Woven Thoughts

Just enough time for a quick post about my first woven scarf on my Ashford Knitters Loom I finished about a week ago.

Yarn - my own handspun (2 ply) merino, silk and angora blend from The Woolen Rabit in beautiful heathery tones of green and purple (lovely but difficult to photograph well as shown below!). I used it for both the warp and the weft with two vertical stripes of a 4ply viscose with lurex which I hand dyed using dyes from DT Craft & Design.

Its just a simple balanced weave using the 7.5dpi heddle supplied with the loom. I used the whole width of the loom which I think gives just the right proportion for a scarf. I'm so delighted that it drapes well and my tension remained fairly even despite the great time gaps between weaving. At least now I'll have something to show at our Guild exhibition later this year. I was worried that I would let the side/ myself down by not finishing anything in time!

I'm more delighted about this scarf than anything else I've made in the last two years. I don't know why? Maybe because its turned out better than I expected where as I've often been disappoined with other results.

(just realised that I'm in my usual "home" attire in the above photo of jogging pants and vest top! I thought when I was younger I would never get to this stage!! Note to self - must try not to be photographed like this again!

Comments

[India]

That shawl looks great - I have an Ashford Rigid HEddle, but I hate warping, so it is spending a lot of time as an 'installation' hanging on our stairwell wall.
India

[Mia]

The shawl is lovely. What a great way to use your own handspun.

[Anne]

Oh that is stunning and you should be rightly proud of yourself. I bought a second hand rigid heddle loom before Xmas and I still haven't used it. My exscuse is I am still spinning yarn for it LOL
Many thanks for your mail re my posts will answer them in more detail when I have time. Have been on this puter too long and getting weary :)

[Barbara]

I think that your shawl is absolutely beautiful - to think you made it from your own handmade yarn is just amazing! You are inspirational!

[ra]

That's beautiful Ali, I particularly love the lurex stripes through it. I'm not surprised you're proud of it.

[Gill]

It's hardly surprising you're so pleased with your shawl - it's lovely and the lurex bands running through make it that bit special.

I've been prevaricating about getting a loom for some time but the combination of seeing what you've made along with a course being run by Alison Daykin at Colinette has given me the necessary kick up the backside I needed to sort myself out.

Thanks