger version, click here

Used by permission.
This is the seventy-fourth item in our showcase of what members are doing.

Meanderings

Here is a soothing summer scene for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere and a reminder of what is to come for those in the Southern Hemisphere.

Jane Evans writes:"I make pictures of serene places where I feel most alive, where I can think and dream. These pictures blend several textile methods and materials to give a distinctive impact. Currently I integrate warp painting, split-shed weaving, and free-motion and hand embroidery. The complexity of combined methods has added freedom, challenge, stimulus, and deeper enjoyment to my creative pursuits....

"Keeping in mind my methods and materials, I start with finding a subject. I try to choose well-composed, focused scenes in nature, without including any human artifacts or anything with eyes. Dappled light patterns, glowing colors, trees, and tranquility are favored. Why choose this place? Because it is so special it makes me feel good...

"Now enters Experience, as I decide what parts of the final image probably will show as painted warp, what will be textured inlay wefts, and what will be sharp details and lines of embroidered threads. ...Various pictures utilize the three methods differently, i. e., skies and water are paint-only areas but vegetation may be in any of the three techniques...

Warp threads should be tightly twisted, smooth, with no finish that repels paint. I like white, #25 crochet cotton, set at 70epi.
Using sewing thread weft, I weave a band of cloth to get tension even, then release front and rear beam tensions for adequate warp exposure... The slightly visible ground weft is sewing thread, either cotton that shrinks later and pulls the warps closer together, or metallic, or clear polyester.

The article was published in the February, 2008 issue of Complex Weavers Journal

Used by permission.
This is the seventy-third item in our showcase of what members are working on.

Star and Flower Hearts

Since in many countries around the world, Mother's Day is celebrated in May, this month we showcase Star and Flower Hearts in Two-tied Weave, by Ivy DeHart.

Ivy writes:"I chose this weave structure because ...Tied weaves allow for big bold designs without sacrificing structural soundness. They also give areas of sharp value and color contrast. I like the design freedom of having many pattern shafts to use with the tied weave as well. The backdrop lines linking the stars together helped to balance the value and proportion of the overall design and create what I think is a softer country look.
"DeHart is a wonderful last name; and hearts are found everywhere in the old patterns.
"I studied the design elements from several different tie-ups in American Star Work Coverlets... "...in another design woven on the same warp and threading ... the draft and a picture are posted on www.handweaving.net ... in honor of Ralph Griswold..." Warp:10/2 Tencel in white
Pattern Weft: 10/2 Tencel in dark Persian Red doubled
Tabby Weft: 10/2 Tencel in Rose Pink

This work was part of an article featuring work by members of the Complex Weavers Study Group: Twenty Four More or Less The article was published in the February, 2008 issue of Complex Weavers Journal

Used by permission.
This is the seventy-second item in our showcase of what members are working on.

Bateman Sample

This month we showcase a Bateman Sample by Sue Freeman.

Sue writes:"I chose this weave structure because I find the Bateman tie units interesting and challenging to design with. This pattern is from the book, Bateman Blend Weaves, edited by Virginia I Harvey. I tried quite a few variations on the computer, settling on this one as it looked like little fish. Since this was going to be used as a table runner for Easter, it would work perfectly. I used the same size bamboo for both the warp and pattern threads. I used a fine sewing thread for the tabby. I chose the bamboo because, having just received a new shipment to the shop, the colors were perfect for Spring. I didn't have any problems with the fiber. It was easy to work with and feels so nice!"
"Warp: Bambu 12"

This work was part of an article featuring work by members of the Complex Weavers Study Group: Tied Weaves . The article was published in the October, 2007 issue of Complex Weavers Journal

Used by permission.
This is the seventy-first item in our showcase of what members are working on.

Golden Ogee I

This month we showcase "Golden Ogee I" by Jan Paul. This work tempts the Webmistress to say, "Oh, Gee, Wow!".

Jan writes that the techniques used are Ciselé (cut, uncut, voided) velvet with bouclé loops; and the piece is hand-Jacquard woven velvet; The materials are silk, metallic thread, wood frame (not shown) and plexiglass (not shown).

This work was part of an article on Blue Ridge Handweaving Show winners who are also CW members. The article appeared in the June, 2007 issue of Complex Weavers Journal. In the 2004 BRH Show, Jan won a second place award in the category "Decorative, Non-Functional - Professional". The original work, including the frame, measured 15" x 15-3/8" x 1-1/4". It is shown here without the frame.

Used by permission.
This is the seventieth item in our showcase of what members are working on.

Window Into the Past

This month we showcase "Window Into the Past" by Gay McGeary. Gay writes:

"For my 2007 contribution to the exchange for the Early Weaving Books and Manuscript Study group, I ... used the Biesecker draft for my sample contribution. The original draft indicated the window panes should be woven in green and the diamond table should be woven in blue. The 'window' coverlets I have seen also use red stripes to separate the window panes. Therefore, I used the classid red, green, and dark blue to weave my samples. Based on my research of early coverlets, I chose 10/2 unmercerized cotton for my warp with a sett of 20 epi with 16/2 unmercerized cotton for the tabby weft and 8/2 wool from JagerSpun.

"In May 2007 I purchased an early coverlet in the window pattern style from an auction in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. I was struck by the similarity to my sample. The colors of the red and green were almost exact, while the dark blue I used was lighter than the coverlet I purchased."

The sample shown here is actually the original, purchased coverlet. You can read more about Gay's work with coverlets in the Complex Weavers Journal, #85, October 2007, Page 28-29.

Used by permission.
This is the sixty-ninth item in our showcase of what members are working on.

Silk Embroidery Photo

This month we showcase Jan and Laura Diepenbroek's photo of Silk Embroidery in China

This explosion of color reminds us of New Year's Day fireworks. Jan and Laura describe their trip to China in Complex Weavers Journal, # 84, June 2007, pages 39-41. Other color photographs from their trip can be seen at CW Journal # 84 Color Pictures

Used by permission.
This is the sixty-eighth item in our showcase of what members are working on.