Dec 262012
 

I decided to try out my new silk yarn this week. First project will be some bookmarks using Sulawesi technique and more of Guntram’s cool patterns. Since Sulawesi is a 3-color weave I needed to use 3 colors. I chose silver/dark blue/medium blue for this project. I wound just 2 meters of warp so I could play with it and see what it does. Again (like the first time) I had to try all different combinations of S- and Z- threading and (re)orienting the tablets this way and that before I could get the correct pattern to emerge. I think I must have some kind of mental block for this πŸ™ Anyway, I finally got one bookmark done using the silver to make the pattern and the 2 blue colors in the background. On the loom it looks like this:

I like the way this came out, but I think it is a bit loose (this allows some of the colors that should be “hidden” to peek through in places). On the next one I’ll try to pull the weft thread to tighten up the weave a bit and see if that helps.

Next I rearranged the tablets and with the same warp, I did another one using the dark blue for the pattern and the other 2 colors as the background. On the loom that one looks like this:

I think I’ve now figured out how to keep the width even as I weave. I hope the next one will be more uniform in width. I’ll post more pictures when I’ve cut them off the loom and finished them.

So far I’m pretty pleased with the material. It is a bit more slippery than the linen I’ve used, which is OK it just takes some getting used to. The material is extremely strong and looks and feels really nice.

UPDATE: Β 26-Dec-2012

I was able to make only 3 from the warp I had. Here they are (the pictures really don’t do the yarn justice. The yarn is shiny and bright and the colors are wonderful):

Dec 102012
 

I just received an order of 20 colors of NM11 (110 meters = 100 grams) real silk from Schmetz in Krefeld. I intend to use this for some tablet weaving projects (borders, belts, etc.). The colors are so delicious that I just want to eat it all up! Feast your eyes and see for yourself:

Dec 032012
 

I’ve been getting interested in Steampunk lately and have plans to make some suitable clothing and gadgets. I bought a pattern from Laughing Moon Mercantile for a frock coat and waistcoat. It bought some material to make the coat but then I found a vintage frock coat at a flea market for 25 Euros that was in pretty good shape. So I don’t have to make the coat right away. I started working on the waistcoat and before I cut into my “fashion fabric”, I decided to make a “muslin” to see how the pattern instructions worked and whether the thing would fit me or not. When I’m done it should look something like this:

The pattern (Laughing Moon Mercantile #109) contains a single- and double-breasted frock coat and 2 different waistcoats. It looks like this:

I measured myself and Β it looks like I need a size 40. I cut the major pattern pieces from muslin. I didn’t bother with the pockets or the back belt as I just want to see how the thing fits. I put it together and it looks like this from the front:

and like this from the back:

I think it fits me just fine! πŸ™‚

So now I get to do it all again. But this time I need to be much more careful because I will be using my “fashion fabric” which is a length I cut off an old curtain that I found at a flea market for 15 Euros. The “fashion fabric” is a nice gold damask. I already cut the pattern pieces out of it. Here’s a sample (unfortunately the photo isn’t that good, the fabric actually looks much nicer than this):

I’m not sure when I will actually get to finishing this. I do plan to get it done this winter, as I want to go to one or more Steampunk events next year and would like to have something to wear. To tell the truth, I’m really afraid to do the pockets. Luckily this pattern “Waistcoat B” only has 2 pockets instead of the 4 pockets in “Waistcoat A”. I think I’ll have to practice doing the pockets a few times with scrap fabric before I tear my “fashion fabric” to shreds πŸ˜‰