Himalaya

From the Sanskrit himalayah, literally "abode of snow," from hima "snow" + alaya "abode." Himalayas:  Mountain range in Asia, extending east through Pakistan, India, China (Tibet), Nepal, and Bhutan.

Also home to yaks. The domestic yak (Bos grunniens) is a long-haired domesticated bovid found throughout the Himalaya region of southern Central Asia, the Tibetan Plateau and as far north as Mongolia and Russia.

Yak wool is derived from the coat of yaks, a herd animal that is found in the mountainous regions of Central Asia. Yaks have long shaggy hair and a dense woolly undercoat. It is this soft fine under hair that is most desirable for manufacturing, and is removed by de-hairing.

So for my third scarf in the series, I chose a 55% silk and 45% yak blend (7600 yds/ lb). My skein label from the current Treenway management says its a 30/2 but my trusty silk chart from the older incarnation of Treenway says its a 32/2 and I would agree. Its much finer.  So this scarf is slightly weft faced but its just fine, because its fine.   I had a fully loaded pirn of it after my recent shawl project so I gave it a test try and liked it against the black silk.

It means the pattern is smaller and tighter. Nice crisp definition.  It makes working with finer threads so worthwhile !   It does add up to a lot more treadling but you get into the rhythm of it and it just adds up.  Weaving with fine threads is just the same as working with 8/2 or larger.... there's just more to each step.   Would you like to try finer threads? Work your way down by progressively using finer .... say if you are used to 8/2 (at 18 for lace, 20 for plain weave and 24 for twills) , then try 10/2 next time (20 for lace, 24 for plain weave, and 28 for twills)....then shift to 16/2 for some finer weight kitchen towels perhaps? (24 for lace, 30 for plain weave, 36 for twills).  All the other steps remain the same; just take your time and work through slowly each step.

Its more work overall so this is why weavers put on longer warps and plan multiple projects.  It makes the set up time really count, and reduces the overall loom waste.  Plus my favourite.... only one tie up for much or all of it! (some weavers will get under the loom mid warp and change it part way so they can get a new look and alleviate the boredom!)

The black silk most likely was originally from either India  (visit the Indian Government Silk Board link), or China. 

Modern Silk Production

Today over half (52%) of the world's silk is produced in China. The second largest production is from India who produces 14%. But silk is an important product for many cultures including Uzbekistan, Brazil, Iran, Thailand, and Vietnam. Japan is often associated with silk but only a small amount of sericulture is done in Japan. Japan is more active in production of silk-based products. (From Wikipedia)

The Chinese word for silk is 'si.'
The Manchurain word is 'sirghe.'
The Mongolian word for silk is 'sirkek.'

This lovely silvery beige is a blending of bombyx mori silk and yak undercoat fibre. Bombyx mori silk is created from moths who eat nothing but mulberry leaves and so the silk produced  is a white or ivory shade.   (Moths that eat other leaves with tannins and / or live in the 'wild' produce silk with a golden hue and its called tussah)

I have heard many weavers say that they are "saving their silk stash for later". That they feel they aren't up to the task. In short, silk intimidates them.   Well, no one warned me I should be nervous and  with the enthusiasm that comes with being a newbie I started weaving with silk about a year into my early weaving days.  Its actually quite strong on the loom and handles the tension well.  Its not a fan of abrasion but not many yarns are so be sure to beam well and allow for draw in, or use a temple.   

It takes a dye beautifully!  Its a protein fibre so use acid based dyes such as Telana, or Lanaset.  Don't let your temperatures go above 180 degrees as high heat will destroy the silk.    I also recommend orvus paste to scour the silks and let them soak a good amount of time to be thoroughly saturated. Many are now using procion mx and using the cold set process to dye silk (or any fibre!)

This picture above show both sides of the scarf. It measures 8 inches by 74 inches plus fringe.  This time I twisted three fringe groups to produce a rounder cord.  It washed and pressed up beautifully and looks quite elegant. It will be a nice statement against a black top coat. 

I added it to my Etsy shop and it sat for almost a week and then suddenly it was sold. The buyer is my client who commissioned me to weave the other two silk scarves!  I can't blame her though because if she is to give the other two away as gifts, then its nice to have one of her own.  So its ready to be shipped off today and so come to a journey's conclusion..... after all the Himalayan region is quite the start in life..... and its will finally land and live in "Weaverville".    I just love that name!

