Eight Shaft Frond Pattern Shawl

We have been having stellar weather here on Vancouver Island and so my attention has been focused on the garden, but I have managed to get my shawl warp up and running.

I love this point in the weaving process.  The warp is on the loom and the threading is halfway done; this is one of the most hopeful points, planning is behind me and all the possibilities are here!

When I planned this project I knew that I wanted a pink shawl, well, time blunted that certainty and so as usual I decided to audition a few wefts.

My choices were 2/8 periwinkle, 6/8 mauve rayon and my original choice of 2/8 dark rose.  Once they interacted with the warp, my choice was clear.

The periwinkle just seemed to speak to me, it was all ‘sky blue pink’ and it made both the peach and soft rose gleam.

The frond pattern really shows well and due to the doubled threads in both the pattern and the novelty yarn, it has a few reed marks, but with such a small amount woven, it is hard to say how it will finish.  The pattern seems to be weaving up very soft and airy....just what I had hoped for.

If you remember from my last post, this project was planned on the fly and amended

as necessary.  I had planned on a larger peach centre panel, (well, in truth it was all supposed to be peach) but I was four threads short of making a complete pattern repeat and had to pull 40 threads off the warping board.  Well, my lack of focus really showed up as I threaded the loom.  I had miscounted every one of the pattern panels by one thread, so here are the extra threads hanging off the loom; there are 8 of them, so I could have done the extra panel.....really crappy planning!

I just love the shine of the fabric as it runs over the breast beam and the weaving is a very comforting straight twill on eight treadles.

Although the weather has changed from the glorious sun and warm temperatures we have had, to this soft spring rain; I thought I’d share a photo of my newest shrub.  This is  Syringa x ‘Bloomerang’.  It is a recent lilac hybrid that is re-blooming and will produce flowers up to three times each growing season.