Category Archives: Show and Tell

Show and Tell posts

Show and Tell November 2023

Show and Tell

Show and Tell November 2023

John H – My silk warp IKAT scarf

Ange M – Sample from Mary Zikafoose’s class

The warp is 8/2 tencel dyed with Procion mx dyes, and the weft is a commercially dyed 16/2 cotton. I wove a straight twill.

I shifted the color by slipping the threads; one side came out looking like I wanted and the other did not!

Teacatweaver’s Ikat scarf from Mary Zikafoose’s class

Result from the IKAT workshop with Mary Zikafoose. Madder/Cutch natural dye, 100% linen

Michael B. – Inkle Band Suspenders

Very nice inkle band suspenders crafted by Black Sheep member Michael B.

Note the custom 3D printed clips on the left, perfect for blue jean belt loops. 

Lynn C. – Navajo-style tapestry

Beautiful tapestry by Black Sheep member Lynn C. 

It is approximately 30 inches square and was warped Navajo-style on two dowels, then tied to a frame loom. 

Show and Tell October 2023

Show and Tell

Show and Tell October 2023

Alexandra G. and her Double Rainbow Scarf (Doubleweave/Cotton):

       

 

Laura B. and her Overshot Blanket:

7 yard warp, which alternates Brown Sheep Lambspun (I was given 10 skeins at a Black Sheep meeting last year) with a finer grist of my handspun singles from a natural dark brown crossbred fleece.

293 ends, sett at 8 dpi. Draft is a simple 4-shaft overshot from Malin Selander, woven with 3 tabby picks between the pattern wefts. This was my first big project on my vintage Ullman countermarch loom.

Tabby weft is my fine dark brown handspun. Pattern weft is partly a commercial 2-ply I redyed to red and rust, and partly a 2-ply handspun I carded and spun to match the grist, in many colors.

After sampling my wet finishes, I plan to full the cloth, cut it into three panels and crochet them together with more of the Brown Sheep Lambspun to make a twin-sized blanket for my older son. He approved the color scheme.

Laura B.

 

 

 

Show and Tell September 2023

Show and Tell

Show & Tell: Sashiko & Indigo by Gail B.

Indigo dyed cotton shibori weave:

Beautiful purses / phone pouches incorporating previously unfinished samples from sashiko and indigo dye workshops:

 

Swedish Snowflake Towels by Stefanie S.

After completing the Swedish Snowflake draft at a recent class with Madeline van der Hoogt, I liked the pattern so much that I wove a few dish towels. To make it more interesting, I changed the 8-shaft pattern to 16 shafts, to display both front and back side in alternating squares. 22/2 Cottolin. 

 

 

Show and Tell August 2023

Older Posts

CNCH 2023 – San Luis Obispo, CA

Many Black Sheep Guild members were able to participate in the recent Conference of Northern California Handweavers in San Luis Obispo from Aug 3-6, 2023.

Below you will find some impressions and images our members brought back as well as samples of the amazing work that was done in 16+ classes during the conference. 

Thank you to members for sharing their work with us!

Barbara S – Deb Curtis’ Class on “Birch Bark Explorations”

Here are two stitched vessels I did in Deb Curtis class. Stitched birch bark with 4 strand and 3 strand braided and flat cedar bark rims.
Deb is an excellent teacher, the students were so much fun to be with, and I learned a lot about materials I have never before worked with. What looks like black stitching on the cylinder is actually natural to the bark as are the short brown lines.

 

Ange M – Inge Dam’s class on “Tablet Band Incorporated into Fabric”

I took Inge Dam’s class on “Tablet Band Incorporated into Fabric”. My
sample is still in progress but here’s a photo of it! All 10/2 cotton,
and there are 28 cards in the threaded-in cardwoven accent.

Stefanie S – Jennifer Moore’s class on Double Rainbow

Here are some images of the finished sampler we started in Jennifer Moore’s class. Lot’s of opportunity to play with color and shapes and get creative with different yarns.

