Sari yarn runner

It's too bad I did not take a photo of this sari yarn runner or at least measure it before putting it through the washer (on gentle) and dryer. It used to be as wide as the coffee table it rests on, and hung over both ends. In the midst of this project, I did work up a little swatch and washed it, to see what the sari yarn would do. I didn't pay attention to the cotton warp which is used as both warp and weft; the swatch went from about 5"x5" to 4"x4".

Cotton warp shrunk a bit

Pattern: Derived from the Rewoven Fabric Bag, from the book Inventive Weaving on a Little Loom, by Syne Mitchell
Weave structure: Plain weave
Loom: Ashford 24" rigid heddle
Warp: Maysville 8/4 cotton warp in black
Weft: Maysville 8/4 cotton warp in black, Darn Good Yarn sari yarn in 'Multi Color'
EPI/PPI: 7.5/7.5
Ends: 144
Finished size: 42"x16"

In situ

The pattern is for a bag, which matched my original intention. Then it became a runner for the coffee table in front of the TV couch. The cotton warp used as weft alternates with the fabric and locks the it into place for a very sturdy result.

Weaving with sari yarn is, well, challenging. The so-called yarn consists of strips of sari cloth that are sewn together to create a skein of fabric. There are a lot of loose threads that I trimmed as I went along. A temple helped keep the selvages in line.

In real life

This is one of those projects that came off the loom a while back, but sat and sat, waiting to be hemmed. Consequenlty, I lost the project notes, so I'm a bit hazy about the above details. But rest assured, the runner exists and it is finished.

Finishitis

We have a JoAnn store here, but I hate to shop there, mainly because of the s-l-o-w checkout. I don't shop much at Walmart, but they have a sewing and craft section and self-checkout. So that is where I went to purchase some thread. I have the finishistis bug and am determined to complete my outstanding weaving projects, if only so I can clear off the dining room table. I will post about them separately.

Knitting: *Finally* moving forward again with the Habitation throw. While I'm knitting, I find myself thinking, On my *next* Habitation throw.... But seriously, I think this is the last one, no matter how much sock yarn I still have.
Weaving: I hemmed the top of a sampler of leno and Brooks bouquet techniques. I also hemmed the sari yarn table runner. Next up are the sage hand towels and leno curtains.

I came across this magazine at Barnes & Noble. It almost makes me want to take up felting. It's from Australia, so it has quite the international vibe.

Why we swatch

While working on the sage towels, it occurred to me that sage and gray would look good together. I worked up a little sample on a mini loom and they do NOT play well. They are too close in tone.

I also played around with a red, gray, and black combo. I like how they look together as a warp, but am flummoxed about the weft. I'm thinking a repp weave, which is warp-faced, but I don't know how to do that except on my inkle loom. Research is needed.


Knitting: I did more tinking than knitting on the Habitation throw this past week; I keep messing up the decreases. I started a cowl using a DK yarn, but I may frog that because I don't like how the colors are pooling.
Weaving: The sage towels are off the loom! Initially, they were different lengths, but after washing and drying, they almost match. While I was working on finishing steps, I also washed and dried the sari yarn runner and the leno curtains. The latter are very different in length, not sure how best to correct that in a way that is not too noticable. Now I need to do some hemming on all these items.

At spinning guild, the program was learning how to make Dorset buttons. For some reason, Dorset buttons are hot right now. They are a bit addicting, but I don't think they would hold up well if used as actual buttons on a sweater or something. They add a nice touch to hats and such, though.

We were supposed to spin the yarn for this project, at 14 WPI, but I used some fingering. I haven't felt the urge to spin lately, maybe because I have SO MUCH handspun yarn just waiting for a project.

Minimum daily requirement

Tommye Scanlin says "Weave every da*n day." And I try to do just that, at least a little bit, on all my active projects. My downfall is actually *finishing* the projects after they are off the loom or needles. So while I weave at least two inches on the guest towels each day, I fear the hemming will take a bit of motivation. At least the Habitation throw doesn't need any extra treatment once the knitting is done.

This past week's weaving guild program was on tartans. It was advertised as tartans and plaids, but the plaid part was more of a not-tartan part. I'm a Hamilton, and the Hamilton clan has a tartan in red, navy, and white, but I doubt I will ever weave a sample because, except where each color crosses itself, the weaving is in 2x2 twill, a bear to do on a rigid heddle loom. I might work up a tiny example on my Swatchmaker if I am feeling particularly adventuresome or masochistic. (Photo from Clan.com.)

Knitting: I made a booboo on the Habitation throw this past week, so progress was slow while I recovered from that.
Weaving: I am halfway done with the second guest towel on the 24" loom.

My SO and I went to an actual movie theater last night, to see "Drive my Car". (Excellent film, by the way. but l-o-n-g.) Cinema Center is our local "art theater". Before the pandemic, they began actively targeting a younger crowd, so we let our membership lapse. I wasn't sure who would be in the audience last night, but it was the usual gray-haired seniors, socially distanced in pairs, so I felt safe enough to go maskless. There is an article in the NYTimes headlined as "I didn't want to go, but I'm glad I did." That seems to be my new motto.

Trying (this and that) week

Overshot is kicking my butt. I tried it on the SampleIt loom (which was already warped), but the warp is spaced too tightly (10 epi). So I shifted to the pocket loom (8 epi), but am still struggling. I must be doing something wrong because I can't seem to keep the warp covered, plus I think the result is supposed to be reversible, and mine isn't.

I have also been playing around with that super jumbo yarn I purchased at the Jay County Fiber Fest. I tried knitting it, but it requires larger knitting needles than I have. I tried braiding it, just for fun, but two of the colorways are too close in tone. Then I created a swatch on my Swatchmaker. So now I'm thinking wall hanging, woven on a frame loom. Maybe.


There are so many ideas for tapestry tumbling around in my head that I decided to purchase some stuff that will help me actually implement them. On the left, cotton seine twine in beige and black (I already have some in natural), on the right tapestry bobbins. All this came from the Yarn Barn in Kansas. They are the only place I usually buy from that offers the cotton seine twine in colors.


All of the above was happening in my so-called studio, a spare bedroom that tends to get junked up very easily. I rearranged things a couple of weeks ago, but found myself trying to do too much on too small a table. So I broke down and purchased what my SO calls a "potluck table", one of those folding tables that are used for backyard picnics and such. Now I have a little elbow room.

(The suitcases under the table hold family photos that need to be sorted and distributed. Not sure how I became the keeper of family memorabilia, but it happened.)

Knitting: Yes, I am on the decreasing half of the Habitation throw. Even though each row is still over 250 stitches, I find myself working on it a bit more because I want to hurry up and be done with it.
Weaving: I finished one of the plain weave guest towels that is on the 24" Ashford rigid heddle loom. I'm using a temple, so the selvages look better than usual.

And so it goes.