Second attempt with cottolin

Very careful warping is really worth doing, it's much easier to weave this time, though we still need to be careful that warp strands are all up or down, they still tend to stick to the reed.

Weaving cottoline

Today we warped up the small (home made) loom with cottoline from Helen at http://www.myfineweavingyarn.co. I had been trying to find out the meaning of '8/2, 16/2 etc.' and Helen enlightened me. The larger number (8) is the number of 840 yard lengths spun from 1 lb of fibre, the smaller number is the ply. So 8/2 cotton is 16 x 840 yards, plyed as two strands and weighing 1 lb. 16/2 is 32 x 840 yards, plyed as two strands and also weighing 1lb, so therefore finer (half the width). Confusingly 8/2 can be written 2/8, and 16/2, 2/16. Also as linen has a different weight 22/2 cottolin is the same thickness as 8/2 cotton. There is a metric equivalent too. http://www.handweavers.co.uk/shop/cotton_linen.pdf
Warping with cottolin was time consuming, but the weaving progressed surprisingly quickly. I managed to snap a warp thread (memo to self: if the reed seems stuck do not use brute force), but carried on as I had 2 threads through each hole so just wove in the snapped warp. The finished result is smaller than intended (forgot to allow for how much is lost at the ends), but the pattern is pretty. The edges are a bit raggedy and there is the odd loose thread here and there. Next time I shall pay more attention to getting the tension even. The cotton shuttle was perfect for beating to get a fairly close weave.
The cottoline is sold under the Ashford label in NZ and the Louet label in the UShttp://www.camillavalleyfarm.com/knit/cotton.htm

Needle felting

Spinning guild

I've joined this guild

http://www.yorks-guild-wsd.org.uk/prog.htm

Weaving forum

Discovered this forum

http://weavolution.com/forum/weaving/mercerized-or-unmercerized-17720

Whilst trying to find out what 8/2 16/2 etc refer to with cotton, now I know what mercerised cotton is!

First weaving project

Finished! We are delighted with this, even though the weaving is a bit raggedy the colours are so beautiful it doesn't matter. Created in one weekend, wool purchased on Saturday, finished on Sunday.

Beginnings, warping the loom

Using commercial dk we warped the loom. Trying to reduce the width of the pattern we were following by half posed a few problems but after much counting and calculating we commenced. We only used half the expected amount of wool (25g) for a 10cm scarf. We used the edge of the window ledge to clamp the warping peg. Joining the warp with a reef knot was problematic later as it kept undoing. We also discovered later that we missed out a slot!