Waiting around for the big day is exciting and so I've been keeping myself busy with another project for the baby and making receiving blankets. The larger crib blankets were fairly neutral in colour (white, beige and a crisp green) and so I wanted receiving blankets that would be colourful and complimentary with the other blankets and also go with the crib and baby room decor.
I have lots of 8/2 cotton on hand and only needed to pick up a softer gold cotton. The rest was on hand! Wasn't that great? ... some stash busting. (Its but a very small dent but nice to see!)
Both side borders are in a soft lilac, with alternating stripes of peach, gold and a pastel green. The width is 36 inches in the reed and the sett is 24 epi and the warp length is four yards, for three blankets, samples and take up and loom waste. The pattern? What else could it be, but hearts! Fully reversible hearts too.
I believe the draft came from Handweaving.net (I forgot to make notes on that!) If I find that the source is different, I will edit the change in later.
The lilac and peach stripes are the wider ones of the four colours and so I decided to use all lilac as weft for the first one, and all peach for the second blanket. The third would be a plaid using all the colours in the warp as weft.
lilac
peach
pretty in plaid
I'm using a temple which requires frequent moves and chugging along. I'm about half way on the third blanket. As you can imagine, I'm okay with the baby taking its time! I'm finding between the wider warp and throwing the shuttle and the treadling, its aggravating my lower back and so I can only weave for a short time and then must switch to either the other loom or another task in the studio. But there's not much more to go and I'll be hemming soon. I'm thinking of some kitchen towels on the big loom next and so looking at drafts for that. Maybe more stash busting? They'll be a skinny 24 inches wide and will be a breeze!
Now on the Louet Spring loom, I'm discovering that third time is *not* a charm but soldiering on with it. It will all work out in the end. The aggravation factor is huge... but that's a story for next time!
8 comments:
Those are beautiful! Lucky baby!
These blankets are beautiful! All your work is beautiful! Congrats on the baby coming soon, it must be very exciting!!! The baby will love these soft and warm blankets!
I love the hearts baby blankets, and the colors are perfect for a spring baby. With that as a welcome, maybe the mum will get her wish and the baby will get here sooner than later.
Susan, the baby blankets are adorable! Love the pattern. Be careful of your back and take things slowly.
what sweet little hearts - wonderful blankets! I might have to weave those little hearts someday.
Well, it is hard to pick a 'favorite'...they're all so pretty! I think I would have to choose the plaid, though. Fabulous choice of colors and draft. These are just beautiful, Susan! Careful with that back!! You need to be able to pick up the baby! I look forward to healthy baby news next!
Beautiful blankets Susan, I can just imagine a little lump of baby swaddled in those cotton blankies. I like that heart pattern, I'll have to try it myself. How much shrinkage are you getting on the finished blanket with the 8/2 cotton? I love 8/2 for towels, I can only imagine how lovely it would be for a baby blanket. Looking forward to a post and picture of the angel soon.
Thanks everyone!
Denise/CT: Just wove the last of the third blanket today (April 17th) so should be able to give you shrinkage details soon.
It was 36" in the reed and its drawing in (even with a temple in use!) The fell is 34" so not sure how much more I'm going to lose!
Will post info when they are hemmed and washed up and measured..
Susan
PS Baby is running late too!
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