One Week Of Weaving Class

I learned how to weave this week. 

me and Bruno!

On Monday we talked about fibers and measurements and calculated how much warp (chaîne) one would need for three meters of 50cm-wide fabric.  By the afternoon we had prepared the thread on the warping frame and the next morning was spent warping the loom.  Talk about tedious.  Each thread has to be put through just the right lisse in just the right cadres (I don't know what those words are in English, haHa!  See below for a visual), one at a time.  But we were quick.  By the afternoon, Manon and I had finished warping both of our looms, learned the basics of weavers' notation and started weaving!!

my warping mill, complete with warp; 200 threads strong.

me and Manon, with our chains of chaîne

ah!  the precious crossing of the threads.  may the baguettes (those sticks) ever preserve it.

one thread at a time, in order, in the right pattern will determine the weave.  the vertical wires (lisses) have little holes, or eyes, in the middle, and there are four different frames (cadres) full of lisses.  Each thread had to go through the right lisse in the right cadre.

tying off the warp.  such simple tools and techniques, relied upon for centuries' worth of clothing and linens and sailcloth and everything.  it's amazing to me.

advancing the cross with the baguettes so that the warp can be wound.  winding requires tension, which will explain why i'm putting my whole weight into holding it taut.

tah dah!!  WARPED!!

i, Alexandra, just wove that.

see?  those are my knees.

see the cool things you can do with the same warp pattern?

this pattern is wonderfully 3D and is called 'gauffre', even in english.  gauffre means waffle in french.

then I played with color and texture.

we learned how to weave two layers of fabric at the same time.

and at the end i signed my name.

By the end of the week, we had both used all three meters of chaîne, which has never happened with Bruno's students before.  It was almost worrisome because he needed a warped loom for a demonstration today and he was planning on using the leftover warp from one of us.  Instead he taught us how to add warp without having to do the whole 'enfilage' process with the lisses and the cadres: you tie extra length onto your warp.  I learned the necessary knot and practiced it on 130 warp threads before I was done.  He said he'll start me next week rewarping a loom with 600 threads.  Yay!  No, seriously.  This apprenticeship is going to be awesome.