...And Last But Not Least....

We finally get to the last two members to submit entries at the Nevada County Fair this year.  We have so many talented Not2S members.  Eileen is a newer member but has been a talented fiber artist for many years.  

The first shawl was entered into the Nevada County Inspiration.  The painted warp and plain weave structure really bring out the lovely colors of our county. 

The next two shawls also really show some beautiful color.  The multicolored shawl was woven with one skein of Vice yarn, a 80/20 merino/nylon blend.  The second is a beautiful plaid, slightly fulled.

Eileen's Shawl

Eileen's Plaid Shawl

Eileen also entered a plaid towel, a bag and a table covering.

 

Eileen's Towel

Eileen's Woven Bag

Eileen's Table Covering

 

Eileen entered a skein of hand spun wool.

This colorful sweater was knit with handspun yarn.

   



Eileen's Sweater

Eileen's Sweater - Back

Our last weaver is Ingrid.  She and Marcy have a friendly rivalry each year to see who can do better in the baby blanket category. Here's Ingrid's entry for this year as well as a lap robe.  Both were woven with a mixed cotton warp using plain weave.

Ingrid's Baby Blanket

Ingrid's Lap Robe

Ingrid submitted several scarves.  This one was for the Nevada County Inspiration category.  Her inspiration was our friend and mentor Dee.  Most of the yarn and ribbon Ingrid used were Dee's and she wove the scarf using one of Dee's designs - plain weave edges with a ribbon supplementary warp and twill center. 



Dee Inspired Scarf

Dee Inspired scarf - Detail

The other two towels - one using a turned twill on 8 shafts (in pink) and the other plain weave using sock yarn. 

 

Ingrid's Pink Scarf



Ingrid's Red Scarf

Ingrid also entered two towels.  These are 100% cotton woven in a twill pattern.


Ingrid's Towel



Ingrid's Other Towel

Finally, Ingrid submitted a shawl woven from local alpaca yarn, woven in a point twill design. 

So that's it for another Fair year, but there will be more updates on the Not 2 Squares before then.

Additional Fair Results

Here are more Nevada County fair entries.  The previous post had information about Wendy-Marie's Ferris Wheel scarf.  In addition she entered a bag and Mobius shawl and contributed to two collaboration bags made from bands.  She also submitted a rug. 
 
The bag was made from a tapestry piece by Wendy-Marie.  She used yardage from Beryl - both handwoven and commercially made (the lining is recycled from a kimono) and a kumihimo band. 
 

Bag with materials from various sources

 

Collaboration Bag I

 

Collaboration Bag II

 
Wendy-Marie was the guiding force behind three bags made mostly from back-strap or other woven bands.  She sewed the blue/green one on the right.
 
 

Ferris Wheel Scarf

 

Mobius Shawl

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Mobius shawl was woven using rayon chenille for warp and weft and ribbon in a plain weave pattern.  Once woven, it a seam was sewn to attach the ends. 

Wendy-Marie's last piece is a rug.  She wove this as part of a class with Jason Collingwood.  It's a first place winner.

Wendy-Marie's Rug

 
Marcy added several piece in the Fair as well. She had a baby blanket, two towels and a scarf.
 
The blanket was a mix warp.  There was a little boucle sparkle that gives it a little shine.  She also entered a scarf that is woven in a twill design in wool.
 


Marcy's Baby Blanket


 

Marcy's Scarf

 

Marcy's Towel I

 

 

Marcy's Towel II



Marcy's Towel II - detail  

 

 

The two towels were woven on the same warp, just using different weft colors. 

 

There are more entries that we will be posting, so stay tuned.



Our Two Sues

Both our Sue's were winners at this year's County Fair.

Sue R entered 12 feet of yardage woven with a linen warp and a weft made from alternating a two ply cotton and linen yarn with a raw silk yarn.  The warp was sleyed and dented so that there were two threads alternating with one thread.  This combination of warp and weft variations give this plain weave piece some real interest.  The story behind this yardage is that Sue bought a Peacock Loom (a two-shaft countermarche) many years ago with this warp on the loom.  She has been working on it for several {well 10} years and when she ran out of the lavender cotton/linen weft, she cut it off.

This beautiful fabric not only won Sue R a first place in  the Yardage Class but won her Best of Division in the Weaving Division.  Congratulations Sue!!

Award Winner!

Details of the yardage

Sue R also was a collaborator and seamstress of one of three bags that were created with bands contributed by area weavers.  The idea of the project was the brainchild of Wendy-Marie, who sewed one of the bags as well as coordinated the effort.  Sue R's bag used contributions from Beryl and Dee of the Not 2 Squares and two other weavers.   A creative use of these bands.

Sue H entered curtains in this year's Fair.  These curtains were made with existing yardage she wove several years ago and a woven cotton trim fabric - used to create the loops for the rod - with a pico edge.  These turned out nicely - a great use of mostly existing material.  Congratulations Sue H on your first place ribbon!

Sue H's Curtains

September Meeting Part III

Mardi has been experimenting with waffle weave and towels.  She bought a towel kit from Halcyon Yarns that included 8/2 yarn for 4-shaft waffle weave towels. 

Two waffle weave towels

 

 

Three towels and small sample of weft

She wasn't wild about the colors but has enjoyed experimenting.


 

                                                                                                      

Dee brought in several scarves she wove in the month preceding the meeting.  Not all of the pictures turned out, so here is a sampling:

 

The warp for several of the scarves were dyed on Dye day that the guild sponsors.


Dee also brought in some towels she wove with 8/2 cotton and carpet warp.

 

Dee brought a finished bag.  It is made with cottolin and cotton yarns.  The border is sari silk.

These photos weren't the best and the background of carpet didn't really help to do justice to these nice pieces.  Hopefully our regular reporter will be back at October's meeting.

Transforming One Warp into Several Fair Entries

Sue R entered several items in the "Wool, Fibers and Textiles" Division of the County Fair - a bag, table runner and "recycled textile".  They were made from a long (8 yard) warp she wove using selvedges she got from other quilters. 

 

The Eight Yard Textile

 

The weft for the recycled textile was the instructions found at the edges of fabric for a cloth book.  Other quilters wanted the parts of the fabric with the pictures, leaving the printed words.  Sue used them to weave this cloth. 

 

Sue's Recycled Textile

 

 

The table runner used a bright red cloth with black and white accents as weft.

 

  

Sue's Table Runner

 

 

 

Sue sewed this bag using part of the long warp.  To her, it was reminiscent of the ocean.  This bag was lined and finished with a strap.  A nice second place finisher. 

 

Sue's Bag

 

We All Have to Start Somewhere: Part I

Everyone who has a hobby, craft or pursues some kind of artistic activity starts somewhere.  There may be 2 year old weaving prodigies, but most people begin with few skills.  Recently the Not 2 Squares shared their weaving beginnings.  Here's a glimpse at a few of the first efforts of our members:

One of Dee's first projects was a red bag.   Here is an example of some later work - a beautiful vest.  There's lovely sewing and detail.  Also a recently woven scarf.

Diana's first sampler, with a detailed look.

One of her first projects was a checkered towel.








One of Gus' first projects was fairly ambitious overshot fabric to be used to cover dining room chairs.  The upholstery lasted many years before being replaced with newly woven fabric. 

 

 

 There will be more examples in future posts.