16 shafts and large scale

exploring various 16 shaft honeycomb looms and "fancy twills" from a book from 1915!! amazing how 'contemporary' this work is to say the pattern is almost 100 years old ey?

I love learning new things, I just can't help it. I'm one of those people who wants to do everything and I want to do it now! I want to be able to create tiny embroidery cotton loom woven samples whilst making 10 yarn thick 3D loom structures whilst doing fine tapestries and bending wire into bizzare sculptures to coat in upcycled strips of fabric.

I just can't help myself.

I can't wait to get these patterns going with some colour. I'll soon be learning pockets and double cloths too which I really am excited for. I think weave is something that is really taken for granted. I know a large majority of fabrics are created using huge pieces of machinery now but what about all those fabrics that are hand woven? Each shaft lifted individually and each weft yarn pushed through by hand. I love weaving and go into a world of my own everytime I'm infront of a loom and can't imagine doing anything else. 

The concept of being able to bring patterns from 1915 into contemporary artwork just astounds me.

16 shaft loom #1

I've recently started working on a 16 shaft loom rather than an 8 shaft and my current project is all about grey!! We've been set restrictons of working with one colour and working souly on finish, technique and style. Not colour, not context. Just pure skill! I'm loving every single second ofi t.

I've recently started to specialise in "hand constructed textiles" and as you will know, a lot of my work is very sculptural so I'm going to start working on some large 16 shaft patterns that will hopefully go 3D once removed from the loom.