©2022 Michael Raven

Here is how my daughter’s scarf started to look last night. She chose the colors, which seemed to work out with this combo. I’m not so certain the other twin will be pleased when she see the colors she chose when they get woven together, but I might be wrong in my estimation. The yellow warp and rainbow weft is pretty much on par for this twin.

Obviously, this is raw weaves, on-loom. Once I take the scarf off the loom and wet-finish it, the weave will tighten up and there were be less space between the threads. I see this as practice to get myself in gear to try and do a 100% self-crafted hooded cloak, once I finish weaving the other twin’s scarf. And learn how to do some card/tablet-weaving.

I have it in mind that I will by another heddle (10-dent or 12.5-dent; my current is a 7.5-dent) to increase the thread density. Then I will weave a cotton or wool (can’t decide if I’m worth the cost of wool) bolt of black cloth to form the basis of a hand-sewn cloak. If I can manage to figure out tablet weaving, I should be able to create my own Celtic border or runework (at least around the hood, but possibly down the front flaps of the cloak). My inspiration is something I saw on Etsy while looking for jackets.

We’ll see if this is all just ambition, but I have a different mindset this round.

I’m working on my second project with the goal of not making as many mistakes this time around and working on improving my weaving habits rather than anything fancy: warping, sleying, wrapping yarn on the shuttle, weaving, beating and getting nice-looking selvedges that aren’t too loopy or too tight. Of course, it isn’t perfect and I don’t expect to be on my second project, but I’m starting to get the feel of it; although, I do seem to keep finding new ways to make mistakes.

To keep it simple, I made another scarf and, instead of worrying about multiple yarns and colors, I kept it to a single color of yarn, oatmeal. But, to make it interesting, I went with the wool I’d picked up recently and, let me tell you, that is an experience itself. The cotton yard was a lot less stretchy than this wool and, once I had the tension cranked tight it stayed tight. With the wool, the yarn stretches and I lose tension on the warp, which makes slipping the shuttle through the shed a little more difficult. I find myself cranking the tension every ten or so minutes. My edges are tighter on the selvedges, but the lines are a little, umm, variable. But I like the look and the feel of the result and I think it’ll be a nice scarf for someone (probably end up being mine unless one of the kiddos adopts it before winter comes).

I think I’ve put in about four hours, maybe five, so far. And I am thinking another two hours or so. I want desperately to explore other things than the normal weave, but I also sense I really need to get this down before I attempt anything too complicated. And so, scarves I suspect, with be the primary product moving forward.

I’m still enjoying it, so it doesn’t look like a waste of money. I don’t know that I could do it nightly, but who knows?