SpinWeaveKnitandCake: Project in a day

January 21, 2008

Project in a day

Yup. That's right! In fact just under eight hours I got a project on and off of the loom. You have got to love four ends per inch. I had a total of 108 ends and used a four shaft plain weave. Simple.

Yesterday was SNB but I opted to stay home and weave. I should have went and hung out with the knitting ladies, but I was very snug indoors thank you very much. I stayed in my PJs all day and loved it.

So yesterday's project on the loom was 27 inches wide and about 38 inches long. I used Paton's SWS (Soy Wool Stripes) in the Natural Pink colorway. SWS is a tricky yarn to use. It will felt if you look at it funny, it felts in your hands as you knit with it, and on the loom as I was just about done a warp thread started to pull apart. You know how you prepare roving to spin, the fibers slide along each other. That's basically what was happening since this yarn is a loosely spun singles yarn.

I knew that SWS is not ideal for a warp and was prepared for it. I think having the 8-dent reed helped prevent further breakages because the yarn wasn't being rubbed and forced through the dents. Having the right equipment helps a lot. I bought the 8-dent reed on a whim and I'm glad to have it. I see me using it more often. I mean, 108 ends. Hello.

If you wanted to use Paton's SWS for a super long warp, don't bother. As those individual threads pull apart your tension will disintegrate and I'm sure you would have many broken ends.

I've used SWS for the felted bowls out of the the One Skein book and I "forgot" how much that stuff shrinks up. Yesterday's project went from 27 X 38 inches down to 16 X 25. Whoops. It was going to be a shawl but now it's going to be a bath mat.
Just as I took the picture Ginger jumped up, slid across the bench on the mat and fell off on the other side. Good kitty.

Ta-daa! I give you the bath mat!

Before I show you the "just off of the loom" photo please understand I wove this knowing I was going to felt it. I wanted to weave it loosely with some tight bits thrown in. I was using this as a learning experience and hoped for something more than a bath mat, but that happens. Do you see the wavy edges on the above bath mat? That's where the weaving was like swiss cheese.

From a distance this doesn't look too ugly. I guess I could trim the above bath mat to make it more square.

So yeah, this quick project was a total learning experience. SWS is not an ideal weaving yarn. Also, I should have just used a tighter weave or a loose weave all the way through -- well, unless I want wavy edges.

Posted at 10:18 AM | Permalink