I see the chain of hearts! Flattened hearts, to be sure, but it's exciting to use the same pattern with different yarns and have different results.
Next, to see if I can elongate them a bit.
Saturday, June 29, 2024
Evolving Pumpkin Heads With Heavier Yarn: Weaving
Well, well, well. After my disappointing first samples in 10/2 yarn, I started a second set of samples using the same draft with a heavier, fingering weight knitting yarn. Just to see what would happen. I fully expected to see the pumpkin heads appear. But look at this . . .
Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Evolving Pumpkin Heads With Heavier Yarn: Planning
"Evolving Pumpkin Heads." Sounds like the name of a rock band, doesn't it? Anyway, in the comments of my Following Ideas post, we discussed some of the things that can effect how a draft weaves up: loom, tension, weaver, yarn, etc. So before I removed the warp thrums of my last set of samples, I wanted to experiment with a different, heavier yarn. Just to see what would happen.
I dug around in my sock yarn tote and came up with these . . .
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| Fingering weight knitting yarns |
They are all odds and ends that I've picked up over the years. I think they'll do for an experiment. I'm pretty sure they're all synthetics. Because they had no labels, I needed to figure out about sett. Wraps per inched turned out to be 18-20, which classifies them as fingering weight yarns. From my WPI, I calculated 80% (for twill) to be 14 - 16. I chose the sett that matched one of my reeds.
Planning particulars
- Original yarns and sett: 10/2 cotton at 30 e.p.i.
- Yarn for this set of samples: project remnants of synthetic fingering weight knitting yarns
- Sett: 16 e.p.i.
- Drafts (and original samples on loom) are here.
- Weft will also be fingering weight navy, but from a different skein (as I don't think I have enough left on the ball after measuring the warp.)
This should go more quickly since the larger size yarn requires fewer ends for the same size sample. I'll have to change the reed and re-sley, but tying on will save me from threading the heddles again.
Related posts
Sunday, June 23, 2024
Progress on the Dornik Herringbone Throw Rug
I haven't mentioned much about this weaving project because it looks pretty much the same as it did before. It's getting longer, but the pattern doesn't change, so it always looks the same.
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| Dornik herringbone throw rug on the loom. |
The progress can be seen on the cloth beam.
I'm definitely no speed weaver, but I've developed a nice rhythm, so progress is being made. I'm aiming for a woven on-loom length of about 72 inches. In the above photo, I've woven 54 inches. It's a few inches longer as I go to publish this post.
Until I get better lighting set up, I can only weave on this loom during the day. That's when I get good light from the windows. June is a very busy month, so weaving is just half an hour here and there. But it makes for a wonderful break and it's enough to make progress.
Thursday, June 20, 2024
Samples Finished
The samples are off the table loom, hand washed, line dried, and pressed.
Notes
- Yarn: 10/2 cotton
- Sett: 30 e.p.i.
- Width in reed: 5 and 1/2 inches
- Width off loom: 4 and 7/8 inches
- Width after washing and pressing: 4 and 3/4
- Drafts and on-loom samples in this post, Following Ideas
I tried four ideas, and so have four samples.
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| Originally "Chain of Hearts," which quickly became "Pumpkin Heads" |
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| Pumpkin Head Plaid |
The next two used a different treadling.
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| "Circle and Cross?" Or "Xs?" My eye wants to focus on the Xs. |
That one seemed to work better as a plaid because my eye is clearly drawn to the circles and crosses. The only difference between this one and the one above is the color stripes in the weft.
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| Circle and Cross Plaid |
What was curious about this last sample, is that after washing and drying, I discovered that the fabric puckered.
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| Before pressing |
Some sort of differential shrinkage, but this was the only sample to do this. I think the pattern has potential, but I don't think it would be considered "easy care." Or maybe it's a design feature (???)
For now, I'm just keeping them within viewing range, to see if further inspiration strikes.
Tuesday, June 18, 2024
Following Ideas
I'm guessing this process is a common one. When I weave up a sample, I find myself with a constant mental flow of "what if I . . ." Sound familiar? When my chain of hearts ended up looking more like pumpkin heads . . .
I kind of like it, although I think it would be best to repeat the colors in the warp stripes.
I was a little disappointed, but wasn't going to let a good sample warp go to waste. What else could I try? Something plaid-like? I already had the yellow and orange yarns on bobbins from a previous project. I also chose a bobbin with navy yarn on it that needed to be used up.
I also like the circles instead of the squares for the check pattern. And I liked that they have some pattern in them. Just not one that looks like a face.
So back to the draft. Here's the original "chain of hearts."
Here's what I got by simply playing with the treadling.
And this one, by adding weft colors.
The next step was to try it.
I lost the pumpkin heads, but it doesn't quite look like my computer draft. Let's check the underside.
Still not seeing it. I firmed my beat for the next sample.
Better, and more interesting. Possibly usable. I'm thinking, kitchen of shirt fabric.
Observations
- The beater on my Glimakra is heavy and I have to keep a light touch to make a balanced weave. In other words, it's easy to weave more picks (weft threads) per inch (PPI) than the warp thread count (ends per inch or EPI). The result is a more dense fabric with a squished-looking pattern.
- The beater on my table loom is very lightweight and it takes effort on my part to get a balanced weave. It's easy to have too few PPI compared to the EPI. The result is a more open fabric with an elongated pattern.
- Now, I'm wondering how yarn size effects how the pattern looks. Another experiment?
I'm at the end of my sample warp, so I need to get it off the loom and wet finished to see exactly how these look and behave as cloth. I'll do that today.
QUESTION: Do you design out of your head? Do you start with a ready-made draft or invent your own? Do you follow your ideas and inspirations, or work it from another angle? I'm curious!
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