Handwoven by Alice Cappa - THROWS & Lace Imagery

Handwoven Garments & Accessories
by Alice Cappa ...

Throws & Lace "SeaShawls"

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	Featured: Leno-Lace Imagery		Throws & Seashawls Shawls & Rainbows Wraps & Cocoons Tops Scarves Leno-Lace Imagery Triangle Weaving About Handwoven Wearables
	Recently, I won an award and became part of a succession of artists who are "passing the torch". The winner creates something for the next winner. The shawl in the pics is my contribution. It is "modeled" by one of my fav paintings, Wm. Holman Hunt's Lady of Shalott. "While weaving, edges of the image indicate a change of pattern. Here, I used 3 different patterns. My leno-lace imagery is unique!" ~ Alice Cappa		Imagery is created by tracing a "cartoon", which may be pinned beneath the warp, creating a pattern to follow. With this one, I just taped it to the loom.
Throws (3ft.x5ft, or larger) and Shawls (26"x78") can include many techniques: warp dyes (such as in the Rainbow Shawls), woven surface patterns (such as a textured pile, or smooth brocade), or woven lace (such as the open Leno-Lace edges). Featured here are my " SeaShawls" and Wedding Shawls, using the open leno technique to shape various imagery. Choose your colors, image, and embellishments such as beads or ribbons. More on larger, cotton or woolen throws below. *Wedding Shawls: bringing to mind doves, flowers, shells, and lace. A chalice moon rises to the east while sky stars glisten high above. Dark waves roll. Phosphorescent . Sand stars and pearl shells sprayed.* "Starry Beach" This all-cotton shawl has a row of Leno-Lace at the ends and includes lace-weave conch shell, starfish, actual shells and textured yarns. Slightly tinted peach & aqua with warp dye. 26" x 78".		Degas' model wears "Magnolia" shawl. "Magnolia", All cotton with leno-lace shaped image and pearl. 26"x78", with fringe. Frothy, Southern Magnolias, Painted Tulip Magnolias, Grand & Lofty Ash Magnolias, Imagine an orchard of nothing but...
		"Dove" Cassat's "Lydia" wears "Dove" throw.

SeaShawls: bringing to mind all things of the waters. They also make great cover-ups at the beach.


"Angel Fish"		"Conch Shell"


"Wentletrap Shell"	"Seahorse"		"Whelk Shell"

Throws in Natural Fibers
* 100% Cotton Throws in Multi-colors. (ala Manet's Family In Their Garden At Argenteiul)	* "Seashawls" (Showing above ala Homer's "Sunlight and Shadow" : "Seahorse" in blue cottons.	* Handspun Woolen Throws (ala Rodin's "The Kiss")
Purple throw above has many shades, surface textures and patterns. *Cotton Throws* Cotton is ideal for summer AC, or more natural outdoor cooling. THROWS (3'x5' or 4'x6') can be light-weight cottons in nubby textures -flake, boucle, or nub yarns. Or include an image, as in the "SEASHAWLS" above, shaped with fingerpicked leno-lace. This technique is not pulled threads, but is woven line by line as the weft progresses up the length of the weaving. Besides sea images, others that have been included are leaves, butterflies, or a graceful curving lizard.
		Most edges have an inch of leno-lace. Options: macrame'd fringe and beaded weft. Another "Maple Leaf" defined more with warp tints and applique.
*Woolen Throws* Yarns sit topsy-turvy,curly-loopy, fuzzy, slubby or smooth, atop a half-woven blanket of mixed reds and white.		Finished blanket, handspun-handdyed. The sheep would be proud.
Wools are even more labor-intensive, requiring the fleece to first be handspun. My sheep provide much of the wool, but I will also include commercial yarns, textures, and colors for a varied surface, as with the cottons. The handspun, however, is also hand-dyed, and may be processed with natural plants, berries, barks, etc.		To order woolen throws, have a range of shades in mind and allow 8-12 weeks.
Most cotton content (with occasional metallics for sparkle or rayon for sheen), are woven in a variety of nubby textures - flake, slubs, nubby, boucle... giving a feel-good touch. Some may also have bits of silk, linen, tencil, etc.

