My First Weaving Project!

I'm so pleased. I did my first woven item on the 4th of July. I had started warping at the end of June, but waited till I got my shuttles in the mail before finishing the warp. I'm using "Learning the Weave" by Deborah Chandler, which is an exceptionally great book. She really covered every question I had as I worked through the process. (I also skimmed through "The Weaving, Spinning, and Dyeing Book by Rachel Brown)

I was really concerned about getting started because everyone I've talked to has left me with the impression that warping is a nightmare. I looked into classes, which were very expensive and long (6 weeks). I did however find a willing Weavers guild member who will teach a small group of us starting in August. I couldn't wait that long. I have this shinny new toy and I just i have to play with it NOW.


The warping went very well, I had to re-slay two threads which I crossed. The tension wasn't too bad. I did have a little wabble on beginning of the weaving, but I got it even. I should say, I do have a little experience with warp tension from my bead weaving days on my Indian Bead Loom, so I knew I had to get good tension.

I started with a plain weave. Then I did 2 warp threads up, which is a basket weave with only one weft thread, and finally I did a 2/2 twill. I used an 8 dent reed and all 4 shafts. I used two green yarns as stripes on the warp, one a fresh green color, the other more olive.


I did have some uneven edges on the right side, but the 2/2 twill went beautifully.

Spinning

I'm now a member of the Woodland Weavers and Spinners Guild of Damascus Pa. On the 19th I went my second meeting. The topic of discussion: Finishes. Everyone had tips and tricks for working with and finishing knitting, spinning and woven items, as well as neat tools and make-shift gadgets that will come in handy in pinch. Like making a center pull ball with a toilet paper roll.


One member demonstrated Navajo plying on the fly. A very skilled drop spinner, she made it look effortless and magical. I had to try!

On the ever useful internet and found "Tammy Rizzo's Ply-on-the-fly technique" which also has a link to her blog were she updates the technique, making it even easier.

Here is my hand spun, Navajo plied-on-the-fly yarn. First I did a Navajo ply with already spun singles, which was awkward because the center pull ball i made was very light and it was difficult to get a smooth chain going, without the ball jumping around. The second and third yarns were done on the fly. I spun a bunch of singles and then wrapped them on my fingers and plied them, then repeat.



I also tried plying with a spinning wheel, which i borrowed from my neighbor. It was great using the wheel. Spinning goes much faster but I did have a hard time plying. I found the wheel really didn't want to go in the opposite direction. But I did get a sense of the kinds of things I would want in a spinning wheel when I'm ready to get one. After that short adventure, I returned the spinning wheel to my neighbor in favor of my drop spindle.


Having finished the green roving, I knit a hat with the plied yarn. There was only about 53 yards of yarn so no ear flaps.


The rest of the green un-plied yarn, will probably be used in a weaving a project. For now anyway, its just a part of my stash.

novelty yarn neckwarmer...

novelty_cowl_2
Originally uploaded by Digital Leaf

I finished this a while ago... I got two skeins of this novelty yarn in a discount bin, one with bluish colors the other with greenish earth tones. I am really surprised how little yarn was actually in each skein. Both were just enough to a cowl/ neck warmer. I didn't even have enough yarn to make a pull string, so i used other yarn I have that is in the same color family and smooth, so I can pull closed and make it a hat.

Art Yarn solution...YAY!

novelty_scarf_3
Originally uploaded by Digital Leaf

I purchased this art yarn by Cherie Anne Designs that i purchased at the Renegade Craft Fair's Handspun Collective booth last year. I've been looking for something to make with it and everything i tried just didn't appeal to me. I like the yarn so much on it's own that even simple stockinette seemed too busy. I wanted something that was ALL ABOUT THE YARN.

I was window shopping a week ago and saw some smooth bulky yarn made into a woven scarf using mono-filament as the weft . I don't have a loom but the idea of the yarn lined up next to itself was perfect. So I sewed the yarn together instead of weaving it and its EXACTLY what I wanted... A scarf thats all about the yarn.

SWATCHING

I love swatching. I know...I'm a freak... but hear me out. Of course i swatch for guage, but that makes it sound so dull. I swatch to experiment with stitches, new yarns, and color combinations. I swatch when i can't think of what i want to do next. I swatch when I just want to have non-committal knitting in my hands.


Here is a recent example: I was asked by a friend to shorten a store brought sweater. When I started to unravel the bottom, I discovered that the ribbing was very strange. I had to unravel two rows at a time!?! I did a little searching around and learned that the stitch is called Brioche or Prime Rib (tastey sounding isn't it!) Excited, I swatched it in the same yarn I had just unravelled, verifying that it was indeed the correct stitch. I also found several variations in The Big Book of Knitting, which calles it Shaker Knitting. I tried it with different yarns, of varying weights and color.

I save these because they can sometimes provide inspiration or reminders about what works where.

When I'm ready to start a project, thats when i swatch for guage. These I usually unravel, as the project itself will be a big enought swatch for future reference. Also I tend to write down the guage of projects I start, as I often have to recalculate for my measurements or check if I have enough yarn. (I learned that lesson the hard way, having run out of yarn and never finding the right dye lot again)

So swatch for fun, play around with new stitches, colors and textures. Cheers!

Habu mania...

I couldn't resist... I've enjoyed perusing the Habu Textiles web site, admiring the kits and wonderful yarns made of unusual fibers, like Steel or pinapple. Habu has been front and center in the minds of those in the knit-blogosphere, people showing off their pretty yarns and kits. I couldn't take it any longer. During my lunch break, I dashed up to the showroom in NYC and much to my dismay and delight, walked out with a very small bag, a small bag with a relativly big price. Now don't get me wrong, totally absolutly worth every penny.

I brought two skeins of the bamboo yarn, which dare i say, is SOFTER than silk. I also got two sample bags, which had tiny balls and butterflies of some of their novelty yarns.


awwww, aren't they lovely. Habu will be a place I visit very seldomly, for no other reason than for my own finacial safety. (wouldn't wanna find myself homeless but warm and looking rather well dressed in my layers of knit finery).

Did i mention that their textiles......... aaaaaaah

Spring is in the air

Spring is in the air, and its been here for a solid week (with one day of summer thrown in for good measure). My thoughts wander to lighter knits. the Anna Socks in Rowan #40, a short spring cardigan, a wispy scarf, short spring gloves, tank tops...

The task now is to look thru my stash and make so decisions. Sketch some ideas.

In the mean time I am making good progress on my Capecho redue. YAY!