It hasn’t all been fused glass, I’ve got a lovely….  um, something(?) on my small loom that is turning out wonderful. I just don’t know what it will grow up to be because it’s so narrow (6″). Maybe a panel in a summer jacket?

Linen and cotton Teal overshot

I had a lot of warp left on my small loom (4 shaft, 22″ Rasmussen table loom with leg kit from Seattle Weaving Works, circa 1980) from the linen workshop I took from Katie Reeder Meek in March. The warp was supposed to be linen but mine is 10/2 cotton due to some technical difficulties, namely old and brittle linen and the middle of the night so no store open to fix the issue. But, it’s a nice flax color of 10/2 and the threading was the one I used for my linen workshop; Aldana’s Cat’s Paw and a Wave pattern on an overshot type weave structure. I’m still using a fine linen single (unbleached) for the ground weft but have chosen a 5/2 cotton in light teal for my pattern weft.

A joy to weave in such wonderful colors

I apologize to all my non-weaving readers for the geek-speak.  Start weaving,  you’ll love it!!    By the way, there is a lot to be said for a small portable loom that can be easily moved to the front deck on a breezy summer afternoon!

I’ve also been knitting but have not taken photos yet so that will be next post.

Deb H

5 - 1/2 yards of painted warp

Ta-Da!!!

There is nothing quite as satisfying as pulling a finished weaving off the loom. Remember the Palindrome warp I was weaving during the winter? There were times that I wondered if the warp had magically lengthened while I was not looking. The bundle on the back beam never seemed to get smaller, even as the bundle on the front beam grew impressively. I simply did not remember how much I put on – my notes were a bit spotty… yea.

a closer look

After cutting it off the loom, serging the ends and wet finishing it, I have 5 – 1/2 yards of usable yardage. Isn’t it pretty? 

The details; the warp that I painted was a singles merino (about 18 wpi), mill spun at Zeilinger’s in Frankenmuth, MI from a small merino flock just down the road from me – thanks Mary! I dyed it after reading an article in WeaveZine about the Palindrome technique. The solid black warp was pulled from my stash as I decided while warping, late in the evening, that it really needed to be wider. I also thought that the stripes would give it an Ikat style look. There was no ball band so it was a mystery yarn, a sport weight wool (or mostly) knitting yarn that was handy and satisfied my need to wind the warp - right now. It also matched the weft I had decided on the best (in color).  I usually avoid black but after hauling the huge skein of yarn around the shop (Heritage, where I work) to find a weft and looking at every possible option, black set off the colors in my yarn the best. So my wool warp was (if you are a seriously traditional weaver, you may want to cover your eyes right now) woven in a straight, 4 shaft twill with a delicious Bamboo yarn (24 wpi). I did wonder the whole time if I was weaving off trouble.

drapes like a dream

Let me just state, for the record, this was brilliant.

The finished yardage has such a soft feel and wonderful drape! I hope I have the courage to cut it up for a lovely fall jacket before 2020.

Deb H