Monday, January 24, 2022

One More Please

This year I wanted to finish up all the loose ends so I could start the new year fresh, with new weaves.  I took some time from weaving to do photography and computer work to list the last of the scarves from last year.  The collapse weave Merino wool scarves in lavender and fawn are now listed.



I also got a new computer as my old computer is over 10 years old and it is starting to have difficulties staying connected to the internet, so lots to learn there.  As I was transferring over files to the new computer, I noticed that we haven’t had any black table runners in the shop for a while.  I found a new draft to try and picked out some 5/2 cotton in black and beige and that is as far as I got in the planning.

Because as soon as pulled the colours and plan together; I accepted a commission for a shawl, so I dropped everything to focus on the shawl.  This isn’t the first time that I’ve been asked to reweave this shawl, it seems that every time that I sell one, the next day someone asks if I can make one for them too!

On day 1: I pulled the black 2/8 Tencel warp, I have put on enough warp for two shawls.  I did a rough sley of the warp using the built in raddle on top of the castle of the Louet Spring loom and then pulled the warp onto the back beam, ready for threading tomorrow.

Day 2: I removed the breast beam and the beater bar, from the loom, to make it easier to reach the heddles.  This cleared the front of the loom so I was able to place a chair into the loom to get even closer to the shafts.  It is always good to get close and have a comfortable reach to the threads; especially when the threads are black and on a foggy and grey Vancouver Island winter day.  Before replacing the breast beam and beater bar, I like to tie up the treadles, it is easier when you don’t have to watch your head banging on the web.

Day 3:  I put the breast beam and the beater bar back onto the loom and sleyed the reed.  I was then able to tie on the warp to the cloth beam.  I hem stitched the warp and wove the first pattern repeat to make sure that there wasn’t any mistakes.

Day 4 and I am now weaving away on the body of the shawl.  The weft colour is a lovely dark raspberry red 2/8 Tencel, a different colour from the original shawl but truly lovely.

Final Garden Photo is one of the groups of King Alfred Daffodils just starting to pop up with some Drumstick Alliums amongst them.  We did a lasagna style planting (layering bulbs in the same spot) and so far so good.  On the left side there is a deer foot print, she just missed stepping on one of the bulbs!

1 comment:

Peg Cherre said...

I'm not a huge fan of collapse weave, but that lavender piece of yours is *just lovely.* Makes me rethink my attitude. And the shawl is beautiful. 12 shaft snowflake variation? Your work is always careful and consistent, which makes it so desirable.