Scarves are Coming!

Swedish cotton warp.
 

I started a new warp yesterday, 16/2 Swedish cotton, 30 epi, 3 threads per dent in a 10 dent reed, and weaving not quite 30 ppi.  The threading is an advancing twill on 8 shafts, with a "freeform" tie-up.  I'm really looking forward to seeing the results after dyeing.  This is a new group of woven shibori scarves I hope to have done and at a sale this coming Saturday. 

Scarf #1.

Scarf #1 was treadled the same as the threading,... 1-2-3-4-5; 2-3-4-5-6; 3-4-5-6-7; 4-5-6-7-8, and so on.  To help me keep track I put a little tie thread on after each two groups, and had a notecard I was checking them off on.  I leave small loops on each side to make it easy to hold onto for gathering and tying.  Those threads are then trimmed to approxi-mately 1.5" before dyeing.  As I was taking this scarf off the loom, I immediately noticed what a fine hand and drape the cotton has.

Gathered, tied, ready for the indigo dyepot.
 

I like to start in the center, pulling on a couple loops at a time to begin the gathering, working my way to the end, then the other half.  Then I go back and start clipping a few loops at a time, gather again, and tie a tight square knot.  When one side is done, I repeat the process on the other side, making sure the gathers are as tight as I can get them, then knotted.  With this warp, I'm having to be careful because of the finer warp threads.  (During an edit, Blogger has added spaces between lines that it will not let me remove.)

When I started weaving I wasn't thinking about the harshness of seine twine on the fine warp so as you can see, that is what I used on this first scarf.  No threads broken yet, and it is ready to be soaked, water squeezed out, and immersion into the dyepot.  Now the question is, will I be able to remove those pattern threads without breaking any of the warp threads,... we will see.



Scarf #2.

I was thinking about the issue of what to use for the pattern threads this morning, needing something strong, that won't break during the gathering/knotting, but not abrasive on the warp threads.  Recalling reading rug warp as an option, also suggested to me by tapestry weaver Janet Austin, I found a bag with partial tubes of rug warp, filled a bobbin, and started weaving Scarf #2.  The treadling on this one is simpler, 1-3-5-7; 2-4-6-8.  Repeat.  I'm again adding my little counting thread on the side and have a notecard in the basket hanging on my loom bench.  And I never walk away without completing a repeat.

The warp was somewhere around 10-12 yards or so, so I'd better get back to my loom, finish this scarf, and hopefully get another scarf half woven yet tonight.  Later, I'll do the gather-tie work on Scarf #2, preferring that to leaving them to do all at once.

I plan to be dipping these into indigo dyepots Wednesday afternoon followed by a lot of rinsing, washing, more rinsing and hanging to dry.  Then fringes need to be twisted.

It's a busy week, having been procrastinating, but I'm enjoying it all immensely.  The WI Northwoods has been having early autumn weather since late July.  It is cool, sunny, a few clouds here and there, breezy, and with windows open, really perfect weaving weather!

Check back this weekend to see how the scarves turn out!