I have become friends with my client through this year of weaving together  and we have had some nice phone chats.  She specializes in spinning and weaving exotic luxury fibres such as Arctic Musk Ox Qiviut which is becoming rare and hard to find. Its essentially a Musk Ox's fine under coat that it naturally sheds each spring.

Hhmm, isn't that what yak fibre is?

In our house, especially with a dog, we have always called the finer undercoat of any critter their "underwear".   This goes way back to the days when we had a parrot named Ronnie and she would preen her feathers and drop all these little white fluffy bits all over the floor.   We would tell her to stop throwing her underwear on the floor.  Well, it seems we were right after reading the definition of qiviut... it also referred to bird's feathers as well as the musk ox.  How about that? 😳  we honestly didn't know that !

Ronnie- a double yellow napped Amazon parrot, and yes she could talk! 

Paint the Town Red

This past late spring I was thrilled to be asked to weave two all silk scarves for a client!  She was very particular about what she wanted as far as pattern, colours and fibre which is great.  She had purchased one of my linen / cotton book marks a few years ago and loved the intricate twelve shaft pattern.

yes, this is the same draft as the scarves!

As I had some projects under way on the loom and another special order to go so I had time to order in the silks.   The black 30/2 silk came to me via a friend in California who had done a bulk buy. She has a modern jacquard loom and it eats yarn like crazy! It arrived and looked wonderful!

Meanwhile I found some lovely red 30/2 silk from a Canadian supplier.   When it arrived it was decidedly an orange based red and not the requested blue based red.   It had looked just right on the screen... and of course, all screens are different.  Nothing replaces a real sample and I had clearly overlooked that fact, even though I often tell you just that.   My Bad. 

So my client found what she envisioned as the perfect colour and sent me a link to Treenway Silks and their dye number 42 "Velvet Opera".  Oh, yeah!   Rich, deep and  lush.... and rather burgundy compared to the other reds in the lineup.

So I ordered 30/2 silk, dyed to number 42 and waited for my order.   I was thrilled when it arrived as the colour was simply beautiful!  Then I noticed it.   It was not 30/2 silk. It was 60/2 .

Oh, geez...

I last ordered bombyx silk from Treenway under the old ownership and when it was here on the west coast on Saltspring Island. They called their yarns by their actual type of silk and the size of the grist.  The new owners have given all the various yarns names, which is lovely, but apparently confusing to me when I ordered. 

I called and spoke to Susan at Treenway and asked if a rush order could be done on 30/2 silk and  in number 42 Velvet Opera?   After hearing my story she kindly offered to take back the finer silk but I declined as firstly, it was my mistake, and secondly... I love the colour!  Susan drove some silk over to her dyer who did it right away ( and was about to go away on holiday for a month... talk about cutting that one close! ). It arrived quickly and it was perfect!  

So runs of bad luck usually runs in threes.  I started to wind my warp and it was going well. I had about 50 ends wound when I started to notice little bits of black dyed 'fluff' stuck to the smooth yarn.  They picked off easily enough and I carried on.... but they started to increase and within a yard or two the yarn was covered in little bits.   While they picked off okay and in time would wash out of a fabric, it was not the smooth  silky look I wanted for this project. These are going to New York City!

I located some black 30/2 silk at Sanjo Silks in Vancouver and happily my friend took back the  other 'fuzzy' silk (minus the weight of what I had wound off)  It was a shame as the cone had started out so well

The only other yarn used was a natural off white  bombyx silk, also a fine 30/2  and I'm happy to say, problem free!  From that point on there were no more issues to deal with. The beaming of the warp went well, threading was straight forward and no mistakes, no sleying errors and after lacing on, the warp tension was great!

It was just a lot of weaving as the yarns are so fine!  I listened to podcasts as I wove and mostly CBC's Quirks and Quarks, a science program.   There are several ways to treadle this pattern but I used two of them by the client's request.  Next post I'll discuss the various options and show you how they look.  It also took a bit longer due to Life happening (Calli's surgery) and summer in general (gardens and getting out more).   Then, they were done and I cut them off, leaving a third silk scarf on the loom for later.

