Tag: weaving kits

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January 2021 Newsletter

Picnic Basket Tea Towels

Lovely Linen Towels

I know it’s only January – but it’s never too early to think about a picnic – so, here is a new kit celebrating Venne’s GOTS certified Linen and Cottolin. 8 glorious towels can be woven on this warp. All you need is a 4 shaft loom with a weaving width of 21″. Twill and basketweave are combined in the threading to offer a multitude of treadling opportunities. 4 towels are woven with a linen weft and 4 towels have a cottolin weft.

Rustic Elegance Tea Towel Kit is back in stock!

C$109.00
We’re so happy to have Rustic Elegance back in stock…..another fabulous towel celebrating Venne’s GOTS certified linen. 

Rustic Elegance gives you 4 stunning towels exploring Colour and Weave on Huck Weft floats and a simple 2 stripe design. All you need is a 4 shaft loom 23″ weaving width. It’s time to weave some modern elegant heirlooms! 

JST Online Guild Season 5 Kits

We’ve been busy kitting up yarns for the start of Season 5’s JST Online Guild presentations and have plenty of kits for 5 episodes …. well, only a few for Episode 3 but there is a huge shipment of cones on the way. 

Season 5 Episode 1 – Turned Twill

Season 5 Episode 2
Canvas Weave

Season 5 Episode 3
Huck Weave

Season 5 Episode 4
Huck Colour & Weave

Season 5 Episode 5
Swedish Lace

Surprise! Partial Cones Available 🙂

Do you want to add a dash of colour to your next warp?
A splash of something that adds a zinger to your scarf, tea towel or blanket?

The Studio is overflowing with partial cones left over from winding down from big cones. So.….we are offering surprise bags of partial cones at a steal of a price! Each bag is guaranteed to have a certain amount of yarn depending on the type of fibre. The bags will have a palate of different colours in them with no guarantees on what you will get, so.…have fun being surprised!

200g of 18/2 Merino
(3-6 cones of surprise colours)
C$40.00

150g of 18/2 Zephyr
(3-6 cones of surprise colours)
C$50.00

200g of 40/2 Linen
(3-6 cones of surprise colours)
C$30.00

200g of Bambu 12
(3-6 cones of surprise colours)
C$28.00

200g of Bambu 7
(3-6 cones of surprise colours)
C$28.00

150g of brushed mohair
(2-5 cones of surprise colours)
C$36.00

Here to help

You can always find us on the Jane Stafford Online Guild Forum or on Weave with Jane Stafford at Ravelry.

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August 2020 Newsletter

August is a month of harvest around here….we are so busy, picking, freezing and processing food from that big garden out there. Some of the first signs of fall are peeking out like the Virginia Creeper and the temperature is perfect 🙂 I know that a lot of weavers are also gardeners and the first signs of the fall are so welcome because we can put that garden to bed and put our feet up.

Sending tons of love,
Jane

Majestic Maple Silk Colourway

Fall inspired silk colours in 20/2 Tussah Silk, hand dyed right here on Salt Spring Island just waiting for your loom 🙂


  4 skeins of 100% Silk Spun in Switzerland 5000 yds/lb, 1100 yds/skein
C$196.00

Selected Bambu Colours – 20% off Sale

We’re making some room on our shelves and discontinuing some Bambu colours. Get them soon before they are all gone!

Regular C$20.00 – Sale C$16.00 on selected colours

Don’t worry, we still carry a lot of colours in Bambu 7 & 12  🙂

Gange Sunrise Scarf Kit

These lovely scarves are perfect for spring and summer! Woven with silk on linen in  alternating bands of 1/3 and 3/1 twill, they have gorgeous sheen 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!

Read more

Fulford Mist Scarf Kit

Here on Salt Spring Island, we are so lucky to live near both the ocean and the mountains. At Fulford Harbour you can admire the two at once, especially as you approach the island on the ferry. Lovely deep ocean views complemented by misty mountain tops – so West Coast, so subtle and inspiring.

