New Project in Lace 3 - The final Version

The final version of my lace/doubleweave project and I am now happy with it. I changed the weft to the 8 lea's linen (still with the 20/2 linen/cotton in the warp) and I used 10mm fish-eye buttons in the double weave pockets. The finished article is more crisp and therefore more suitable for the menu holder. I will post the whole project, pictures and wif file in my project pages for anyone who wants to use it, along with a picture of the menu hlder when it is finally assembled and finished

New project in Lace 2 - its off the loom!

Just taken the first piece off the loom; just got to pursuade Gail to sew it up for me and we will have the menu holder to go with the already finished table runner. I used the 2 ply linen/cotton in weft as well as warp for this and, to be honest, it's got a bit too much drape now its washed and pressed. Will see what its like when the menu card is inside the "pocket" formed when its all sewn up, but think I will use the 8 lea's linen in the warp when I do the second one...these are all mock-ups after all.
Here is the photo of the menu holder as it will be sewn up (still got to have the ribbon threaded through the lace loops either side of the 2 plain weave stripes)

New Project in Lace

My two great loves in textiles are linen and lace.. I just love the texture of pressed linen and, being something of a minimalist when it comes to colour, the natural hues of a crisp linen fabric are just perfect for the subtle textures of loom controlled lace. Here are the pictures of my latest fabric design, still on the loom. Its a plain weave, in linen, with double weave creating pockets into which are packed a small twist of merino wool fibre in an asymetric pattern. The material contracts when washed into a lovely close woven fabric whilst the wool fibres are moderately felted.
It's going to be the final peice in a 9 piece piece table set; table runner & 6 placemats, with menu envelope (current project) and double tea-light ambient light table decoration (still in the design and mock-up phase). All in various linen weaves; from the light-drape fabric for the menu holder to the mouldable, crisp structural textile of the lamp.
I will post the finished article soon and the full design, including wif file, for those using computerised dobby looms or wanting to manipulate them for your own use, will be on my Project Drafts & WIF Files page asap

Sectional Warping on Louet Octado

I LOVE weaving but I hate warping!! So I just had to convert my lovely new Louet Octado for sectional warping. As louet wanted over 1000 euros for all the parts, I made it all myself - here are the parts I made:- The tension box was the most challenging, but this works absolutely perfectly...it's a direct copy of the Leclerc box and all the parts came from the DIY shop and cost to less than 30 euros. The sectional beams, attached to the existing beam. Made from beech to match the loom with chrome screw eyelets for the 2" sections...my price - 17 euros!! The spool rack was easy...holds 70 spools, so I can warp at up to 35 epi on the 2" sectional beam.
If you want to know how to make them for your loom, just ask...always glad to help