equinoctial splendor ii

riding to sagano  on the scenic autumn  train
have a great weekend




neki desu
 

my friend blu-tack

if there is an essential that is blu-tack (of a thousand uses) whe i'm running short i tend to get anxious and run to the school supply store( yes, we still have them, no office depot around here) for a refill.

 i am using it  here to hack the spindle of the bobbin winder and adapt it to these silk bobbins which have small orifices.i first tape a useless needle from the knitting machine with gaffer tape and tighten it to the spindle. i have  a good supply of those,  no worries about that :(
i know i could buy a dedicated winder for those bobbins, but do i really need more stuff when i can solve it with a little tack and gaffer tape?





then put some blu-tack  on the needle shaft and push the bobbin towards it making a tight fit. i sometimes even put a bit in the
bobbin hole as it really has to sit put so that it winds correctly.
 you can also use a bamboo skewer if need be.





neki desu
 

revived

according to merriman- webster : 

to bring (something)back into use or popularity.

to return to consciousness or life: to become active or flourishing again.

so here i am again weaving this project  which was started when it was still cool.

think i've gained new appreciation or a diffrent look on it as i'm not pressed for time and enjoying its slowness.

 after some time i have accomplished this much, but that's ok.
it's weaving, not sewing.


















neki desu
 

being biased

kms and kms of  silk strips cut on the bias. joining them was no easy feat for a mild dislexic. left, right, wrong side, right side now match it all.sigh!



the gizmo. most of the times simple is good.
sometimes simple is really good.


















now tell me these are not the best looking seams to be seen on
the internet?
 even the hem!

still have pending some finishing touches. it will be a go over the week. on to the next!





neki desu
 

rejoice! rejoice!

off the loom 60 cms wide. notice the 10 ends of botany wool and the 10 ends of overtwisted wool . and the threading mistake   :(

beauty close up. the dark yarn is wool stainless,
the white is overtwisted wool.

wet finished
top:  black merino wool  shrank and felted a bit, but did not produce  significant collapse
white: overtwisted wool not very noticeable collapse.
gray: the best acting yarn
red: the structure is evident, but not much collapse. perhaps more fulling is needed.

 closeup of both the the grey and the white overtwisted yarn. the overtwisted yarn pushes the yarns together thus creating a denser fabric, but since it is a 2/2 twill it is supple.

the end. maybe because it fulled more the grey yarn created a nice bubbly texture.
to be explored.














neki desu
 

capital fashion

have a great weekend!



neki desu

not without my shuttles

forget everything else; no books, no shoes, no jewels. i want to be buried with them. 

an awe inspiring simple and elegant mechanism that works so very well. no tightening screws, wrenches or assorted whatevers. these are end feed shuttles with handweavers in mind not adapted ones from the industry. the yarn goes through a wire hoop that gives enough pull to create a good selvedge. that in combination with the eyelets on the side each one presumably according to the yarn in use. 

i used this shuttle with  an overtwist wool and  one of the regular wooden bobbins. the bobbin was not unwinding well creating excessive pull.

 i changed it  for one of the silk  bobbins and it worked heavenly. of note is that the shuttle is presumably for fine silk because the ends are slightly curved.

only a weaver can appreciate these.  the x ray machines at the istanbul airport  didn't like what they saw and as a result my bag was withheld there until i claimed from barcelona. when i explained to the man at the counter what they looked like he looked up from the computer and said : say no more.  ^_^

the second shuttle with the silk bobbin, or mini pirn if you like, with the same mechanism but slightly heavies as it is meant for fly shuttles is also heavenly. my selvedges  have always been  good, but can't believe how much they  have improved. how could i function without these babies?

there's also the poetry of having been handmade by a man who's third generation into the craft.
still making them for handweavers in japan.

neki desu