Sunday, February 17, 2013

More log cabin

Log Cabin continues...

Both last Sunday at Newtons in Anaheim and today at Anacapa in Ventura, I taught classes on log cabin weaving.  This will also be the subject of one of my classes at Stitches West next weekend.  Each of the classes has been a bit different project, but all on the same general subject of how to weave the log cabin pattern.  I love this pattern because it really does look complex, but is fairly easy to weave.  It is after all, just plain weave.  



But the tricky part comes in because two shuttles are used and keeping the yarn from the two shuttles to act properly along the selvedge edges is sometimes difficult.  It's a real challenge for me to explain this in a way that's easy for everyone to understand.  But I've been working on it and think I may be getting a bit better at it.

Since there are two shuttles involved, every other pick brings the second shuttle out the same side of the weaving as the first shuttle, so they are both on the same side of the loom.  If the selvedge thread where they come out is in the up position, then the second shuttle should be placed up, or closer to the reed than the first shuttle.  If the selvedge thread where they come out is in the down position, then the second shuttle should be placed down, or farther away from the reed than the first shuttle (or closer to your stomach).     This sounds simple, but seems very confusing when learning this new technique.  I think there's just a lot going on when starting this pattern and it just feels like too many things to think about at once!  It does get easier as you practice it.

Pam Harwood took the class at TNNA in Long Beach earlier this month and was nice to send me an image of her finished scarf.  She used a variegated yarn for one color and so the effect is a bit different than when using just two contrasting colors.  I think it's lovely!




Yesterday I finished a sample for a new class I've been developing for a woven and felted pillow.  For the wool, I used Brown Sheep Lambs Pride because it always felts so easily.  It's combined with some of Trendsetter's Orchidea, which does not felt.  So the Orchidea gets puffed up in little "pillows" inside the grid of felted Lambs Pride.  I had lots of fun working on this project and plan to do several more colors!



2 comments:

Elisa said...

Love the new pillows in a pillow! Is it going to be a local class or via Craftsy? Either way, I'm in!

Unknown said...

It's scheduled at Anacapa for April 21. I left the sample up there today.