The lady's scarf: I twisted a finer fringe this time and made it seven inches in length.

The gent's scarf: was a more regular sized twist bouts and cut to four inches in length.

Time to hand wash them!

I had a feeling that washing the scarves separately would be best and it would seem my intuition was right! The dye job was a rushed order and so perhaps was not rinsed till clear.   I did several rinses and used a drop of synthrapol to help but this scarf will have to go with a warning to handwash separately. 

As you can see from the pictures below, the black really wasn't an issue with minimal bleeding. There was no greying of the white silk at all.   A good hard pressing with my trusty steam iron and out popped that lovely glow that only silk has!

This is the gent's coat scarf:  eight inches by fifty six inches with a four inch twisted fringe.  ( thirty six ends per inch and forty six picks per inch)

Picture above and below how both sides of the scarf. one side is a bit darker, the other a bit lighter.

I can't imagine anyone who would not feel extra special wearing this red and black beauty! The burgundy red is simply rich as this picture shows...

Then there is that silk sheen as this one reveals

The fabric is fine and feels soft and light under the fingers.  It made all the tromping worth while! The finer fringe was also a good idea and it gave a graceful movement to the fringe. It measures eight inches by sixty six inches, as requested.  (Interesting points: both scarves were three inches longer when woven. Relaxation of the warp and wet finishing reduced both by a full three inches in length only.  Drawn in and wet finishing  reduced width by half an inch.)

close up of right selvedge

These two final pictures are my favourites as they really give you a good idea of how lush this colour is!  I think my client is going to be very happy once she opens her parcel.  I know it was hard to part with it myself.

Meanwhile back at the loom, I laced up the warp again and checked my stash for options.  I found a full pirn of fine silk yak blend left over from a recent shawl project. It made sense to me as since I wasn't entirely sure of how much warp I had left. If it was a bit short, then it could be a man's scarf  and if my luck held, then a full length lady's scarf.... plus my pirn would be empty and back in use again! The colour is also nicely neutral too.

Sorry for the slightly fuzzy focus picture but it does give you an idea of how things are progressing. In a word: slowly.  It seemed like I'm treadling a lot for little gain so I set a fine coloured cotton thread into a shed and wove for an inch. Using my trusty pick glass I counted forty six picks per inch!

Well no wonder it's a lot of work.....  Its labelled 30/2 but it looks and feels much finer than the bombyx 30/2 I just used.

So my next post will be a follow up from this project on treadling variations and how you get more bang for your buck out of a tie up and threading! 

Calli report:  she's doing just fine and had her stitches out this past Thursday. Its healed very well and the nasty onesie has been washed and put away.  She will need to see her vet in six months time for a check up.

Me? I broke my recently completed (spring 2017) root canal molar and waiting for yet another crown.   I was planning on getting a crown on it this fall but apparently that wasn't soon enough.   😳

Changes...

I enjoyed weaving the red silk and it was done in no time (once I got my bum on the bench). I have now moved onto the second scarf. I'm using a plain off white 30/2 silk and a different treadling variation. 

So both scarves have similar, but different patterns. Both are custom colour,  lengths and fibre choice as chosen by my customer.   She was very particular about all these details.  I like that.

Try doing that with a store bought scarf!  You get to chose from what's on the shelf or hanger and that's that.  If its purchased in a retail store it also means many other people will have your scarf too.  I have worked with a few clients who helped with designing their project and they said it really added to the experience.

So weavers.... rather than weave a scarf or towels and gift it. Why not give a lovely gift voucher for one scarf or a couple of towels..... and, with some guidelines from you,  they get to choose the colours, size, and pattern.  Really personalize it!

I have warp enough for a third scarf  and I'm starting to think on what my weft will be..... I'll be digging through my silk bin tomorrow for options.   I'll be back to show you the winner when I have a start woven.

Finally, here is our sweet loveable goofy girl Calli who puts a smile on our faces everyday.  She is having a sizeable lump removed from her side next Thursday.  If you are a 'pet person', please spare her a thought.  Initial needle tests show carcinoma cells so we hope our vet gets it all.

She loves our new, fully fenced back yard and keeps the raccoons away (sort of!)

You couldn't wish to meet a more gentle dog.  She's 7 1/2 years old and still plays like a puppy.