2011 Midwest Weavers’ Conference Guild Exhibit

Aurora Borealis: Northern lights, ever changing, always in motion, a whisper of color and never the same.

Midnight Streamers

Weaving Indiana (Indianapolis, Indiana)

Living in Indiana, most of our members are unfamiliar with the beautiful night sky seen from the more northern states, so our guild set up a challenge for its members, to weave a scarf that depicts this theme. The Weaving Indiana guild has members ranging from beginning weavers to weavers with over 40 years of weaving experience, and all were encouraged to participate.

Each weaver selected an aurora borealis photo to inspire their color selections and a weave pattern that they felt would instill a sense of motion in the finished piece. The only restrictions placed on them were that they needed to weave their scarves using 8/2 Tencel yarn, with black tencel as either the warp or the weft. We chose Tencel as the fiber because of its shimmer and shine.

The resulting scarves use plain weave, simple twill, advancing twill, overshot, crackle, echo weave and network drafts. Color variations were placed in vertical strips, in horizontal color changes or even in hand dyed warps. Have a look for yourself and see how each weaver

rose to the challenge.

The following pages show each weaver’s scarf, along with the inspiration photo they chose, the drawdown, yarn specifications and comments from the weaver. We think they all did a

wonderful job.

Be inspired!

Aurora Borealis: Northern lights, ever changing, always in motion, a whisper of color

and never the same.

After completing her challenge scarf, one weaver offered her humorous twist on how her scarf met the challenge.

Ever changingexcept for that black weft—thank heavens!

Always in motion84” for ?? hours and days...I don’t want to know.

A whisper of colorglad I chose to put that in the warp, not the weft!

Never the samemy beat! (but I tried)

Addendum:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my end-feed shuttle. I couldn’t do it without you!

~ Sara Schultz

Kim Allen Across the Sky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Sue Parker Bassett Hoosier Aurora Borealis . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Alice Burr Aurora Borealis Ribbons . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Mary Alice Donceel Rippled Sky 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Mary Alice Donceel Rippled Sky 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Linda Flanagan Tencel Twill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Sharon Howell Sultry Nights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Donna Hudson Meigs Mountain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Nina Kennedy Dancing Aurora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Jessica Madsen Crackling Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Carrie May Aurora Borealis Lights 1 . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Carrie May Aurora Borealis Lights 2 . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Mindy McCain Streaming Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Patti Mink Blue Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Sara Schultz Loon Haunt Nights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Peggy Siders Sparkling Lights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Patricia Troth Fairbanks Memories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

JoAnne Tuffnell Network Borealis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Contents

Weaver Scarf Name

2011 Weaving Indiana Guild Project

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Weaver Kim Allen

TiTle Across the SkyPaTTern name 3/1 Twill

Source Handweaver’s Pattern Directory

WarP 8/2 Tencel, hand-dyedWefT 8/2 Tencel, blackSeTT 24 epiWidTh in reed 10.5”

dimenSionS

After washing 9.25” x 92”Washing method Hand washed gently, air dried, touched up with iron

Weaver commenTS

This is my first guild project and only my 4th weaving project on a floor loom. I have had my floor loom for less than a month.

My selvedges need work and I learned on this project that I don’t know anything about finishing! I really liked working with the painted warp.

Midnight Streamers — Scarves Inspired by the Aurora Borealis

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Download the WIF KimAllen.wif

2011 Weaving Indiana Guild Project

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Weaver Sue Parker Bassett

TiTle Hoosier Aurora BorealisPaTTern name Echo Weave

Source original design

WarP 8/2 Tencel, hand-painted skeinsWefT 8/2 Tencel, blackSeTT 24 epiWidTh in reed 9.5”

dimenSionS

After washing 8.5” x 72.5”Washing method Machine washed in cold water using Orvus soap and gentle cycle.

Dried using delicate setting. Steam pressed on wool setting.

Weaver commenTS

The design was created to show my interpretation of the northern lights I witnessed at my home one summer night. The sky had beautiful deep red billowing cloud-like areas that continually changed into new forms oozing across the sky.

