Weaver's Roundtable

MAFA2025-3933

The piece is woven using Deborah Silver’s split-shed technique. I hand-drew the cartoon for the pickup oatterning.

I warped my table loom with enough for two runners. The first I cut off and used for a weaving guild challenge. This is the completed one shown in the photos. This photo is not great because it wasn’t taken for the purpose of exhibition entry. I gave this one away as part of the challenge/exchange. The one to be submitted is underway but not quite finished. (I need to finish it before MAFA because this is on my table loom and I will need the loom for a workshop.) One of the photos shows it as it is currently on the loom.

Finishing was a bit of a challenge. I steamed it rather than immersing it in water because I wasn’t sure how all of the different fibers would react. It shrank quite a bit. The photos don’t show it clearly but the wool portions fluffed up and created a nice dimensional effect.

The draft shows the structure without patterning.

MAFA2025-3902

I expanded the 8 shaft original draft to 24 shafts to balance my loom better. Results should be identical with the 8 shaft version.

MAFA2025-3850

This towel has 408 ends in the warp and was woven to 31 inches long. I began with a 9.5 yard long warp and wove 10 towels. It is my belief that a long warp gives the weaver a large variety of places to play. It also is very economical as far as loom waste is concerned. A warp for one towel has the same amount of loom waste as for for 10 or more towels. 200 yards of loom waste is average for dish towels! Think of the cost and then decide to make many towels using different weft colors and new tie ups or treadlings. This is what I call weaving fun! Additionally, I rarely have only one color in the warp.

I weave a towel as my heart desires, weave two shots of scrap weft and then begin the next towel. When the warp comes to an end and I remove it from the loom, I will sew a row of zigzag stitches at each end of each towel. Next I put the entire warp in the washer and add very warm water, let the towels soak for about 20 minutes and then allow the washer to finish the load. They go to the dryer next and tumble until barely damp. I steam press each towel and cut it from the warp. I then make a narrow turned hem and stitch it with small blind hem stitches. A final pressing and all is finished, I stand back to admire the play of colors and textures.

MAFA2021-010

This towel represents the many towels I have woven on the straight 8-shaft twill threading using many tie-up and treadling variations in preparation for the MAFA class I am teaching. The threading offers so many options for weaving with the 8 shafts or 4 shafts tied-up and woven as block weaves. This threading offers the weaver so many options on a long warp saving yards of warp waste. There are myriad published options plus it is so easy to create new designs using a design program. I am charmed by the possibilities!

MAFA2019-061

I wanted to use the ‘Netting A’ from Davison’s book page 95, but didn’t want to have to move heddles, so I used shafts 7 and 8 to substitute for shafts 2 and 3 when necessary. I also wanted a small selvedge and used shafts 5 and 6 for those. I tried three treadlings, but found the point twill treadling gave the best all-over texture I wanted. I had purchased the multiple shades of gray at the last MAFA Conference and used them for another project. I still had enough to weave this towel. I did have to fudge on the weft as I alternated white with what grays I had left. I used the Fibonacci sequence to design the red stripes for an accent and used a heavier thread for added texture. I am satisfied with the ‘modern’ appearance of the towel and may do more, though I think I’ll use a smaller accent thread as I’m not sure the 8/2 worked as well as I had hoped.

MAFA2019-031

I really enjoyed weaving this towel and the fabric that was produced. As I used a very different color way than suggested, my towel looks not a lot like the gingham checks in the pattern. I hope whoever receives this towel enjoys it for many years.

MAFA2019-016

A 4-shaft point twill sounds boring but when you add warp stripes of tan, red, green and bright yellow separated by white stripes edged by a single navy thread there is hope. Add an interesting tie-up and treadling to create an interesting texture you have a towel of beauty. Towels like this make dish drying something you look forward to doing.

I have arranged the treadling on 6 treadles for ease. Only 4 treadles are necessary.