A Dozen Extra Inches More

I was browsing through my sample binder looking for a particular pattern when I realized that I seem to have a few 'spares' and that got me to thinking!  I always budget sampling length of 12 to 15 inches into every warp. Its just part of the calculations now. If I'm unsure of the sett, then I sample at the beginning; if I'm good to go, then I do some at the end.  I have a few special weaving friends that I swap samples with and if you haven't tried this, you should! Its great fun getting an envelope from a friend out of the blue one day and it has samples and drafts that you can review and touch.

Some times if I'm able to squeeze out one more useable towel (for example) then I'll forgo the sample and my friends understand....

Every Christmas I get a few handwoven or handcrafted cards from friends near and far and I have saved them all!


looks like its time for a larger box!

I recently found some card stock that I bought through a guild bulk buy many years ago and on Sunday afternoon I pulled all my supplies together and sat for an enjoyable afternoon of making up special one of a kind cards for Christmas and other occasions too.  

My supplies?  washed and pressed handwoven samples, scissors, tape, card stock and a glue stick. Extras such as beads and other embelishments can be added  before, during and after.  I'm opting for after as that way I can accent them according to the occasion and the recipient!  (That will involve dab glueing the beads and glitter).

I position the sample in the window in various ways so to show the pattern to the best advantage. Check the view from the window outside and then perhaps cut it down smaller to fit better. Then I tape it on four sides over the window.  There are two solid fold over sides to the card stock and one is just a smidge smaller. That's the side that covers the sample! Then out comes the UHU....

I use a coloured glue stick so I can see where I have applied it.  Then press the side down firmly. Then I sit a heavy book on it. Very high tech huh?

Here's the line up and I'm sure that you will recognise many of them if you are a regular reader:

Remember the so called 'quick' plain weave scarves that took three time longer than the most complicated twill?

Then there was that pesky black silk warp that was rethreaded to this fancy twill when the edges went bad on me. The two above are woven with silk/ yak for an amazing metallic grey.

This one is left over from a fancy M's and W's threading I did  about three years ago or so and is all tencel.

Here's a pair of snowflakes! 12 shaft snowflakes with tencel warp and silk/seaweed weft. I have flipped one over so they are like 'positive and negative' images.

I found that the border edging on the snowflake twill was also pretty and these cards show different aspects of the patterning. If you click on it (or any of them) you'll see the details.

Then, lastly....

I had a fine bamboo 8 shaft huck lace warp on my Jane table loom some time ago that was murder to weave due to a manufacturer problem with the levers. I had to give up and cut it off but the small portion I did  manage to weave became these cards. One card I tried hand sewing beads to before but I didn't like the way it softened the pressing the sample had been given. The loom was retrofitted and works fine now and I think the lace turned out alright too.

This was fun to do and I would encourage  you to do a small thing and add on 12 inches or so to your next warp and cruise the internet for some interesting card stock to have on hand.