Plum Perfect

So when I left you last time, I had the second shawl under way with a slightly different treadling variation and a different weft option.  The warp is Italian tussah silk that isn't quite as soft (before laundering) as bombyx or mulberry silk  so I wanted a softer weft yarn. What I found in my yarn stash is a silk cotton blend that I had bought from Treenway back in 2000 when I attended a silk workshop with Karen Selk (former owner of Treenway).   I believe the split was 55% silk and 45% cotton.  Its quite fine and would equate to a 30/2 for grist.  Then, sometime after that workshop it had all gone into a back yard dye pot and become this soft plum shade. It 'matured' in storage nicely and was ready for a new look!

The treadling variation was to simply treadle from one to twelve and back again. No network treadling this time round.  Easy to remember, and gave me more of the interesting motifs and both legs shared the load.  I have to ice the knee now in the evenings so this is my last twelve shaft project until after the replacement is done and healed.

Same concept as the first shawl off this warp,  I wanted a small tidy row of sparkle along the edges but nothing over powering. I settled for alternating a freshwater seed pearls about the size of a grain of cooked rice and opalescent beads that have a slight sheen.

The pattern is fully reversible and so the pearls and beads can be seen from either side as well.  There is a slightly more colourful side (seen above) and the other side is a mirror image but more cream than plum. The wearer can choose which way they want to go depending on their mood or the occasion.

With the softness of the cotton, the shawl is quite lightweight  and makes a pretty accent for spring!  With the silk in both warp and weft, pressing brought up the sheen that only silk has. Its more of a deep glow really.

We  had bright sunshine while the fringes and beading was under way and that all disappeared today and rain has settled in for the long weekend.  I didn't want to drag things further waiting for the sun to return so set up all my lights and tried to get some decent pictures.

The drape is lovely. You have to love a twill for beautiful drape....

Close up of the finished beading and border pattern...

Today is Good Friday and the sun came out this morning! I quickly dashed outside with the camera and took some nice shots. Behind, our large magnolia is just coming into bloom

Here you can see the network sections. I sure wish you could touch this fabric! Its like a cloud.

So its Easter weekend and whether you celebrate it or not, I hope you all enjoy your time with family and friends, or just spend the day relaxing.  We'll just spend the time quietly here at home and no doubt just putter doing stuff we enjoy in the house given its going to rain all weekend long. No chocolates here! There will be a turkey though as we missed that this past Christmas.

Next week my grandson Ethan turns two! Where the heck has the time gone? It seems like just yesterday I was telling you about his arrival!  I'm going on an adventure to Vancouver by myself next weekend to  visit with my Dad and then go celebrate at Ethan's birthday party.  I'll have pictures to share from the festivities!    

 My Dad, as you may recall, had a hip replaced in December.... and then again in February. He was hospitalized from December 10th (with a few days home at Christmas) until about three weeks ago. He had a very long and hard winter and so spring flowers must be so much sweeter for him right about now.