Experimental Weaving.

You see? I have been doing stuff.  Whilst I'll own up to being hampered by a sinus infection, which did slow down the pace I was able to tie knots, I have finally managed to do so.


Finally all 1100+, 9m long ends of my next adventure into weaving have been safely wound on to the back beam and threaded through various holes and slots and are ready and waiting for tomorrow when I have promised myself that I shall begin weaving.


The yarn is a fantastic Italian wool single that I discovered in my stash, and in principle should yield about 8m of fabric.  The weft is the experiment.  You see, I got thinking.  Linsey Woolsey was originally woven with a linen warp and woollen weft.  But it occurred to me, that once the fabric has been cut for the garment, if the weaving and warp and weft were all even, it shouldn't really matter which way round they were.  After a bit more thought and taking advice from several friends, who have been at this for far longer than I, added to the fact that I weave with a Jack Loom and therefore would be severely challenged to keep a linen warp from snapping all over the place I decided to produce several pieces of cloth with a woollen warp and linen weft  Of which this is the first.

After staring hard at the stunning Irish linen yarn I proposed to use. I came to the conclusion that I was totally crazy and that it was far too fine and wouldn't balance the cloth, I remembered that I had also bought some really fab linen and silk blend in a washed out Indigo blue, so I wound a bobbin of the two together (and promptly forgot to take photos!).  I then wound on the shuttle bobbins and tomorrow I shall begin! 

I have been knitting, (several pairs of socks and a hat have slid on and off of my needles), but the more interesting bits I've been knitting have either not made it to the camera or, are not at a point to look at all interesting. BUT, I am hoping to cast on a nice new project before the end of the week. 

In the meanwhile, here is the first bobbin of alpaca+ that I rustled up on the drum carder late last year. It actually has all sorts of colours in it including pink and green, silk and sparkly stuff. I suspect the sparkles and colours will reappear once it's plied.  Here's hoping!