Order Delivery

I've got to start thinking about taking pictures while I am thinking about a potential blog because I have none today. However, if you look back to Nov 24, you'll see some neutral placemats on a loom. Those are the ones that Maggie's been weaving and weaving.......
Back in early fall, Dorothy called me one day. Dorothy used to weave with us each week. I'm not sure how old she is but let's just say she's been around the block a few times and is still trucking along nicely! I love Dorothy. She has a nice sense of humor and a twinkle in her eye! Actually it was her husband that started weaving and she got involved as well. After he passed away she continued on at the center and she wove each week on the loom that Bonnie weaves on now, a 45" jack Nilus LeClerc. It was almost bigger than her. Dorothy is really tiny but she's never let that stop her.
So, she needed some placemats. She wanted to order a dozen but 16 would be better. They were for a friend to use at holidays. She'd seen 14 seated at the table but usually it was 12 on the big table and 4 on a side table. So 16 it was. She wanted neutral but not boring colors. Pattern, etc up to me.
Back when she wove, Dorothy had developed a variation of what we call Ellen's pattern, so I told her we'd do that. Maggie got roped into making them. Thanks, Maggie!!!
Yesterday, after washing and ironing the placemats, I drove to her place to deliver them. Dorothy was so excited. They were exactly what she wanted and her friend will be thrilled to have them. I always worry a bit when I do an order, will they like it, is the color right, did we meet expectations? I'm glad to say we did.
We chatted awhile longer and then she asked me to bring out a bag she had under an end table. Inside was a roll of placemats that hadn't been finished. She and her husband had hired someone in 1972 to teach them to weave. It was an overshot pattern that they started on. They wove several of different colors and they all look great, but still, they're all on that roll. So I told her I'd finish them for her and will try to do it before the new year. She can't remember how many years they had that warp on the loom but she said it was a long time
Now, my question is, how do I finish them? Most of them have an inch heading of a fine yarn and then the pattern starts. They are separated by about 3 inches of rags woven in tightly to keep everything nice and snug. I could serge the ends and hem them but I think they wanted the fringe. So the only solution I have is to machine sew, maybe a slight zigzag, just above the fringe. I can't think of another way to finish them that will keep the original idea. I'll bring them to the party on Tuesday and we can see if anyone has a better idea. I'll also take some pictures for the next blog for you to see how intricate a pattern they did, on their first try!
Dorothy may not be strong enough to come out and weave with us anymore, but every time someone weaves that variation in a placemat, she'll be remembered. I guess we could call it "the Dorothy variation on Ellen's pattern"!
Carol