New Directions?

Next warp on the AVl - 2/20 mercerized cotton in two shades of red.


I've been on a mission for several years now to drastically reduce my stash.  I've also been looking for new directions to go with my weaving.  Sometimes one just has to wait until the universe (or whomever) gets things aligned.

This weekend I had an ah-ha moment as pieces of the puzzle appeared to begin to fall into place.  I even had sufficient yarn in my stash to put a full-sized sample warp onto the AVL in preparation to weave some prototype textiles. 

In point of fact, if this idea pans out I actually need to buy more yarn in order to go into production so I've been looking at colour cards and rummaging on the 'net for sources of supply and today I'm placing some small-ish yarn orders with the intent of exploring this new type of textile.

Of course there is no guarantee that customers will buy what I make.  But that's the gamble anyone who weaves for sale takes when they make and offer their wares to the buying public.  The one consolation is that if they don't sell I can turn them into something else.  One advantage of weaving rectangles!

I can share the fact that I have applied for a wholesale account with Vreisis to purchase Fox Fibres organic, natrually coloured yarns.  If things go well I may be able to offer these yarns for sale at shows etc.  I've also been looking for more yarns to offer on my Art Fire site and these may fit the bill. 

Next week I'll be coning off the last of the wool/lycra yarn (I acquired a couple more kilos) and the singles 6 cotton with high twist energy.  I've used the singles 6 yarn to create 'collapse' fabrics and it works quite well.  It goes well with 2/10 and 2/12 cotton yarns.   I also have to decide if I will skein off the 2/28 worsted wool and dye it - or not. 

But as for the bulk of my stash?  I've actually done quite a good job of using up much of it - enough that I don't feel as though buying more is a bad thing.......