Fibonacci Fractured

215 is a lonely number....

Fibonacci is a mathematical principle.  I purchased a scarf kit for Sassy Pat (Misao Jo to my Kenzo Jo) and it had a warp winding color sequence for Fibonacci.  Fibonacci is a mathematical sequence of numbers that represents patterns that occur in nature such as spirals, the golden ratio, and the reproduction of rabbits.  It was discovered by an Italian mathematician named Leonardo Pisano Bigello in Pisa, Italy in 1202.

My Fibonacci pattern got fractured.  The yellow yarn (looks like small rick rack) frayed midway through the warp winding process.  I unwound the fraying parts, substituted stronger threads and hoped for the best.

When threading the heddles and reed I lost at least five threads from my pattern.  Oh, well - I am going to call it a fated design element.

Here is the warp from the back of the loom.  After dressing the loom I realized that I had planned to use a 10 dent reed and used a twelve dent reed.  Again - fate intervened and I chose to continue instead of re-threaded the heddles.

Weft in process.

Progress.

Weaving with the green thread.

Twill section mid-way through.

Finished five yards of fabric.  I wanted to accent the vertical stripes and minimize the horizontal stripes so I wove in long sections of at least eight inches.  My hope is that the fabric will be woven into a jumper.

Lessons learned from my Fibonacci fabric:

The warp started with a plan, but plans change.  It is good to start out with an idea in mind, but in weaving as in life, plans change.  We must adapt and change with it.  I ended up finding creative ways to re-tie my yellow threads.  Something, I wouldn't have experienced otherwise.  Life is what happens when we are making plans.

The whole is only as strong as the individual parts.  The yellow thread needed lots of extra attention just as some children need extra attention.  Were the green, red, and black threads jealous? No, they got what they needed when the time arose.  

Because the yellow thread had so many weak spots and knots I could not use the beater bar.  Again, I had to improvise and I used a yard stick (meter stick for my Japanese friends) to beat my weft.  Each time I advanced my warp, I had to play with the yellow threads and ease them through the heddles and reed.  They had a rougher start in their "fabric" life, but look how beautiful they are in the finished product.  It was worth the effort.

No Sew Saori Hat II (the sequel)

The two photos are the yardage I wove for the second No Sew Saori Hat. There was enough warp left after weaving the first one to make a second one.   I thought I would be short on fringe, but there was plenty.  I was having such fun that I wove an extra 3 inches.  I did make it about two inches narrower by removing 12 warp threads from each side.  

One of the sections on the right has clasped weft with a gray color.  I picked up black thread from the left and came two thirds of the way across.  Then I came back across and picked up teal. 

The fuzzy section in the center is a variegated boucle wool. I pulled loops through the warp every two or three inches for several rows.  The teal thread sandwiched between the orange twill is done in satin (1, 2, 3, 4).  On the left is gray and teal alternated using tatami (basket weave).  Similarly, the teal and orange follows in the same manner.  

The section to the left of the variegated wool is green and teal wound together and woven in reverse satin (4, 3, 2, 1).  The section to the left of the pink is green and teal alternating with green and black in tatami (basket weave).   There is a green and teal section to the right of the variegated wool that is twill, revise twill and twill.  It makes a chevron pattern.  

Saori Tote Bag. First Attempt

This is woven fabric that I already had on hand at home.

My friend Faith said that she could help me make a tote bag.  She is a true Saori sewer.  She does not need a pattern or to measure anything.  I sewed the vinyl to the fabric to make it sturdier. 

She loved the blue flame and wanted to make sure I didnt cover it up with the handles.  I sewed the handles on and put "X"s near the top edge for reinforcements.  

I sewed the side and the bottom together and then sewed triangles on the two sides so the bottom would be flat.  I cut off the extra part of the triangle.  The end result was long and narrow.  I am not sure if it will prove to be useful.  If I find an industrial machine I may reinforce the bottom.  As it was I had to put up the pressed foot and drop the feed dogs.   

Saori Worcester Selvage Fringe and Knots

I woke up this morning to the sun shining, the birds chirping, and a cool breeze blowing through my window.  I jumped out of bed and drove to Saori Worcester.  This is the welcome sign on the door.   

Saori Worcester's studio is set back from the road.

But I knew I was in the right place because the pillars are wrapped in woven fabric.  

I think everyone in the world should wrap their pillars and posts in colorful Saori fabric.   

Mihoko is the Sensi or teacher. She said most Americans know the term Sensi from Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles.  She is wearing a Saori top she made with matching shoes.

Check out these shoes she had made with the same fabric as the top.   How cool is that???

Today I am learning how to weave fringe along the selvage.  You basically weave small sections.  When you can't use the beater any more you use a bamboo comb instead.  Note, the section on the right was woven first and the section on the left was woven second.

This is what the piece looked like coming off of the loom.  I have to cut the bottom section off and tie my fringe.

Here it is from another angle.   I changed the width of each section and used treasures like wool roving, felt, and scrap yarn.   To the left of the bottom section I learned a knot-less knotting technique.  You place the yarn over a few warp threads and bring the ends up from the bottom to the center.  You end up with a 70's shag carpet look.  

No Sew Saori Hat

Saori No Sew Hat

Many thanks to Karen Pardee of Saori Serendipity Studios for the PowerPoint directions.  https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/184ZONT1HkVz6VM-BolQmF0eKHeOJo0ves6nJ_GPE_vs/edit#slide=id.g3dac8cdc7_0162

I wove a 24 inch piece of cloth with 12 inches of fringe on each end.  The warp is white cotton (20/2) and the weft is red, yellow, green, blue, and purple (8/2) cotton.  The width is 200 threads for 12 ends per inch.

Above it the finished hat.  The brim is rolled up.

Hat from the side.  The clasped weft is more noticeable in this picture.

The finished hat from the side.  The hat does not require any sewing.  The warp threads on each side were pulled to the center.  Then the bundles were secured in the back.