Year: 2014

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JST 2014 Christmas Edition

JST 2014 Christmas Edition

As we come to the end of 2014, I would like to thank all of our customers and students for another fabulous year. A great deal of learning transpired in our studio over the last 12 months and I hope every student departed with a greater sense of self confidence and that their passion for weaving was fanned into a glowing fire.

I also want to thank my team. It takes a team to create what we do here. So thank-you to Grant, Charlotte, Cheryl, Joni, Kristin, Lorrie, Rosemary, Sandra, and last, but certainly not least, Susan. You are the best!

JST Holiday Hours

We will  be closed from Tuesday, December 23rd until Monday, January 5th, 2015. That means there are still a few more days to fill your stockings with a cone of yarn or two …  maybe even a gift certificate … How about a loom?  Check us out at JST.

Rosemary’s Delectable Recipes

Once again, we are bringing you a holiday treat this season; Rosemary’s much requested scone recipe:

 

 

Handwoven’s Teacher of the Year Award

I have had the great honour of being awarded Handwoven’s Teacher of the Year. This would not have happened without your votes, so I sincerely thank you. The award comes with a $500 weaving grant from Ashford and Foxglove Fiber Arts, so a big thank-you to Richard Ashford and Cindy Howard-Gibbons. I am going to forward this grant to my favourite weavers in Jawaja, Rajasthan via the Maiwa Foundation.

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We send you heartfelt wishes for good health, happiness, and the wisdom to acknowledge our great riches.

 

We look forward to working with you in 2015.

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In Celebration of Weavers’ Work

Workshop Updates

Registration for 2015 retreats has been very brisk. We do have a few spots left, so if you are thinking about it you may want to check out the schedule page.

In the last newsletter, there was an error in the link to Charllotte Kwon’s Natural Dye Workshop next July. We are happy to announce that there are many spots available. Don’t miss this opportunity to study with one of the world’s natural dye experts.

Do you know that JST has created a Hot Line of 32 hand-dyed colours on 8 different yarns?

 

The colour way we created was designed to provide gentle movement around the colour wheel, exploring the richness of each hue. The yarns can be used by knitters or weavers and we are happy to inspire you with a few projects.

These simple elegant fingerless gloves are knit with our 3-ply Alpaca in Salt Spring Sky. One skein makes one pair. The pattern is from The Knitting Experience: Book 2 The Purl Stitch by Sally Melville.

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Mary Pendergast of Seattle knit this sweet little cap in Cuddles, our Alpaca wool blend. This yarn is so aptly named it couldn’t be softer. The colour is chocolate cherry. Order a skein of Cuddles and we’ll throw in the pattern.

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Heavenly Hand-Dyed Roving

Cheryl Huseby is the co-creator and dyer of JST’s Hot Line of Hand-Dyed Yarns. In her spare time, she produces a line of sprinkle-dyed rovings, which she calls “Essence”. The fibre is an exquisite blend of 80% Blue-Faced Leicester and 20% Silk and is available in 1/2 pound bags for $48. Here is a link for your shopping convenience.

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In Celebration of Weavers’s Work

Our students and customers are constantly sharing their wonderful creations with us and we thought we would pass on the inspiration.
Arlene Kohut and Kathy Ready of Victoria dropped in this summer and brought along some of their wonderful work.

Arlene’s towel was woven in linen and had a classic antique feel to it. Her borders were beautiful and the brown and blue blended so nicely.

Kathy’s towels were like sunshine hanging on the line! Kathy used the same colours in both warps. This method of sharing colours between projects allows for the creation of collections with colour being the common theme.

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Sharon Broadley created this award-winning throw in 4/8 cotton and plain weave log cabin. She took away best in show from the Saanich Fall Fair.

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In the previous newsletter, I spoke about pairing 2/8 organic cotton with 2/20 silk. Ginnette Bourdages of Langley took the message to heart, and created this stunning scarf sett at 18 epi and woven and 18 ppi in twill. I know you may think that it is too open, but you cannot deny the result. The hand and drape are exquisite. Ginnette used 2/8 Organic Cotton Coal with 2/20 Grantius Green Silk.

 

Michelle Moore of Vancouver wove this wonderful shetland wool blankie for her mother, who loves everything she weaves. The colours worked very well together. She used Iris, Tundra, Midnight Blue and Cream in Harrisville Shetland sett at 10 epi and 10 ppi.

I want to thank these weavers for sending me pictures of their work. All of these pieces were their own original designs. Bravo! Well Done!

Don’t forget that we offer FREE SHIPPING on orders over $200.

Group Discounts

If you buy $500 or more of yarn we’ll pay for your shipping costs and take off 10%. So why not band together with all your guild members or weaver friends and do group orders. You’ll save, save, save.

