Finishing the Rainbow Scarves

What I have learned about fringes is that when I first started weaving scarves I always twizzled the fringe first before I washed the scarf.  But I found that I had to go back and fix the knots in the fringe because they had moved/shrunk differently.  It was really noticeable in scarves that had different fibres but also the shrinkage is different between the two different manufacturers of Tencel. 

So now I lightly braid the fringe and then wash the scarf.  When I hang up the scarf to dry I undo the braid so that the threads will dry smoothly.

The next step in finishing is twizzling the fringe.  I use a quilters cutting board and use heavy cookbooks to weigh down both ends of the scarf.  This is the time to even up the length of the fringe because it does make a difference on the tightness of the twist if you start with different lengths.   The fringe is then separated into the segmented bouts for easier twisting.  I don’t knot the fringe until I have twisted every bout.  Twizzling the fringe can move the scarf out for under the cookbooks so I even up the scarf again before I knot the fringe.

Now it is time for the beauty shots. 

Lots of tiny dots like rain drops in a rainbow.  For Sale

Lines of diagonal squares make for a striking scarf.  If you would like this scarf just email me through my Etsy Shop - WovenBeauty - and I'll set up a listing for you. 

These are subtle scarves that are suitable for both men and women.  I absolutely love both patterns but I am not sure about the black lines between the colours, it makes the scarves really dark.  If I do rainbow coloured scarves again I wouldn't put anything between the colours, just embrace the brash colourfulness!

12 Shaft Twills in Rainbow Colours or It Is Dark and Stormy and I Want to See the Sun!

The first project of the New Year is . . . scarves!  I wanted to do something bright and colourful because of the stormy winter weather, although on the West Coast we don't have the polar vortex issue that the East Coast does.

I looked through the 2/8 Tencel colours and found that I could make a rainbow (ROY G. BIV).  I used Scarlet, Orange, Yellow, Mineral Green, Blueberry, Iris and Red Purple which I separated with Black. 

I found a lovely 12 Shaft pattern on Handweaving.net that made little dots, reminiscent of the water droplets that make up a rainbow.  The only problem I had was that on treadle 1 I had to lift 8 shafts and it was really heavy.  So heavy that the loom groaned a little so I had to help lift the harnesses up which is a bit of a no no.  And I rocked a bit on my seat, which hurt my tush.

The fix is really easy, just flip the tie up but I had woven too much to change on this scarf so the weaving was quite slow.  I did change the tie up in the computer draft and put a note in the printed draft because I know that I will weave this pretty little pattern again.

I always put on enough warp for two scarves, it is much more economical.  Since I was going to have to change the tie up anyway to stop the moaning and groaning from both the loom and me, I decided to completely change the pattern. 

I wanted a pattern that I didn't have to change the threading and that looked good in the stripes.  The pattern is another 12 Shaft Twill that I found on Handweaving.net and it is even from the same book, a 1920’s Italian book.

This time I checked the tie up and made sure that the least number of harnesses were being raised.  So I did end up flipping the tie up and it really did make a huge difference on how fast the scarf was woven.  I was able to weave faster and for much longer at a sitting and amazingly I was able to finish the scarf in one sitting.