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February 14, 2023 newsletter

Valentine

What better photo to feature on Valentine’s Day than the photo from February from our own calendar? Red – it comes in so many shades and is so much fun to design with. If you need to make a statement in your quiet cloth – red is willing to jump in as a frame, or a stripe to grab your attention. It can be a subtle red like the roses or a screaming red that really makes you sit up at notice.


Crackle Placemats

Everything moves in a circle here at JST. I was doodling around with Crackle and was inspired by the colours that Arlene Kohut had used in the Just Monk’ing Around Tea Towel Kit Berry Bowl version that I had to try on the Crackle. Then I asked Rebecca Logan to bring her wonderful graphic sense to the pattern and then weave them up with her own design. I love this type of collaboration. The patterns are always the result of many weavers joining minds. How cool is that! I hope you enjoy weaving these wonderful placemats. They are a set of placemats that make a statement on a day when red is the focus of attention – be it Valentine’s Day or Christmas.


Just Monkin’ Around

I am so delighted to share Arlene Kohut’s Monk’s Belt towel pattern. It is absolutely fantastic and you will have so much fun playing with your own designs once you get it all warped up. I’m sure you’ll make this pattern over and over again in whatever colours strike your fancy.

Arlene got carried away and created it in 3 colour ways. After her first set, she started playing with more graphics…..so simple to weave and play with.


Holly & Berry Tea Towels

I love to teach skills that will help weavers develop their own ideas and creative sensibility to become independent designers. Tea towels are a small and inexpensive way to experiment without the financial stress of expensive yarns. Once you have a successful towel you can look at it as a design sketch for a blanket, a placemat, a piece of yardage or a scarf, the possibilities are endless. 

This towel was also designed by Arlene Kohut. What a great way to bring lace into the kitchen!


From Our Inbox

From Our Inbox, this week we share the photos that Carolyn Franke from Toronto, Ontario sent to us. She shows us the fun she had creating her own Crackle Weave towels from School of Weaving Season 6 Episode 6. I love getting mail from weavers who are really enjoying taking a particular weave structure and pushing it to see what they can do with it. Well done, Carolyn.

Jane

Loving the crackle weave; the next time I am going to thread each block in its own analogous colour, probably in the green-blue-violet range. Jane, your explanations and demos were so helpful in understanding the various ways to weave crackle. I am such an old-fashioned purist that I really wanted to try Mary Atwater’s no-tabby method the most. I have to say the threads didn’t shift as much as I thought they would, but let’s face it, we don’t want sleazy cloth! I am captivated by the interplay of thick and thin and warp and weft colourways. Of course, I must tell you about my threading error; somehow I missed out 5 threads when warping and had to add them in afterwards and could never get them to be the right tension, hence a dark stripe. Not too noticeable in the last 2 towels.

Thanks for an amazing School of Weaving!

Carolyn
Toronto, ON


JST 2023 Calendar!


We offer FREE shipping on all Louet looms within Continental North America. We also offer the option to pay a $1000.00 CAD deposit on your loom with the balance due when the loom ships out to you. This gives you the flexibility to make smaller payments toward your balance, at your convenience.


Here to help

Have a weaving question? Find us on the Jane Stafford School of Weaving Forum and on

Weave with Jane Stafford at Ravelry.

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January 31, 2023 newsletter

Sweetheart Bronson Lace

When I was creating the content for Block Analysis that we learned in S6E9 of the School of Weaving, I had leftover warp and thought I’d play a bit more. Hearts popped off my graph paper and into the cloth.

So – just in time for Valentine’s Day – you can wear your “heart” around your neck even though you can’t wear your ❤️ on your sleeve. This fabulous scarf is fun to weave in 8-shaft Bronson Lace, which is the perfect canvas for creating these wonderful graphics. 

Jane


Season 6 Episode 9 Block Analysis

Back in the day – I was addicted to playing with Bronson Lace and testing my limits to see what I could create with it. When I was designing the Block Analysis episode for Season 6 Episode 9 – I found myself sliding into the hole again 😉 That’s when the Sweetheart Bronson Lace scarf was born and I knew you would love it. If you want to learn about the magic of playing with Block Analysis – now is the time. Winter days are still with us and you can brighten yours by getting the kit from Season 6 Episode 9 and putting on a warp for you to weave this fabulous scarf and still have lots of room left over to play with other designs you would like to explore.

