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New textiles, exhibition and collapse weave book by Lotte Dalgaard

 

110 450 pixWe are very happy to have Lotte Dalgaard with us at Textilesnaturales in north Spain at the moment, not long after the inauguration of her new collaborative exhibition in Denmark.

Lotte is an expert Danish weaver with many years of experience.  In fact Textilesnaturales´ own weave teacher, Anna Champeney, is in fact a pupil of Lotte´s.  Lotte specialises in using innovative high twist yarns in a sophisticated and advanced way.  Decades of experience and her commitment to experimentation and innovation place her in the top eschelon of European weavers today.

Textilesnaturales will soon have a couple of copies of the English version of Lotte´s book on working with innovative yarns so look out for it in the new online shop, launching 1 December 2013 so contact us if you´d like to reserve one.

If you don´t already know how Lotte works it´s worth explaining.  For she collaborates in a very interesting and unusual way with Copenhagen-based fashion designer Ann Schmidt.

Most fashion designers we know in Spain regard the craftsperson as a specialist technician who simply works up the designs.  However, fabric weavers like Lotte are designers in their own right and it is far more interesting for her to participate in collaborations based on a more creative and open philosophy which reflects a more equal partnership between weave and garment designers.

In Lotte´s case the highly unusual textile design takes precedence and conditions to a far greater extent the design of the garment, its shape, its drape and in particular the edges, particularly the detailing around the neck or arms.

But then Lotte Dalgaard´s Danish textiles are not simply rolls of flat, rectangular fabric.  These are truly original and unusual three dimensional fabrics.  They are sometimes woven in layers or shaped like books or feature fins which jut out.  They can have varying textures, thicknesses and vary in width from one section to another.  All these elements are unique to hand-woven textiles and enable Ann Schmidt to adopt a far more original approach to fashion design than would normally be possible.  The relationship between Ann and Lotte is a continuing “creative conversation” or “ping pong” with every project feeding into the next.    In fact it is difficult to say where the role of the weave designer ends and that of the fashion designer begins, and vice versa.

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The same garment laid flat enables you to appreciate the very different construction compared to conventional design

The woven edges of the fabric may be be scalloped or zigzagged or frilled and as such offer the designer the opportunity to create unusual necklines or cuffs which are loom-formed rather than cut or sewn.  This way of creative fashion is so totally different from the standard model of pattern-cutting and of course results in very different garments.

Usually the pieces are either one-off or form part of very limited series.  The results are craft haute couture, utterly unique and original and of extremely high quality.    Lotte and Ann are totally driven by their passion for experimentation and this is both the strength of their work.  It is also perhaps the reason why their work is not better known.

It also means that the work is – in Textilesnaturales´ view –  underpriced for what it is – it should really command haute couture or fine art prices.  So take note, fashionistas and coleccionistas!  Lotte and Ann´s work is still waiting to be “discovered” by the international fashion scene.

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The natural woven edge forms a beautiful and unusual zig-zag border to Lotte´s woven garments that conventional garments made using traditional pattern-cutting techniques cannot imitate.

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Another example of how the natural woven edge of a hand-woven fabric can be shaped to form an unusual neck part of a garment without complex sewing or hemming.

 

How to assemble a Louet Spring loom – your Louet representative in north Spain explains

telar spring 90 set up with textAugust 2013.  Louet´s representative in north Spain, textilesnaturales.com describes the experience of assembling the Louet Spring countermarch loom.  

Lluis Grau, textilesnaturales´ technician and sales manager has the challenge of assembling the loom which is destined to become a second production loom for Anna Champeney, weave teacher and textile designer at textilesnaturales.

The basic loom is an 8-shaft parallel countermarch loom with 10 pedals.  But this loom has plenty of enticing extras.  The loom we´re setting up has all of these – including a fly shuttle, second back beam, 4 extra shafts and sectional warping beam.

In what state does the loom arrive?  It comes in 2 large boxes and quite detailed instructions with text and images.  The loom includes assembly tools and an excellent CD with a video in American English on how to set up the loom once assembled.

Spanish clients of textilesnaturales.com also benefit from our translation of the assembly instructions into Castillian Spanish.

How long does it take to assemble the loom?  Lluis set the loom up with all the extras but he estimates that in about 8 hours you can set up the basic model of 8-shaft Spring loom.

