This is the loom 'waste' left over after weaving 10 towels. It is less than 2 ounces. Add the 'waste' at the beginning where I tied on, and the loom waste comes to about 2 ounces, or about $2.
I don't fuss too much about the amount of 'waste' involved in weaving. As I've said before, the biggest investment in making hand woven textiles is time. By the time I design the warp, wind it, get it into the loom, then weave it off, cut/serge the towels apart, wet finish them, hem them and give them a final press before tagging/pricing, that $2 is a drop in the bucket of what has been invested in making these towels.
So I focus instead on how to work more efficiently rather than spend my time saving these thrums and then trying to make something useful out of them. I could have woven another 3 or maybe 4 inches on this warp, but why?
Instead I send the 'waste' off to be recycled, just like I do my paper, glass, cans and plastic 'waste'.
We all get to decide how to invest our time. I prefer not to use it trying to save $2 worth of yarn. YMMV.
5 comments:
Ooooooo.....where do the thrums get recycled? I'd love to do that with mine! Do they take all textiles or only cotton? How do I find someone near me?
Yes, I'd love to know where you send your thrums to get recycled, too! Sometimes I use mine to stuff pillows or put them out for birds in the spring so they can make their nests, but it would be nice to have another option!!
Count me as another interested in a recycler willing to take thrums. Our garbage and recycling system in Chilliwack specifically says string is excluded and is to be put in the garbage. I sometimes sit during moments when I'd otherwise have to be idle and tie thrums together. NOT generally an efficient use of time but children love to use my wildly varied thrums when learning to weave at Saori demonstrations.
My local Salvation Army has a textile recycling program. I showed my big bag of thrums to the person in charge and he said they would take them.
I will definitely look into that - thanks, Laura!
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