debor048

I don't know why, but I do most of my scarf weaving in the summertime. I'm either really late... or really early for winter! So far, I like the way this one is turning out, even though the yarn is so fragile.  I'm hoping it lasts until the end of this warp. And this little man has a new handmade train shirt!  The yellow one from last time was fitting so tightly that I decided to make a few new ones in the next size up.  David looks like a little professor! Or a country singer... 

Sometimes I think I'm nuts.   (Or maybe I was nuts sometime in the past.) I had bought this 20/2 wool a few years ago thinking it was a great idea because 1.) it was nice and thin, 2.) there was a lot of it, and 3.) it was super cheap. I pulled it out this week to make a scarf and I think to myself, "What was I thinking?" This stuff is super thin! I have 3 strands per dent on the reed, and it tangles real easily and breaks even easier. I'm excited to make a super thin scarf, but... ...there are certainly drawbacks to the 20/2 wool! And I have so many cones of the white... Ugh! Here is little dude in his suspenders and bow-tie!  He was wearing his awesome handwoven pants at the same time and I don't know why I didn't get those, too!  Oops!  Oh well... maybe next time...

I completed the rest of the sample warp was a table runner for my mom's birthday.  I think she'll love it!! I wish there was more warp to make one for myself!!  I'll just have to put another one on. And in other news... for those of you who like to sew for babies, I found a new pants pattern that is out of this world!  It's $10, but well worth it!  It is called the Big Butt Baby Pants and it will definitely not disappoint!  I love this pattern already and I'm so glad I can use it until my little guy is two years old.  Here is the pic... now keep in mind he wasn't too thrilled with pics today, he would have rather eaten dinner first, but this mama was just too excited to get some pics! I love this pattern so much, that I made some for David's cousin who is just a few months older and lives in Seattle.  I think she will love the colors we picked out for her!  It's such a summer-like combination! I can't wait to try some handwoven fabric someday!

And for today's shot of the baby... he's wearing his finest.  The old-man golf shirt that I made for him a few months ago and handwoven pants made from scraps!

I haven't had a chance to wash it yet, but I love it! I'm definitely going to finish the sample as a table runner.  And the table that gets to display this will be one lucky table... Parting shot: We've been reading to him since day 1!   I guess that's what teachers do.

It's working!!  I had to stop for now because I ran out of white tabby thread and need to wind some more.  But I'm just so happy it's working!  I have been obsessed with this pattern done in these colors since I saw it!  I shall continue on later... right now the baby is calling and so is dinner! Parting shot...

Recently there was a post shared in the Warped weavers group on the thread called “What weaving thing have you been doing” post #24827. Website pic is here . It is a very colorful and beautiful overshot sampler done with red, yellow, and blue in the warp and the tabby wefts are the same colors, but the pattern weft is white.  I am so intrigued by this pattern, that I want to try doing a similar project.  I found the pattern in Carol Strickler's book "A Weaver's Book of 8-shaft Patterns"pg 130, pattern #481.  So far, this is the closest I could get to the colors, but I think it will still do the same thing. Here's your parting shot... you know you're going to have an awesome day when your hat matches your pants!

After washing the blanket, you can still see the center fold quite well, however, I still think overall it's a neat blanket and I definitely still love doubleweave!  I think the centerfold is very apparent still because the yarn is so chunky and it was pretty much one-ply wool so maybe I didn't pull it quite tight enough.  When I look real close, it looks a little loose in the weft at those parts.  But still... neat blanket, love the pattern and the wool yarn, and I also love the colors!  Doubleweave is so awesome!  I love that I can make a blanket twice the width of my loom but I don't have to store a loom twice the width!  Someday I hope to get a big one, but definitely not right now. And the closing shot...

Now on to the washing machine! And as a closing shot... here's a little "Napoleon Dynamite" pose for you to enjoy!

I wasn't quite sure how this blanket would look woven up because of the verigated yarn, but I'm happy to say that I love it! I think my M-I-L will love these colors!   And she'll love these fun stripes! And of course, I can't close without a baby shot! He's such a happy little guy!

It's better to have a late gift than no gift at all... right?!  I'm liking the way this doubleweave throw is turning out.  I like the 2/2 twill throughout the whole thing.  I think it will display this beautiful yarn in a nice way.  I remember now why I used this yarn as a weft instead of warp, and it's because it has a little bit of mohair in it.  It is washable, just on gentle.  The yarn also has some wool and acrylic in it.  I'm hoping it will make a nice warm blanket, but not too scratchy with the wool.  I have unwound the yarn from the skein in such a way that the color pattern will continue until I change skeins.  Hopefully it won't be too obvious!  I have no idea what to expect... and sometimes it's better that way! Here's your daily dose of the little guy... he looks like such an old man in this picture!

I kind of missed mother's day for Brian's mom.  I have just been so busy with the baby and time just got away from me!  I really wanted to make her a doubleweave blanket, and I have the warp all measured out, I just never found time to thread it and weave it! This is what the entire blanket will look like: The yarn I'm going to use has a lot of color in it, so I have decided that a plain 2/2 twill throughout the entire thing would be best.  I bought this yarn a few years ago at Hobby Lobby and I have been saving it for a very special weave like this one.  It's super soft and I love the colors!   The colors are a little outside my usual blues and greens, but real close!  I'm almost half way through threading!!  It's threading really fast because the yarn is so thick.  This was done in about an hours time during one of David's naps. Feels good to be back!  Now I just need to get this little guy napping again so I can thread some more!

The blanket was 44" square before washing, and 43" square after washing. Here is the worst part of the center fold, before washing: Same area, after washing:  Washing definitely brought out the best in this blanket and relaxed some areas like the center fold.  I think this little section is so small that it will be overlooked.  Best of all, is is even softer than it was before, which I didn't even think was possible!

I almost ran out of yarn on this one... wow, I really cut it close! On the last stripe, I ran out of blue, so I had to substitute in a few shots of teal.  I don't think anyone will even notice, and I think it looks cool that way, anyway!  It's a good story! The warp was plenty long!  I advanced it a little bit more before cutting it completely off to make the fringe a little longer.  I actually cut the fringe off 8 strands at a time, and then tie it right then.  Otherwise, the weft just pops out of place so quickly!  One thing I liked about having a slightly longer than needed warp on the doubleweave was the threads not sticking together in the end and causing seriously bad floats.  I had one float I had to deal with, and it was so easy to fix because it was near a short piece of yarn anyway. Lots of work to do when it comes off... it took awhile! But good thing I had Scout to help keep me company! I love the way it turned out!!! It looks great with ...