Weaving Inspired by a Painting

Gus is participating in a challenge through Foothill Fibers Guild in which members of the guild take some aspect of the painting "Large Pond" by Wayne Thiebaud and interpret it in a fiber project. Gus concentrated on the little checked red and blue triangle that depicts a cultivated field (see arrow) and wove a whole series of towels with each one edging closer and closer to what she saw in the picture.

Her structure of choice was Swedish lace. This particular draft was found in Marguerite Davison's book A Handweaver's Pattern Book on page 94.

Gus decided that the blue and red towels needed additional color to give them more interest, so she got out her knitting machine and knitted up white cotton in stockinette stitch. Then, she dyed the knitted blank in similar colors to the one shown above, unraveled the yarn and used it for weft. You can see that the addition of more color really brings depth and richness to the textiles.

There was only enough warp for one more towel, when Gus rethreaded her loom in a new Swedish lace pattern adapted from Mary Snyder's book Lace and Lacey Weaves.

One of Gus' towels will be on display at the Nevada County Fair this August along with other artisan interpretations of the painting. We wish Gus the very best of luck with the judges.