Project Specs

Level of Difficulty: Intermediate
Weave structure: 8 Shaft Bronson Lace
Material: 8/2 cotton & 20/2 Tussah Silk
Each kit makes: 3 Scarves

Loom requirements

Shafts:8

Reed: 8 dent

Weaving width: 18″


Jane will be on Handweavers Guild of America’s

Textiles & Tea – February 7th at 4:00 PM (ET)

We are excited to share the news that on February 7, 2023, our very own Jane Stafford will be doing a live interview on the Handweavers Guild of America’s Textile & Tea weekly conversation.

Tuesday, February 7th at 4:00 PM (ET) and is sponsored by our very own Sharon Broadley @Colour.Woven!

These conversations are with some of the most respected fibre artists in the field today. In their 45-minute discussion, the focus is on their artwork and their creative journey. They allow 15 minutes at the end of the conversation for questions from the audience.

The episode is broadcast via Zoom and Facebook Live. These broadcasts are free to view and open to all.

All episodes of Textiles & Tea are recorded and are available to be watched on HGA’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. For more information on previous episodes, click the link below. 

https://weavespindye.org/textiles-and-tea/


From Our Inbox

This terrific example of what can happen when you use a photo for colour inspiration and then play with the graphic using Asymmetry. PK’s latest creation just flew out of our inbox grabbing our attention. It also speaks volumes about the many tools we have available to us to use when creating our own unique cloth. PK also added a “skill” layer to her scarf by dyeing the yarn she used to weave it. Well done, PK!
Hi, me again!

I thought you would like to see how I used what I learned in Asymmetry, plus a tad of influence from your colour inspiration guide.

Waiting for my shipment of your kit yarns (since arrived – yay!) I decided to make a merino scarf/shawl using the Asymmetry ideas. This morning of the decision I received a photo from my daughter of flowers she just bought herself. Perfect timing for a colour influence.

This 4 ply 100% NZ merino hand dyed by myself. The base colour is soft pink, lichen green is the zinger, the rest is cocoa brown, mist grey and off white.

Thanks for the fun! PK


Asymmetry Episode

If you’ve ever wondered whether a simple design element like Asymmetry could become magical … just glance up at From Our Inbox above and you will get an idea of the possibilities! If you haven’t watched the School of Weaving Asymmetry episode yet, now might be the time to get inspired and create something uniquely yours, as PK has done. Forget all the “ifs” and just have fun creating your own design based on Asymmetry!


JST 2023 Calendar!


We offer FREE shipping on all Louet looms within Continental North America. We also offer the option to pay a $1000.00 CAD deposit on your loom with the balance due when the loom ships out to you. This gives you the flexibility to make smaller payments toward your balance, at your convenience.


Here to help

Have a weaving question? Find us on the Jane Stafford School of Weaving Forum and on

Weave with Jane Stafford at Ravelry.

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January 24, 2023 newsletter

A Splash of Colour

As we near the end of January, we thought we all needed a splash of colour to brighten our days. So – this time we are focusing on a few of our most vibrant kits and if you haven’t woven a kit recently – one of these can’t help but brighten your day. When we think of bright colours – Granny Pam’s Tea Towels, woven with Bouclé, always pops to mind. Our Pretty Pansies and Inspiration From a Sari compete for attention and certainly add a bright spark to anyone’s kitchen. And ….. speaking of bright spots – I’ll bet you can guess that Jane’s Favourite Tea Towel was designed after a trip to India and my exposure to the amazing palate of colours found there. For a touch of luxury in your life – we have lots of colourful scarves you can drape yourself in. Our Simple Collapse series of scarves offer you choices – just pick your colourway – and, while you are there, check out the Ganges Sunrise Scarf which will surround you with the colours of a beautiful sunrise as you weave and wear it.


Granny Pam’s Inspiration

Project Specs

Level of Difficulty: Beginner
Weave structure: Plain Weave
Material: Cotton Bouclé
Each kit makes: 9 Tea Towels

Loom requirements

Shafts: 4

Reed: 12 dent

Weaving width: 22″


Pretty Pansies in Huck Lace

Project Specs

Level of Difficulty: Advanced Beginner
Weave structure: Plain Weave & Huck Lace
Material: 8/2 Cotton
Each kit makes: 8 Tea Towels

Loom requirements

Shafts: 4
Reed: 12 dent
Weaving width: 25 ½”


Inspiration from a Sari

Project Specs

Level of Difficulty: Beginner
Weave structure: Plain Weave
Material: 8/2 Cotton
Each kit makes: 12 Towels and a bit of play time

Loom requirements

Shafts: 4
Reed: 12 dent
Weaving width: 24″


Jane’s Favourite

Project Specs

Level of Difficulty: Beginner
Weave structure: Plain Weave
Material: 8/2 Cotton
Each kit makes: 8 Tea Towels

