I’m super excited to share with you today things that have recently come off the loom… things I’ve finished weaving for the Faux Ikat class, and some new spinning items as well!
First, I’m so excited to show you a closer look at some of the scarves I’ve recently finished weaving. From the very first scarf that came off the new Mira II loom (I show the weaving of this scarf in my counterbalance video here), along with two new scarves woven as part of our Handwoven Colour episode on the School of SweetGeorgia, Faux Ikat Scarves. They are super easy to do, and can be completed in a really quick amount of time. All of the scarves are woven using the Faux Ikat technique, which takes a handpainted skein of yarn and winds it in a way so the colours stack up again and become these solid colour sections. I go through all the steps how to produce these scarves in the course!
Lighthouse Faux Ikat Scarf
Also, we were inspired to make available some new spinning items during the filming of the Spinning Up a Level series at the School. In this series, Katrina Stewart talks about all the different kinds of wool, fibres and sheep breeds and how important it is to have a sense of what these are, or how they feel when spinning. Because of this, we’ve put together a kit I’ve been thinking of for some time – a spinning fibre taster palette. In this new Spinning Sampler pack, they include samples of different undyed fibres from SweetGeorgia, as well as a small carded battling from Katrina’s Crafty Jak’s Boutique.
Another item which came up during filming (which will be part of a future colour management episode in Spinning Up a Level), is how Katrina takes different handpainted fibres and spins them a number of different ways, so you can compare how one braid of fibre can produce all these different results. While filming, I wished we had more handpainted colourways to play with, so we’ve added nine variegated colourways to play with – our 2021 Exclusive Colourways for Spinning Fibres. I’m really excited to have all these colours available to you, and I hope you find them inspiring.
Join me at today’s Taking Back Friday vlog to see all of what’s new and what we’ve been working on lately. I am really comforted by the idea of doing a lot of spinning this winter, and am excited to use that handspun in some new handwoven projects.
I would be really interested to hear what you’re doing in terms of your own spinning or weaving. If you’re planning for a big project, or instead quick and easy small projects. Leave me a comment and let me know!
IN THIS EPISODE
- what I’m wearing: In the video I’m wearing my Worsted Boxy sweater, designed by Joji Locatelli. I knit mine using Strawberry Tea in SweetGeorgia Mohair Silk DK.
- what I mention in today’s video: Here are links to some of the items I talk about in today’s vlog…
- In the video I talk about these weaving projects woven on different types of looms, including the new Leclerc Mira II Counterbalance loom and Ashford Sample It 16″ Rigid Heddle loom. If you’re interested in learning more about different types of looms available, or what loom might work best for you, please visit my previous How to Buy a Weaving Loom post and video, including a helpful downloadable guide.
- We’ve created a Lighthouse Faux Ikat Scarf Kit if you are wanting to weave your own scarf using the same colours as in the Lighthouse Faux Ikat scarf shown above. Also, this is the Ashford Fringe Twister 4 I’m using to finish the twisted fringe ends of my handwoven scarves.
- I mentioned future weaving plans using my handspun Rocky Mountain Meadow custom colourway which SweetGeorgia hand-dyed for Schacht Spindle Company.
- I also talk about my Make Nine progress and wanting to get back to working on these plans, including a new meet and separate table runner weaving project. You can learn about the meet & separate technique from Janna Maria Vallee in the SOS Tapestry Weaving course.
- want to learn more about spinning and weaving? We have many excellent spinning and weaving courses available at the School of SweetGeorgia to help! We also have a wonderful, friendly community of makers in the SOS community forums who can celebrate your wins with you.
