蝴蝶蘭 Phalaenopsis

The metal threads I use are coated copper or steel. The color palette is limited to few basic colors. The minimal order of one color coated copper is several hundred kilos. Therefore just pick the color that I can find.

目前使用的金屬線有漆包線和彩色不鏽鋼線，能找到的顏色只有這些。漆包線無法訂製色彩，除非你一個顏色需要幾百公斤，所以只好買零頭的線，拿到甚麼顏色就靠運氣。今天　織的蝴蝶蘭是用這些顏色混出來的，並不太真實。

It is challenging to create proper color combination from these colors. Here is today's weaving--Phalaenopsis of imaginative colors.

最近金屬線編織的成果 Images of Recent Jacquard Weaving

Here are some images of recent Jacquard weaving. The warp is stainless steel and wefts are coated copper and steel. The result of Hong Kong Orchid is not so satisfying.





Photo of woven metal work is quite different from image through my eyes.



By changing weave structure, weft color and weft density, the result is better.

test of different weft colors



Hong Kong Orchid in progress



A revised Amaryllis





豔紫荊 Hong Kong Orchid

Amaryllis is finished. The three wefts are red, yellow and green. Now it is Hong Kong Orchid. The wefts are magenta, yellow and blue. Instead of green weft, blue is used for purple and green when it mix with yellow or magenta.
孤挺花已經完成，現在是豔紫荊，緯線是洋紅、金黃和寶藍。不直接使用綠色，是因為藍色和黃色及洋紅可以混出紫色和綠色。

孤挺花 Amaryllis

Today a new set of air conditioner is installed. It is closer to the Jacq3G loom and is helpful for cooling the air around the loom. The loom likes cool air and now it will behave well.
今天在Jacq3G提花織布機旁加裝一部冷氣，有助於冷卻織布機旁的空氣，六月裝的冷氣距離較遠，冷房效果較差。提花織布機對溫度實在很敏感，現在應該可以放心了。

You may notice that something new on the loom. It is the first trial of metal warp and weft after the sample blanket (weave structures test) was woven. Since there is no clear idea of my own work now, I just pick a flower image (Amaryllis) to try. Not so satisfied, need to change one weave structure for a better effect. The flower image is from my sister's garden, the color combination is quite cheerful and warm.

I like to weave testing or gift between my series of works. I think the woven floral images will be good gifts.

織布機上面是這兩天織的試作，目前自己的創作尚無明確的作品要織，所以先挑一些花卉的圖片試看看。孤挺花是我妹妹種的，顏色組合蠻喜氣的，但不是非常滿意，其中一個織紋需要調整。通常在系列創作中會穿插一些試驗，金屬材質的花卉圖案蠻適合當禮物送人。

用Jacq3G loom織金屬經、緯線 metal warp on Jacq3G loom

After a long process of warping (winding, tying, adjusting and test weave), a first trial is to weave a sample blanket on metal warp today. The warp density is 30e.p.i. which is rather loose for the warp I use. From the result I find the six different shades of each horizontal block are almost the some look. Because the steel warp which works as white warp is too fine, therefore a weft dominate weave structures will be more suitable.
Seven color effects are created from three wefts. Two shades (the warp-face and weft-face) of each are usable. Fourteen weaves can be used for this sample blanket.
This is the first time to weave a metal warp on Jacq3G loom. I am so nervous because the loom seems work very hard on lifting the warp.

漫長的整經過程終於完成，包含捲線、綁線、穿筘，還要測試並調整織布機，今天終於織了三色緯線複合織法的色票。出來的結果是每一色的明暗層次分不出來，僅有最顯經和最顯緯的兩個層次勉強可以分出來。三色緯線交織出七個有用的色彩，每個色有兩個明暗層次，也就是有十四個效果可用。
今天是第一次用Jacq3G loom織金屬經、緯線，織布機似乎很費力地提綜，織作時令人非常緊張。

暑假結束 The end of summer

Last month I wove several scarfs. Some of them are "sample" scarf which are cluster of samples for teaching. The material of this one is 100% cashmere bought from China. The fabric did not change a bit after washing (fulling)! This is really strange. Is it really natural fiber?

暑假結束前把大多臂織布機上的黑經線織完，織了幾條試片圍巾。這條圍巾的材質是購自大陸的羊絨﹝開斯米爾﹞，是很昂貴的毛料；但是下機水洗後，竟然絲毫沒有縮絨的跡象！難道是化學纖維嗎？想到還有一大堆這種線，還花了很多錢，就很嘔。

The trial of paper yarn divider is woven and finished with parts from Ikea. This is the look of the bottom part.

紙線試作隔簾完成一片，掛起來有遮蔽但又透光的效果。

The paper yarn is bought from a hand weaving company many years ago. The company was specialized in weaving kimono fabric and obi. This is the close up of the fabric. It has nice crisp texture.

紙線材質是十多年前購自一家手織和服布料及腰帶的公司，織成的布有挺括的質感。

After finishing the black warp of the big dobby loom, I start to do the warping of my Jacq3G. This time is stainless steel warp. Now I have three kinds of cone rack for different type of cone. The right one is a home-made rack for metal thread cone. The center one is for hand wound spools and has horizontal setting. The left one is for half pound cone. The cone is set vertically. At the back there are ladder and a AVL warping wheel which I rarely use.

終於輪到家裡的提花機 ，這次要試不銹鋼經線。間隔整經時需要放置紗線筒的架子，陸續添加後，目前已有三種型態：右邊的線架是自己做的，特別配合金屬線筒紗常見的形狀和尺寸、中間較小的是用來放手捲的紗筒、左邊是請師傅製作的架子，專門放上窄下寬的小紗筒﹝半磅裝﹞。背後是梯子和AVL特有的整經輪。

I need to put some devices to make cross for the warp. This is the first time to use this tension box after sitting in box for four years. Because of the metal thread and the awkward of the tension box, the warping process took longer time than usual.
至於間隔整經很重要的張力盒是冰封四年後首次使用，因為沒有將經線分出八字交叉的裝置，所以加上一些替代的零件來補救。捲金屬線已經很難處理，再加上笨拙的張力盒，使得這次整經非常的緩慢。