Weaving Has Commenced

First full repeat of weft color sequence.

Even when I take care to make samples, I always experience a strong sense of anticipation when I begin to weave the full-size project. Sampling is good, but it doesn't give the over-all impression that the larger piece gives. For example, the mug rug sample I chose was just a snippet of the larger pattern and gave the impression of a dark fabric. But with all the colors and stripes in place, it seems okay and the balance of the various colors is in keeping of what I was wanting. 

It's weaving up pretty quickly, although I have to carve out the time to do it! At least I've made a good start.

Weaving Has Commenced © Oct 2023

by Leigh at Leigh's Fiber Journal

Related Post:

Table Runner 1: Project Planning

Table Runner 1 Is Done 

Warping Notes

Experiment

I'm always up for an experiment. This one is from Deborah Chandler as one of three ways to tie the warp onto the back apron rod when warping front to back. 

Lashing the warp onto the back apron rod

I use lashing-on for tying the warp to the front apron rod all the time. But I found trying to do it on the back too fiddly, I think because the warp is not yet under tension. Not a keeper.

Notes

For warp separators, I've gone back to using slats from mini-blinds.

I apparently didn't keep the ones I originally made (how-to here). I liked my little strips of wood, but I don't have many of them and I can't seem to find them anywhere for purchase.  Anyway, these are lightweight, smooth, and curve with the warp beam. 

The wood strips make a good two-stick header.

Warp lashed on to the front apron rod and header woven to even out the warp threads.

With that, I'm ready to weave.

Warping Notes © October 2023

by Leigh at Leigh's Fiber Journal

Related Post:

Table Runner 1: Project Planning

Warp Separators

Table Runner 1: Project Planning

This is going to be the first of two table runners I'm weaving for Christmas gifts. Sample making is done, so now it's time to plan out the specifics. The next step was to decide on a finished size, but table runner sizes are arbitrary, so I couldn't decide. Then I found a conversation on Ravelry about that very thing. The advice was good, so for this one, I decided on a finished size of 15 inches by 28 inches. My daughter-in-law's dining table is about 5 feet long, so that will allow for place settings at either end.

Yarns

8/2 cottons in the colors shown

Design

Fibonacci stripes in a basic twill and reverse. Here's the sample:

Sample #3

Here's the draft:

Click for a better look-see

• This is the basic unit for the colors, threading, and lift plan (160 warp ends and 153 weft picks). They will repeat for the full length and width of the project.
• I'm starting and ending with light gray warp stripes to give a sense of balance. My DIL's dining table is black, so I think the light gray will contrast to help the table runner stand out.
• Right now I'm thinking hem, rather than fringes.

Sett

24 EPI (based on my samples)

Warp Calculations

Length

project length: 28"

+ hem: 3"

+ 10% take-up: 3"

+ 10% shrinkage: 3"

+ loom waste: 20 "

= 57" warp = 1 yard 21 inches

Width

project width: 15"

+ draw-in (1-2"): 1"

+ 10% shrinkage: 1.5"

= 17.5" width on the loom

x 24 EPI

= 420 warp ends

I'm going to adjust this because I want full width light gray warp stripes on the sides. That means I have to add a few more warp threads to complete the stripe. So,

Total warp ends needed: 424

Weft Calculations

None. I rarely do weft calculations, unless I'm running out of the yarn I want to use, then I'll calculate how much I'll need to make sure I have enough.

I think that about covers it. I'm ready to make a start.  

Table Runner 1: Project Planning © 2023

by Leigh at Leigh's Fiber Journal

Related Posts:

Table Runner 1: Samples 1

Table Runner 1: Samples 2

Table Runner 1 Is Done 

 

Table Runner 1: Samples 2

After the first set of samples, I wanted to explore two things.

1. Sett
• For the first samples, the sett was 20 ends per inch.
• For this set of samples, the sett was 24 EPI.
2. Color
• I kept the same colors, but wondered if the first samples were on the dark side. For these, I swapped the dark gray and white, so that these are lighter.

