OCA Textiles: April 2015

Reflection

Did you have enough variety in your collection of yarns and other materials? Which kind of yarns etc did you use most? How do their characteristics affect the look and feel of each sample?

Yes I had a lot of yarns and other materials, as I hoard fabric and yarn! I used all kinds of yarn, the ones I used most were the thinner knitting and crochet cottons and wools. The thicker threads and strips of fabric gave a very different texture, quite chunky. I especially enjoyed using them when I used the soumak technique and made ghiordes knots. I surprised myself when I really enjoyed using the thinner threads, making woven fabric, which felt so different from the chunkier weave.

How did you find weaving in comparison to other techniques you've tried? Did you find it slow or limiting?

Yes it was slow, but I enjoyed the process, very much, finding it very relaxing. Yes it was limiting, as I was using small, hand made frames. When I compare it to other fabric making techniques I use - knitting, crochet and felt making - weaving does feel very limiting. I can make all sorts of shapes and sizes with these techniques. I did thoroughly enjoy the process though, making fabric of different colours and textures.

How do you feel about your finished sample? Are you happy with the relationship of the textures, proportions, colour and pattern to the finished size? Is there any part that you would want to change? If so, try to identify exactly how and why you would change it.

I'm pleased with my finished sample. I'm happy with the proportions in the finished size. I deliberately left it so that I could add to it if I wanted to. If I'd had more time, I'd have made a larger piece.

Was there any stage in the whole design process that you felt went wrong? How would you tackle this process differently another time?

Another time, I'd work harder at perfecting the technique - for example I didn't manage to keep my weavings straight!

Shibori and natural dyeing

This is what I love and have been teaching and doing a lot of for the last few months, so I thought I'd post some photos on my blog, even though it's not part of my OCA course.

The photos below show fabrics dyed using Arashi shibori - pole wrapping shibori.

These two were dyed in a rust bath. The print and colour evokes rivulets and moving water.

This one below was first dyed in an apple twig bath, and then in an onion skin bath. I haven't ironed it out, enjoying the texture created.

The patterned created is less detailed when using wool. (I used an old, cream, woollen blanket). Since the fabric concertinas less as it's pushed down the pole, the marks made are thicker. The pieces evoke branches and twigs. I have stitched into one of them, and am making a bag with it.

Other Weavings

I have felt inspired to try some weaving which isn't suggested in the assignment.

A friend and colleague who lives in North West Scotland sent me a circular weaving frame. I did two circular weavings.

The first I experimented with using a range of textures. The result was quite an uneven piece, but I find it pleasing, loving the colour combinations, I find the piece vibrant.

The second, I experimented with leaving the warp threads unwoven in places, making patterns by tying them in places. I can see I'd need to count and plan more if I was to do this again to make a more "accurate" piece.

I cut a piece of branch from my woodstore and used the wood as a frame. I cut notches in the frame to set up the warp thread, then wrapped and wove, using autumnal leaf colours. I love this piece, and if I had the time I'd do more, maybe into a larger branch. Unfortunately I shan't post it to show my tutor, as it doesn't fit comfortably into the bag I need to send.

Several years ago I taught myself diagonal weaving, and was inspired to revisit the skill and make a basket. I chose vibrant colours and added texture with collage and stitch.

Another experiment - painting fabric inspired by a photo, then weaving into it. This was fun to do.

I have enjoyed the work of Alice Fox for some years now. Last year I saw some of her work at the Stroud International textiles Festival - she'd woven into rusting items.

I decided to have a go at this technique. I wove rusting nails into two small woven pieces. I did these last July.

I dipped the pieces in vinegar, to activate the iron. I have left the pieces on a board in my basement, and have every so often checked them out, to see if the rust is spreading to the woven fabric. The process is very slow!

Here are photos of the two pieces, taken this morning, nearly 9 months on. They haven't worked as well as I'd hoped, I'd hoped for there to be more decay of the fabric, cased by the rust.

Natural Dyeing and Weaving

I have been interested in using plant materials for dyeing fabrics for a long time, probably about 15 years. I'm always intrigued by how very differently animal fibres and vegetable fibres take up colour. I decided to do several small weavings using both animal and vegetable fibres - I have cotton yarn of different thicknesses, untreated wool and some untreated silk fibre.

I dyed some of these weavings in an onion skin dye bath.

Looking at the second one, you can see how tricky I'm finding it to keep the weave straight! Also, in the second one, I incorporated some garden twine.

I also used my circular loom, which I was given a few months ago by an OCA colleague. As well as undyed yarns I also wove with some previously madder dyed wool.

I love this one, it's like a sunflower! I'm inspired to do more weavings, both circular and straight, for natural dyeing. One of the Adult Education classes I'm teaching is keen to do some natural dyeing, so that works well! Yes weaving is time consuming but a very relaxing activity.

