Process Review: Jämtlandsdräll with Julia
- By Karen
- May 26, 2020
- 12 Comments
My intention is to weave fabric for a couple of cushy throw pillows. But after just one pattern repeat, I realize that this cloth on my brand new Glimåkra Julia is something I would like to wear! No pillows this time. Instead, here is my new autumn/winter shoulder wrap, embellished with frisky swinging fringes. Miss Julia has proven her worth on four-shaft Jämtlandsdräll (crackle) in 6/2 Tuna wool. Her next adventure will be something that explores all eight shafts. (See My New Glimåkra Julia Loom.)
This project starts with the draft for the Jämtlandsdräll Blanket on p.59 of Simple Weaves, by Birgitta Bengtsson Björk and Tina Ignell. Tuna yarn samples, along with Fiberworks Silver for Mac, help me jazz up the color. I settle on three colors for the warp, with burnt orange as the anchor. Six different colors are used for the pattern weft, plus dark teal for the tabby.
This is one of those times when the weaving is so satisfying that I truly don’t want the warp to come to an end. (…except that I’m excited to start on Julia’s second adventure!)
May your adventures never cease.
Happy Weaving,
Karen
12 Comments
Leave a Reply
My New Glimåkra Julia Loom
- By Karen
- May 12, 2020
- 24 Comments
My family of looms just welcomed a new little sister—Julia! This 8-shaft countermarch is Glimåkra’s smallest floor loom. I dressed the loom right away in 6/2 Tuna wool for 4-shaft Jämtlandsdräll to try out the loom. So far, so good. An 8-shaft project using 20/2 Mora wool is up next. Would you believe this is my new portable loom? Surprisingly, the Julia fits in the back of our vehicle, without disassembling. This is the loom you can expect to see with me at future workshops.
My Julia Observations:
- It goes together like you’d expect from a Glimåkra. Instructions are minimal, and quality is high. It’s a well-designed puzzle.
- The assembled loom is easy to move around to gain space needed for warping, or simply to change location for any reason.
- The breast beam is not removable like it is on my other Glimåkra looms, which makes it a stretch to thread the heddles from the front. However, by hanging the shaft bars from the beater cradle at the very front I can thread the heddles without back strain. (Or, if you are petite and don’t mind climbing over the side, you can put the bench in the loom for threading.)
- Tying up lamms and treadles is not much different than it is for my Ideal. Everything is well within reach from the front. It helps to take the lamms off the loom to put in the treadle cords, and then put the lamms back on the loom. With one extra person available, it is entirely feasible to elevate the loom on paint cans, upside-down buckets, or a small table to make tie-ups easier, but I didn’t find it necessary to do that.
- Weaving on the Julia is a delight, as it is with my other countermarch looms. Everything works. With four shafts, the sheds are impeccable.
- The bench adjusts to the right height.
- The hanging beater is well balanced, sturdy, and has a good solid feel. I can move the beater back several times before needing to advance the warp.
- I thought the narrower treadles might prove annoying, but I’ve been able to adjust quickly. After weaving a short while, I forget about the treadle size.
Steve is the loom assembler in our family. I stand by and give a hand when needed. I hope you can feel our excitement as you watch this short video of us discovering what’s in the boxes and figuring out how it all goes together.
May you enjoy the puzzles that come to your doorstep.
Happy Weaving,
Karen
24 Comments
-
Too cool.
What a great video of putting together the 3d wooden puzzle. It reminds me of sewing a tailored jacket. All those pieces with no rhyme nor reason until it starts to come together.
When I think about it… That is what weaving is.
Thanks for sharing.-
Nancy says:
Thank you for the glowing review! I was ready to purchase one, but was told it isn’t the wood like in the regular Glimakra loims, but plywood. Also told the front and back beams get grooves in them from the warp threads.
Waiting for your updates in about 2 months.
Thanks!-
Hi Nancy, If you haven’t heard enough about it in a couple months, send me a note and I’ll give an honest update.
The wood is most definitely beautiful solid wood, not plywood at all. Any wooden breast beam and back beam will show wear from warp threads and beam cords. This loom is no different. I don’t think it’s a problem.
Happy weaving,
Karen-
Anonymous says:
Thank you very much! I will get back to you! Perhaps this dealer was trying to upsell me?
Nancy-
Nancy, I look forward to hearing from you. I hope the dealer had better intentions than that. Anyway, if you keep doing your research you will end up with a good loom.
Karen
-
Hi Nancy,
Decades ago I was enamored with English smocking and took two classes from two different instructors.on maintenance and care of the pleater. The first class I took we were told to NEVER EVER take the pleater completely apart as it was not possible to ever get it back together and working properly. The second class I took began with the instructor ‘accidentally’ dismantelling the pleater. We were taught how to care for a very simple tool.
Maybe your dealer is not familiar with the loom?
It sounds like you have a support system in this blog to help you through any challenges.
Nannette
-
-
-
-
Hi Nannette, It’s very interesting how all those tinker-toy sticks fit together perfectly!
Happy weaving,
Karen-
Karen, is there some way you can email with me?
My email is camel heights at msn dot com.
Strange I know, it’s a street I lived on in Evergreen, Colorado. On the side of a mountain.
I have more questions about this loom.
Thank you very much!
Nancy
-
-
-
Betsy says:
She’s adorable! May you have many happy workshops together.
-
Hi Betsy, And may your Julia and mine sit happily side by side at some point.
