Softly striped scarves inspired by snowy mountains nearby and a Sunday walk to the Whispering Falls just outside Nelson.
Textured whites, creams, greens, blues and greys – with a little sparkle here and there.
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Railway Cottage Studio Pop-up at Guild Dunedin
Twill Textiles is lucky be part of a guest artist pop-up shop at Guild Dunedin this month. And I have teamed up with three other crafty Nelson friends Nester Prints, Rosemary Horn and Tiny Pocket.
We often work together here at the Railway Cottage and collaborate on projects and products. Last week we sent a selection of handmade goodies to our friends at The Guild. We included our favourite hand woven and printed scarves, craft kits, art prints, cards, purses, bags, brooches and necklaces.
Plus a few new items that we have been making altogether for the last few months – including these soft velvet Huia bird Cushions.
A big thank you to The Guild Dunedin for hosting us all of July
If you’re down near the south of the South Island you can enjoy a visit this beautiful shop gallery at 45 Moray Place, Dunedin. Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-5pm
Four works
Just over a year ago I (slightly nervously and excitedly) sent a large parcel to San Francisco. It contained four large hand woven panels – a special commission for a family who had visited me quite by chance when I first opened my studio here in Nelson.
I had received photographs of four locations in the world that were full of very special memories for them, and my brief was to interpret elements of these into cloth.
Lots of emails, sketches and photos went back and forth, we made plans, wove a few samples and finalised ideas. Then I ordered and hand dyed the yarn, got on to the loom and it all came together in quite a beautiful process.
This week I heard back from the family and received photos of the woven pieces. They have been framed in reclaimed wood by a local craftsman and are now hanging in their family room. I think they look beautiful and totally ‘at home’
Box of colours
This week I sat at the loom with a box of colourful bobbins on the bench next to me. I’ve been weaving some rich, patterned stripes as I near the end of the Autumn warp length. It’s really fun picking each colour to weave next…
I’ll post again once this length is finished and made into some cosy infinity scarves.
Mustard
First scarf being woven today on the autumn warp.
Autumn
Went for a little walk recently and was totally inspired by the amazing autumn colours. Warm yellow ochre, red rust, paprika, plum, warm sand, olive and sky blue.
So out came the yarns and a colourful yarn explosion took place in my little studio. By the end of the day, a new scarf warp was designed and made!
Can’t wait to get them on the loom. I’ll post some more pics once I start weaving.
Utilitarian
I was heading towards the end of this indigo blue cotton warp…. but there wasn’t quite enough to weave another scarf…..so I finished it with a set of washcloths.
Soft, simple and useful.
I am sharing my weavers notes here, in case anyone would like to have a go at making something similar. They would make great eco-friendly gifts, especially if teamed up with a nice hand-made soap.
Warp –
- 3 ply denim cotton.
- Total of 173 ends (width approx 8.5inches by 1m/1.15yards long – this was the end of a warp).
- Sett at 20 ends per inch (10’s reed with 2 warp ends per dent).
- Herringbone threading plan (see diagram below)
Weft –
- a mixture of 4 ply and 8 ply cotton and linen,
- woven in a 2/2 Twill (sometimes reversed to weave diamonds)
- 12-16 picks per inch depending on which weft yarn was used.
- Each cloth was woven 11-12 inches long on the loom but did shrink a bit when washed.
- I added a fine plain weave turnover seam at the top and bottom of each washcloth using 2/20’s cotton weft. And a crochet chain tie in one corner to hang them up to dry.
Loom – Four shaft Ashford table loom, with a direct tie up pedal stand. This is the thread up pattern I used.
