Going for Rustic

As you can see from Lou Ann's post yesterday, we are all about going rustic right now.  Actually, I haven't been all that productive in the weaving studio this year, and I am starting to feel the pressure to get something else done to add to the inventory.  I thought I would take a look at my handspun inventory, since this is something I have been able to do this year.  I ended up choosing some of my early handspun to try for a very rustic looking scarf.  That is what I bought the rigid heddle loom for anyway!

I have a lot of handspun, so I think I will be able to get several scarf/shawl type things done in the next few weeks.  Hopefully before the Museum of Appalachia's Homecoming which is in early October.  Rustic goes good with the surroundings at the Museum, and they really appreaciate it when we try.

The brownish yarn in this second picture, is what I chose to use for the first project, it is actually Moorit Shetland from some sheep I used to own.  I have had it in the stash for a looooong time!

The largest skein I had was 2.2 oz. and 220 yards.  I decided to use it for warp.   I was shooting for at least 7 inches in width, and had enough to put on 11.5, with a 3+ yard length, it wound on with no difficulty.

I used the same yarn as weft.   I had another 3.3 oz in 3 skeins of varying thickness.  I chose the skeins with the thicker yarn.  There are 2 more smaller skeins that were too fine for this project.  (I must have spun those last!)  The weaving went fairly quickly, and with this thick and thin yarn, there is a lot of variation in the fabric.

Here is a shot just as I got started, I think you can get an idea how much variation there is.  There were a couple of knots in the warp that I fixed as I went.  I needle wove  a bit each side of the knot, and just before the knot was to go onto the cloth beam, I snipped it off!
There were only a couple of yards of weft that I chose to not use in the scarf, it was just too stiff to use in this scarf, but I used the rest of it, as it came off the skein.

 It wasn't long before the scarf was off the loom.  Finished length,
84 inches, and width was 11 inches, that will change once it has it's bath.  It took a long soak in wool wash, and then I rolled it in a towel to get most of the water out of it.  Next,  I beat it quite vigorously in various ways against the table top for about 20 minutes to soften it up. (I had already twisted the fringe!)

 I am tickled pink with the results.  This is a one of a kind item, I will never spin yarn quite this uneven again.  I will measure the scarf once it is completely dry, but I think I lost quite a few inches in length, but I knew that, so I planned for it.

Talk about going rustic,  while I was working out, beating the scarf on the countertop, the mailman stopped by and brought the yarn that I had ordered for Lou Ann and my costume over the knee, and up the leg stockings.  I figure 2000 yards should do it for both pair.  Time to get the swift out and let winding begin!

Until next time, Happy Spinning, Knitting and Weaving, Tina