Weaverly

Washed

I just couldn't wait and had to cut off one towel to wash & examine. It finished up nicely, and the reverse side is more pleasing than the face. As I did doubleweave hems, either side is the "right" side now, and I chose the reverse for the first photos. The granite weave selvedges look especially good.

This particular towel combines blocks of point twill with blocks of crepe.

I'd like to see a linen closet with stacks of these towels folded neatly inside! But I'm one of those weird people who enjoys folding laundry. 

Self Portrait

Here I am spending a lazy afternoon in Ampersand House. The birds are singing enthusiastically, and I am just getting into a good biography of Edward R. Murrow.

Sent from my iPhone

Burn Test

I've performed a burn test on the weft I was sampling yesterday, and have determined it's cotton (with perhaps a bit of rayon). So I'll proceed with some dishtowels. 

Here's the most useful burn chart I've found. It's to the point and easy to use: first decide if the fiber is self-extinguishing or not, then proceed down the branches of the chart. It goes without saying that you will use extreme caution when performing this test.

I've decided to use doubleweave hems on these towels. You can just see the doubleweave at the lower right corner of this picture. The selvedges are a granite weave, and have the right takeup for combining with the two weaves in this towel: a fancy point twill and a crepe.

Here's the granite weave, if you'd like to try it. 

Adjustments

I love all the sampling that goes on at the beginning of a new warp. It's more fun than the actual production weaving; at least that's what I think. Here are some more crepe and twill blocks. The weft is an unknown fiber—I'm going to run a burn test on it later. I like the color, but it's drawing in the weft terribly, and I have to use a temple (stretcher) on this one. The reed marks will wash out. I've sett the warp 4/dent.

The blocks with the spots are 1/3 and 3/1 twill. I have another group of blocks with larger spots, and I wondered what it be like to combine the two. With this next sample I combined the two twill blocks and used a pale green singles linen. It didn't draw in at all! The stiffness of the linen forces the cotton warp to curve around the weft picks, and the weft remains in a straight line. At least that's my theory.

So there you have it. Big spots and little spots. That was fun! But I don't know where the crepe went. Time to take a break and look outside. 

First Samples

Just getting this warp adjusted and settled in. First samples: blocks of crepe, twill, satin.

Threaded

It's not the most glamorous part of weaving, but there's a deep satisfaction in having finished the threading of a new warp. It was a long day. I'll need a hot bath tonight.

Beamed

The new dobby warp is beamed. It will have wide blue & yellow stripes, and narrow red selvedges.

As I worked on the warp, I kept a close watch on the weather. This morning was rainy/overcast, and I saw this on the cement patio outside my studio door:

The newly fallen pink and white camellias are combined with the ones that fell a few days ago and are now brown. What an amazing color palette! And by a very strange coincidence, these are the socks I am knitting while I take in the evening's ration of British TV crime dramas. It may not be obvious on your monitor, but these are exactly the same pinks and browns. 

Sardines

A friend recommended a particular brand of Sardines he purchased in bulk at Costco. So last time I was there I tried some. They were pretty good in sardine & cream cheese sandwiches on whole wheat bread. But what I particularly like is the boxes they come in—a really nice graphic design, and the size is perfect for book covers. Not just any books, but the kind I make out of discarded security envelopes. The envelopes are usually exactly the right size to use as pages for these books, without too much trimming, and the books go together quickly. These are not "precious" books, but the kind you don't mind scribbling in. I like to keep one next to each loom to take notes & keep records as I weave.

At the Enoree River

It would have been criminal to stay indoors on a day like today, one of those rare perfect spring days. Packed up the gear and went off to Musgrove Mill on the Enoree River. This is a Revolutionary War site, and the hiking along the river is beautiful, especially in spring when the trees are bare and the contours of the land are revealed. 

 

You get extra credit if you spotted the turtles. And here's your reward: some birdsong.

Download BirdsAtEnoree2

Here We Go Again

This time with color. 

Three down. Fifteen to go.