I spent the afternoon on Wednesday finishing these Baby Blankets. I love the pattern definition on the blankets with the most contrast. I have a lavender one on the loom to finish today, and I think I may be able to get one more off of that warp. It is sometimes hard to tell. If that is the case, I will have gotten 7 Baby Blankets and 1 couch throw out of a 15 yd warp.
One of my weaving buddies, Carol and I have been discussing how to price something like this. How to compensate for both materials and my time. I can see that I will need to be more aware of the time I spend in the studio on each project. I know that in the initial stages of a project such as this, there is great deal of time in the sampling and rethreading and resleying, (at least there is with me!), but after I get the kinks out then it should be easier on the set up, and just the weaving time involved. (I have come to the conclusion that all my cloth is slow cloth, whatever your definition is of slow cloth is!)
After I hemmed these beauties I threw them in the washing machine all together, with a color catcher just in case. I then threw them into the dryer until just damp. There is a great deal of shrinkage, they went from 40x47 inches to 31x40inches. I pressed them with the steam iron, and regained and inch in the width, so 32x40ish inches is the final measurement.
I had wanted to get a greater width in the reed after the first sampling, and I had streched the 12 epi to 11 epi across the middle part of the blanket, hoping to gain some width. I gained maybe and inch, not as much as I had hoped. For the next warp I will add more ends to have 12 epi all the way across on my 40 inch reed. I may see if I can check out a longer reed from the center, I could do 42 inches if I had a longer reed.
There is a fire in the woodstove but you can't see in this picture. It will be cold here for the next week, then a slight warming trend. This month several of us will be taking turns demonstrating on Saturdays, outside up in the Smokey mountains, I think we may need our thermols and boots and hats too! I just hope it doesn't rain on us, wooden looms and spinning wheels don't like to get wet, and neither do demonstrators!
Until next time, Happy Weaving, Tina
ETA logged 19 miles jogging, 17.5 miles walking
6 comments:
I never get tired of seeing that pattern woven up! It sure does make beautiful baby coverlets! Are you going to stay with the Snail Trail pattern or try a new one?
Those are splendid! I have heard that you should charge at least 3 times the cost of the materials (including loom waste, thrums, etc.) And even then, you'd make more money sewing soccer balls in Pakistan. If you earn a minimum wage for your time, You'll price those beauties right out of the market.
Beautiful Tina. You are going to have a great inventory. It will be interesting to see what sells and holds people's interest. Weave on!
If it gets cold and/or rainy this weekend, insist on being in the roof, next to the fire!
They are so pretty!
Sitting next to a nice warm fire with a cup of tea sounds really good! We may have to go and pay you a visit!
Pretty, pretty blankets! There are going to be some very lucky babies out there.
Post a Comment