Rugs, Rugs and More Rugs!

The month of May started off with Robin Briggs coming up from NYC to weave an Ikat Dyed Rug. She was partial to using indigo as a dye so on her first day we set up a lye/hydrosulfite vat that she could use for the ikat sections. She already had a design in mind so it was just a matter of translating that into her tie formula. As you can see in the photo's below her rug came out beautifully. Our month long work study student, Jen Moreland, was so inspired by Robin's rug that she decided to weave one as her last project. She had different colors in mind so we dyed with acid dyes instead of indigo. Her rug also was hugely successful. On another rug tack, our neighbor - Merrick Grutchfield - came to spend a week weaving a stair runner for her new house in Montpelier. Her design was inspired by one of the Silas Burton patterns but using vastly different colors. I think that he would have been pleased! And last but not least, Hannah Flor, from Brooklyn, NY wove as her second project of the week, a 4 block rep weave rug. We used a new yarn for her rug and there was a slight faux pas in that we mistakenly set the yarn too close so half of the background color had to be taken out! The finished rug was beautiful in the end of the day but it was quite a sight during the weaving of it.

Robin starting the ikat ties.

The indigo dyed sections getting ready to be un-tied.

Robin's warp ready to beam on.

Robin adding the weights to beam on her warp.

The finished rug!

Detail of the Robin's rug.

Jen's rug in the tieing process.

The ikat sections all dyed.

Jen's rug ready to be beamed on.

Jen and her finished rug!

Merrick beaming on her warp faced stair runner.

Merrick's finished rug with her dog, Sally, giving her approval!

Oh my…..this warp needs a haircut!

Hannah's  rug working better after removing half of the background color.