Twisp of Fate

Our guild has an annual “challenge” project which we work on throughout the year (read: at the last minute) and the results are presented in April.  This year the theme is “Twill”.  I decided to use drafts #263-268 in Carol Strickler’s “A Weaver’s Book of 8-Shaft Patterns”.  This is an extended manifold twill from the Bateman manuscript (draft 201 in Shuttle Craft Guild Monograph 40).  The Strickler book offers additional treadling variations.

In March I got started, intending to weave a series of 4 scarves to try out different materials, colors and treadling variations.  I did all the calculations for an 8-inch wide, 12-yard long warp using 20/2 mercerized cotton sett at 30 epi.  Then I wound the warp using my AVL warping wheel, to put it on my sectional beam on the 32″ Macomber loom.  First major error:  I forgot I was winding 2 threads at a time (using 2 cones of close colors, natural and a pale tan).  Using the counter on the warping wheel, I wound as many times as I should have for a SINGLE thread, and got twice as many warp ends in each section as I needed.  So now I had enough warp on there for a 16-inch wide piece, but crammed into 8-inches on the sectional beam.  And I didn’t even realize it until I was partway across threading the heddles.  Oops.

But this did turn into a learning experience!  My advisors at the guild told me to finish the threading and then sley the reed, which would spread it out to the full 16″.  Then wind it forward onto the front cloth beam, inserting sticks frequently to keep it from getting too mushy and stuck together.  Then spread it out in the back and re-attach it onto the cords for the requisite number of sections on the sectional beam.  Wind it back onto that beam using lease sticks in the cross in front of the reed, to provide needed tension.  That was a sweaty palm day, let me tell you.  But by golly it worked (with a few broken threads along the way).  So now I am making shawls instead of scarves.

Here is the first one.  The pattern weft was 8/2 brown rayon used double.  The tabby weft is 20/2 mercerized cotton, same as used for the warp.  I was afraid it would be a little boring so I changed the color of the tabby weft every complete pattern repeat – pale tan, natural and a medium gray.  The treadling was the original one from Bateman and is #264 in Strickler.  I wanted to finish this one completely, through the washing and pressing phase, to make sure it had the right drape, before moving on to the remaining three shawls.  It feels good!

Notice how different the other side looks:

and a close-up of the pattern:

Last week I finished the second one, but it is still on the loom.  I took a picture when I first started it, though.  The pattern weft is variegated 8/2 tencel used double (from WEBS) and the tabby weft is 10/2 tencel in gold.   This is treadling variation #266  in Strickler.

I am now working on the third one, using solid color teal 8/2 tencel used double for pattern weft, and 10/2 tencel in color “tussah” for the tabby weft.  This is treadling variation #268  in Strickler.

I will post more pictures in a couple of weeks when they are off the loom and finished!

We are having an early spring and the hills, and our yard, are greening up.  There are wildflowers out, and birds coming to nest.  They expect to have the North Cascades Hwy open by the end of the week, which is about a month earlier than normal!  Of course, that does mean the snowpack is low….