Hardwired, yet Spontaneous

Planning is one of the most enjoyable aspects to weaving. It may be done in the studio, at the loom, or anywhere I happen to be.

I maintain a queue and often prioritize the upcoming projects from there, but I do so with the understanding the list is only a broad intention, as it is subject to change based on whim and sudden inspiration.

With four floor looms set up two across the room from the other two, I am finding I clear one side of the room before moving to the other.

In July, I focused on the Beast (56”) who sported a warp for a bride marrying in January. As soon as that was done, I moved to Meg (24”) who held a ten-yard warp of hand dyed tea towels, probably as Christmas gifts.

Bohemian towels for the bride, while still on the loom. Finished shots coming...once they are washed and hemmed.

Tea towels dyed in Feisty Respite. Also, a shot while they were still on the loom. They are in a stack of projects to be hemmed and washed:

The largest and smallest looms (Beast and Meg) occupy one side of the studio, while the medium-sized looms (Lil’ Miss at 32” and Evangeline 40”) live on the other side.

Once I had Beast and Meg outfitted with new warps, I turned my attention to Lil’ Miss and Evangeline. In just a few days, I managed to weave off about eighteen yards of tea towels between them. YAY!

Of course, that means I have close to forty items which need finishing, but I am in no hurry for that. Plus, if I wait, I will not be in such a hurry to give them away. Ha!

According to the plan I set up in May, I am supposed to load Lil’ Miss with two sets of warps for linen towels. Evangeline is slated to start the first of two thirteen-yard warps for Christmas towels called Holly & Berry.

This is where I am on this particular list:

Here is a revised version on the back side of the same note:

Instead, an interesting design crossed my screen last week that I am itching to try. It was a tiny little photo from Eastern Europe, which I was able to enlarge enough to replicate it in WeaveIt.

I am calling it Medallion and Cross (Slate Experiment).

I posted it on Instagram with a couple of questions. First, I was concerned it may be too busy for tea towels. Second, I wondered whether it was overshot. At first glance, I thought the longest float was six, but someone corrected me. The longest float is ten. With a sett of 24, 10 threads is 0.42-inches, as in just under half an inch. With a sett of 20, that is half an inch. Either way, it is a long float. 

I have been saving two half-pound cones of Brassards 8/2 cotton in slate, along with a cone of 16/2 cotton to use as tabby for some unknown overshot project.

In addition, I have a cone of hemp in a sport weight and 6/2 cotton. Either of these would work as pattern weft on a sea of slate for overshot.

Here is the slate with the 6/2 cotton.

I used some of the hemp a few years ago with an 11/2 cottolin warp in natural. This is one of my all-time favorite weaves.

The same slate with the hemp:

In my mind, the slate cotton and natural hemp would make stunning hand towels for a guest bath.

I only have enough of the 8/2 slate for a five-and-a-half-yard warp. I thought about ordering more, but I know me. The shine wears off fiddly, time-consuming weaves quickly. I think shooting for four towels will be plenty without purchasing more thread.

These will go on Evangeline, I think... I still want to make these Holly & Berry towels, and I have enough cottolin to do a thirteen-yard run in red and in green for two dozen towels, ostensibly for Christmas gifts.

With respect to the 32" Lil' Miss, she is the one I truly enjoy weaving the most one, but do not tell the others. I have no problem putting a ton of yardage on her because I know once I am ready to knock them out, they will be a breeze. 

I am actually going to load both of her beams in the next few days.

On the bottom sectional beam, I will put a thirteen-yard run of tea towels in light grey, periwinkle blue, and black in an asymmetrical stripe pattern. 

Once that is loaded, I will put a ten-yard warp on the upper plain beam with stripes on hand dyed chains mixed with commercially dyed 10/2 cotton. I snow-dyed the chains back in February during the snow-pocalypse. They should be fun and cheerful.

I will have to weave off the top beam first. Once the top warp is exhausted, I will tie on the sectional warp thereafter and continue weaving. 

There is really no reason to load both beams now, other than I just want to, anticipating I may have more time now than in the future. So, I am taking advantage of it.

Of course, I do not have to weave the sectional warp, once I finish the top one. I can always plain warp something else, particularly, the other ten-yard, snow-dyed warp with purple stripes: