NOBO Handweavers

Happy Holidays to everyone up in NOBO Handweavers!

I’ve been enjoying some time dyeing a collection of yarns, and created this beautiful Pixels Shawl.

As promised, here’s the link to the Fresh Ginger Cake I brought to the holiday party here.

To that I add 1 teaspoon of powdered ginger.
Lot’s of spicy ginger, just what Christmas calls for.
Enjoy!

P.S. You can use a metal cheese grater (the finer shred) but buying a ceramic ginger grater from the health food store or a Chinese market is even better.

You all know how I appreciate dedicated tools!

For those of you not on the NETA (New England Textile Arts) list, here’s a pointer to an amazing charity knitting project doen in the UK: a Christmas tree that’s covered in knitting!
Go to:

I am “forwarding” the following email to the group. I hope someone will be able to help Denise warp her loom for the first time.

subject: exactly how far over my head?

Hi! I just purchased a wood-framed Structo Artcraft loom on eBay– perhaps a model 600? Not exactly sure, yet. And it IS eBay, so of course the loom may arrive as a pile of sticks and twisted metal, to which I will say, “well the photo looked good.”

I find good instructions for warping, online, and the Structo manual. But I’m wondering if you might know someone I could who could help me warp the loom for the first time. It’s a gift for my 13-year-old daughter, whose birthday is on Christmas, and she’s been asking for one of these since weaving on one at the NH Sheep and Wool festival, both in 2009 and in 2010. I’m feeling a little like “oh my gosh, what have I done” on one hand, but on the other hand, I’ve been fascinated with simple heddle looms for a few years.

I don’t want to take a course at this time, so I’m looking for private instruction. Do you know anyone who might help me, for a reasonable price?

Denise Frame Harlan
dframe2006@gmail.com

I have just returned home from a fantastic trip to Thailand, so I thought you all may enjoy some of my photographs.  During my visit I had the chance to meet some of the local village weavers in Tung Na Muang where I stayed for three days.  Tung Na Muang is in a remote area of North East Thailand on the border with Laos.    The ladies purchase  spun cotton from  nearby villages and then dye and weave their own cloth.  The cloth is then used to make table cloths, bags of various designs, shawls and scarves.

The plant growing at the left of the picture is used to produce the beautiful shade of green.  I inquired as to the name of the plant but was told it was just a weed.

This is Lu pin who kindly showed me around the village and even let me use her loom !

I have not woven with such a wide warp before so I had a bit of trouble throwing the shuttle all the way across but I finally managed and everyone cheered !

The ladies also made sure that I beat the cloth very hard after changing the shed.  As you can see the beater is suspended from a stick so I found it a bit tricky to keep it lined up with cloth.

Notice how the warp is wrapped up and over the entire loom, no warp beams or brakes on these looms…just a firm knot held in place by a stick.

Some of the ladies were away harvesting the rice so Lu pin showed us a table cloth in progress.

Then it was time to do some shopping… this lady had scarves and table cloths for sale.

Lu pin then brought us to her home where she displayed her collection of bags.

The following day Lu pin brought some samples of her weaving to show me and she very kindly cut some off for me to bring home with me.  I will certainly treasure these.  The previous day I had given Lu pin one of my handwoven bookmarks made with my hand spun wool, she was thrilled to bits to receive it.

Now onto the silk weaving…

The day before leaving Ubonratchathani to start my long journey home I was honored to have a private tour of the Ban Khampun Exhibition – home of the Ubon weaving center.  Ban Khampun is open for the public just one a year during the Candle Festival in July.  Ban Khampun is widely known in Thailand as a center producing high-quality silk fabric with it’s unique weaving technique, Ikat with Tapestry weave.

The weft is measured out and tied before dyeing, this is done numerous times to achieve the pattern.  Some patterns also require the warp to be dyed in this manner.

The intricate tapestry weave is worked as the weft progresses.

The length of the warp is 20 meters, this lady was measuring from 5 or 6 spools of silk.  There are 2,000 ends required for approximately one meter of cloth.

It takes about two days to thread the heddles.

Best quality silk is purchased and then dyed here using various plants, roots, mushrooms etc.

The museum building and lotus pond.

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I will bring this piece to show and tell….

Happy Holidaze!!!

A reminder for everyone to bring a dish/dessert and if
interested in participating, something for the Yankee Swap. Also a
major Show and Share – be it holiday gifts that have been woven,
prized pieces …..

This meeting’s Serf Society is made up of – Rose Corrigan, Betsy
Martin, and Kirsten O’Leary. Please consider lending a hand for our serf(s) this month as there will be more setting up and tearing down than usual. Also please remember that what you bring in you must take home at the end of the evening, including any leftovers, serving dishes, spoons, etc. Betsy is not able to hold onto any food/and or dishes for people to pick up at a later time so please keep that in mind when you are choosing your dish.

Happy weaving everyone – see you Thursday night!