Will the loom fit in my house?  To give you an idea, when the warp beam is removed (this can be done with the warp on) it can be moved without problems from one room to another of a standard home – ie – it fits through doors!  The loom measures 115cm wide x 115cm tall x 90cm deep when set up (including the removable warp beam)

telar spring 14 pedals fly shuttle sec warping and 2nd backbeam

4 extra treadles convert the Louet Spring into a 12 shaft 14 pedal parallel countermarch loom. A friction brake for quick winding on is standard. The sectional warping beam and second back beam are extras.

Overall rating:  “It´s a very well thought-out loom and is very well made – really top quality.  Everything lines up perfectly and the wood is really nicely finished.  I´ve actually enjoyed assembling it.  I´d say it´s medium-difficulty level.  The differnet components are very well made – everything fits together perfectly” (Lluis)

Important advice when assembling your Spring loom:  There are lots of screws and bits and pieces.  It´s vital to familiarise yourself with these before you start assembling the loom.  Lay them out first and read the instructions BEFORE you start.  If you follow the instructions to the letter – in the correct order – then you shouldn´t have problems.   Don´t mix the components from one box with those from the other.

Anna Champeney, what made you choose the Louet Spring loom?  My main 8 shaft loom is unnecessarily large and heavy for scarf and cushion projects so  I was looking for a well-made and designed loom which could cope with production work – and be easy on my back.

Explain the different features and extras of the Louet Spring loom.

Friction brakeenables me to advance the warp whilst weaving without getting up from the loom.

Fly shuttle – Really makes weaving quicker, as long as I´m using just one shuttle at a time of course.

Sectional warp beam – Great warping method (which my other Teixdors loom also has) for long (20 m … 50m or more) or particularly fine warps.  I get a perfect tension every time.  I don´t use this method when warping with many different colours though.

Second back beam:  For double weave projects with different coloured warps or projects which combine different warp threads – one thick, one fine, or one elastic and another inelastic.

Moving breast beam:  This is something I´ll have to test out.  It´s a design feature I´ve never come across – a breast beam which moves when you beat.  According to Louet it eases tension on the warp ends in the case of very inelastic yarns, reducing breakage.  This could be useful when working with metallic threads, for example.

Easily removable beater and breast beam:  All weavers will appreciate being able to get up close to the shafts for threading up (back to front warping method).  The beater just lifts off, very easy.

Explain briefly the advantages and disadvantages of a countermarch loom:

The main difference weavers experience with the countermarch system is that of the pedals.  Each pedal connects to every shaft on the loom according to your weave plan.  Each pedal lifts or lowers every shaft, creating a centre shed.  This means less stress on the yarns – so fewer breakages, and a good sized shed on every lift combination.  Unlike table looms in which each lever operates just one shaft it does mean you have a limited number of sheds available to you.  I tend to sample on a table loom for total freedom and then weave the main designs up on a countermarch.  On the Spring 90 loom I have 12 shafts and 14 pedals which give me plenty of options.  If you enjoy complex weaving patterns though you might find yourself limited by the treadling options.  In that case it´s best to think about a dobby loom.

Interested in buying or trying out a Louet Spring countermarch loom in Spain?  Contact us for details and prices.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Laura Sarmiento, traditional Venezuelan weaver, travels to Spain in search of innovation

 

La Voz de Galicia Ag 2013 Laura Sarmiento Venezuela 1000pixAugust 2013.  What made Laura Sarmiento, traditional Venezuelan weaver, travel to Europe, to the tiny rural textile studio of Anna Champeney in north Spain?

She came in search of a weaver able to show her weaver theory and innovative techniques which will enable her to innovate and update traditional textiles and make them more competitive and attractive in future.

As the interview in the local Voz de Galicia (left) indicates, Laura comes from a weaving family, with her grandfather a well-known pioneer in weaving.

The looms local weavers of the village of Tintorero use are based on simple two-shaft European looms from the 1700s – a reflection of European influence centuries´ ago.  But the products made are typically Venezuelan – such as hammocks.

But traditional Venezuelan weaving is under threat so tenacious Laura is forging a new way ahead by looking to weave design studios in Europe and look at ways that innovations can be introduced in a realistic, step-by-step way.

We hope to publish a more in-depth interview with Laura very soon so watch this space……