Flowers That Never Fade

Last post I showed you what was on Lilibet and a small detail or two on this project (plus a link to the original project done some time back). Its a draft that has always appealed to me and I keep coming back to it.  {This should be fun writing this post as I can't get Blogger to align the text to the left so I'll have to try and end on a full line or you get this !  }

Let me run a few details by you once more: this 8 shaft project has a warp of  20/2 cream bombyx silk from Treenway Silks, the green variegated is roughly the same size, perhaps a bit finer and is painted by the Fleece Artist. The basic sett is 24 epi sort of.... leastwise that's what the cream is set at. This is where the flowers are created with weft floats, with  warp floats on the reverse side. The green warp is where the lace is formed and is actually a little three thread huck lace or also called a mock leno. Here we have to sley the reed three green threads at a time, with an empty dent in between to help emphasize the groups.  Simple enough once you understand the principle or have done this draft before. The only difficulty I have with it, is that its seems hard to work out a project width!  I plan about two inches shy and when I sley it out it somehow comes to what I need.

Here it is in the reed and being beamed on. The green was sort of clingy and I thought I would have trouble with halo'ing but it went on quite slick!

This is the denting arrangement and perhaps best seen if you click on the picture to see it larger. The empty dent is only between the greens. No space left between the cream and green. 

The weaving is actually fun and once I worked out the tabbies, it went nicely. You see that lace portion of the tie up on on the left hand treadles 1,2,3, and 4) warp floats in the centre (5,6,7,8) and tabby on the right (9 and 10). It seems there are plain weave tie up scattered left and right.   Treadles 1 and 9 do the same thing! I worked out a little  dance to accomodate this and I was just fine. Here's the draft for you to peruse:

I used a cream bamboo as weft for both scarves and behaved well as I wove. Good twist and and nice sharp turns at the selvedges. I bought it in Victoria at "Knotty by Nature"  LYS and they had it supplied by Brassards from Quebec. I would definitely use it again! (Some bamboos are too limp or too loosely spun for my liking)

I pinned them out on my fringing board and got to work. I twisted the greens separately first and then worked out an arrangement in the cream sections. Fringe is approximately 7 inches when done. I like a finer, longer fringe on a ladies scarf and this pair say 'dainty'!

Now I get to play in my bead box and see what I can come up with! I had taken a sample of the green silk with me to a couple of bead shops and found some exact colour match Japanese Delica beads. I have lots of cream and opalescent beads in the stash.

I use a fine sewing thread and run it along the edge and in between the fringe so its centered and visible from both sides. What beads get used and what arrangement? Well, I just play with various sizes and amounts and go with what feels right for the project and how it feels to me. I want the beads to accent, not overwhelm. {Though I do have some bolder plans for the near future... stay tuned!}

Ta Da!  All done.. and buttery soft.

.... and here's the close up shot. Click to 'embiggin'

On the home front: We have no exterior decks at all. We are naked! Just when the neighbours thought all the banging was all over, tomorrow it starts in earnest! The decking crew arrives first thing and will be here for the better part of two weeks. I'll do before and after shots then. I hope to do some weaving but must admit that there have been many distractions lately! Autumn seems to be a busy time.... oh heck, our whole year has been like this starting back at the beginning with  our flood repairs and new kitchen. That's why a "no naked looms" policy works as you can grab 20- 30 mins where you can.  See you soon!