I am a little late in posting, simply because last week was so busy for me with part of the working week away, early starts, full days and late nights. So, when I got back late on a Friday, I was too tired to type anything. Plus, I didn’t have my latest scarf completed anyway.
However, it now is finished and currently drying on towels after being washed to help close up the fabric. I completed this over two weekends, but not with solid non-stop weaving. I would probably say it took me 8 hours broken up between trips out and meals or TV. I really should time my next one.
I did have one or two complications. Firstly, about 10 warp threads in, I found a knot in the warp. This wasn’t a knot from tying two yarns together. It was a simple knot. How that came to be on the yarn, I am unsure. And end would have had to go through a loop! The only thing to do was to unwrap, without creating more knots, un-knot the yarn and start again.
After the knot-experience and warping the loom complete, I suddenly realised that I had put the loom the wrong way round for warping. In essence, I tied onto the front beam, rather than the back. So, everything was the wrong way round. Ok! This is a predicament, I thought. How do I get out of this.
I called the teacher I had and she suggested two options. I took the easier one. Using tweezers I pinched the ends of the rod ties in the beam and pulled them out of both beams. Then swapped the rods over and pushed them back in. Problem solved. Now I could weave.
A couple of pictures for you of the loom warped up and the start of the weave.
The first 10 or so picks I soon realised I was compressing the weft too much. Instead of getting houndstooth, I was getting rows of black and red. Unpick to the start.
Second time round I achieved the right amount of pressure which gave me the houndstooth look. It is quite an open weave to get the pattern and because of this, I believe it is a good one to support in getting used to making a balanced weave and also great selvedges and consistent width. This one is 8 picks per inch in warp and weft.
This morning it had the last 3 inches woven and I hemmed the end and cut it from the loom, twisting the ends to make the tassels.
Following the wash and soak, the weft has closed up, although the alpaca has gotten more hairy! I have just blocked it a little to ensure it dries flat and even. There was a slight curve at one end which I hope will be gone once dry.
I do think it’s one of my best weaves to date, even with the silly errors at the start. The picture of it on the table in before the soak, and the colour is not a true representation as you can see.
The rest if the week will be finishing the Never Ending Granny Square, otherwise it will really live up to its name. I have about 15 more rounds to do. Plus, I am being hounded for a blanket I promised to make a family member. Hence needing the WIPs done.
That’s all for now. Enjoy the week.
Jamie
Hook This, Weave That 
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