Loom requirements

Shafts: 4
Reed: 12 dent
Weaving width: 24”


Simple Collapse Pucker Up

Simple Collapse Weave

Project Specs

Level of Difficulty: Advanced Beginner
Weave structure: Plain Weave
Each kit makes: 2 stunning Scarves
each with finished dimensions of 12” x 75” plus fringe

Loom requirements

Shafts: 4
Reed: 10 dent
Width in Reed: 18”


Ganges Sunrise

Project Specs

Level of Difficulty: Advanced Beginner
Weave structure: 1/3, 3/1 Twill Weave
Material: 30/2 Bombyx Silk 40/2 linen
Each kit makes: 2 Scarves

Loom requirements

Shafts: 4
Reed: 12 dent


From Our Inbox

This week’s “From Our Inbox” features Julie Evans, from the Los Angeles area of California, sharing a tip with us. She turned the plaid warp that was on her loom into napkins! Jane responded…..

Hi Julie,
Brilliant idea, that is definitely an idea worth sharing. I have put small cones in my bobbins too, many times but never on camera, so that is a great 2nd tip. Yay, thank you so much for sharing your ideas. So glad you are having fun.

Jane
Hello Jane and Team!
My name is Julie Evans, and I live in the Los Angeles, CA area. I’m currently working through Season 2, and I have the plaid warp on my loom right now. Like everyone else, I’ve been amazed how an olive green and red warp can transform when you add bright colors into the weft. I’m nearing the end of the warp, and I have re-sleyed it to 12 ppi, and I thought I’d make some napkins with 8/4 cotton. I’ve done this before on other warps, and I finished by sewing two preemptive seams, and then cutting down the middle. I thought I would split the warp into two while still on the loom, and weave both sides at once. It is a little fiddly, but it will make for much better napkins when finished. I’m using up 8/4 from a previous project, and as you can see, I was able to fit the cones right onto my shuttles. Not only am I using up some cones, I also saved some time by not having to rewind onto a bobbin. Thank you for your classes and kits; I’m learning so much!


JST 2023 Calendar!


We offer FREE shipping on all Louet looms within Continental North America. We also offer the option to pay a $1000.00 CAD deposit on your loom with the balance due when the loom ships out to you. This gives you the flexibility to make smaller payments toward your balance, at your convenience.

Here to help

Have a weaving question? Find us on the Jane Stafford School of Weaving Forum and on

Weave with Jane Stafford at Ravelry.

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January 10, 2023 newsletter

JST Calendar!

Are you looking for a way to bring a bit of sunshine into your days? Our fabulous calendar, loaded with stunning photos, is enough to make any weaver dream of warmer days and a beautiful assortment of yarn to weave with. Our 2023 calendar is now on sale for $19.95 so buy one to hang as inspiration near your loom! But…order one while they are still available…having these fabulous photos nearby will open lots of “what if’s” as you design your own unique cloth.


New Kit on our shelves!

Kiki’s Swedish Lace Tea Towels

Sometimes it’s just fun to feature a weave structure in a newsletter and see what can be created using that structure. That is the path that Kiki’s Swedish Lace Tea Towels lead us down…..as Kiki created another delightful pattern that we can now share with you in a kit. She created towels, as a member of Jane’s Dream Team, for our School of Weaving’s episode on Swedish Lace – Season 5 – Episode 5 – should you want to review the secrets behind Swedish Lace. Scroll down to see a description of what you could learn by watching this episode. Everyone who sees this pattern wants to make these towels and Kiki has graciously shared her pattern with you.

Project Specs

Level of Difficulty: Advanced Beginner
Weave structure: Swedish Lace
Each kit makes: 8 Tea Towels

Loom requirements

Shafts: 4

Reed: 10 dent

Weaving width: 24″

Finished Dimensions: 18.5″ X 26-30″ long


SweDISH Tea Towels

The SweDISH Towels (get it 😉) were designed by another Dream Team member – Rebecca Logan. Enjoy weaving them in the colours of the Swedish Flag – blues and yellow. They blend Huck and Swedish Lace and are a lot of fun to weave using the treadling in the pattern provided with the kit or as you create your own design. 

Project Specs

Level of Difficulty: Advanced Beginner
Weave structure: Huck with Swedish Lace
Material: 8/2 cotton
Each kit makes: 8 Towels

Loom requirements

Shafts: 4

Reed: 12 dent

Weaving width: 25″ ish

Finished dimensions: 21″ x 26″ ish, hemmed


First Time Weaving Swedish Lace?