Mailing List

We want to expand our mailing list.  If you like getting the Old Ladies with String Digest, even if you’re a young lady or a gentleman, please spread the word.

Remember the Helpline.  We are always there for you.

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Workshop Schedule 2015

2015 Workshop Schedules

 

It’s that time of year again when we put together our offerings for the new year.

Check out the 2015 schedule here.

We have also updated our Cancellation Policy here.

We have one more offering for 2014

Fiberworks PCW Workshop with Bob Keates

November 24-25, 2014
9am-4pm
Cost: $250, includes lunch

If you have Fiberworks PCW or are thinking about purchasing a weaving software program, here is your chance to learn from the co-creator of Fiberworks, Bob Keates. If you already understand the basics of weaving drafts, Fiberworks is a weaving program for Mac or Windows that will liberate your creative instincts, giving you a variety of aids that simplify the design process. Participants who do not currently have Fiberworks will be provided with a demo version of the program for use during the class.

We will cover the basics of drafting threading, tieup and treadling, and how to use color and variable thread thickness to help visualize your end result. We will look at the features of the program that help speed up the drafting process.  We will examine the theory of profile drafts and how to use block substitution to turn a design layout into reality by adding different weave structures.

Attention Jane Loom Owners

Louet is now providing deeper rollers to correct the problem of the harness cords popping out of the existing rollers. Please drop me an email with your full mailing address and I will pass it on to Louet and they will send you new rollers.

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This newsletter has been short and sweet, but we promise our next newsletter will be full of juicy tidbits.

I have been saving photos of fabulous work sent in by students and customers and we’ll share some of them with you. I also wanted to leave you with this lovely image below. During one of the retreats, I gave a slide show on India and showed how beautiful designs are drawn in rice flour in front of entrance ways -the most beautiful welcome mats you’ve ever seen. On the last day of class, I came to the studio and they had drawn me a welcome mat using rice flour. I must say, I felt much love.

 

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Silk and Cotton Revolution

Weaving Through India (aka) Inspiration from the Sari – 2 Spots Available

Last Chance to take this workshop with Jane in Vancouver!

 

October 20, 21, 22 & 23

In January of 2011 I travelled to India with the Maiwa Foundation and had the great privilege of observing some of India’s finest weavers. I visited again with Maiwa in early 2014. This workshop has been created based on the extraordinary pieces that I observed and brought back.

Students will need to have solid basic weaving technique and a four or an eight-shaft table loom for the workshop. Warps will be prepared in advance and sent to the students before the workshop. During the workshop students will migrate from loom to loom creating samples of six different exquisite fabrics, all inspired by the beautiful saris we saw on our travels. Students will also receive all their weft materials so that bobbins can be prepared before the workshop.

“India’s tradition of clothing itself with uncut cloth has created a weaver’s paradise. Everywhere I looked I saw magnificent coloured and textured cloths. Often the simplicity of the handloom techniques led to the most sensual and ingenious of fabrics.”

Students will learn about supplementary warps used to create patterned borders over a plain weave structure, stripes, and double weaves. In addition there will be unusual embellishment techniques such as the use of sequined yarns.

We will contrast India’s handloom techniques with the craft-loom approach taken in the west. There will be a slide show: a weaver’s perspective on an incredible tradition.

All of our warps are 2/16 cotton base with a 30/2 silk weft from our Hand Dyed Hot Line.

Good Reason for Trying Organic Cotton

 

Did you know that regular cotton production uses more herbicide and pesticide than any other single crop grown on this planet?  It’s True.  Cotton covers 2.5% of the world’s cultivated land yet uses 16% of the world’s insecticides.

These chemicals pollute the air and surface water.

Cotton is grown in many countries where there are no rules to protect the farmers who spray those chemicals.  The spraying often leaves them with severe health issues.

Residual chemicals may irritate consumers’ skin.

The cotton used in these samples was grown in Egypt where there is great momentum in regards to growing Organic Cottons.  It is certified by GOTS, The Global Organic Textile Standard which was developed through collaboration by leading standard setters with the aim to define world-wide recognized requirements that ensure the organic status of textiles.  From harvesting through manufacturing GOTS provides credible assurance to the consumer that the product they are purchasing was manufactured using environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing.

If you feel you can’t afford to make your entire project out of Organic Cotton why not try to use organic cotton for the weft or make every 2nd or 3rd project out of Organic Cotton.

Blending delightful Organic Cotton with exquisite 20/2 Silk (Bombyx or Tussah!)

