A new do

After I ran through one skein of kool-aide wool, I wanted to try something new with this project.  I went to my stash and Nature Spun fingering weight yarn by Brown Sheep company in the color Bordeaux, or a red wine color.  The texture is way better, the designs are more squarish, the edges are way better, and I really like this combination of red and white.  These little pieces will just end up being small runners for the tiny pieces of furniture we have, like the top of our very small bookshelf.
 

But at a later date, maybe my very next project, I would like to consider a scarf in overshot.  I have yet to see one around.  I think it's more decor fabric than wearable fabric, but I've been known many times for setting my own clothing styles.

In fact, I break most rules with clothing, so it doesn't really matter if I break yet another fashion rule!

Here is my list of Bertha Gray Hayes patterns I want to consider for the real scarf: 
Jitterbug, Dominoes, The Olive, Primrose, and Stagger (in this order)

For the overall scarf, I need to improve on:
1.  The edges!  I think a 1-2-3-4 rotation of a few rounds would look a lot better than what I have going on right now.
2. I need to center this design.

A mistake in the pattern

There was a mistake in the Dominoes pattern that I forgot about, until now!

It's down here at the bottom.  I had made a note about it on my page before, but missed the note.  Oops!  I made an even bigger (and harder to miss) note for next time!

All better!  It's amazing how those few shots make all the difference.

It's so colorful!

So... I think I'm going to skip the scarf and make it into a table runner instead!  I know my mom would love this project!  She loves table runners, and this one is so cheerful and colorful, too!

I can't believe this yarn was dyed with kool-aide!

I plan to explore more kool-aid dyes later!

Linda's Trellis

A few weeks ago, my aunt's friend Linda contacted me about weaving a few special projects for her.  She wants a table runner and 6 placemats done in Bertha Gray Hayes' Trellis #55 pattern.  She also wants an armadillo with turquoise eyes!  Linda sent me a sample of the colors she wants in her overshot projects.  She was aiming for a deep red/rust color for the background color and a teal color for the pattern float.  I ordered UKI 10/2 perle cotton in the color lipstick for the warp and weft and I ordered UKI 5/2 perle cotton in Mountain for the pattern float. 

 
If all goes well, this is what it should look like:

The width of everything needs to be 14", so keeping in mind a 10%-15% shrinkage, I think I will warp for 16".  The sett will be 20 epi, so I need to warp 322 ends, but I might do 330 instead for a little bit extra.  In order to weave the 76" runner with 4" fringe on each end and 6 placemats of 17" each plus a little fringe on each one, plus the loom waste and a little extra for practice, I need to make at least a 5 yard warp.  I think I might go for 6 yards.

Luckily Linda contacted me before I was completely done with the trellis project that was already on my loom so I plan on just tying on to ends of the old warp and adding a little bit to each side.  Remember this one?  I just finished it!!

 

The finished size of the last trellis project was only 12", so I just need to add a few inches.  Tying on to the last warp will save a lot of threading time.  I am excited to see this project come together! 

Now I just can't wait for the yarn to come!

Almost too busy to weave!

 I finally finished the trellis table runner warp!!  However, as of this point, the person I originally made it for hasn't received it in the mail yet... and I sent hers more than a month ago!  Unfortunately, none of these are the right length... so.... I guess this one will be repeated whether or not I want to!  Good thing I liked it, it was just slow weaving because of my zoo, Utah trip, and spring cleaning frenzy!

 Yes, I did say spring cleaning frenzy!  I have been very busy cleaning the house!  After living here for 2 years, I haven't even touched some of this stuff.  So it must go!  I have also been watching lots of reruns of Hoarders on Netflix, so that really helps me to stay motivated.  This is 1/2 of one of two piles... so 1/4 of the stuff that is to go. And it feels SOOOO good!

But the cat stays... he's just enjoying some old favorites.  Maybe he won't notice when they go missing...

Trellis Table Runner

I am flabbergasted by all custom requests I've had lately, especially so close to post-Christmas stuff.  I am working very hard to fill them all in a timely manner.  I LOVE all this extra weaving work!  I have been weaving on school nights just to keep it all caught up.  I don't usually do that, but I like how it gives me a taste of the weekend during the busy work day.  And all this work helps pay for my weaving habit!  In fact, any money I make on weaving, I put back into weaving with either supplies like yarn or books or whatever tool I need.  I love it!

My friend is dying to have me make her a table runner out of this trellis design!  She has been asking me for months!  At first she wanted a table runner like the one I made my mom, but I don't have enough supplies for one exactly like that.  Also, it doesn't have enough repeats in the design to be super effective.  AND, if you remember correctly, I had to skew the design so it could fit in the given space.  Since my friend wants a narrow table runner, so I suggested we go back to the original overshot design by Bertha Gray Hayes so we can get more repeats of the pattern.

The finished project needs to be about 30cm by 1.5 meters, 

or about 1 foot wide and 60 inches long.

So we are aiming for something like this practice piece:

In the zen towel colors:

So here are the 5 choices I presented her with. 

Because of the design AND the colors, some of these are pretty wild looking!

In order to get in all five colors and also to make the warp thread twice as thick, I am going to double the blue with the purple.  I just couldn't show that in these drafts:

1

2

3

4

5

We're going to go ahead with plan #1!
Look out eyeballs...