Friday, September 14, 2012

Turned Atwater Bronson Lace Kimono Vest

Recently I wrote about a turned Atwater Bronson lace sample I had just completed, but I hadn't decided exactly how I wanted to use it.  

I decided to weave the fabric for a vest using a pattern I'm familiar with, Dana Marie #1007 Kimono Jacket and Vest. The vest is finished!
 ...and in the mail heading for Handwoven magazine's offices in Loveland for the January/February 2013 issue which focuses on varietal wools. 

For the lining I used a rayon batik; I love having something colorful and fun inside the vest, and the fabric has a soft drape with just-right support for the woven fabric. 

If you sew, you know that sometimes the trickiest detail in finishing a garment can be finding the right button, and that was certainly true for this vest. While it only took two days to thread the loom and weave the fabric, it took half of a morning and three stores to come up with the button; buttons in this case. The final solution? Three stacked buttons; the large square one on the bottom is black, the round one in the middle is green, and the top one is shell which has the perfect mix of iridescent blues and greens.
The collar fabric was woven on the same warp with a treadling variation I came up with while sampling. Proving once again the value of sampling! 

I loved working with the yarn, Webs 2/10 Colrain Lace, a blend of 50% merino and 50% tencel. And, no matter how many times I warp my loom and weave, I'm absolutely fascinated by the idea that I can start with this...

and, one thread at a time, end up with beautiful fabric...magic!


Thursday, September 13, 2012

Designing Weavers Welcomes a New Member!

Last May I was invited to attend a meeting of Designing Weavers and to present my work for membership consideration. After waiting on pins and needles until mid-July, I received an invitation to join. Yea! I'm excited and honored to be part of this extremely talented group.
  
"Established in 1975, Designing Weavers is a nationally recognized juried fiber guild known for the diverse range of work produced by its members and is based in Los Angeles, California. The group believes in motivating and encouraging excellence.

The September Newsletter from Designing Weavers arrived last week:


Meet Our New Member!

Sarah H. Jackson

A frequent contributor to Handwoven magazine, Sarah is also a member of Handwoven's technical editing team. Active in her local weaving guild, she writes for and edits the monthly newsletter, a position she also fills as a member of Wearable Arts Connection of Southern California.
 She has recently been exploring and teaching reconstructed clothing design; several of her designs have been published in Altered Couture magazine.
 Her entry, "Ebb and Flow" was juried into the Handweavers Guild of America "Longitudes" Yardage Exhibit for HGA's biennial international Convergence® 2012 where it was awarded the prestigious HGA Award for weaving.

Copyright Handwoven Magazine 2012.
Photograph by Joe Coca. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Not to be reprinted.


Watch for Sarah's latest article in the November/December issue of Handwoven Magazine
"Squares within Squares Atwater-Bronson Beaded Top"
www.Interweave.com