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~ Handspun Woolen Throws ~ Rodin's "The Kiss" with handspun wool throw.		In natural fleeces of creams, whites, browns, greys, or black.Also with vegetable and fiber-reactive dyes.

Handwoven of handspun wools, this throw is heavily textured & very fluffy with a thick/thin slub yarn. Throws are fringed on warp ends with a selvedge on the longer sides. Fleeces are a combination of sheep: Cheviot(white & soft),Shetland (white,silver,& black,-akin to Cashmere,), & Florida Native (hardier in the South). Their fleeces are in a range of natural shades (creamy white, eggshell, champagne, beige, soft greys, etc.).	Handspun wools are soft as new lambs and the colors from natural dyes are soft too. Earth colors never clash, are permanent, and mellow with age. By "earth colors", I mean pigments from natural sources, sometimes called "vegetable dyes": leaves & barks, berries & flowers, vegies, or minerals from the ground. Most are simmered with wools (or other natural fibers) and yield a full range of rainbowed hues. Handspun yarns are textured: thick/thin, nubby, curly, etc, and have character from the touch of the spinner that a machine can never duplicate. Mine are fairly thick and fluffy (why spin fine, even threads when a machine can do that?) and feel wonderful on cool evenings. The grade, or texture, of wool ranges from the finest Merino used for soft baby clothes, up through stiff, wiry rug wools from breeds such as the Hampshires, or Coltswolds. (Wearable grades of wool should not itch, unless you have an alergy, but that's a different story.) Wool is a natural insulator, lets your skin breathe, and keeps you warm even when wet. Yes, even in the South, I can sure use a nice fluffy, warm throw or scarf on the pan-handle's cold winter days. Click for more about WOOLs from my sheep, general terminology pics of the spinning processes, and lots of new lambs.

The shearer sits a ewe down to clip the wool on her chest. Wool begins to roll off like a blanket all in one piece. Next step - spinning. Skeins of wool are easier to handle in washing and dyeing, than is loose fleece.

Skeins dyed with a myriad of natural hues, drying outside the studio.

RE: Colors. Many wool yarns are color varigated as I spin. Color blends are mixed with naturals and will always vary for a one-of-a-kind, unique piece. 1. Choose from a general combo: "Floral" - naturals with mix of pinks, rose, light yellow, deep burgandy, wine & reds. "Sky" - naturals with mix of light blues, aqua, indigo, & violet). "Sea" - naturals with teal, greens, indigo, & purple. "Safari" mix of khaki, light greys, & taupes. Call to request alternate color combinations or to match a swatch of your own.

Many Cottons are also dyed these same family of colors, altho I do not spin cotton.

Throws will appear to be one predominant color but will have a myriad of shades to give depth and variety to the fabric. They will usually be patterned more on one end of the throw and will always vary for a one-of-a-kind unique piece.

Handspun throws are a labor-intensive craft, requiring first the spinning of many yards of yarns, the dyeing of colors, and then weaving on the loom. My sheep are generally raised organically (natural grains, no hormones) and the wool washed without chemicals, retaining some natural lanolin and is soft enough to be worn next to the skin.
My throws-Cottons or Wools, are generally 3x5, or 4x6 and are commissioned in the colors of your choice. Time required is 6 - 8 weeks or more, (seasonal) and prices range from $150 (smaller, natural cottons)- $300 (larger, dyed wools). Sizes larger than 3x5 require a re-setting of the loom and up to double the time.

For easier description, select & copy the order info to the left
(in dark purple text) & paste into an email with your responses.

Contact me for more info.

To Order, contact me with the following:
* 1. size (shawl or throw):
* 2a. primary color:
* 2b. 2ndary colors:
* 3. fiber
*extras: color, macramed fringe, beads, etc.

More info: Color ~ Style ~ Fiber

Skeins drying in garden.
Yarns stretched to dry in the garden.
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