new season, new weaving

Thank you all for the well wishes! I am doing great and thank God can breathe with ease . I've been off work since December 23 and have been resting, knitting and weaving. Nothing like a little R&R to get your batteries charged and ready to start a new season.

Since I had some time off I warped my loom, no easy feat this time around the warp did not behave well and I wound up cutting 1/4 the chain off the loom ( I warped back to front). Once the cotton decided to untangle and get it's act together I threaded the heddles and tied up the lamms for some cotton dishtowels in waffle weave. I got the pattern from the book Mastering Weave Structures that I checked out of the library, very interesting book with a ton of information.

I'm working with 6/2 cotton in beige and 4/2 cotton in red, 15 dpi reed, 4 shaft waffle weave structure. I wove about 7" and decided to put in a 2" stripe as an accent. I like a nice big towel for the kitchen and have decided that these will be 34" with 2" seams, once I wash it I'll figure out how much it will shrink. (need to measure width on the loom and off)

Blogger thought you guys needed some head twists so this one's sideways, but its a close up of the weave structure. I've woven about 18" and think it's going really quickly so I may be able to get these done this week.

Inspiration

I was trying to figure out what to weave next since I finished the chenille group and have been twisting fringe, looking for buttons for the small button scarf I woven from the extra warp and contemplating how to take pics for the the 1kmarket shop.

As I was wandering about the Internet I came across Memphis Weaver and the Girls of Summer Scarves what an inspiration for a new scarf or table runner, I dug out this yarn which I bought about a year ago from an Esty shop owner Yarntopia Treasures. I really loved the colors and thought I could knit with it but it's really to dry for knitting, so I put it way, until of course I got my encouragement, I love to stash yarn that didn't work out for a project and then resurface it and think wow, this yarn wanted to be this and I was forcing it to be something else, funny how that works.

I asked Felicitas the owner and weaver of Memphis Weaver, how the weft was done and she explained that her students carried the weft up to the next group without cutting the thread. I put in my extra shuttle and wove the first group, I thought looked great. (She has a class with RH weavers, dang I would love to be there learning!!)But wasn't impressed with the floating yarn so I wrapped it on the end and still was not convinced that it would survive the wash for cotton.

I then proceeded to cut the tread and beat the end and beginning warp of each group hard and tight. This I think suited this particular yarn better and would hold up to the washing and drying process. I finished it yesterday I haven't decided what I want to do with the fringe but I was thinking of beads or buttons. I'll have to see what kind of feeling I get for it today. (sorry about the sideways pics but blogger is having a "Manic Monday" now I can't get that song out of my head).