These elegant scarves are made with two colours of our 30/2 silk woven on our 40/2 linen in a timeless 2/2 twill. The combination of crisp linen and shimmering silk is exquisite.

Read more

Here to help

You can always find us on the Jane Stafford Online Guild Forum or on Weave with Jane Stafford at Ravelry.

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May 2020 Newsletter

Here we are in May, after a long couple of months, and no matter where you live in the world, you have all been affected in different ways by our current situation I actually hate saying the word. During stressful times in my life I have always been so grateful that I am a weaver and have a creative avenue to loose myself in. Being able to access our creativity at such times is marvelous. I’m sure many of you reading this feel the same way.

As I write, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping and we have a beautiful little Junco family tending a nest right outside the main studio entry. For the past few months we have watched this little pair of industrious birds build their nest and now mom and dad are busy all day long bringing food to at least one mouth.  The grass is growing at least a foot each day, the fruit trees are in bloom, the buds on the grapevines are pushing forth, and when I wake up each morning there are two big fat rabbits eating everything (garumph)… but they are so darned cute. So… I am starting to feel a little more normal with all this life bursting forth around me, and this spring feels so much better than any other spring… simply because of the last few months.

The world is starting open up again… a kind of spring… but a careful spring. Please continue to stay safe.

Sending you tons of love,

Jane

Fulford Mist Linen & Silk Scarves

Here on Salt Spring Island, we are so lucky to live near both the ocean and the mountains. At Fulford Harbour you can admire the two at once, especially as you approach the island on the ferry. Lovely deep ocean views complemented by misty mountain tops – so West Coast, so subtle and inspiring.

These elegant scarves are made with two colours of our 30/2 silk woven on our 40/2 linen in a timeless 2/2 twill. The combination of crisp linen and shimmering silk is exquisite.

Each Fulford Mist Scarf kit makes two stunning scarves and includes one skein of 30/2 Bombyx Margaretta Violetta, one skein of 30/2 Bombyx Salt Spring Sky, one cone of 40/2 linen Olive & one cone of 40/2 linen Teal.

Price C$147.00

It’s The Little Things

We’ve added a new wee video to our “It’s the Little Things” series.  This one will help you control your selvedges when weaving a 2 pick colour sequence. Check out other tips and tricks in the series in the JST Knowledge Base on our website.

Spring Inspired Tea Towel Kits

Our much loved bouclé kits weave up quickly and make wonderful gifts. We use them as hand towels in our house.

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April 2020 Newsletter

Peachy Keen makes the list!

Last year we created a few runs of special colour ways and Peachy Keen was a hit. We’ve had so many requests for this colour that I’ve made it a regular part of our palette….sweet and juicy, just like my favourite summer fruit.
Available in 30/2 Bombyx, 20/2 Bombyx and 20/2 Tussah 🙂


Rustic Elegance Tea Towel Kit

I’ve wanted to get this pattern written up for quite awhile and finally….it’s done. I originally created this pattern  years ago for our Deluxe Weavers Retreats and this warp was coveted by everyone in those workshops. This time I’ve created Rustic Elegance Tea Towels using Venne 16/2 Organic Linen so they will last a life time and become modern heirlooms. It is a lovely study in subtle ‘colour and weave’ techniques on Huck Weft Spots. Every towel uses a different combination of colour sequencing on the same treadling. The patterns are amazing. The towels have a rustic yet modern elegance, perfect for a minimalist decor. You could weave this warp as 2 runners or 4 towels, or 1 runner and 2 towels….get the drift :).