I created a 12-shaft design in an echo weave as I wanted to continue to explore the “2 sides of every cloth” idea from a recent workshop. The warp and weft float lengths were limited to 3 to maintain structural integrity for this size warp and weft. Echo weave is threaded similarly to a shadow weave, alternating an end of one color with that of another color for the entire threading. I chose to use yarns from my stash for the warp—a solid color deep red tencel and a hand painted tencel in reds and purples. The weft is black tencel. The design weaves best with selvage threads.

The finished scarf has more warp color emphasis on one side with the weft color dominant on the reverse. Those who do not have 12 shafts can still weave the design—just omit the parallel threading of the “echo.” The treadling is a simple advancing 5-step up and then reverse, easily changed to reflect the number of shafts used.

Midnight Streamers — Scarves Inspired by the Aurora Borealis

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WinnerPopular Choice

at Midwest Weavers Conference

2011

Download the WIF SueBassett.wif

2011 Weaving Indiana Guild Project

8

Weaver Alice Burr

TiTle Aurora Borealis RibbonsPaTTern name Network Drafted Twill

Source Bonnie Inouye’s Advancing Twill Workshop

WarP 8/2 Tencel, aquamarineWefT 8/2 Tencel, blackSeTT 24 epiWidTh in reed 8.5”

dimenSionS

After washing 7.5” x 70”Washing method Hand washed in Woolite; spun excess water out in washer; dried in

dryer with other clothes and Bounce dryer sheet

Weaver commenTS

I planned the weave structure for use with a series of color stripes and wanted to keep the swirls centered in each color stripe for bolder effect. I wish I had considered changing the treadling to make a bolder statement with the swirls, once I decided to use solid aquamarine in the warp.

This was an exciting guild project. Each weaver came up with a unique weave structure and color choice to honor the aurora borealis.

Midnight Streamers — Scarves Inspired by the Aurora Borealis

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Download the WIF AliceBurr.wif

2011 Weaving Indiana Guild Project

10

Weaver Mary Alice Donceel

TiTle Rippled Sky 1PaTTern name Advancing Twill

Source original design

WarP 8/2 Tencel, blackWefT 8/2 Tencel, hand-dyed in 8 colorsSeTT 24 epiWidTh in reed 10”

dimenSionS

After washing 7.5” x 90.25”Washing method Machine wash warm after twisting and knotting fringe. Machine

dry medium. Steam press on lowest steam setting

Weaver commenTS

My goal was to not have straight lines. I designed this on weaving software and then after weaving several inches, had to go back to the software to do some tweaking, and partial rethreading, more than once until I liked the fabric.

I also wanted black fringe so that left me dying the weft, which in hindsight was insanity. Trying to keep all my color changes distinct, and having to detangle this after the presoak and again after dyeing, just wasn’t worth it. I should have just dyed each color individually and simply changed bobbins. Live and learn.

With the complexity in the threading, and the treadling was interesting enough to keep me focused, this was fun to weave.

Midnight Streamers — Scarves Inspired by the Aurora Borealis

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Download the WIF MaryAliceDonceel.wif

2011 Weaving Indiana Guild Project

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Weaver Mary Alice Donceel

TiTle Rippled Sky 2PaTTern name Advancing Twill

Source original design

WarP 8/2 Tencel, hand-dyedWefT 8/2 Tencel, blackSeTT 24 epiWidTh in reed 10”

dimenSionS

After washing 9.125” x 114”Washing method Machine wash warm after twisting and knotting fringe. Machine

dry medium. Steam press on lowest steam setting

Weaver commenTS

After the mess of untangling the weft of Rippled Sky 1 multiple times, I decided to paint a warp for a second scarf with my leftover dye. I dyed it as two warp chains, but at the same time, using the greens leaning more towards yellow for one chain and using greens leaning more towards the blue for the second. I tried to keep the color progressions similar. I then tied them on (first time ever doing this) to the previous warp, alternating each of the warp chains every inch. Even the second time around, I had fun weaving this.

*Note the difference between Rippled Sky 1 and Rippled Sky 2. The same threading was used, but the warp of #1 is black, and the weft of #2 is black. Just the slightest difference is seen in the finished fabric.

