Temperature Decrease

Winter Head Gear

From Fibre to Hat in 2 days

      This lovely fibre a wool and silk blend, hand dyed by Amanda Hannaford and named 'STRATA', was too irresistible to leave in the bag to be gazed at and stroked. It called out to be spun.

My hubby wanted a balaclava since I made one for his father last year.

                

     The plied yarn turned out to be somewhere between DK and 4ply.

     The pattern was written for DK yarn so I had to knit a tension square, with 3.5mm needles, then adapt the pattern accordingly, thankfully, not difficult with such a simple pattern.

     As the weather has changed to autumnal it was finished just in time for him to go out picking the apples on our trees and others shaken onto the grass by the wind.

     

MORE TEA TOWELS!!!!!!

       A SECOND COTTON PROJECT

       GOSH! I didn't realise how long it has been since my last post. I have been busy and the time has flown.

       I did enjoy weaving the first batch and decided to weave more. This time in a twill weave to be able to compare the two weave structures and decide which I thought most appropriate to 'do the job' absorbing moisture. Also, I'd like to weave a length for a summer shirt blouse if I have sufficient yarn left and want to know whether I'd prefer the thickness of a tabby or twill fabric.

       As I had lots of colours in relatively small amounts I decided to plan using one of my favourite colourways - rainbow.
       Making the warp, planning the colour sequence and repeats was a matter of mathematical calculations - how many rainbow colour repeats I could get in the wide of the warp and how many warp ends in each colour. I did have a little less yarn of some colours than needed but carried on with the warp regardless.

       I did manage 5 from the warp, just as before but I have already given one of each weave structure to a family member so they could give me feedback on which they think is preferable.

       Is it worth me weaving more to sell at craft shows? Well the jury is out at the moment! I have heard of someone paying as much as £40 for a handwoven tea towel. I have yet to see it to be able to compare and decide what I would need to charge.
     
       I have always considered cotton more tricky than wool to work with but both my towel lengths have been fine with no irregularly tensioned warp threads, so I am heartened and encouraged to plan some more cotton projects. Watch this space!