Natty Sherlock Scarf

Just letting you know that we only have 5 Natty Sherlock Scarf Kits left in stock. This soft delicious scarf is woven with 1 skein of a wonderful 30/2 Tussar Tweed silk that is no longer available and one skein of our hand dyed 30/2 Bombyx in Chocolate Cherry. Natty Sherlock was designed by Salt Spring Island weaver Mavis MacMillan and is based on a striping sequence using the Fibonacci numerical series….there is always so much information in our patterns. When washed there is the slightest hint of collapse 🙂

It’s The Little Things

We are so lucky to have a wee post from Sandra Crompton. Sandra is the keeper of the Knowledge Base on our website and is one of the wonderful gals cheerleading and responding to your questions on the JST Forum and Ravelry. Just in case you didn’t know about the Knowledge Base…formerly known as JST’s helpline….. you can find it here. Sandra has been managing 100’s of posts each year since I first started saving all my responses to weavers questions AND, Sandra wants you to know how to STASH BUST….it’s great!

Meet My Enablers – the Cone Family!

My little tale goes like this ……. I’ve made a promise to myself that my stash can no longer continue to expand, so – before I can give myself permission to order the linen that I crave from JST, I have to use up some stash. I found part cones of several cottolin coloursthat have been aging in place for years, and decided it was time to do something with them. After playing with different graphics and – thanks to the Cone Family – I was able to calculate how much yarn was left on each cone. In order to do that, I needed to know how much each empty cone or tube weighed, which I found in the above photos. In Canada, we are fickle to our systems of measurement and flit back and forth between them. In this case, I weighed each colour and deducted the Imperial weight of the cone from the total. I checked the JST Cottolin webpage, and confirmed that there were 3,000 yards in one lb. I divided 3,000 by 16 to get the resulting number of yards per ounce – 187.5. Math is my nemesis but for some reason I really had fun getting down to the point where I knew how much yarn I had to work with.  

The green was the colour I was concerned about most, so …… these are the steps I took:

My green cottolin weighed                3.10 oz
Minus the tube which weighed            .40 oz
Weight of yarn only                           2.70 oz

At that point I could convert my green into yardage –

2.70 oz X 187.5 yds. per oz = 506.25 yards of green available for my project.

I did that with all the colours and then adapted my graphic to the results.  

After winding my warp to include a few tea towels plus a shawl (which will help use up bobbins of silk) I still have enough of the cottolin to mix with cotton in the tea towels. Now can I go online shopping??????

While supplies last

I’ve done a little house cleaning and put a few odds and ends in the sale bin.
Hope you find something you might need 🙂

The Wee Weaver
Regular C$36.00
Sale C$26.00

Minute Weavers
Regular C$41.00
Sale C$31.00

Stash Blaster 8 EPI
Regular C$44.00
Sale C$34.00

Cricket Reed 10 Dent
Regular C$64.00
Sale C$32.00

Here to help

You can always find us on the Jane Stafford Online Guild Forum or on Weave with Jane Stafford at Ravelry.

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January 30th, 2020 Newsletter

Happy New Year

I hope you have all had a restful holiday season and are diving into this new decade with positive intentions and hope in your heart. 

Two New Silks Colours

Everyday at JST we get to enjoy the spectacular array of silks on our display shelves. It never fails to brighten our day. Its funny how we sensed something was missing though, so last year we came up with 2 New Colours and Ta Da! We nailed it! Stormy Teal and Electric Aubergine round out our silk colour offerings perfectly. How did we ever get along without them? Hope you agree that they are 2 new welcomed additions to our Hand-dyed Colour Line.

Stormy Teal 
20/2 Bombyx, 20/2 Tussah
& 30/2 Bombyx

Electric Aubergine 
20/2 Bombyx, 20/2 Tussah
& 30/2 Bombyx

Chocolate Ice Scarves

Linda has been busy weaving these luxurious silk/merino scarves. The drape and hand are absolutely stunning and can be woven on a 4 shaft loom. They are based on the first episode of the Online Guild’s Season 4….all about 4 shaft twills and they put into practice many of the sequencing ideas presented. Each kit makes 2 scarves and we offer the kit in 2 colour ways, the top two are Chocolate & Vanilla and the bottom two are Melting Ice.
 