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I had never thought about blending cotton with silk until I went to India.  Over and over I saw fabulous fabrics made with cotton warps and woven with silk wefts.  I have been working with these blends since my return.  It allows us to take our 2/8 cotton out of the kitchen where we tend to use it just for towelling and more durable cloth.  The other thing I have come to learn is that we can open up our setts to create more drapey fabric and still have incredible durability and stability.  Have you ever tried to weave 2/8 cotton at the most recommended sett of 20 epi  and 20 ppi?   I don’t know about you but it is really hard for me to even come close.  We sett it at 18 and 18 and it is a lovely weaving experience and makes a great absorbent towel.   So….the next step was to take it down to 16 epi and 16 ppi and it was an even better experience and creates an even lovlier simple cloth.   So THEN…we changed the weft to 2/20 silk and oh my goodness….we have an exquisite fabric, with exquisite drape, cooler than 100% silk but with the lustre that only silk can add to a textile.

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Summer on Salt Spring

June 2014

Workshop Availability

We have just had several spots open up in Pushing the Boundaries of Plain Weave for the June 30th to July 4th run. Farm Stay is also available.   I know that isn’t very far away but if you’ve wanted to take this workshop now is the time because we will not be offering Pushing the Boundaries of Plain Weave again until 2016.    There are new workshops on the horizon for 2015.  We also have 2 spots in Terrific Twills Sept 8-12 and 2 for Terrific Twills Sept 29-Oct 3rd.

Maiwa treasures now available on Salt Spring at JST

Travelling to India always leaves me wanting more.  We are committed to assisting Maiwa continue their amazing work in India by stocking a small but lovely collection of their inventory.  We have carpets and leather bags from Jawaja,  beautiful scarves from the cooperative Women Weave and Ajhrak table clothes and bed covers from the Kutch Desert.  If you are coming to a workshop prepare to be dazzled.  If you need a special gift hopefully you’ll think of us.

Another story from India

I am absolutely blown away by the block printers of India.  I had no idea about the work that goes into printing a piece of fabric and I really don’t think many artisans in the west truly understand how much work is involved.  Precision work, remarkable hand-eye coordination, repetition, speed…..these artisans have such skilled hands it is hard to imagine without seeing.

 

In Rajasthan  A thick slip is made from mud with a high clay content.  It is then printed directly onto fabric to create a patterned resist.  Then the fabric is dyed and dried in the sun.  The mud resist is removed by washing, then it is resisted again with additional pattern, dyed,  dried,  and washed. Resisted again, dyed, washed ……get the picture!   So much work involved to put pattern onto one length of cloth.

 

 

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Easy Summer Weaving

Everyone loves our boucle tea towel kit.  Each kit comes with 5 cones of boucle cotton and enough 4/8 cotton to weave hems on 6 thirsty towels.  We have put together  several colour ways that will make any dishwasher or kitchen happy.  Heck you could even take these towels to the bathroom to dry off.    Check them out here.

Don’t forget about our Group Discounts

If you’re a member of a guild, have a group of weaver friends or are just a prolific weaver yourself, remember our discount policy on yarn orders.  If you purchase $200 or more of yarn we will pay your shipping costs.  If you buy $500 or more of yarn we’ll pay for your shipping costs and take off 10%.

Mailing List

We want to expand our mailing list.  If you like getting the Old Ladies with String Digest, even if you’re a young lady or a gentleman, please spread the word.

Remember the Helpline.  We are always there for you.

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Spring is Here

Fibres West is coming!

And the beautiful JST booth will be there with all of your favourite yarns and accessories.

Fibres West will be held on Friday March 21 and Saturday March 22 from 9:30 – 6 at the Cloverdale Exhibition Park Grounds.  Click here for more details and driving directions.

We are bringing a double booth full of exquisite yarns and equipment – but we can’t bring everything.  We will happily pack up specific orders if you get in touch with us by Tuesday March 18.  We don’t want anyone to be disappointed.  A great opportunity to save on shipping.

See you soon!

Some Extra Special Deals

We have two great items that we’re offering at 2013 prices:

We have one Jane 40 for $995.  Current price is now $1200 so you’ll save $205!  Brand spankin’ new, still in the box.

 

 

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We also have one Schacht Ladybug left. The 2014 price has just gone up to $715 and we have this last one available for $595.  An excellent deal!

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Current Prices

A little note to all our Canadian customers.  As we’ve watched the Canadian dollar slide, we have also watched many of our costs rise. WE ARE NOT RAISING YARN PRICES FOR 2014.  This also means that shopping in Canada is a better deal for our customers south of the border.  If you’ve been thinking of ordering from us, now’s the time.

Great News on the Organic Cotton Front

All of the cotton in our COTTOLIN is now ORGANIC!

This wonderful yarn is 60% Organic Cotton/40% Linen.  The colours are fabulous, the texture is wonderful and it makes excellent cloth.  The price will stay at $12 for 100g.

And, you can now get all of our 100% organic cotton on 1 kilo cones.

At $88 per kilo cone, this is a fantastic price.  100g cones are $11.  Not only will you get the satisfaction of weaving with a wonderful yarn, but you will also be contributing to the health of our little planet.

