Plugging Along

 

a peek at the backside of the cloth currently on the loom - the selvedges are not 'perfect' but are pretty consistent - they also tend to curl or roll at the selvedge, which I don't fuss over, just leave them to do what they will do under pressure from the highly twisted weft yarn...

I will frequently weave a cloth 'upside down' because I can lift fewer shafts that way.  It means I see the back of the cloth while I'm weaving, but that's ok.  You can sort of see that in the photo, the cloth that will be the 'front' is visible underneath and the side I see is almost all white.  The image is the 'reverse' from the front, so the back is mostly white with blue, the front will be mostly blue with some white.

The yarns are not the same grist (or thickness); the warp is 2/16 cotton, the weft is single 6 cotton.  Getting the proper 'balance' between the two thicknesses took some time (yes, samples) but I think it's turning out quite well.  Of course, I didn't know for sure until I wet finished the samples, but now it's just a matter of weaving.

The next warp will be the same combination as I continue my quest to weave down my stash.

I was a production for most of my career, so I didn't just buy for 'a' scarf or 'a' set of placemats - I was weaving multiples, offering them for sale for years at craft fairs, and for about 10 or so years via an industry 'show' for gift shop buyers.  

And largely, that is what I am still trying to use up.  Once I've done this run of tea towels, I will pivot to my silk and my cashmere stashes.  I collected a fairly large stash of cashmere, making a few now and then using silk as warp.  And then I inherited a silk stash, which is largely far too fine for me to use these days (eyes are not as good as they once were), and which I've gifted to a couple other weavers who like to work in fine silk.  Since I will never get to most of it, it will be passed to someone else, I suppose.

The thing is, fine threads go a very long way.  In some cases, the silk yarn has literally miles per pound.  (Yes, it does.)  I don't have the time, energy or spools to try to wind the skeins off and try to ply them to make thicker yarn, so I honestly don't know what I will do with it.

But I hear that another weaving workshop will be offered locally in February, so hopefully the weavers will increase.  And maybe some of them will be interested in working with finer threads?

I didn't make it to the loom yesterday - getting the rayon chenille was more taxing than I expected (never underestimate the emotional ties we develop with our yarns?) and then I had a lovely visit with a friend.  We are looking forward to a more relaxed visit after the holiday.  The weather is very...winter-y...and they are on the road to visit family.  Our entire province is being assailed by winter - if you have spare time to send some positive energy our way, it would be lovely.

In return I send out gold dust to all who need it, with best wishes for 'better' in the new year.  The past couple of years have more than enough challenge for me, at least, and I know I'm not alone.

Happy holidays, whatever you celebrate.