weave4fun

Before I start with the main body of this post, I thought I'd share this. Don't you just hate the way selvedge threads are always breaking because you don't use a temple because they leave nasty holes in the cloth, are a pain to move and anyway, whatever? This obviously doesn't apply to those blessed by the rolling temple, you lucky people you. Anyway, check it out. It's an elastane yarn that's been twisted with 2 plys of worsted, to make a 2/48Nm yarn with a composition of 97/3 worsted/elastane. The worsted has been competely worn away by the reed, yet the elastane filament holds out. Cool huh? Now check out these awkward guys here. The way this cloth is constructed is that there are 4 main blocks. The black is woven on the first 4 shafts, to make a 2/2 twill, and the colours are woven on 3 seperate 6 shaft blocks. the whites are on 5-10, the lights on 11-16 and the darks on 17-22. The back two shafts have some spare heddles for in case I fe...

So I finished weaving the last warp 2.5 weeks ago or so. And I made a throw for my mother out of it, and there was a bit left over. So I started on the next warp, which isn't threaded yet because I didn't have enough heddles, so I had to make 500 string heddles which took me all day, there must be a better way of making string heddles. Anyway, I went on a wee break, got a bit of work at a festival and skanked to the Amphetameanies for an hour or two, which was nice, but very tiring, which was OK cause when I got back the family was on holiday so i couldn't get a lift up to the loom anyway and I was too tired to go. So I've spent the week alternately playing computer games and sewing. So far I've made 3 large throws, a couple of very bulky experimental scarves, my first shaped bag with lining and one very dodgy hat which was, frankly, a disaster. Well, not a disaster, as no-one was killed and there was very little in the way of property damage, but ...