This post serves as a reference for dyeing / hand painting warp sets for weaving.
The Gist Yarns Podcast - Episode 13: Dyeing Warps for Weaving with Kathrin Weber of Blazing Shuttles
Take a look at some of these gorgeous warps for sale in the Blazing Shuttles Shop.
Hand Painting / Dyeing Cotton Warp with Alix Victoria
This video was very helpful. Although I've been dyeing cotton and wool for years, it was helpful to see this method in action --stretched out on a table, using the sponge brushes to apply the color in patches.
She also used a nice mix of different types of cotton yarns to add variety and texture.
The colors she picked are some of my favorites (Red Wine and Black Cherry are already in my stash.)
She did a relatively short run which makes me think she's probably using a rigid heddle loom.
She only painted half of this warp, which leaves the other half for a different project.
How to Show Off the Colors in Your Painted Warp - Tien Chiu, Color Ninja of Warp & Weave - Color Courage for Weavers
This "color ninja" gives some excellent tips. I think part of the paralysis of taking this next step in weaving is that I don't want to do all the work of buying a pile of fiber, running a warp, dying it just so, warping the loom, and then discovering that all that luscious color completely disappears because of the weave structure or the warp color. Tien shows you how NOT to let that happen.
Just as important as the color of the weft is the thickness of the weft yarn.
Also important to consider the weave structure. Some weave structure feature the warp much more than the weft, or a more balanced weave structure that splits the difference.
Her website is absolutely BRILLIANT! I am so glad she teaches and shares what she knows!
I signed up for email notices when she puts up a new post, which she did on Saturday, inviting readers to send her questions -- So I did. And she answered almost immediately! [Totally was not expecting that!] I have a lot of questions on the design side, and she couldn't give me definitive answers because it all depends on what I'm looking for ... what interval of color changes would look good on my body frame; what colors I like, etc. She recommended sketching designs (colors) out on paper [Gee- I used to do that a long time ago when I was making sketchbooks, but have gotten out of the habit.] She pointed me to her design book:
Master Your Craft: Strategies for Designing, Making, and Selling Artisan Work
So I ordered a copy.
I need to take a class with her some day ... but they seem to fill up almost as soon as they open.
I bought this gorgeous painted warp from Pocket Meadow Farm on Etsy just so I could study it closer-- esp. how far apart the colors are, and what interval they change, etc .... These are definitely my colors!
The seller says that at 200 ends (5/2 Tencil), there is enough to make a 7-inch wide scarf. But I'd probably add a companion warp to make it stripe-y - kind of ikat-y. Maybe in obsidian gray? That would also make it a little wider.
Painted Skein Warps - Weavezine from 2008
Offers a method for lining up the strings in a skein so they will repeat and pool for a warp.
Palindrome skeins.
Tutorial: Warp Painting from Tangible Daydreams (c2012)
Warp Dyeing Techniques from Feather & Hay
From Handwoven Magazine:
Once you've woven these scarves from the kit, it's time to try handpainting yarn yourself! Below are some tips from Suzie Liles, who designed the scarves in the kit, to ensure success. Her complete dyeing instructions are included in the magazine that comes along with the Handpainted Warp scarf kits.
- "Stick to three or four colors. In 72'' of weaving, that allows you enough 5- to 7-inch repeats of each color to establish a color pattern."
- "As you dye, beware of color sections bleeding together. To prevent this, wring your warp chains out well after presoaking, and don’t overapply dye, especially at the edges of the color sections."
- "Be aware that your weft color will visually blend with and affect perception of the other colors. I warped at a denser sett than normal...so that the fabric would be warp-dominant."
I'm wondering if I could just lay the warp chain out in a baking tray - The way Rebecca at Chem Knits so often does, and just use that method? I guess that would work it it's not too long, or too wide.
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