Tien Chiu

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Partway done

I wove about 2,000 picks yesterday, which got me through the interminable (but necessary) hem allowance, plus about 1/3 of the image:

partially completed phoenix
partially completed phoenix

It’s looking good! It looks a bit blurry and unfocused, though. Partly that’s the design, which is meant to be ghostly like flame, but it’s also because getting sharp detail isn’t really practical with 8-end satin. So I think a bit of embroidery will really “pop” the design by bringing it into focus.

I have about 2,700 picks to go – perhaps a few hundred more if I decide to lengthen the hem allowance at top.

Off to weave! I’m hoping to finish the piece today. If not today, then definitely tomorrow.

Stay tuned!

Comments

  2. Dear Tien,
    Congrats on getting going with your Ma’s memorial. It looks great! I am sure she is smiling down on you. 🙂
    You are just zooming along with the design, the weaves and sample blanket and samples. Isn’t ArahWeave great to use?! I do the same thing you have done – test the weaves where the circle is in the design – or for instance where a horse is – so that other parts of the design could be a bit taller or shorter where it doesn’t matter so much – and get the circle right. Since we are handweaving we can’t control the pick count like an industrial loom with 20,000 warp threads and maybe 200 picks per inch + so sampling is essential.
    In one design where there was a lot of detail in the top part but not in the bottom part, the ppi changed from 58 ppi to 40 ppi. I split the graphic in two parts and made two weave files with different pick counts. You can over ride the automatic pick number by hand to get the weaves to match from one file to the other from the bottom half to the top half. After you click on Density to get the number of total picks – you can then put in a number in the total pick count that is divisible by the individual weave repeats – maybe yours is an 8 satin with 4 shuttles so a multiple of 32 picks. Does that make sense?
    Best wishes for a Happy Holiday Season!
    Sheila O’Hara
    http://www.sheilaohara.com

    • That makes sense! Fortunately, my pick count seems to be consistent throughout, but I’ll keep that trick in mind for the next time I encounter that problem. And yes, Arahweave is great to use!