Sampling

 

Today I saw someone asking how they know what epi they should use.  Using the same density and changing the weave structure could totally make the textile look different than what was intended!

Since no one had been 'that' person (that I saw), I decided I would be.

Not that I like being 'that' person, but sometimes...well, when you don't know what you don't know, you don't know that you don't know it...

It is a group that I have belonged to for a while, but I rarely post on groups these days.  However, the person seemed to genuinely want to know how to approach designing their textiles.

Since I don't pay much attention to negative responses to my pithy sayings, figured I might as well bring the 'sample' issue up.

Thing is, I am in the process of sampling right now, looking at the best density for a weave structure I want to show publicly.  I had a pretty good idea of where I needed to start sampling, but also knew that one of the two options might need to go more open yet.

So, I did my 4 samples, cut them off and wet finished them.  I got good information from that 'investment' - one of the options is fine at 32, the other, not so much.  I am still not entirely satisfied that what I want to do is actually do-able and I have come up with another Plan (I think I'm on D or E now) that I will try on the next warp, which will be at 30.

The above photo is a set of samples I wove for one of my long ago (self) publications - A Good Yarn.  The photo shows how I prepared the loom state samples so that I could cut them apart and not have them fall apart.  The rest of the cloth got wet finished, including a good hard press, and then they were simply cut apart and stapled to card stock.

(No, I don't have any more of these sets of samples.  Best bet is to look out for them at weavers estate sales.)

While it is possible to read and research the various aspects of weaving (I did my best to articulate them in my books), change one thing and everything can change.  Put a little extra (a yard?) at the beginning of the warp.  Weave a few variations - change your weave structure, your yarn, your weft colour.  Cut off and wet finish.  See what happens, then decide if any of your options are giving you the results you desire.  You may find that none of them do, and so you can sample some other options.  Or you may find you have several that you like and so you can go ahead and weave.

Learning is never a waste of time or yarn.  :)