Weekly 5: Embodying Weave Structure, Making Swatches, October 10th

Lily Kamas

This page is split into two parts, worksheet first and then the 8-frame loom.

Before the worksheet

• Structuring and planning drafts have not come easily to me in the past, so I am looking forward to learning how to reverse drafts. This will be a valuable tool for me in the future, especially if I plan to make a reverse draft from an AI-generated image in the future...

Worksheet Process Notes

• Drawdown - We started by picking swatches in class, and I decided on a swatch with contrasting colors so I could easily see the differences between the warp and weft. After photographing the swatch, picking off a few adjacent sides, and orienting the swatch, I moved the green weft pics with a pin. I was doing well until the eighth row when I accidentally pulled out one of the warp ends with a weft pic. This is noted in my worksheet, but using ADACAD, I did 'predict' how the draft would've looked like with the warp end. As I got to the last four rows of weft pics, the weave was quite loose, and I was worried about the final row falling out, so I drafted all four rows together without removing the weft pics. It was a bit complicated but using my pin to hold my place helped immensely. Lift Plan - Throughout creating the lift plan, I was unsure if I was doing it right, and I had a lot of self-doubt as to whether I was correct. At one point, I tried a new technique that I thought would help, but it ended up creating an inverse of the draft, and I think something else is needed. I'll need some more help on the techniques of writing lift plans before I am ready to recreate something on the loom. Threading - Finishing up the threading is the last thing I do before I move on to the Color Chart. The tie-up tells us how the warps are tied on the loom, and helps us double check to see if the drawdown was complete. I used the ADACad provided to help determine where my swatch lined up on the warp ends. Color Chart - For added effect, I tried to color each square in the direction that the yarn/thread would go, but it was easy to get carried away because I like dark squares so you can see the color. I decided to do the color chart of how it would be if there were no missed lines in the draft or missing warp threads, so it looks more like the original piece. As I finsished, however, the piece did not truly look like the original swatch. In the swatch, there is much more weft showing, potentially because the red is a lot brighter than the green. While the draft is helpful to visualize the structure and make a lift plan, it is good to remember that the swatch will look different.

Worksheet Reflection

• I thouroughly enjoyed doing a reverse draft, even though the process was quite challenging. In the weave, I found tabby, twill (2/1) and basket weaves in my swatch. One of the lessons I learned which I will bring into the future is to use a pencil with an eraser instead of pen or sharpie, as I am prone to make mistakes and going back to edit them is easier with an eraser. I tried to make edits on the draft with pen, but it quickly got messy and difficult to read. In addition, the most difficult part of the draft was after one of the warps were removed from the swatch. After that, it was difficult to tell how the pattern was supposed to go, and I needed to make sure that I didn't mark it on the draft - so I didn't miscount the rest of the warp ends. After completing the drawdown and lift plan, I used ADACAD to check my work. Based on what ADACAD told me, the loom could not complete the swatch with this draft. I felt relatively confident in my draft until I went and checked in ADACAD. I would like to see what an the correct draft looks like, as well as how I can better use ADACAD to draft swatches correctly. If I was to make one update to ADACAD, it would be to include an 'undo' button, as well as similar keyboard shortcuts. These additions would help the website be more intutive. If you were to ask me if I could recreate this swatch, I would be a bit worried but I think as long as the lift plan is correct it could be replicated. The stictches are generally common weaving structures so I have no doubt that it could be replicated.

Before the weave.. .

• This project should be a fun experience! This week, I will be listening to music and producing a weave that embodies that music. Ideally, I would like to split my music time in half, firstly listening to music that is soothing and calm, and in the second half listen to music I don't normally listen to, probably something a bit more aggressive and heavy. I plan on using materials we have in class as well as some leftover materials from our dynamic weft project. While I don't have any new snakeskin at the moment, we'll see what other materials I can work with! I plan on bringing my overhead tripod as well, so hopefully I can get some footage of me using the loom.

Loom Process Notes

• Working on the loom was so fascinating. I began by resetting the tension and placement of the weave so I would have enough room to beat my weft pics. Once I'm ready to begin weaving, I put on the music I intend to listen to. I listened to 13 songs:
  • Always Somethin by Kill Them with Colour
  • Stay by Myra Molloy
  • Fire for You by Cannons
  • Honey Drip by Wreckno
  • FYE FYE by Tobe and FAT Nwigwe
  • hands! by William Cooks and Aaron Cartier
  • Medusa by GRiZ and Wreckno
  • Chicken Soup by Skrillex
  • Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels by Todrick Hall
  • Breezeblocks by alt-J
  • and finally... Little Taste of Heaven by Leach
  The songs start off with a realively slower BPM, which gave me time to warm up and play with the basket weave (seen in the first gif). Once I started listening to Honey Drip and FYEFYE, which are some of my favorite faster BPM songs, I powered through about an inch and a half of this fun black yarn with blue and purple bumps (second gif). These songs are not very long but I finished the weave quicker than any other section. The blue weft section in this area may be my favorite part of the entire swatch. Ideally, I would like to pull out the little fuzzies to make it softer, like I did with the fringe in Dynamic Wefts. I threw a couple weft pics of tabby during Medusa before I started on a square pattern inspired by Chicken Soup. This bit took me a bit longer, but I just listened to chicken soup on repeat until I was happy with the outcome. As I started to cool down on my time, I embodied Todrick Hall and asked the conductive wire to 'Work for Me!', and create some type of sensor. We'll see what happens. Cooling down I listened to a Little Taste of Heaven which helped me bring the process back together. This swatch is definietly not perfect by any means but it gave me the ability to play and embrace the music.

Weaving Reflection

• I certainly learned a lot about weaving and the loom this week! I enjoyed working on the loom so much but I've noticed I have room for improvment. One of the most difficult things for me was keeping the warps aligned and not bunched in on the sides. Additionally, as much as I wanted to try the more advanced techniques we learned in class about mutli-layered structures, I was more focused on understanding how to use the machine. One of the most difficult things for me was understanding how a sensor or circuit would work in my weave, I don't have any type of electrical background so I am learning a lot as we go, and hopefully we'll get to see some of my peers sensors too. I still want a classically beautifully weaved swatch. something that is visually appealing and cozy: this might be one of my overall goals for learing how to weave. I have enjoyed using ADACAD, but I need more time working on the loom to connect the two concepts. Now that we have mutliple looms, maybe I can get some more time in just doing basic weaving concepts.