Chocolate & Vanilla Kit

Melting Ice Kit

Holly & Berry Tea Towel Kit

OOPS! We started this little project last October to re-launch Arlene’s Tea Towels for the holiday season…ordering all the yarn, getting new photos taken, working on the pattern… The only thing is, the yarns didn’t arrive until December 28! Best laid plans…. well, we think red and green are beautiful throughout the year so here they are – the Holly & Berry Tea Towels! 

And hey….here’s an idea….why not get a head start on 2020’s Holiday Season and be early rather then late!!! Like Us!! That way, you’ll be the first in your guild to have your Christmas weaving done early…..ha ha.

Brushed Mohair

My little heart is broken….Brushed Mohair prices are going through the roof.  I’m never going to give it up because it is a major source of my dietary fibre….it seems to get into everything!  BUT…the prices are going up on the 5th of February so if you’re into making Mohair Blankies you might want to stock up now.

Present price: C$28.00/100g, New price: C$35.40/100g 🙁

A few Scarves

Need a little pizzazz in your life?  Maybe Ha Cha Cha, Autumn Equinox or Orient Express will warm you up. Stylish scarves to warm your body and your heart.

Ha Cha Cha
Weaves 2 scarves
C$167.00

Autumn Equinox Kit
Weaves 2 scarves
C$167.00

Orient Express Kit
Weaves 2 scarves
C$60.00

Here to help


You can always find us on the Jane Stafford Textiles Online Guild Forum or on Weave with Jane Stafford at Ravelry.

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November 28th Newsletter

We may love the colour BLACK and
FRIDAYS may be our favourite day of the week
but here at JST we’ve decided to have a

 Colourful Weekend Sale!

This weekend is the perfect time to say THANK YOU to all our customers who keep us inspired and motivated through the year.

As we head into our darkest time of year, may a colourful warp inspire your weaving and nurture your soul.

The fine print!
Sale prices limited to in-stock yarns & kits only 
Not valid with other coupons
Spend over $250 and you’ll receive free shipping! 
Receive additional 10% off & free shipping when you spend over $500. (Some Exceptions Apply) 
Sale starts 12:01am Friday November 29th, 2019 Pacific Standard Time and ends midnight Monday December 2nd, 2019 Pacific Standard Time

Heavenly Check Scarf

We’re giving away another pattern! This simple classic scarf in 12 gauge Bambu is fun, fast and easy to weave.  The scarf was designed by Eben (Jane’s son!) and has long been a studio favourite, available as a kit in three beautiful colourways or design your own by downloading the free pattern!  A great beginner project. 


Yarns

While all of our yarn is on sale, this is a great time to treat yourself to a few of our favourites 🙂

  • 2/18 Merino - Raspberry

Cashmere 
750 yds/cone
Regular C$49.00
Sale C$44.10

Brushed Mohair
215 yds/ball
Regular C$28.00
Sale C$25.20

18/2 Merino
1100 yds/cone
Regular C$27.95
Sale C$25.16

Zephyr Wool Silk
1100 yds/cone
Regular C$35.95
Sale C$32.36  

30/2 Bombyx Silk
1650 yds/skein
Regualr C$49.00
Sale C$44.10  

Harrisville Shetland
900 yds/cone
Regular C$36.00
Sale C$32.40 

Canvas Weave Baby Blankie Kit
Regular C$97.90
Sale C$88.11  

Online Guild Kits
Season 2 & 3 Kits
C$47.80-C$180.00
C$43.02-C$162.00

Huckleberry Waffle
Tea Towel Kit
Regular C$128.00
Sale C$115.20  

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November 21st Newsletter

Jane’s Essential Silks

Ten of Jane’s favourite silk colours,
perfect for your wishlist!

We asked Jane which silks she would want with her if she were stranded on a deserted island. She asked “how many skeins do I get??”….we said 10. Here is what she came up with:  

My favourite sample from Season 2 of the Online Guild was the Muted Colour Gamp (Season 2 Episode 8) so I choose 6 colours to match the colours in that warp….and my favourite part of weaving that warp was weaving the hot crazy colours from Parrot (Season 2 Episode 5) on top of the muted colour ways. So I chose 4 colours from that sample….I could weave these colours together forever!

