Doublecloth

Weaving a doublecloth is probably one of the most confusing, overwhelming and amazingly satisfying things to do on a loom. Again, without going into too much detail. You're basically working with two warps that are threading up in the loom in such a way that it allows you to weave both fabrics at the same time. Either together or not. As I've been looking at tartan, I chose to on the front (blue, mustard, ice) a 100% wool traditional fabric that I could felt and the back, a cotton and linen fabric to show the real structures of the weave clearly and very sturdily.

Jacquard

I have never actually used a jacquard loom before, and the full idea, concept, actual doing of it was scary!! They're big, loud and out of my control. I'd spent a few sessions mastering the skill of during a drawing into a file suitable for being woven on a jacquard. I won't bore you will all of that! But I used scotweave design to alter my file. The top image is my drawing with the peg plans applied to it and the next two are my actual fabric. I have to say, it was very exciting!! Loud none the less. But amazing. I think jacquard weaving is really taken for granted and all the hours put into producing a file digitally seems to be forgotten. I for one, am a fan! And will hopefully have more jacquard woven work to show soon.

Artist Statement

Although I find myself dedicated to technical skills within weaving, I find myself even more drawn to the combination of contemporary art combined with traditional skills. And, what better way is there to develop traditional skills in weaving other than tartan? A world-wide symbol of weaving using a 2/2 twill, a striped warp, and the repetition of the warp backwards as the weft. Having always had a huge love for tartan, mainly started by my 13 year old self thinking the sex pistols were the best thing to happen to the world, I was sold. Ever since then I’ve had the drive and need to be able to create something I love. I find it extremely hard to like something and not make myself learn how to do it. I can’t enjoy something unless I understand technically how I could re-create it myself. Within a few weeks of re-searching double-cloths and pleats, I had already started to weave using them as my passion simply takes hold.

Alongside my passion for tartan, I have an ever-growing interest in psychoanalysis, firstly inspired by the ways in which our brains work. The connections, the fibres, the flow, the ways in which a signal is sent that makes your body do things, it makes me weave. The way cloths can flow, and repeat these signals. The way cloths can track those thoughts. When a fabric is woven, the fibres are forever embedded, just like the motion of the fibres. Then as I began to read more and more about psychoanalysis, I began to involve Freud’s theory of making the “unconscious mind conscious” created to help with anxiety issues. Does textile art work as a substitute? Can something like tartan that’s used in comforting ways such as scarves and blankets, also portray images of discomfort, and make people more aware of their unconscious mind by secretly displaying imagery and patterns from within the brain? I believe so.

Rorschach Test

 

I created some examples of my own inspired by the original Rorschach test linking to Freud exploring the way things appear to be symmetrical, but in fact, they are not.

On the loom

I always find weaving a lot more interesting on the loom rather than taken off it. I think it shows that "technical" side to it a lot more. Surely yo ucan see the technical side when you look at a fabric closely, and you can you can work out the draft and peg plan used from a cloth. But I just love the way the cloth looks on a loom. Showing it in all its glory in the process of being produced with the lengths of warp still flowing through the fabric and the loom itself.

Doodles

Sneak preview