Midnight Streamers — Scarves Inspired by the Aurora Borealis

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Download the WIF MaryAliceDonceel.wif

2011 Weaving Indiana Guild Project

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Weaver Linda Flanagan

TiTle Tencel TwillPaTTern name Undulating Twill

Source N/A

WarP 8/2 Tencel, Peacock and EmeraldWefT 8/2 Tencel, blackSeTT 24 epiWidTh in reed 10”

dimenSionS

After washing 9.5” x 70”Washing method Hand washed using hot water and Dreft detergent.

Weaver commenTS

Midnight Streamers — Scarves Inspired by the Aurora Borealis

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Download the WIF LindaFlanagan.wif

2011 Weaving Indiana Guild Project

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Weaver Sharon Howell

TiTle Sultry NightsPaTTern name Undulating Advancing Twill

Source Barbara Elkins

WarP 8/2 Tencel, hand-dyedWefT 8/2 Tencel, blackSeTT 27 epiWidTh in reed 12”

dimenSionS

After washing 10.6” x 71”Washing method Warm water soak for 15 minutes, spun and dried at low/delicate.

Weaver commenTS

This was a fun project to work on! As soon as the challenge was set, I received a series of aurora borealis images from a family member who thought they “were cool!” As soon as I opened the file, I knew exactly which one I wanted to re-create. The dyeing process was an exercise in letting go. Although mathematical at heart, this one was a free-form, no scientific measurements, no weighing, as in “I won’t be able to recreate it in a million years.” The weaving pattern came from Halcyon Yarns. Threading took forever, but once it was done, the weaving process was fairly easy.

I learned three things from this project: 1) The pattern repeats can be altered to shorten or lengthen the “waves” in the design (just make sure you don’t accidentally create floats on the back side!) 2) There are several grades of Tencel on the market. The first time I wove with this fiber type, the edges shredded miserably. This time I made sure to use a yarn with a higher twist and more resistant to abrasion. I also doubled the last two weft edges. That seemed to work for me. 3) I tend to have very little waste on my loom, so repeat after me.... remember to dye all the way BEYOND where you think your fringes may end; else you will be over-dying the edges after your project comes off the loom!

Midnight Streamers — Scarves Inspired by the Aurora Borealis

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Download the WIF SharonHowell.wif

2011 Weaving Indiana Guild Project

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Weaver Donna Hudson

TiTle Meigs MountainPaTTern name Turned Overshot

Source Bertha Gray Hayes

WarP 8/2 Tencel, Dark Teal, Grayed Teal, Spring Green, Gold, Mauve, Orange WefT 8/2 Tencel, blackSeTT 24 epiWidTh in reed 8”

dimenSionS

After washing 7.25” x 76”Washing method Hand washed warm, hung until nearly dry, pressed.

Weaver commenTS

I wanted to capture the flickering of the aurora borealis and the changing colors and the movement across the scarf captured it for me. While threading was a challenge, weaving with only the black weft minimized weaving errors.

Midnight Streamers — Scarves Inspired by the Aurora Borealis

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Download the WIF DonnaHudson.wif

2011 Weaving Indiana Guild Project

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Weaver Nina Kennedy

TiTle Dancing AuroraPaTTern name Point Twill

Source Elaborate Point Twill from A Weaver’s Book of 8-Shaft Patterns

WarP 8/2 Tencel, blackWefT 8/2 Tencel in red, peach, silver gray, medium blueSeTT 24 epiWidTh in reed 9”

dimenSionS

After washing 8.25” x 83”Washing method Hand washed in warm sudsy water, rinsed, draped over shower rod

to dry. Light steam iron.

Weaver commenTS

While I knew that a warp dyed with a variety of colors would most likely provide a sense of movement in the scarf I wanted to see if I could weave on a plain black warp with a weave structure that seemed to move and some colors in the weft. I tried playing around with different drawdowns in my weaving computer program but discovered what I wanted in the “Weaver’s Book of 8-Shaft Patterns”. I like the weave structure but am not as pleased with the blending of colors. Some colors blended better than others, as can be seen.

I guess this point twill woven with tabby would be called “woven as overshot”.