Changing the sett meant changing the number of warp threads I needed. At 5-inches wide, the first samples had 100 warp ends. The second samples, at 5-inches wide, had 120. That meant adding another warp stripe.

The Samples

Mug Rug #4

Alternates weft emphasis with warp emphasis twill.

• weft emphasis a.k.a 1/3 twill, i.e. the weft passes under 1 warp thread and over 3.
• warp emphasis a.k.a. 3/1 twill, i.e. the weft passes under 3 warp ends and over 1.

Blatant threading errors! While a visual distraction, they don't interfere with
 what I want to find out. In fact, this would make a nice design feature in
another project. Which just goes to show that even mistakes can be inspiring.

You don't see it in the picture, but the weft emphasis stripes add a very nice texture to the sample.

Mug Rug #5

Is a balanced or 2/2 twill, i.e. the weft passes under two and over two.

The turquoise is more dominant, which I like, except for this project I want it as an accent, like it is in my daughter-in-law's home. 

Mug Rug #6

Same as #5 except I swapped the turquoise and light gray colors in the weft.

It's interesting how switching colors changes the personality of the piece. I followed the same draft in all these mug rugs. They are different because I'm simply progressing in the treadling as I weave each one, but there is a definite difference in how I perceive them. The increase in white makes them feel more casual to me.

Observations

• Sett. 24 EPI is definitely a better choice. The 20 EPI worked for the twill dishtowels, which needed a softer hand, but for a table runner, I like the firmer fabric produced by the 24 EPI. 
• Color. The second samples are nice, but the colors in the first samples have more zing. I think #5 or #6 above would make great shirt fabric, but a table runner is supposed to be an eye catcher, so the darker colors let the bright turquoise and occasional white pop out. And, I think, better suit my son and daughter-in-law's contemporary decor. 

Conclusion. I'm going to go with the darker colors, balanced twill, and 24 EPI. 

The chosen one, lol. Samples 1, Mug Rug #3

Everything else is going to be tucked away for future projects.

Table Runner 1: Samples 2 © 2023

by Leigh at Leigh's Fiber Journal

Related Posts:

Project Planning, What's Next?

Project Planning Continued: Sample Color Swap

Table Runner 1: Samples 1

Table Runner 1 Is Done 

Table Runner 1: Samples 1

Weaving time! I did my idea brainstorming in these two posts:

• Project Planning, What's Next?
• Project Planning Continued: Sample Color Swap

Next, it was time to weave samples to check the sett and see how the colors and stripes interact. For my woven samples, I'm making mug rugs.

Yarn: 8/2 cotton

Sett: 20 ends per inch

Mug Rug #1

First impression:

• the weft dominant stripes are more dominant than I expected. 
• I like the diamond affect made where the diagonals meet

Part of the problem is that my beat is too heavy, so that the weft is packed in more firmly than it looked on the software graphic. I can tell because I planned an equal number of weft picks as warp ends, but to make it square required more. 

Also, my diagonals aren't at a 45° angle.

So that gave me something to work on. I have to say that the more I looked at this sample, the more I liked the bolder stripes and the texture.

Here's how it turned out after wet finishing and pressing:

Mug Rug #2

For the second one, I used the draft from the second sample in my color swap post. And I took care to not apply so much pressure on the beater bar. The result was a better diagonal.

But! It looked sloppier and I had trouble with the selvedges. For some reason, it's always the left side that looks the worst. Must have something to do with my being right-handed.

I'm thinking that means I need a closer sett than 20 epi. 

After wet finishing and pressing:

I think it still looks sloppy.

Mug Rug #3

I also wanted to try a balanced 2-2 twill. 

After wet finishing and pressing:

Of the three, I like this one the best. 

Next, I'm going to make a few more samples with a tighter sett and experiment with a different color arrangement in the warp. 

Table Runner 1: Samples 1 © 2023

by Leigh at Leigh's Fiber Journal

Related Posts:

Project Planning, What's Next?

Project Planning Continued: Sample Color Swap

Table Runner 1: Samples 2