Down to the wire!

This is the last picture I'll take, before I finish the silver outside edging, on each strap, then attach the 'front and center' petal! The next pic will be a completed photograph. I can't believe I have been Blogging about this Lotus SLN since last July, (although there were a few cuffs, one cell phone bag, a lot of earrings and a needle case, in between, lol).

Thanks for hanging in there! Mirrix proved to be a real work horse!

Why a ©Weighted Warp?

I have been working on my ascent upwards, on the Lotus SLN. Here are a few pictures to show you my start.

The picture above is an overall view. Besides the upper straps not being completed, there is only 'one' part missing, the petal 'front and center' of the Lotus. I will secure that into place, but wanted to get started on the upper straps.

Here is a picture, back when I started this weaving.

The Mirrix was the perfect loom for warping with so many warps, needing to control the tension on these warps, (Mirrix has wing nuts on each side to adjust tension), and using ©Weighted Warps so each warp is movable and able to decrease/increase anytime as I loom. Let me share what I planned and why I wanted to use the Mirrix with ©Weighted Warps.

Since this is an SLN, (Split Loomed Necklace), I knew the center focal would eventually 'split' into creating the two upper straps, of the finished necklace. How I wanted to accomplish this was to create a unique 'cut out' design, intermixed with some graphing of a picture. My design idea also included what type of 'split' would occur, at the very start of this process. I decided on a wide scoop look, with some indentations along the edge of the straps. (Later I'll share more about how I created the 'scoop design' as you see below.)

After sectioning off the 'center and two straps', I was now ready to begin some creative 'cut outs'.



You can see the one cut out, I was able to create because the warps were not secured to the loom. The ©Weighted Warps allowed me to move any warp aside, include them in my rows of beads to indent and add them back in to close off the cut out again. All the while, each of the warps, secured to a ©Weighted Warp weight, were movable, had adjustable lengths and kept the tension for straight weaving as well.

Many lacy designs can be completed, using my ©Weighted Warp method, which I hope to get into more detail, later on. Much more to loom weave, as I ascend, which will include a graphed pattern I created. This pattern will splay out using 11/o Delica Silver Metallic beads and 11/o Delica Matte Black beads.




Also not mentioned yet, is the edging I will include to complete the upper straps. I will use the Silver Metallic beads to line not only each outside edge, of each strap, but will also line the entire area of the cut out!

Creative Ideas Never End!

I have been trying out new ideas again. Here is a sample of a looming using 11/o and 4mm beads. There are so many possibilities using this method. Since this is my first attempt at looming such a mixture, I'll be sure to try other means of incorporating various sized beads.

This has also brought me to the idea of using a very colorful warp, looming with complimentary color beads! Making the warp color stand out as opposed to trying to match it exactly to the beads! Another creative way to loom a design.

Hopefully, I have offered some new looming ideas!

Layers Of Loom Weaving!

My last entry was sharing a 'new tool' I created to help me finalize a new and different loom weaving technique I call "Layered Loom Weaving".

The tool is a lamp work bead, offering the heavy weight I want to hold some warp threads as if they were tied down. I am using a horizontal loom, so they can hang over the edge. Below is a picture of both warp weights, each holding five warp threads.
I started weaving with the weighted warps laying parallel to the warps attached on the loom. My first first rows are sewn with a few warps 'doubled'. You can see in the picture below, how the white weighted warps are laying together with the light green warps. I used a different color thread so this would stand out better in these pictures.


Now that I have a few rows completed, holding down all of my warps, weighted and attached, I'll begin sorting them out. You can see in the picture below, I have set aside the weighted warps, creating a base using the attached warps only. Because these added warps are secured to the lamp work weights, they are movable and easily adjusted, all the while staying the same distance apart, row to row.


How large or long of a base is up to you and your design ideas. I wanted to create a 'ribbon', meandering through the loomed base, cuff. There are other great design ideas, using the layered method, a 'ribbon' is just one of them.


I used a rubber wine cork to hold the warps up, while I weave my second level, above the base weave. The rubber cork helps to keep the weighted warps from slipping off, while I add my beads.


I trimmed the outside edges of the ribbon in gold. You can see how you can gauge the size of curve you want to create, by considering where you will attach it to the loom weaving. If you are creating a cuff, be sure to allow for the 'bend' of your cuff, when you take this off the loom. If you are not considering the extra length of the ribbon section, it won't sit up and away from the loomed base, while wearing.


The other ribbon, to the right of the first I completed, was also finalized in the same manner, only at a different length. This will tie into my design idea.


Once my desired length of ribbon is completed, I will introduce the white weighted warps, back into my base weaving. You can see how the row I just added, includes the white weighted warps.


Below, the left ribbon is completely secured where the right ribbon is being attached, a few rows further down the cuff. This is just how my pattern will unfold, an uneven meandering of the ribbon, through the entire cuff.


You can see in the picture below, I have completed a number of 'ins & outs'. I also decided to converge the two ribbons in to one wide white ribbon, as an interesting design idea.


From the side, you can get a better feel of the dimension 'Layered Loom Weaving' creates.


Usually, my 'prototype' weaving ideas become completed pieces of wearable art. However, in this case, I decided to weave using some gorgeous cut glass beads which are not evenly sized. I thought I could 'cull' my way through and weave something perfectly uniform in shape, but it just didn't happen form me. You may take my loom, but let me keep my Delica's!


In closing, I would like to play the Devil's Advocate. While loom weaving, I was thinking how this design could have also been accomplished by hand weaving a square stitch ribbon and applying to this loom woven weave. There is less work creating this idea in this manner, with less threads to hide and secure. My hand weaving skills don't seem play up to many bead artist's skills I have seen, but I also feel more comfortable behind a loom. It occurs to me, I think more in terms of 'warps & wefts' when I design, then I do from any other angle. Not only that, because my warp management techniques make warps disappear with out a problem, I'll continue to stretch my creative goals via the loom, filled with warps and waiting for the weft!

A New Looming Tool!

Sometimes my direction of creativety starts with the 'idea'. Other times it is born from seeing a new tool. I think in this new project, both of these means crashed together at the same time!

I am going to keep you in suspense a bit longer. However, let me share the new Looming Tool I have created. It isn't even named yet, but it works great.





The attachment you see on the end of each lamp work glass fob, is really a necklace separator! I added that to allow multiple threads to be attached. (Will the threads be warps or wefts? Wait and see!)


I am fitting this new idea into my looming schedule, only because the idea has been burning a hole in my daily looming progress. I have to get this out of the way, as well as finish my Lotus SLN. It is wonderful to feel the 'drive', when a new idea hits!