Made from scrap

Made from scrap
All's well

Followers

Total Pageviews

Sunday 14 October 2012

Braiding Workshop with Colin Squire

Yesterday we went to Weaving, Spinning and Dyeing Guild for a days workshop.  The workshop was 'Braiding with Colin Squires'.  Colin has been teaching weaving for many years.  The above 'Inkle Loom' was in search of a new home almost a year ago.  Of course I had a loving home for it!  In my parents garage, where much of my junk treasures end up.  I had absolutely no idea how an Inkle Loom works.  My Dad managed to 'warp' it after watching a 'Youtube' tutorial.  I take my hat off to him as warping is not an easy task to me.  Unfortunately Dad's maiden voyage with the 'Inkle Loom' was with handspun yarn and it cause all sorts of bovver.  It stuck to itself and wanted to felt.  The 'Inkle' found itself disgraced and back in the garage until yesterday.
              Colin's workshop was not just about 'Inkle Weaving' guild members had the chance to try many different forms of braiding.  Using sticks, fingers, looms and patience.  I got stuck for a couple of hours trying to 'warp' this baby!  Me and warping just do not get on!  I realised I had not taken any photographs so I delegated the photography to my Mom.  She has never used my camera before.
Here is a great shot of me doing battle with the loom!  I had several breakages and found this to be the most frustrating of 'workshops'.  I am an instant gratification kind of gal!  I am rather pleased that my mission was accomplished though.  I warped the loom and have started to weave a braid.  I finally understand how an Inkle loom works at the most basic level.
Here is my braid in progress.  There is 'bubbling' at each end where I am not pulling my 'weft' thread tight enough. . . but believe me I am trying!  I chose to work with cotton as I felt it would be smooth and strong enough not to break!  'Wrong'!  Now it is warped and in progress though I hope not to encounter any more problems.
This was a lovely big 'Driad' Inkle loom and the lady working on it was given it by her mother.  Until yesterday she did not know how to use it.  She seemed to make fantastic progress and was making a beautiful braid from dishcloth cotton and some baby blue yarn.
Lovely loom - too big for garage!
This makes very strong 'straps' that can have many uses.  You can get some beautiful intricate designs from an Inkle Loom but I do not think I will ever be that clever.  Unfortunately I did not mange to get photographs of some of those designs.  It is the 'Guild's' exhibition next month so I will see what I can photograph then.
This was a lovely braid in progress.  The method was 'finger weaving'.  I was too busy Inkle Looming to learn anything else.  That would make a lovely belt though wouldn't it?  I am sure there are 'Youtube' videos out there for clever folk!
Another very interesting day.  Have you ever tried braiding, or stick weaving or do you have any good links to tutorials?  I wrote a post a while ago about Kumihimo Japanese-Braiding that is a fun way to explore braiding and is a brilliant craft for children.
XXX

13 comments:

  1. wowwwwwwwwwwww it is really very nice..thank you for sharing..
    hugs xxx

    ReplyDelete
  2. You rock, you are always learning new things! I just signed up for a precious metal clay class next month.. I'm exCITED! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lol I am always 'trying' to learn! Precious Metal sounds good...I am quite knowledgeable regarding Heavy Metal! xxx

      Delete
  3. How interesting! I never heard of an Inkle loom until I saw one demonstrated at the Rural life museum here in Glastonbury.
    That braiding looks lovely, I can just see a lovely Medieval style belt made that way.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I saw one there too Kath. It was probably the first I saw. Kids were using it so I thought it would be easy! The tricky bit is the warping. I guess anything is easy when you know how. I am busy 'googling' finger weaving braids! lol xxx

      Delete
  4. Great and interesting post, good on your mum for taking the photos, my memories of weaving are from school,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thans Joan, I think weaving should make it's way back on the curriculum! :) x

      Delete
  5. Now I know the name of that long loom from my last Wool Gathering post! You can see an example of a rainbow colored strap being done up there. I can only imagine how long it must take to warp one of those things! I really like the white and blue one you have shown up above. Very pretty colors together. I love hand-me-downs :) I'm glad that lady was able to learn something new and make use of a special item. Hurrah for weaving!
    ~Lacey

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lacey I have been back to your post and had a look. The loom on the left is 'Tablet or Card weaving' dates back to the early Iron Age. I think it is very clever patterns are made by turning the cards, containing the warp threads in sequences...I can't do it! The loom on the left is like the large 'Driad Inkle loom' that the blue and white strap was made on. There must be hundreds of these items stuck in garages and attics and people do not know what to do with them. I have finished my 'strap/braid' tonight but I need to 'google' how to get it off the loom! Tis stuck! lol xxx

      Delete
  6. No, never tried braiding but it does look interesting. Glad you enjoyed your day. Carol xx

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh wow Lucy that looks seriously tricky. I saw some wonderful looms when I went to the Shawford guild meeting a few weeks ago, I steered well clear of them, spinning is enough for me at the moment!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow! I am so in awe of anyone that uses a loom!Just amazing and so clever.I have had a go at kumihimo once...not sure it worked though!lol. Looks like a lovely and creative day.
    xox

    ReplyDelete

I appreciate and enjoy reading all of the feedback from your comments. Thank you for taking the time to stop by and sharing your thoughts. Sadly I have found it necessary to enable word verification, something I was trying to avoid...but I am receiving an unmanageable deluge of Spam! We don't want that do we? xxx :)