AWASH IN BLUES

I was commissioned to do a lampshade several weeks ago. Although the frame has been warped for quite some time, it was only last week that I finally got around to selecting the materials for the weft. As it was quite a large frame, I needed to find enough coordinating colors and fabrics from my stash. (I like to use reclaimed materials, so wasn't about to purchase any.)

Looking through what I had, I kept coming back to a combination of turquoise, jade greens, dark blues, and all shades in between. In addition, a while ago a friend had given me some balls of silver metallic ribbon one of which matched quite well.

It was from this stash of silks, rayon, cotton, silky gauze and the ribbon, I decided to proceed.

The warp for this lampshade is a heavy linen. The procedure for this type of weaving is 'finger picking'. By that I mean, one creates the 'shed' by inserting the fingers over and under, over and under, and the passing the weft through the opening. This is time consuming, although never boring.

I sewed some of the ends as I went, and the rest I sewed both on the outside of the lampshade, and the inside of the lampshade, after I'd completed the weaving. Perhaps this was the most complicated part of the project, as sewing inside this frame was awkward at best.

The completed shade.

I rather like it, and hope the person who commissioned it does as well. She gave me no parameters except she did not want it to have a 'vertical' look as it was already quite tall. She designated no color choices. So I was free to do as I wished.

This is a study in blues...and makes me think this is what the deepest part of the ocean must be like. Mmmmmmmmmm, I wonder if I should applique some fish on it?? If she chooses, I guess I might.