All the best,
Karen
-
-
Kristin G says:
Loved the video – I could feel the excitement! I’m looking forward to seeing the beautiful items you will create with her 🙂
-
Hi Kristin, Thanks for joining in the fun! It won’t be long and I’ll have her weaving an 8-shaft project.
Happy weaving,
Karen
-
-
Julia says:
I can agree with you there. The Julia is a great little loom, I speak from the experience of a proud owner. I can therefore fully understand the joy of unpacking, because it was very similar to me last fall, only that it was my first loom… Greetings from Berlin, Julia
-
Hi Julia, It’s good to hear from you. Oh, the excitement of putting together your first loom! That is the best of all. The Julia is a perfect first loom! Or second, or third, or fourth, or fifth… 🙂
Very Happy Weaving,
Karen
-
-
Annie says:
What a darling little loom! I wish I had room for one more. I don’t always reply but always read you posts, Karen. Not only do I always learn something but I just enjoy feeling that we are keeping in touch.
Please tell Steve I think he is the best husband a weaver could ever have!
-
Hi Annie, It’s satisfying to know you read these posts. I do like keeping in touch, too.
I’ll tell Steve. He’s definitely the best husband this weaver could ever have!
Love,
Karen
-
-
Gretchen says:
Congratulations on your new loom Karen! How exciting!! And there os just nothing more beautiful than a new loom! May Julia bring you many happy hours of weaving. Sending love from WA. Gretchen
-
Hi Gretchen, It’s great to hear from you! Yes, new looms are special. This one will serve me well.
Hugs,
Karen
-
-
marlene toerien says:
i am green with envy, I would love to own a Julia, or even a Mighty Wolf from Schacht, as I am living in South Africa where looms are a big luxury at the moment with our exchange rate, and my studio space is taking over our home, it will stay a dream. I do have 5 Varpapu looms, 3 table looms, 2 floor looms.
-
Hi Marlene, Thanks for chiming in!
I’m glad that you have some good Varpapu looms to work with. The Julia is a sweet little loom in the family of Glimakra looms. The Glimakra Standard is still my favorite.Happy weaving,
Karen
-
-
Marina says:
Great video! What are the thingies under the feet of the loom in the background?
-
Hi Marina, I’m glad you enjoyed the video! What you are seeing under the feet of my other looms are Stadig Loom Feet. They keep the loom from “walking,” and they help absorb the impact of the beater when firm beating is needed, such as for weaving rugs. I get them from GlimakraUSA.com.
Thanks,
Karen
-
-
[…] My intention is to weave fabric for a couple of cushy throw pillows. But after just one pattern repeat, I realize that this cloth on my brand new Glimåkra Julia is something I would like to wear! No pillows this time. Instead, here is my new autumn/winter shoulder wrap, embellished with frisky swinging fringes. Miss Julia has proven her worth on four-shaft Jämtlandsdräll (crackle) in 6/2 Tuna wool. Her next adventure will be something that explores all eight shafts. (See My New Glimåkra Julia Loom.) […]
Copyright © 2020
Bom dia! Ficou lindo essa peça.Sou brasileiro, professor aposentado e estou tecendo a pouco tempo em um tear de quatro eixos que eu mesmo fiz. Gostaria de saber qual é a medida do tecido pronto? E onde encontro esse padrão para quatro eixos. Muito obrigado por compartilhar seu trabalho
Google Translate: Good Morning! This piece was beautiful. I am Brazilian, retired teacher and I am recently weaving on a four axis loom that I made myself. I would like to know what is the measure of the finished fabric? And where do I find this pattern for four axes. Thank you so much for sharing your work
Bom dia, Reinaldo!
Thank you very much. The finished piece is 47cm (18 1/2”) wide and 146cm (57 1/2”) long, plus 14cm (5 1/2”) fringe on each end.
This pattern is in the book “Simple Weaves,” p.59 “Jämtlandsdräll (Crackle) Blanket,” by Birgitta Bengtsson Björk and Tina Ignell, published by Trafalgar Square Books, Vermont, 2012. I changed the colors in the pattern.
The weave structure is Jämtlandsdräll, also known as Crackle.
Thank you,
Karen
Yep, a much better wrap.
Beautiful !
Can’t wait to see your next creation.
Hi Nannette, It would have made a pretty throw cushion, but I already have plenty of those. This will be fun to wear!
Thanks!
Karen
That’s a beautiful wrap! Thanks for sharing your design process.
Betsy
Hi Betsy, I’m glad you enjoyed seeing a bit of my design process. I don’t usually use the weaving software, but this makes me want to put it to use more often. It helped to see different possibilities on the screen.
Happy weaving,
Karen
Simply lovely! I so enjoy following along with your projects. You inspire me to try new techniques/projects with my looms. 🙂
Hi Cindy, When I got the Julia, I decided to use the loom to weave something I haven’t done before on my own. (I wove Jämtlandsdräll at Vavstuga once, and have wanted to weave it again ever since.)
It’s so exciting to try new things!
Happy weaving,
Karen
Beautiful! Love your style!
Hi Nancy, Thank you! I’m glad you like it.
All the best,
Karen
Gorgeous colors! And if not pillows, the wrap can double as a runner for a special holiday or something 🙂
I love that you have looms in several spaces, with your dedication it makes sense. And you get a glimpse of your projects as you move around, what a joyful experience!
Elisabeth
Hi Elisabeth, I had the same thought that I could use this as a runner. The colors fit right in.
It is a joyful experience to have looms scattered around. Each one has its place and purpose, and I’m free to let them work or rest, as needed.
I always enjoy your thoughtful responses.
Love,
Karen