More Bits and Pieces

I've chosen the weft for my multi-colored warp. It's a fine, pale green, 2-ply on an unknown fiber. It is most likely a polyester or rayon or some blend, but it's care should be similar to the rayon warp.

The variegated single in the warp has caused a few problems. There are spaces where the single is thicker and less tightly spun than the rest of the yarn. The tension of the warp and the abrasion of the reed has lead to multiple repairs.

So far, I'm pleased with the weight of the fabric. My goal is to end up with something light and drapeable. If it works (and the fabric gets used for it's intended purpose), I'll let you know. Until then, mum's the word 'cause the final product may be a gift!




















Here is a second pair of worsted weight bed socks. The dark purple (and late evening light) makes it hard to capture the ripple stitch that I used, but they are done. Two pairs down and two to go. Unfortunately the last pair may take a while. My son saw a roving in my stash that he liked and so I need to do some spinning before I can knit that pair!

Learning to Warp with Colors

I have three rayon yarns that I would like to use in a woven piece. The tan, variegated, and red/burgundy. Unfortunately, I'm not sure about the best way to use these three yarns.

Two of the yarns are two-ply (the tan and red), the variegated is a single. The shiney, cream colored yarn is a 6-ply rayon that I've been considering as an extra--either for warp or weft.

One of the challenges in designing this piece is a lack of coordinating yarn. It's gotten so challenging that I just looked in my thread drawers to see if perhaps some of my thread might work. I have a warp faced woven piece with a thread like weft....Hmmm. Any thoughts?

Delicate and Durable

Delicate first:

This is a piece of cotton yardage. The warp is 10/2 unmercerized cotton alternating with a 2-ply handspun cotton yarn. The weft is a handspun cotton single.

The loom is a tag sale purchase that was originally used for making belts (think inkle loom with a texsolv heddle). I've tried to stabilize the texsolv heddles with a row of crochet stitches on top and windings of yarn at the bottom of the heddle frame. The warp pulled in 1.5" when I started weaving, but seems pretty stable now that I have a few inches woven. The fabric is light weight enough for a shirt!

Durable: A new pair of bed socks from 100% acrylic worsted weight yarn. My last two pairs lasted 4-5 years!

Happiness is...

... a set of knitting needles that have been "found".

Isn't it amazing how much joy these moments bring? The item that was lost, that got put on the shopping list, only to be found before I left to go shopping! And then there's the added benefit of having a slightly cleaner workspace--it's not technically "clean", but it's better! I even had an idea of what to do with some of my leftover bits and pieces of yarn!

Ahh. I am grateful for these moments!

Missing Details

Hmm. This looks suspiciously like a bit of dirt. But if you look closely you can see the marks of my rake. This is my flax experiment! The plants obviously aren't here yet, but hopefully they will come and I'll be able to harvest my first flax fibers in August.

The other missing thing is my favorite set of double point knitting needles. I've looked high and low. I miss them! I have a whole family of socks that are awaiting their reappearance! Where are they?

To Darn or Not To Darn

This is my sock. It is a holey sock. It needs to be repaired...or recycled...or???

I made these socks on my knitting machine about 5 years ago. They were knit flat, with short row shaping for the toe and heel, and seamed up the sides. They have short cuffs and loose feet--they are the first pair of socks I ever made on the knitting machine, and maybe my first pair of socks ever (I was terribly intimidated by double point needles for a while!). They have been darned multiple times this last year. Can you see the light blue patch in the upper right corner of the photo? That's a patch job. The heels have patch jobs. But it looks like the yarn is just wearing out all over. Sigh. Is it worth darning these socks anymore? At some point I'm going to have to bite the bullet and just knit myself some new bed socks.

Hmm. Maybe this is a good thing. Bed socks use cheap acrylic yarns from the stash. Cheap acrylic Worsted Weight yarn. Hmm. Worsted Weight. Worsted weight knits up fast. Fast knitting...hmm. Maybe I could try a new sock pattern with my fast knitting worsted weight yarn. Hmmm. I'm beginning to like this idea! :)