Show and Tell July 2023

Older Posts

Show & Tell: Table Mats by Lschickli

Table mats in 6 shaft irregular satin on the Drawloom

 

Show & Tell: Handcrafted paper by Gail B

Lovely handcrafted paper from a recent Creative Endeavors workshop

Show & Tell: Sewing with Handwovens Study Group

Beautiful projects shared by the Black Sheep Sewing with Handwovens Study Group. Check out more details here

Show & Tell: Star of Bethlehem Baby Blankets by John H.

Comparing the same pattern in 24 epi vs 20 epi demonstrates how the 24 epi is more elongated and the 20 epi is more balanced. 

 

Show & Tell: Handspun Merino wool by Monique H

Show & Tell: Woven shibori cotton and indigo scarf by Gail B

Show and Tell June 2023

Older Posts

Show & Tell: Catikat by Ally Krause
One of my ikat weavings, Catikat, has been selected for the Pets & Animals show at the Pacific Art League in Palo Alto. Catikat is a warp ikat piece based on the silhouette of my cat, Mo, and is naturally dyed with cutch. The opening reception is this Friday 6/2 from 5:30-8pm, and it will be up through 6/27.
— Ally Krause


Catikat ikat, photo courtesy of the artist

Show & Tell: Cotton Baby Blanket By Stefanie S.

I love this Leave pattern for a super-soft baby blanket for my new grandson! The pattern is from handweaving.net,  it is an 8-Shaft pattern made with 3/2 white and brown organic cotton (American Maid) in warp and weft. 

Show and Tell May 2023

Older Posts

Show and Tell May 2023

Making the Most of It – Barbara Shapiro

I wanted to make a three row flower knot Möbius strip, but didn’t take into account how
thick the band would be. When it was close to being done, but before I worked all the ends in, I realized it was too short to twist and fashion into a closed twisted loop. So I stepped back from it and, lo and behold, this is what I saw crawling across my table.

I added the eyes and he took off to attack a group of ceramic kimono clad zombies.
— Barbara Shapiro

Beautiful Beiderwand pillows – Ange M.

Beautiful Beiderwand Pillows woven by Ange M. 8/2 cotton in beige and grey with garage sale mystery wool in black. 

Black Sheep interested in weave structures like Beiderwand can join the Weave Structure Study Group!

Show and Tell April 2023

Show and Tell

Ply Split Rug by Ulla de L.  

 I made another split ply rug while I was in Sweden last month. It is made of the 260
cords I had made the year before, walking back and forth on our veranda. As with my previous ones it is made out of the Maypole Nehalem wool yarns I got from Gisela Evitt many years ago, using 10400 ends of 2 ply wool. It is 24″ X 7’4″ in size.

Creative Endeavors by Betsy C

The Creative Endeavors Group learned sashiko stitching with Jodi P. This beautiful boro was made by Betsy C.

Stand Clear of the Closing Doors by Sarah A

Here is my recent piece Stand Clear of the Closing Doors. It is inspired by the New York City subway. The design was generated by artificial intelligence (image included below) and then I reproduced it with modified Theo Moorman technique using handspun mixed and upcycled fiber inlay weft, cotton warp, and bast ground weft. 

       

The woven piece                                                   The AI Starting Point 

Gail B – More Creative Endeavors

 

Completed Scarf: Four Shaft Deflected Doubleweave variation, 5/2 cotton and Bambu 7

Sashiko/Bpro Mug Rug, cotton, 6″x6″ (April Creative Endeavors Event)

Mushroom-Dyed Wool yarn (March Creative Endeavors Event)                                    

Show and Tell February 2023

Show and Tell

Barbara Shapiro – Troubled Waters

My work Troubled Waters 2019, 14 x 14 x 14″, has been chosen for The Color of Water at
the Sebastopol Center for the Arts, February 11 to March 26, 2023.

The Reception is on February 11, 2 to 4 PM. The hexagonally plaited sedori cane globe supports a swirl of soiled papers and cloth with a pool of debris inside the globe as well.