Midnight Streamers — Scarves Inspired by the Aurora Borealis

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Use

Tab

by

Download the WIF NinaKennedy.wif

2011 Weaving Indiana Guild Project

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Weaver Jessica Madsen

TiTle Crackling LightsPaTTern name Crackle Weave

Source

WarP 8/2 Tencel, blackWefT 8/2 Tencel, light green and tealSeTT 24 epiWidTh in reed 8.3”

dimenSionS

After washing 7.75” x 56”Washing method Hand wash in lukewarm water. Hang to dry. Press lightly on both

sides.

Weaver commenTS

Interpreting a photo of nature in a woven piece was a new experience for me. The first challenge was determining which aspects of the photo to interpret.

I spent a lot of time staring at the photo. I loved the colors—the intensity of the green, the subtle difference between dark blue/teal and black! Then, I had to figure out a way to make my piece have curvature and motion like the green light in the photo.

Crackle weave was certainly one way to do it, and even though it was a new structure for me, I jumped right in and tried it! The end result is not exactly the same as the photo, but I love how the light areas move and curve through the scarf!

Midnight Streamers — Scarves Inspired by the Aurora Borealis

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Download the WIF JessicaMadsen.wif

2011 Weaving Indiana Guild Project

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Weaver Carrie May

TiTle Aurora Borealis Lights 1PaTTern name Networked Twill

Source original design

WarP 8/2 Tencel, hand-dyedWefT 8/2 Tencel, blackSeTT 24 epiWidTh in reed 10”

dimenSionS

After washing 9.25” x 80”Washing method Machine wash gentle, hang to dry, steam iron on cotton setting.

Weaver commenTS

The warp for this scarf has been hand dyed with Procion MX dyes. I tried to get a range of colors matching what was in the inspirational photograph of the Aurora Borealis. The pattern is made up with an advancing warp trying to recreate the look of waves of color in the night sky.

Midnight Streamers — Scarves Inspired by the Aurora Borealis

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Download the WIF CarrieMay.wif

2011 Weaving Indiana Guild Project

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Weaver Carrie May

TiTle Aurora Borealis Lights 2PaTTern name Networked Twill

Source original design

WarP 8/2 Tencel, hand-dyedWefT 8/2 Tencel, blackSeTT 24 epiWidTh in reed 10”

dimenSionS

After washing 9.25” x 80”Washing method Machine wash gentle, hang to dry, steam iron on cotton setting.

Weaver commenTS

The warp for this scarf has been hand dyed with Procion MX dyes. I tried to get a range of colors matching what was in the inspirational photograph of the Aurora Borealis. The pattern is made up with an advancing warp trying to recreate the look of waves of color in the night sky.

Midnight Streamers — Scarves Inspired by the Aurora Borealis

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Download the WIF CarrieMay.wif

2011 Weaving Indiana Guild Project

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Weaver Mindy McCain

TiTle Streaming NetworkPaTTern name Network draft

Source original design

WarP 8/2 Tencel, hand-dyedWefT 8/2 Tencel, blackSeTT 24 epiWidTh in reed 4.5”

dimenSionS

After washing 4” x 76”Washing method Machine wash warm after twisting and knotting fringe. Dry flat.

Steam press with lots of steam.

Weaver commenTS

I had never tried a network draft before and thought this would be the perfect project to experiment with it. I entered the straight draw threading for a network pattern, and then added the tie-up from a favorite 20-harness twill drawdown I had. The results were very interesting.

Midnight Streamers — Scarves Inspired by the Aurora Borealis

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Download the WIF MindyMcCain.wif

2011 Weaving Indiana Guild Project

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Weaver Patti Mink

TiTle Blue NightPaTTern name Balanced Twill

Source Marguerite Davison

WarP 8/2 Tencel, blackWefT 8/2 Tencel, aquamarineSeTT 24 epiWidTh in reed 9”

dimenSionS

After washing 8.25” x 72”Washing method Hand washed, steam pressed

Weaver commenTS

Midnight Streamers — Scarves Inspired by the Aurora Borealis

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Download the WIF PattiMink.wif

2011 Weaving Indiana Guild Project

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Weaver Sara Schultz

TiTle Loon Haunt NightsPaTTern name Undulating Twill

Source Handwoven Sept/Oct 1989

WarP 8/2 Tencel, blue, green purple, red, salmonWefT 8/2 Tencel, blackSeTT 24 epiWidTh in reed 8.25”

dimenSionS

After washing 7.5” x 82”Washing method Hand washed in very warm water. Ironed to bring out the sheen.

