Learn to Weave Rag Rugs!

Learn to Weave Rag Rugs – July Weaving Retreat – Milwaukee ladies come to Michigan and spend a weaving retreat with me to learn to weave. This is their 2nd project – to date!

for more information on my retreats and other classes please click here:

http://www.villageweaver.com/2010/retreats.html

New website – part deux!

I know i just updated my site earlier this year – but lots of things were bugging me so i revisited it this week and just threw this little ditty together. I hope that it proves to be more fluid than the last – and ta da – it has an official spiffy new shopping cart…

Village Weaver Website

http://www.villageweaver.com

Dorset Loom for sale – Part Trois – SOLD

To sweeten the pot:

One fine 26 inch DORSET LOOM

AND

1 Harrisville warping board
Texsolv Heddles (over 400)
1 Schacht 26 inch raddle
1 pair of Leclerc Lease sticks
1 Heddle Hook
1 Sley Hook

THIS IS NOW A COMPLETE WEAVING PACKAGE FOR THE PRICE OF $700. (not including packing and shipping!)

Dorset Loom For Sale – Part Deux SOLD

I’m including a Schacht Raddle and Leclerc Lease Sticks.

See full details on my website: http://www.villageweaver.com/2010/usedequipment.html

Dorset Loom for Sale – SOLD

I’m putting up my last Dorset for sale. i was going to keep this one because it was 26 inches wide (many Dorsets are 18, 20) but I need a multi shaft loom for workshops. So up she goes. This loom is in excellent condition. The beam handles turn the beams, no rust, easy to warp. I have put over 400 texsolv heddles on it to make it even lighter for transport. These looms are coveted.

I will include either a 10 or 12 dent reed. And can ship.

See full details on my website: http://www.villageweaver.com/2010/usedequipment.html

Don’t hesitate to contact me with questions – i’ll be around most of the weekend.

$700 +shipping/crate. Can take paypal, credit card, check, and good old cash.

I know this isn’t 100% weaving…but

It’s pretty close because it relates to weaving! I am learning to print with a vintage letterpress. I made my tags for Sunday’s show. I’m having too much fun!

Letterpress Tags for my Handwovens

Poor neglected blog…

Hi out there!

I realize that the blog is sorely forelorn. I am busy these days learning my letterpress, creating websites and eeking a little weaving now and again – I cleaned my studio this week, so with now that i’m organized, i should be able to get to my studio more. In the meantime, I’m going to be selling my wares this weekend – Sunday and Tuesday , May 30 and June 1 at the Leon and Lulu’s Artist Market – I think it’s going to be a nice show and it’s a lovely shop to boot! Many interesting items – If you have time, come see me!

http://www.villageweaver.com

currently on my loom

Weaving Demo at Wolcott Mill this Saturday

SHEEP SHEARING AND FIBER FESTIVAL

I’ll be doing a weaving demo at Wolcott Mills in Romeo this Sat. March 20 from 10 – 3. Stop by and say hi!

http://www.metroparks.com/calendar_item.aspx?ID=212&PID=13&r=3

Delivering denim rugs today

Thank goodness, I have someone, not in a rush – because i did just that…no rush! Here is the fruit of my endless miles of denim strips. I think it looks deceptively easy.

Used Weaving Equipment for Sale

Blue Jeans & Blue sewing machine – Rag Rugs

A friend commissioned 3 demin rag rugs – she supplied the denim and after taking off the waists, zippers, hems and seams, I just started sewing the strips of denim I took from many pair of jeans. Once I stripped it, i sorted according to dark, mediumm and light. I then sew the strips together and put them on a swift until I’m ready to transfer to my shuttle.

I found this pretty little Jones Sewing machine at a garage sale in my hood. I was driving by, and the blue hit me first! I spent $12 – they guy wanted 30, i said 15, he said ok, but all i had in my pocket was 12.00 – so that was a done deal! I spent 60.00 converting it from the british plug and had it oiled and cleaned. Best 72.00 i’ve spent. I love this machine. It only does a straight stitch, but it is so nice to work on. I like the feel of the metal as I turn the wheel – so much nicer than the plastic on my other machine!

http://www.villageweaver.com

New Year, New Site!

Long time in coming – but I’ve finally finished redecorating my website – my old site had the snazzy shopping cart  but I was tied to the original design which was beginning to look dated. I’ve tried to lighten it up and I think you’ll agree that it’s not nearly as heavy as my last site. I did change from a shopping cart to Paypal – Even zappos does paypal!

I’ve been so busy building 2 sites since the beginning of December, I haven’t touched a loom! This afternoon, I’m going to my slave cave and begin weaving again. Here’s a peak at my new site.When you get into the catalog of product, make sure to click on the large picture to zoomify – it’s so close you can feel it through the screen.

www.villageweaver.com new website

Spiffy new tool

I love my gadgets – don’t look to me for fashion accessories, but when it comes to weaving tools, i have it bad. I recently acquired a yarn ball winder. The little plastic one was the bane of my existence. I hated it. The clicking, the tension, the lost center pull. I know many people never have an issue – I only had issues… Winding thread on my new to me Nancy’s Knit Knacks jumbo ball winder is a snap. The other day I had a brainstorm, and voila it works. It actually winds a stout ball of fabric strip ready to go on the shuttle! I sew my strips together, and as i’m sewing, i’m winding the long strip on my umbrella swift. Then I wind a center pull ball of fabric. I crack myself up!

Learn the AVL loom

What a dork I can be. I teach people to weave. I have small looms, medium looms and big looms. I teach all sorts of weaving things like warping, sectionally or with a trapeze. Today, it hit me like a bolt of lightning, “why have I never offered time on my AVL?!” Back to the dork thing, why didn’t i think of this sooner!

When i wanted to make the leap to a computer dobby – it felt like i was jumping off a very high ledge without the safety net.

If you have interest in maybe investing in this type of loom, but just aren’t sure, or if you purchased a used loom or even a new loom, here’s your chance to test drive one in real time – wind your warp, beam it and weave with a fly shuttle. On an AVL A-Series 16 shafts, 60 inches, single box flyshuttle, new auto advance and cloth takeup – CompuDobbyIII – All the bells and whistles….From start to finish. See my Learn to Weave page and scroll to the Private Retreat – AVL.

Dual shuttles

This was a first for me. This week, I had a student weaving a rag rug. While she was weaving, she commented that she would have to for her second project, weave placemats to match the rug. When she finished her rug, we noticed she had enough warp for an experiment. I took the warp and separated it in the middle. Opened the shed, and threw the left shuttle to the middle and out, then threw the right shuttle from the center to the right. Simple, easy breezy. Probably wouldn’t want to do an entire warp like this, but maybe next time, i will plain enough for at least 4 placemats to match!