I’m pleased to report that after a slow start, I am finally developing a weaving rhythm. Here’s what it’s looking like:
I’ve woven about 52 inches so far. Since this is yardage, I don’t have to worry about joining new weft ends, floating selvedges, or selvedges in general (though why is it that selvedges turn out nicest when one doesn’t have to worry about them? )
My biggest problem in the beginning was randomly skipping under extra warp ends. This proved to be frustrating as I did a lot of unweaving initially. I wondered about uneven tension and sticky warp ends, but in discussing it with Peg, I realized that it had to do with throwing the shuttle. I began to figure out that the extra warp ends coincided with an uncontrolled throw of the shuttle.
Mind you, I haven’t woven the full width of my loom (36 inches) but once and that, several years ago! Most of my pieces are scarves and sample strips, 12 inches wide at the most. In fact when I’m doing sample strips for design boards I omit the shuttle altogether and simply pass the bobbin from hand to hand through the shed.
Once I started concentrating on improving my shuttle throwing technique, things improved rapidly, though not without an occasional wild throw even now.
I’ve realized that one factor in this is that I’ve not fully recovered from Adhesive Capulitis of my left shoulder. It was at it’s worst during the second half of 2005. Not only was I in constant pain, which nothing could relieve, but I had severely restricted mobility of that arm. It isn’t called “frozen shoulder” without reason! I couldn’t weave or knit, though I did manage one handed spinning once in awhile. For the most part I felt quite useless!
About 6 months ago the pain lessened considerably and mobility began to improve. I’m still not 100% however, and can’t move my arm into certain positions, but I'm usually not aware of it anymore except when trying to do certain things such as put on something over my head, or catch the shuttle on that side. I suspect it may interfere with throwing the shuttle from the left, but it isn't anything that I can't overcome.
Looking at the bright side, all of this has caused me to pay more careful attention to my weaving technique: not only how I throw the shuttle, but how I wind the bobbins, and how I treadle. I see the fruit of this care in my weaving. So there is truly a silver lining even in the darkest cloud. Especially if I will be a better weaver for it in the long run.
Next ...... Weaving Right Along
Related Posts:
b2f - Warp Sleyed
b2f Log Cabin Weaving
My biggest problem in the beginning was randomly skipping under extra warp ends. This proved to be frustrating as I did a lot of unweaving initially. I wondered about uneven tension and sticky warp ends, but in discussing it with Peg, I realized that it had to do with throwing the shuttle. I began to figure out that the extra warp ends coincided with an uncontrolled throw of the shuttle.
Mind you, I haven’t woven the full width of my loom (36 inches) but once and that, several years ago! Most of my pieces are scarves and sample strips, 12 inches wide at the most. In fact when I’m doing sample strips for design boards I omit the shuttle altogether and simply pass the bobbin from hand to hand through the shed.
Once I started concentrating on improving my shuttle throwing technique, things improved rapidly, though not without an occasional wild throw even now.
I’ve realized that one factor in this is that I’ve not fully recovered from Adhesive Capulitis of my left shoulder. It was at it’s worst during the second half of 2005. Not only was I in constant pain, which nothing could relieve, but I had severely restricted mobility of that arm. It isn’t called “frozen shoulder” without reason! I couldn’t weave or knit, though I did manage one handed spinning once in awhile. For the most part I felt quite useless!
About 6 months ago the pain lessened considerably and mobility began to improve. I’m still not 100% however, and can’t move my arm into certain positions, but I'm usually not aware of it anymore except when trying to do certain things such as put on something over my head, or catch the shuttle on that side. I suspect it may interfere with throwing the shuttle from the left, but it isn't anything that I can't overcome.
Looking at the bright side, all of this has caused me to pay more careful attention to my weaving technique: not only how I throw the shuttle, but how I wind the bobbins, and how I treadle. I see the fruit of this care in my weaving. So there is truly a silver lining even in the darkest cloud. Especially if I will be a better weaver for it in the long run.
Next ...... Weaving Right Along
© 9 June 2006 at http://leighsfiberjournal.blogspot.com
Related Posts:
b2f - Warp Sleyed
b2f Log Cabin Weaving
1 comment:
They always say that once you stop worry about your selvedges they'll be better! It looks good. What is the yardage for?
What improvements did you make in throwing your shuttle? I found wearing one of those tennis elbow straps helps with all of my fiber work.
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