Commission completed

The commission was finished couple days ago. There are three costumes of two designs. The first one was too short and the brocading process was too time consuming. I decide to discard the first one and re-do the weaving files. This time it is not brocade weave; but the result is almost the same. The best part is it goes faster. Three shuttles were used. the first and second shuttles go from selvage to selvage. Only the third weft needs to use small shuttles to fill each areas. The real brocade for this case needs four shuttles. One for the main ground and other three shuttles are for brocade area. main ground plus brocade areas become the whole picture. My non-traditional brocade is three weft compound weave actually. The third layer (weft) is broken to several areas not like other layers have complete images.

Two boat shuttles are used for weft one and two. The third pick is "brocade" part.

Boat shuttle will run from selvage to selvage

small shuttle is used for each brocade area

Under UV light

Finish fabric for character one

Finish fabric for character two

It is not so satisfying to me because the finish size is not correct. One is a bit longer; the other one is shorter. My work is done now. There are more works (cut and sew) needed before it is transformed into costumes. Once the images and vedio of these costume are received, will post them here.
This is a rewarding experience. There are lessons learned from this commission. I can weave brocade image with the right side up and found compound weave can has imcomplete layer.

A commission 織作訂製的布料

This fabric will be used for a stage costume. The three brocade wefts are discontinous in order to get a clear background. Insert six small shuttles to complete one brocade lift. This method is very time consuming. Usually the brocade fabric is woven with back side up. But this time I manage the design file a lot and I can weave the right side up.

使用夾織方式，每一區塊各有緯線，所以需要許多小梭子。
The brocade wefts are discontinuous. Each area needs three shuttles.

使用紫外線光照射時  Under UV light

繼續整經中 Warping Part 2

Each new warp end is tied with one old warp end. 每支新經線依序和舊經線綁好

After 1200 ends are tied, pull out some new warp in order to move all knots to pass heddles and reed.
當1200支經線綁好後，將新經線拉出一段，並保持平直，準備將所有結頭拉過綜絲和鋼筘。

It is better to move one thread at a time. Otherwise, the curly steel wires and sticky knots will get tangled seriously.
最好是每次只拉一支線，以免結頭嚴重卡死無法動彈。

摺紙和整經 warping and origami

After the 3D lotus is finished, I try more origami craft. Lotus is a most used symbol for mourning. Many people like to use it in their art works. I just find out one of my student makes fold lotus form. So I won't use lotus again. But origami is an alternative way of making 3D form beside tailoring. Some of my earlier works are sewn wire garment. It is very difficult to sew a garment out of woven wire. Because the wire fabric become sharp and dangerous when it is cut out.
立體蓮花完成後，也試了一些其他的摺紙，因為覺得也可以用摺紙的方法代替裁縫來形成立體的作品。這幾天發現也有學生用同樣的立體蓮花造型，紙摺蓮花實在是太常被用來象徵悼念，既然如此，以後就不要用紙摺蓮花了。以前金屬立體作品是用縫紉的方式成形，手織金屬布被剪開後布邊非常銳利，常常縫得雙手傷痕累累，另外也很不喜歡將手織好的布塊剪成一片片。

Uniform I, stainless steel and teflon cable.Jacquard hand woven and hand sewn.

Dress, stainless steel and teflon cable. Jacquard hand woven and hand sewn.

You can find some origami I have tried this week. Some materials were bought from an origami museum in Japanese airport (can't remember the name) many years ago. Strangely, origami project a feeling of cute and childish. But I want to use them to create a totally different atmosphere. It will be a challenge.
下面是這幾天利用時間嚐試的摺紙，有一些材料是多年前在日本過境轉機時，在機場的摺紙博物館買的。奇特的是摺紙往往給人一種可愛和童稚的感覺，而我想創造的氛圍卻是不同的。這會是個挑戰！

In the meantime, a new steel warp is beaming slowly.
同時整經也在緩慢的進行中，目前還在捲線的階段。和一般線材相比，整金屬線實在是一個痛苦的過程。

立體荷花的模樣 3D lotus

立體荷花 3D lotus

When a new piece is weaving, the finished lotus is visible under the loom. The ongoing one is also lotus but in 3D form. I am trying to make a lotus out of a piece of fabric by folding. A hand woven fabric is quite different from paper. So, I am expecting it might be very different from the paper one.
這幾天開始織新的作品，也是荷花，只是會用摺紙的方式做出立體的荷花。前一幅荷花漸漸捲到織機下，可以比較清楚看到畫面。個人還蠻滿意顏色的結果，希望立體荷花明天可以織完。只能在上課和家務之外找時間織作品，實在懷念唸研究所時可以全時創作。

Lotus, fragment and under water

For a long time this blog have not been updated due to busy weaving and teaching. The summer flower(lotus) is finished today. In order to get various pinks, different combinations of white and two reds had been tried. You can see many stripes of tests here. The structures are weft-backed weaves of three wefts. But five shuttles are used. The shuttle has masking tape, which has one fine magenta yarn, is to go with white weft. Another small shuttle has three fine magenta yarn is to go with pink shuttle. It is not good to wind yarns of different weight in one bobbin. Therefore to use two shuttles to complete one fill is an alternative way. If I have two-bobbin shuttle will be even better. Now the steel warp is  not long enough for winter flower (plum). I will weave other work instead. So it will be quite a while to complete the four season flowers project.

In the meantime another work was woven on the French Samtex Jacquard hand loom. Three layers of images are overlapped each other. And this long strip has three portions. One portion evolved gradually into other portion. During the interchanging part six shuttles were used. Two different styles of six shuttles were used to avoid comfusing.

Here is the snap shots of the finished piece. The length is about 5.5 meters. I need to figure out a proper way of finishing (frameing).

Beside those works, a small test was quickly woven for a possible stage costume design project. My job is weaving only. The story is something happen under water. That is all I know about this play. Here are different views of the fabric. The last one is taken with flash light.

You may notice I use big spring paper clips to hold the fabric. This is my new way of hanging work temporarily. It is better than tape and I don't like to drill holes on concrete wall.