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February 2020 Newsletter

I don’t think I’m the only one wondering where February went…..like really…..I know they say time speeds up as you get older but this month flew by – at warp speed! I have been weaving away all month getting all kinds of things in order for March when we are filming more episodes of the Online Guild. We’ve also been busy writing a few new patterns and putting kits together to tempt you as you will see below. I know that winter is not over yet, but I feel so happy staring up at the sky, patiently awaiting Spring which is just around the corner. I picked up a glorious box of Dahlia bulbs from the post office last week and I’ve got a million seed packs in my cart at West Coast seeds. The garlic is sprouting in the garden and the hazelnut tree is loaded with catkins, one of the earliest sources of pollen for the bees. Next to weaving….the garden is where it’s at! 🙂

Ruckle Beach

Need a snuggle or perhaps a huggle….that is what my kids called a hug and a snuggle 🙂 Our wonderful Linda Pickett has shared her fabulous Ruckle Beach Harrisville Shetland Blankie with us. The kit allows you to weave 2 lovely shawls or one wider throw. Harrisville Shetland is one of our favourite yarns, it is easy to weave, fulls like a dream and comes in a stunning array of colours.

Ganges Sunrise Scarf Kit

Photo courtesy of Melinda Divers the Mama of Moonshine Mama’s Elixirs!
Need something to brighten up your days?
Ganges Sunrise……..orange and many times pink 🙂
The main village on Salt Spring Island is called Ganges, named after HMS Ganges, the flagship of the Royal Navy’s Pacific Station between 1857 and 1860. Now that you’ve had your history lesson let me tell you how pretty this harbour is at sunrise….it is gorgeous.

These lovely scarves are perfect for spring and summer! Woven with 30/2 silk on a 40/2 linen warp in alternating bands of 1/3 and 3/1 twill, they have gorgeous sheen, iridescence and drape with a slightly crisp texture that will only get softer and more shimmery with wear. This pattern requires only 4 harnesses, but there are 8 different tie-ups required for weaving. If you have an 8 shaft loom, you’re stylin’, but if you have a 6 treadle loom, we’ve provided a tie-up system to ensure your success!

Each Ganges Sunrise Scarf kit makes two scarves like the one below and contain 1 cone each of 40/2 Linen in Olive and Teal and 1 skein each of 30/2 Silk in Dragon Fruit and Coral Flame. These scarves are unbelievably beautiful 🙂

We always have spools of 30/2 silk kicking around so we did another version adding 2 more colours…..Favourite Wine and Buddha Berry.  We have provided a 2nd product that has these 2 colours in them.  The pattern includes both versions.

It’s The Little Things

Is your warp separator paper getting under your treadles?
Here’s a little trick for you 🙂

JST Online Guild

We forgot to link Fiberworks PCW Weaving Software website on our Online Guild newsletter last week! For those that were looking for the link, you can click here!

Remember, the demo software is free to try out! Download it while you watch the episode with special guest Bob Keates, co-creator of Fiberworks as he takes us through this introductory workshop for both Windows & Mac versions.

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February Blog, Weaver Spotlight!

Hi kids – it’s time again to introduce you to another weaver who has delighted me by taking lessons learned from our Online Guild and turned her cloth into her own unique design. This month, please meet Linda Fleming from Texas. Linda’s shawl incorporates Log Cabin, Clasped Weft and Colour and Weave – all from Season 2, Colour & Design. It is indeed a wonderful amalgamation of techniques representing one Online Guild season. Thank you for sharing your process with us Linda – the results are stunning.

I have always been fascinated with weaving; however it was not until about 15 years ago that I met someone who knew how to weave. I learned to weave from her and once I started, the weaving bug hit me hard! I love to see the pattern develop on the loom when first starting to weave a project. It always feels like magic.

I was inspired to make this shawl after watching Season 3, Episode 3 on log cabin. I had woven a shadow weave baby blanket in the past, but had never woven log cabin. I was intrigued by how simple it was, but what an impact it made. I chose some yarns from my stash that were just looking for a project. They are 8/2 American Maid Naturally Colored cotton from Lunatic Fringe. I love how the colors darken over time with each washing. I used the dark brown and the natural with a sett of 18 EPI.

I made a sketch of what I wanted the two ends of the shawl to look like and then I was going to just wing it for the rest. I divided the warp into sections with log cabin on the ends and the stripes in the middle. I also added a purple zinger on each side of the stripes.

I started weaving using my schematic and then I thought, hmm, what if I do some clasped weft?

I wove further and decided I really like an asymmetrical look on scarves so I started putting in small stripes using the weaving sequence dark, dark, light, dark. They were so much fun that I just finished off the shawl with the stripes.

This warp was so much fun that I was sorry to see it end! This is what I have enjoyed the most about the Jane Stafford Guild. I have realized that I do not have to follow a pattern to the letter. I can play with the warp, and it makes the final product so much more interesting.

Learn more about the JST Online Guild