We have another great episode on the School of Weaving that builds on everything we’ve learned about Huck. Swedish Lace is Huck’s cousin. They live on the same side of Lace Street. Swedish Lace units are the same as Huck’s but in Swedish Lace we are allowed to repeat those units as many times as we want. Ms. Swedish Lace is a little more lenient 🙂 When we understand how this works, it means we can use Swedish Lace and Huck in one piece….as you will see in our show and tell.

Things we will learn in this episode:

  • That Swedish Lace grows out of Huck
  • That our A units and B units can be repeated in our threading with the addition of a tie-down thread
  • That our A units and B units can be repeated in our treadling with the addition of an extra tabby pick
  • That we can use our Mother-of-all-tie-ups and weave it in weft spots, warp spots and lace
  • That we can overlay everything we played with from our Huck gamp and our Huck Colour and Weave gamp
  • That there just isn’t enough time to weave it all in one lifetime 🙂

Removing a warp from your loom to use later

We recently had a request for one of our School of Weaving members who wondered how she might be able to remove her dummy warp and keep it until she wanted to use it again. Well ….we had the answer for her on our Knowledge Base. We thought that this might be useful information for others – so here goes…….

Hi, 
Just finished weaving a second shadow weave scarf. The first one was my dummy warp in different colours. Now I want to start an all-new project. How can I save my dummy warp, which steps do I take best to take it off the loom and save my dummy warp for the next time I want to weave a shadow weave scarf?
Before you cut the cloth off your present loom, weave approx. 1 inch of good solid plain weave and then smother it in fray check or even white glue.  Wait until it is dry and very secure then make a plain weave shed and insert 1 lease stick beyond the glue line (in between your glue line and the reed), then make the other plain weave shed and insert the other lease stick.

Then you take the tension off at the front and squish it all together and tie up your cross. After you have your cross tied back into the warp you are ready to cut in front of the glue line.

Now you can take the warp off the loom. Release the tension from the back and pull your whole warp out the front. It is helpful to have a 2nd person if the warp is of any length. And you should put some cinch ties along the warp to secure it.

Once you have it all pulled forward you cut the warp at the back of the loom, and carefully, very, very carefully pull all the ends out of the heddles and reed. Tie a knot at that end and you can chain it up to your cross.

When you are ready to put it back on the loom. You put the apron rod through the cross end of your warp at the glue line.

Ta da!


We offer FREE shipping on all Louet looms within Continental North America. We also offer the option to pay a $1000.00 CAD deposit on your loom with the balance due when the loom ships out to you. This gives you the flexibility to make smaller payments toward your balance, at your convenience.


Here to help

Have a weaving question? Find us on the Jane Stafford School of Weaving Forum and on Weave with Jane Stafford at Ravelry.

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November 15 2022, newsletter

Look what we have to make 2023 brighter in your world!

We are so excited to share our latest project with you! It has been so much fun working with Sophia on our photography for the past year. Many of her images were crying out to become something new…and so the idea of the calendar was born. 12 gorgeous images pairing the beauty of our natural world with the beauty of yarns that bring our weaving to reality.  

Jane


We have placemats and towels for you to weave to help give your home a festive air with the big holiday about to arrive for our neighbours to the south. The rest of us have a bit more time to weave special items for decorating our homes or have them ready as gifts for the other holidays and events we will be celebrating before the end of this year!

Twill and Grace Placemats


Christmas Crackle Placemat & Runner


Huck Lace Cotton Tea Towel Kit – Falling Leaves


Bouclé Tea Towel Kit – Country Renaissance Kit


Some Festive Inspiration!

Here is a photo of a festive version of Season 6’s Monk’s Belt placemats woven by Saskatchewan’s Susanna Miller. (School of Weaving – Season 6 Episode 3) Susanna created a version that would brighten anyone’s Christmas table, along with the addition of her cheery coordinating napkins. With this as inspiration – It’s a great time to catch up on our Monk’s Belt lesson and interpret your own cheerful design!


From Our Inbox

Brigitte Schweitzer sent in this photo for us to see and we thought we’d share it with you. Jane was delighted to see a beautiful example of Turned Twill hanging in Brigitte’s garden.


School of Weaving

Watch anywhere, anytime!

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We offer FREE shipping on all Louet looms within Continental North America. We also offer the option to pay a $1000.00 CAD deposit on your loom with the balance due when the loom ships out to you. This gives you the flexibility to make smaller payments toward your balance, at your convenience.

Here to help

Have a weaving question? Find us on the Jane Stafford School of Weaving Forum and on Weave with Jane Stafford on Ravelry.