Project Pictures:

[mightyjesse]

As promised I have taken pictures of many of the things I did this weekend...


First, I finished the Friedy Sweater:


Then I finished spinning up all the extra roving. These are the grey and brown colors that I plied together to come up with the tweey color you see in the sweater:


And here is the yarn:


And here is a close up of the knit of the sweater:




And then there's the exciting part... Here is my new loom, all warped up and ready to go!


And from the side:


And here is a close up of the wee bit of weaving that I managed to do last night:


There are actually 3 different types of yarn woven in there. The first bit at the bottom is some single-ply brown that I had left over from the Friedy Sweater. The next bit is some single ply grey Corridale that I got specifically for the weaving. The last bit near the top is double ply grey Corridale that I started using because the bottom bits were pretty see through. I warped the loom with some commercially produced wool because the lady at the fiber shop told me that if I tried to spin all my weaving myself, I'd never get anything done.

I'm hoping to defy her eventually and spin all my own warp one of these days, but I knew I'd want to start something right away, and it's going to be a while, I think, before my spinning is even enough and strong enough to use as warp.

So... That's what I did with my weekend. The project that's on the loom is only about 2 yards long. If things go as well as I think they may, I will probably be ready for a fresh warp by Christmas... Maybe by Christmas I'll have enough string stashed away to make fabric for a Viking apron dress. That loom is 24 inches wide and produces 22" wide fabric that will probably be perfect for such a project...

Comments

[valkyr8.livejournal.com]

I LOVE that color, it is just gorgeous! The sweater looks fantastic. Please bring your needles or wheel to Boar's Head so we can fiber geek.

[mightyjesse.livejournal.com]

EEP!

You just reminded me that I forgot to pre-reg. I should get on that right away!

[liz-bet.livejournal.com]

That's awesome :) I've always wanted to get into spinning/weaving and such, however I already have too many projects going and promised myself to just play with the toys I already have ;)

[mightyjesse.livejournal.com]

Speaking of too many projects, I *still* need to oil both the loom and the wheel, but I never have them *not* in use long enough to get the job done.

Eventually I'm going to have to bite the bullet and take a night off. Perhaps I can get them both done, and then spend the night reading the last Harry Potter novel that I borrowed from Miss eithni...

[gwyneth1362.livejournal.com]

That's all beautiful. Just beautiful. Maybe I will get my floor loom back out. . .

[mightyjesse.livejournal.com]

My weave is coming out very loose, but consistent. Almost like burlap or cheese cloth. I was thinking about washing and drying it on hot to shrink it (it is wool after all...) but this is so time intensive that *experimenting* is scary... Have you done much with 10 dents per inch reeds? How can I make this thing less see through without making it super thick?

[gwyneth1362.livejournal.com]

I've worked with 12-14 epi, and it always weaves a little looser than you think it might. It will shrink up when you finish it, though I would do that more cautiously, as you suggest. You want it to full some, and to leave the room/ability for it to full, to get the best effect. I would be careful about making it too tight, because it will tighten up more after you take it off the loom.

[rustmon.livejournal.com]

damn that is SO cool! :)

[mightyjesse.livejournal.com]

I love my new toys. *LOVE*

Nothing keeps me out of trouble like playing with string...

[eithni.livejournal.com]

So, so cool! :)

Mmmmm... I think I need a loom... Maybe as a birthday prezzie... ;)

[mightyjesse.livejournal.com]

When's your birthday?

[eithni.livejournal.com]

Late January. I have a tradition of waiting until after the holidays and my birthday then taking all the loot and some personal cash if needed and buying something I really want but can't really otherwise justify. It's the one perk of Christmas and Birthday so close together. :)

[othelianna.livejournal.com]

Man. I wanna play with *your* toys!

Though I have enough toys to keep my busy for a while. (A friend of mine just lent me her bobbin lace pillow, so that's my next undertaking.)

[mightyjesse.livejournal.com]

I need one of those rotating lace pillows... I have a "cookie" pillow, but since I lean more toward yardage lace, it's somewhat impractical.

This old-fashioned clothes pins make pretty good bobbins.

[othelianna.livejournal.com]

The one I borrowed is a cookie pillow, but has a rotating drum insert thingie. It's pretty handy, I think. Admittedly, I haven't started making lace. I'm waiting for my lace making book to come in. :P (I already have about thirty bobbins, and a number of spools of linen thread. Most of it is white, but I also have some black, beige, and pale purple.)

I'm hoping to, eventually, do a full period lace ruff. Totally not my period, but I think it would be fun.

[devikat.livejournal.com]

Oh, drool! Yeay for geekage!

[mightyjesse.livejournal.com]

I decided to get a loom that was a *touch* less advanced than the loom you gave me. My rigid heddle is a bit wider (thus I can make fabric for clothes) and a good bit less complicated than that pretty table loom you lent me.

I should bring it back to you, since I won't likely be using it soon. Call and remind me about embroidery at your place, and I'll bring it with!