Friday, September 15, 2017

Second shoelace syndrome

Sock knitters sometimes suffer from Second Sock Syndrome. They get one sock done but somehow sock #2 never materializes. I avoid this by knitting both at the same time, more or less, alternating between the two socks until done. I haven't figured out how to do that when weaving shoelaces on an inkle loom although I'm sure there is a way. Since weaving a shoelace takes about an hour, though, it doesn't seem like such a big deal.


I'm still experimenting with yarn width and technique. In the photo above, the lace on the left is 8/2 cotton carpet warp, knit tubular, 15 ends; the one in the middle is 8/4 cotton carpet warp, knit tubular, 15 ends; and the one on the right is 8/4 cotton carpet warp, knit flat, 15 ends. Once I wrestle the ends into aglets, I'll actually lace them into some shoes, to see what I think.


Another issue is getting them the same length. I tried comparing one lace off the loom with one on the loom, but there was about a 2" difference. Not a big deal, easily corrected.


Until I get those aglets, I finished off the ends by wrapping them with one of the warp threads, as described in The Weaver's Inkle Pattern Directory, by Anne Dixon. This technique is meant for securing the ends of braids and cords, but it also seems handy here. I may have to undo the wrap when I add the aglets. (I ordered metal aglets through Amazon.)

Today six spools of 8/2 arrived in the mail: red, black, white, silver, orange, purple. The weaving stash groweth. Woohoo!

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