Finishes and Beginnings

I'm finally getting some quality time in my studio.  That is, I'm actually making good use of my studio time and my concentration is finally returning.

I have finished the double weave placemats, and although they were not quite the best proportions in the end, they actually look rather nice on the dining room table.  I haven't woven double weave for so long that I did forget about how much greater the warp take up is, and I was also playing yarn chicken with the cotton I was using and so was trying to squeak the 6 mats out of the least amount of warp as possible. Sometimes, we never seem to learn!

What I enjoyed most about these mats was making every one different.

And now I am beginning a new project, which I will tell you a bit about, but not everything as it will be for an exhibition.  My first experiment is to dye some yarn that I have not used before and then weave a sample piece that experiments with varying amounts of an elasticised yarn in the weft.

The dyeing was quite pleasing and the warp went onto the loom well.

 I wove an advancing twill pattern that I had devised myself.

 You can see the various areas where I changed the amount of elasticated yarn in the weft, separated by some plain weave.

 As you can see I wove right to the end of the warp.  I hadn't checked how much the yarn had shrunk when it was dyed, and it was quite a bit more than I expected.  This is why we do samples.  It's so much better to work out things like shrinkage before you warp up an exhibition piece!

 The length of fabric just off the loom.

 And a close up of two sections.  You can see the effect the elasticated yarn is having.  In my next post I'll show you an image of the fabric once it has been washed.