I did some small weavings with cotton and wool, in one of them including some wool and cotton that had previously been dyed with logwood and elderberries. I dyed them in a brazilwood bath.

The first was dyed in a much stronger dye bath, the colour is stronger than in the photo.

I dyed one of the small weavings in a very strong logwood and iron bath. Interestingly, there is very little difference between how the cotton and wool have taken the colour.

Project 9 Woven Structures

(Research point, Analysing colour, texture and proportion and Project 8, Yarns, are all recorded on my previous blog - lizziegoldenblog.wordpress.com. The rest of my work to complete A Creative Approach will be recorded on this blog).

Equipment I have to use for this project include

- small wooden frames (24cm x 30cm) constructed at my workplace, years ago, for weaving with children

- a couple of strong picture frames (38cm x 45cm and 46cm x 58cm)

- a wooden shuttle stick. I'll make some more with strong card.

- a very extensive selection of materials and yarns

Stage 1 Preparation

I chose one of the smaller wooden frames, and with a small saw marked small notches into the top and bottom of the frame, 1cm apart. I used strong cotton string as a warp.

I chose threads, mostly crochet cotton, of colours as found in this picture of an Autumn sunset in New Mexico, to weave with.

I made a head cord using a very strong nylon thread I had. I have one wooden shuttle and prepared more shuttles with strong cardboard.

Stage 2

I wove using the threads I'd chosen ,thoroughly enjoying the process of making fabric.

I particularly liked the texture created by the soumak knots.

Although in tapestry weaving plain weave, of one over one under, is followed, I enjoyed experimenting with 2/3 under and 2/3/4 over, enjoying the patterns I was making.

When I used a stronger cotton, the weft couldn't be pushed down so much, to hide the warp threads.

I enjoyed making curved wefts, not minding that I didn't feel in control of the resulting shapes.

Stage 3 Experimenting with different materials

I used similar colours, but used balls made from old t-shirts, carrier bags and several strands of wool wound together.

As predicted in the instructions, at times, due to the bulkiness of the materials, at times it was difficult to cover the warp.

I particularly enjoyed the different textural qualities created by using the soumak technique.

I also like the ghiordes knots. It would be interesting to experiment with these knots, making a pattern with their length.

I can imagine making an interesting bag with fabric made this way.

Stage 4 Developing design ideas into weaving

Sample 1

The text begins "This approach links with the analysis work you did at the start of Part Five". Well I haven't started Part 5, that comes after Part 4, n'est-que pa? So I'll do my best to follow the rest of the instructions. Working with colour, texture and proportion to create strips, learning techniques learnt in stages 2 and 3. Reading ahead, I know this piece will be a challenge to me, as I like to see pieces develop as I work, in order to follow these instructions I'm going to need to be quite disciplined. Not my strong point! ;-)

For this piece I'm going to choose a photo of a beautiful area near home which is under threat of development.

Using gouache paints I painted stripes on a page in my scrapbook, finding the colours I see in the photo. The blue isn't quite right, and maybe the ochre is a bit too golden, but otherwise I'm happy with these colours.

Using crayons I marked off horizontal stripes on graph paper.

Although I couldn't find the exact colours in the crayons (for example the yellow ochre was too bright) I quite enjoyed looking carefully at all the colours I saw in the piece and looking at the colour proportions. I found it challenging to be precise, this isn't my strength!

I found the colours in wools and cotton and I did a small weaving on my home made loom. The process was slow but I did enjoy seeing the piece grow. I like it a lot close up.

I didn't manage to keep it perfectly straight, didn't manage to keep it from going in at the sides.

The colours and proportions are fairly accurate, but I confess I didn't try hard to achieve this.

I'm not going to sew in the ends! This is just a sample. I do like the "wrong" side, but the great amount of ends does hide the weaving.

Sample 2

The story board that I have made is rather rushed I am afraid - I am concerned to get this assignment completed. I appreciate how useful a story board can be, I value the use for an artist at looking closely at images, texture and colour and bringing them together on a board. In fact I often encourage this in adult education classes that I run. Since I've been looking at colours and texture by the river, I decided it would be fine not to spend too long on the storyboard.

A friend gave me a book that her mother-in-law was going to give to a charity shop, and she thought I'd like it. I love it, find it so inspiring!

I particularly like the technique of creating slits, and weaving strips through the slits created in other strips on the same frame. And I think it's particularly suitable for a piece inspired by the riverside grasses - as the grasses are always crossing in front and behind each other.

I thoroughly enjoyed doing these - learning a new technique and slowly weaving. I could add to the piece as there are slits which I haven't woven through. I probably will.

Sketchbook

Continuing to enjoy the shapes of leaves, the first is using inktense pencils, the second a collage. The second could inspire some applique and embroidery, maybe for round the bottom of a skirt.