Shawls of Summer ☀️

 This post is a tad bit overdue.   The weaving was finished a couple of months ago and I managed some pictures outside.  The photographs I took of one shawl looked bleached out by the sun and didn't do it justice at all so I planned to take some indoors.... but on a sunny day.   Then the clouds rolled in and it seemed that any sunny day had us going somewhere.  Finally, everything aligned and I got the photos taken. 

But let's roll the clock back to my old Megado and a mystery warp.  I bought a painted warp from Carr Park Artisans a couple of years ago and it was  7.5 yards and 400 ends of painted tencel.    No name of the colour way on the card and I asked Christine and she doesn't recall.

So I paired it with solid  mineral green tencel  and slipped in some of the extra painted warp left over into the borders. I didn't want to waste any!  Above you can see the warp being beamed, and below you can see my "S" hooks and weights I use to tension as I wind on. Yes, it means a bit of to'ing an fro'ing but I don't mind as I know the warp is on tight and will behave later on during the weaving. 

This is the draft I used. Rather than using a straight draw, I decided to modify it and use a 16 shaft point twill instead. I did have some straight draws on either side as part of the border.   It's a mind boggling 63 treadle run so usually woven up on a dobby loom.    The blank white part is the painted warp and later on where the gold stripe is, I replaced that with spare painted warp instead.  I'm making choices right up to the last minute usually.   The draft is from Handweaving.net and is #78089

The weaving was straight forward  and took some time. The first shawl I used the mineral green as weft as it seemed to work with all the colours in the warp.   It was woven to approximately 87 inches to allow for some shrinkage. It was fun to weave as you were always trying to anticipate the next colour zone and how it would look. The transitions were softly done which I prefer. 

This is the shawl complete and measured as 19 inches wide by 84 inches, plus twisted fringe.   It's fully reversible too which is nice for the wearer.      I see it as a 'summer time wrap' and of course, that time is now passed.

Now for some various pictures showing drape, colour, and my late summer garden

The sedum is colouring up to pink-red so taken mid September.  

The second shawl was entirely different. I used a different 16 shaft point twill tie up #34777. It's a draft I have used before and quite like it. It has a delicate flower / star like pattern, and this time I used greyed teal as my weft. The whole overall effect was softer and more gentle.

A couple of pictures taken shortly after starting.   Love the pink transitions!

Finally, indoor pictures taken, in a house with extra sunshine brightening the house up. I like to think my grandparents approve.... that's their 1930 wedding photo in behind.

This section of the warp had more of the gold-yellow colour, but not at all harsh.  All quite soft.

This shawl is also 19 inches wide by 84 inches too.

These pictures show the iridescence

So one more project was woven on the Megado 110 and then she was off to a new adventure in the Okanagan Valley. (see Oct 4th post about the table runners)  Life intervened here (again) and much of the delays here were due to medical appointments as my husband has leukemia, but it seems its low grade.  Tests will determine whether they treat it or not so we will find out more on the coming weeks.

Weaving has been a wonderful experience for me in the past 30 years. A source of new friendships, learning a new craft and constantly evolving as time, looms and circumstances change.   It's patient when you can't visit the loom or you dabble with a new toy or craft.  It gives solace when times get serious and you need a refuge. The magic of putting colour and threads together is joyful.

I have no regrets about going down this marvellous rabbit hole!    🐰

Magenta Music ~ Let's Play It Again

A couple of months ago I was playing around with using an existing tie up on my Louet Spring and matching it with new drafts.  Not all were compatible of course but a few twills turned out very nice in the design phase, and one in particular. It was a complex twill with a long repeat and I used red purple tencel, or  magenta for the warp.

{note: rather than me running through all old project details again and the draft again, please use the links provided.  Thanks..}

In that post the two scarves, one woven with dark teal and the second with navy blue, were simply beautiful and I was thrilled with how they turned out. Apparently other people thought the same because when I listed them in my Etsy store, they were snapped up within days!

I wanted to weave more while the tie up was in place but my recent commission order for two runners cut that idea short. But I had a dream to do it again, and soon .... and this time expand the dimensions to a shawl. The scarves were lovely, but a shawl would be ..... well, take a look!

I warped up enough length for two shawls, wove and cut the first one off, and the second one has just come off the loom and being finished as I write with its debut to come next time.

I'd like to back up a bit and take the project back to the beginning...and it started with a yarn order to Webs for more red purple tencel.  When it arrived I noticed a slight change in the shade when compared to a skinny cone left over from last time. It was more 'grapey'. I wasn't sure how the combination of colours would look this time but decided to go ahead with the project anyway.  

Once the warp was on, threaded and sleyed, I laced on to reduce loom waste and to ensure no  hassle with slippery yarn.   I also decided to try a new trick I learned from weaver Margaret Coe from one of her posts on a weaving group on FaceBook.   No matter how long  you have been weaving, a new trick is always welcome! Click on any picture to enlarge...

So, here's the start: knotted warp laced on, then three shots of 8/2 cotton and then beat, repeat again... and this closes the groups  up. I wove a couple dozen shots of 1 to 12, then I made a shed and inserted a warping stick, then another. Then I wove a couple of runs in a light coloured cotton. Beating against the sticks was an interesting feel! It was firm and provided a nice foundation. It gave rigidity to the whole width of the warp.

The light cotton section showed that there were no threading errors, which was super!   I could then advance the warp for the fringe allowance.   Now please  note that the area where I did the test weaving and placed the sticks would also be part of the fringe allowance. None of that is wasted!   At this end of the warp, only the knots were cut off later and thrown away. 

As you can see its working well and weaving up beautifully.  I used a temple to reduce any draw in and as you can see it is sitting nicely. Or was it the sticks that set things up with a firm foundation?  I plan to use them again!

So the weaving continued on for eighty five inches or so and I cut off so I could get a jump start on finishing. I have a sale I'm trying to prepare for and since I must mail things away, timing is important!

I decided  not to bead as I have no magenta beads even close in colour and very few in teal. Certainly not enough for both edges. This shawl was going to have to  provide its own dazzle...

Next up was washing. I soaked it a long time in hot sudsy water and squeezed it out well.  I spun it out in the machine and hung over a rail to dry. The next morning I gave it a hard press with the steam iron.

Wow!   iridescence!

I think the shawl carries the 'razzle dazzle' off just fine. The tencel's beautiful drape and sheen never fails. I can hardly wait to see the next one!

I'm happy to be weaving still even if it is slower. I've heard now that the soonest I can be expected to be called for surgery is April 2014.  There is some good news and some bad news. The bad? I can now expect to have another full hip replacement *first* on my right side, then, a full left knee replacement and eventually my right mid foot bone fusion.  Its all a bit much to process right now, especially since my husband is to have surgery in January.  I keep being invited to a Pity Party, but so far I have declined!

The good news?   Well, I'll just have to take it one step at a time, work very hard at the rehab, count on my hubby and some good friends, ..... and keep being able to weave again as my "carrot".  I told all my doctors that's my goal and even showed them the picture of the recent shawl to show them I'm serious.  :)

Its what I truly love to do...