India.

Oh my, where to begin.2 1/2 weeks ago I returned from India and I’m desperately trying to stay between the two worlds.This trip was just as amazing as my first and I feel so blessed to have been able to go back again.

During the trip we experienced temperatures as high as 37C, 98F riding camels through the desert … phew … then I flew home to…..12″ of fresh snow…..and now two weeks later the frogs are croaking like mad and the crocuses are popping out of the ground.

 

 

During my month away we visited many villages of artisans.  Dyers, weavers, block printers, block carvers and bell makers.  It is the people of India that move me the most.  It is those artisans, what they create, how they live and where they live that pull at my heart.  I can hardly wait to go back again.

 

One of the first villages I went back to was Jawaja, a small village out in the desert in Rajasthan.Charllotte Kwon and the Maiwa Foundation have been working with this village for approx. 20 years.It is a village of leather workers and weavers.The weavers as always, steal my heart.This trip I brought them a table loom so that they could try samples of Summer and Winter weave structure for weft faced rugs.

 

It is difficult for them to take a loom out of production to try new things, hence the table loom. They were very excited with many members of the village in attendance for this little table loom’s unveiling.  I was able to bring along a binder of rug ideas to share keeping in mind that they don’t get to leave their village and see what is happening with weavers elsewhere in the world.  They were challenged and delighted to have other weaving considerations presented to them.  Maiwa sells Jawaja’s carpets and leather goods online at this link.

Workshops

One spot left in Colour & Design, April 7 – 11.  Colour & Design will not be offered again until 2015.

 

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Join us to rejuvenate and re-inspire your creative journey.  Jane shares her design process with the group to help you become a confident weaver capable of bringing your own ideas to life!

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Pushing the Boundaries of Plainweave, June 30 – July 4.  One spot available.

Pushing the Boundaries of Plainweave, July 28 – August 1.  Two spots available.

Happy Trails to Charlotte!

Our little Charlotte heads off into the wild blue yonder this coming April.  She’s driving down the west coast in search of fun and adventure ~ in the weaving world, out in nature, through dance and good food.  She’ll be going all the way down through Washington, Oregon and California to Mexico, into Central America and possibly even South America.  If you’ve got any tips about your favourite places or if you’d like to have her drop in and visit for a night or two (wink, wink, nudge, nudge), you can send her an email at pei_sagebush@yahoo.ca.   We’re sure going to miss her around here…..it has been a great 4 years!

 

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The Start of Another Wonderful Year

Welcome to 2014 Everyone!

We started the new year off with a wonderful group of weavers joining us in our first Colour & Design retreat for 2014.

We had such a fun time learning how to design our cloth,  create a beautiful graphic using horizontal and vertical lines to divide the space and expand our colour sense to make exquisite fabric and bring our individual creativity to life.  A fascinating, inspiring week full of learning, experiences, great connections, delicious food and lots of chocolate!

The March 3 – 7 Colour and Design workshop is currently full, but we have been informed that one of our students might have to cancel. Would you like to have a shot at getting this spot if it opens up?  Just send us an email or give us a call and we’ll put your name on the wait list.  Then you’ll have advanced notice if the spot does become available.

 

 

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Our Pushing the Boundaries of Plainweave June 30 – July 4 and July 28 – August 1 workshops both have two spots available.

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There are also some spaces in our Twills on Four workshops:

September 8 – 12 – Three spots

September 29 – October 3 – Four spots and

November 10 – 14 – One spot left.

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Bragging Rights

Jane’s eldest son, Eben has been chosen as one of the scholarship winners in the Student Exhibition at Circle Craft.   His mask sculptures are metal, bone and cloth (his own weaving) and are on display at Circle Craft January 25 – February 25.  If you’re on Granville Island, they are definitely worth checking out.

India

Just days after our first workshop finished, we whisked Jane off to the airport for her second trip to India with Charllotte Kwon.  Jane is spending some time with the weavers who make the exquisite Maiwa wool carpets.  It looks like she’s having a wonderful time.  We’ll keep you posted on her adventures!

Don’t forget about our Group Discounts

If you’re a member of a guild, have a group of weaver friends or are just a prolific weaver yourself, remember our discount policy on yarn orders.  If you purchase $200 or more of yarn we will pay your shipping costs.  If you buy $500 or more of yarn we’ll pay for your shipping costs and take off 10%.

Mailing List

We want to expand our mailing list.  If you like getting the Old Ladies with String Digest, even if you’re a young lady or a gentleman, please spread the word.

Remember the Helpline.  We are always there for you.

Unparalleled service and next day shipping

Packages

We offer unparalleled service, with next-day shipping on most items, and over 40 years of weaving and teaching experience to draw on, for knowledgeable, inspirational support.