This Colourway includes 10 skeins of either 30/2 Bombyx Silk or 20/2 Bombyx Silk in Ariel’s Voice, Autumn Spice, B.B. Blue, Buddha Berry, Dragon Fruit, Favourite Wine, Grantius Green, Lime Light, Starfish, Tiger Lily.

Heddles for Sabahar:

Thank you, thank you, thank you. What can I say but Thank YOU! I am so happy to forward this update below on our Heddle Drive for Sabahar. We had such a generous and heartfelt response to our request for help. Small gifts can make such a big difference in our world.  

xo Jane

Update from Sabahar:

Kindness makes the world a better place

Our weavers were the beneficiaries of 50,000 professional heddles, and they are so excited!

We are continually amazed by the collective power of kindness. Jane Stafford of Jane Stafford Textiles, has become a dear friend, mentor and advocate for Sabahar. She first volunteered with us in 2016. Jane and her son, Eben, spent two weeks in Ethiopia showing our weavers new techniques that would create different textures and save time. Jane returned in March 2019 for another 3-week stint with us. She paid for her own airline ticket and donated her time! We learned so much! The new texture of our tea towels and the Mescot scarf are direct results from Jane’s assistance.

Jane gets it. As a world-renowned weaver with so many years (or rather decades!!) of experience, she knows exactly what we need to improve our weaving. When she returned to her home in Salt Spring Island, Canada, in March, she was even more determined to help us! She wrote beautiful blogs about the work we accomplished together and then started a crowd funding campaign to raise money for the purchase of professional heddles for our weavers.

The handmade heddles that our weavers currently use often stick together and are time consuming and frustrating to weave with. High quality heddles reduce the time for warp set-up and speed up the weaving process. This means the weavers can produce more in a day and make more money for their household.

Through Jane’s efforts and generous donations from many of her friends and fellow weavers, Sabahar has already been able to buy 50,000 heddles and related equipment and will be able to purchase approximately another 50,000. The campaign raised more than Cnd$7,000. To give you an idea, a standard loom uses about 1,400 heddles and a wider loom uses 2,000. The availability of these heddles will make a huge difference for more than 60 of our weavers.

Words can’t express how amazing this support is, and how thankful we are.

Once Jane started this campaign, so many others joined with their kindness. Texsolv, a weaving product manufacturing company in Tosse, Sweden, offered us a discounted price for the heddles. We were able to buy significantly more through their generous support.

Helen Pankhurst, another great friend of Sabahar, then kindly offered to bring the 22kg of heddles to Ethiopia.

All of this happened really fast. The campaign ran in March 2019 and the weavers received the heddles last week.

Thank you to Jane Stafford, Texsolv, and Helen Pankhurst for your assistance. A huge thank you also goes out to all those who donated to the funding campaign. This critical intervention will give weavers not only the technical ability to earn a better livelihood, but also the feeling of being appreciated, connected and supported by the global weaving community.

Getting Help on the Website

If you’ve visited the website recently, you may have noticed a small icon that looks a bit like this:

Click on it and you’ll be presented with help documents relating to wherever you happen to be the website:

If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for then click Ask, type in your message and we’ll try to reply as soon as we possibly can:

Finished looking, changed your mind or clicked on the icon by mistake? Just click the X:

If you see something in the documentation that’s incorrect or if you think that we should add documentation for other parts of the website, please let us know. We’d be super grateful! 🙂

A Few Weaving Project Gift Ideas

We are all so busy at this time of year making special gifts for the special people in our lives. Trusting in the end result gives us a bit of breathing space :). If you’re stretched for design time maybe one of the kits below will help you reach your goals a little sooner. Happy Weaving!

Not Enough Green For Grant Cotton Boucle Kit

Huckleberry Waffle GOTS Certified Organic Cotton Kit

Eagle Eye Cotton Boucle Kit