Weaver commenTS

Looking through my weaving files I found a “yellowed” drawdown I had done by hand…B.C.G.P. (Before Computer-generated Programs!) at Penland in the early ‘80’s. I like the “movement” it gives the eye. Why not use it for this project!?!

Our guild challenge was to use black totally in the warp or weft. I decided it would be “easier” not have to change weft colors, so I chose to put my colors in the warp and to use black for the weft.

I challenged myself to try “shading” to train my eye to see the subtle differences in progressing from greens & blues to reds, magenta, salmon…! (Mother Nature knows her stuff!)

The printout of the image I used turned out to be the perfect width for my planned scarf! I took the printout and literally taped strands of the yarns I’d chosen onto the print. Using the printout like a “cartoon,” I was able to just sley the number of ends of each color right through the reed (warping front-to-back). FUN! I like how the cool and warm colors “set each other off.”

Warping front-to-back some of the ends (as I tried “shading”) wanted to “fight for their space”—the only problem with winding on!

I put enough warp on for a second scarf and may try a different weft color (or colors).

Midnight Streamers — Scarves Inspired by the Aurora Borealis

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Download the WIF SaraSchultz.wif

2011 Weaving Indiana Guild Project

34

Weaver Peggy Siders

TiTle Sparkling LightsPaTTern name Turned Taqueté

Source by Barbara Elkins, purchased from Webs

WarP 8/2 Tencel, hand-dyed alternating with blackWefT 8/2 Tencel, blackSeTT 24 epiWidTh in reed 7.85”

dimenSionS

After washing 7.25” x 72”Washing method Hand washed with Eucalan, dried flat, steam pressed a little.

Weaver commenTS

I enjoyed this a lot. I even added some sparkle to represent the stars in the sky.

Midnight Streamers — Scarves Inspired by the Aurora Borealis

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Download the WIF PeggySiders.wif

2011 Weaving Indiana Guild Project

36

Weaver Patricia Troth

TiTle Fairbanks MemoriesPaTTern name Plain weave

Source “Recycled Sari” by Gwen Handler in “Sixty Scarves for 60 Years,” Weavers Guild of Greater Baltimore

WarP 8/2 Tencel, hand-dyedWefT 8/2 Tencel, blackSeTT 24 epiWidTh in reed 13”

dimenSionS

After washing 12” x 100”Washing method Hand washed with Eucalan, washer spun, air dried in dryer, ironed.

Weaver commenTS

The warp was sleyed on 4 shafts starting with a double sley of black and then an alternate of the painted warp and black for the body of the warp, finishing with a double sley of black.

The black tencel for the warp was purchased from one source, the black tencel for the weft from second.

I chose to get movement in the weave by moving the colors in the painted warp; I chose to darken the fabric by the addition of the supplementary black warp.

After not weaving for about 15 years, the planning and doing was fun, and tencel was an excellent fiber for the project.

Midnight Streamers — Scarves Inspired by the Aurora Borealis

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Download the WIF PatriciaTroth.wif

2011 Weaving Indiana Guild Project

38

Weaver JoAnne Tuffnell

TiTle Network BorealisPaTTern name Network Drafted Twill

Source WeaveZine (Bonnie Inouye)

WarP 8/2 Tencel, Teal, Lt. Green, Dk. Green, Red, Magenta, PurpleWefT 8/2 Tencel, blackSeTT 24 epiWidTh in reed 12”

dimenSionS

After washing 9.125” x 114”Washing method Hand washed in warm water, hung to dry, light steam ironed.

Weaver commenTS

Although I tried to observe the note “repeating the last 4 picks several times creates a vertical line,” and I tried to observe the directions for making the line curve back the other way, I still ended up with some noticeable lines. I decided they could be highlights in the sky’s display of the Aurora Borealis!

I do wish I had known how to weave it correctly to achieve curving lines without interruptions.

Midnight Streamers — Scarves Inspired by the Aurora Borealis

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Download the WIF JoAnneTuffnell.wif