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Cloth-making cul-de-sac

2/5/2019

 
Picture
One of the great things about comics
Picture
is that they free me from the need to find words
Picture
for things I can't quite express.
Picture
I only wish I could draw a picture
that could describe the weight and texture 
Picture
Houndstooth wool before washing
of these two swaths of cloth
(each 104" x 8.25" after washing/light fulling)
Picture
The sett issue of last week
really did end up working in my favor
as, not only did I get another two days of blissed-out weaving,
(this kind of cloth-making is super fast compared with knitting),
Picture
but I also have nearly 70 inches of fabric left--
enough to make a second 
(if decidedly shorter) skirt.​
The extra yardage also meant
another expedition downtown
(all of five blocks away),
to buy some more yarn
​for the knitting parts of this project.
Fresh from weaving yummy yardage
I just happened to notice
that there are quite a few possibilities
for future Sarah-Dippity skirts
in that store.
Picture
Harrisville flywheel yarn before washing (hot water and Eucalan no rinse wool wash)
While there, deep in a discussion
of how mill spun yarn is finished
​and why I find the knitting experience
so much more pleasurable
​if I wash such yarn before knitting
(if not for weaving),
we conjured an experiment,
​the results of which you can see above and below.
The yarn is not only fluffier and shorter,
it is also distinctly softer.
Why wait till after the knitting is done?
Picture
Harrisville Flywheel after washing
At any rate, after several swatches
I'm now deep in the knitting portion of this skirt show,
where, given the length of the woven panels I just cut,
​ I am likely to remain for a while.
Picture
But that is no hardship. 
I do love to knit.
And it'll provide balance to the other enticing
(but less pictorially sharable), thing I'm working on:
​an article for the autumn 2019 issue of Ply magazine!
​Wheeeeee!
Picture
Indeed, I seem to be having an extra delicious magazine moment,
as I drew a cartoon for the new issue of Spin Off
which should be showing up at any moment.
I haven't seen it 'in paper' yet,
but am most excited. 
Has anyone received their copy?

I sure do love to be part of this yarnish world
and treasure absolutely everyone in it. 
Pam Hutley
2/5/2019 12:15:13 pm

I am looking forward to seeing you in print again! This blog post wonderful as ever!

Irene J Morrison
2/5/2019 01:37:14 pm

I absolutely enjoy your blog post. Looking forward to your next one!

Kathy
2/5/2019 03:41:39 pm

You are a treasure and an inspiration!

Gwen
2/5/2019 06:36:01 pm

So fun to seeing you backstrap weaving with a rigid heddle — I think, right? I just discovered what a pleasure this is, but I’ve not been successful locking it with two diwels and have resorted to a band lock. Your fabric is beautiful!

Linda Healey
2/6/2019 03:49:31 pm

What fun you have and how lovely it is when you share your enthusiasm. You have a talent for that.

Ann Redmond
2/6/2019 06:26:14 pm

I just love your blog! I wish you were my neighbor in real life. 😊

Rebecca Mezoff link
2/7/2019 02:28:52 pm

I have not seen the new Spin Off but now I'll be haunting my mailbox! I must have had something in it because I got an email awhile back that it was coming soon... and also I think they said that the copies to authors came before copies to subscribers. I'm pretty sure what I contributed was a tiny bit of yarn I spun from Spinzilla... but maybe I wrote an article in my sleep!

Peg Cherre link
2/8/2019 04:21:46 am

The weaving is done, the fabric wet finished and cut, the first knitted panel almost done. I CANNOT WAIT to finish and wear my first Sarah-Dippity skirt!

Sarah
2/8/2019 08:59:52 am

Oh Peg, that is wonderful news. Can’t wait to see what you’re creating.
I’m knitting the second panel of the long one. Pretty darned excited too...
Such a blast to get to turn hand woven cloth into clothing.

Barbara l. Nelson
2/8/2019 01:19:12 pm

I luv your blog! It gives me inspiration not only in my weaving, but for my watercolors also. Thanks🤠

Barbara Rickman
2/11/2019 04:11:58 pm

Sarah!
I have your skirt pattern and am currently in the planning stages of the skirt. Have tons of handspin so I don't have to start fro scratch (although I could if I had to as my fiber stash is giant). Just have to decide what to use! Oh! The decisions!

bjr


Comments are closed.
    Picture

    ​Sarah C Swett 
    tells stories
    with
    ​ and about

     hand spun yarn. 


    Picture
    Click for info on
    my four selvedge
    warping class
    with
    ​ Rebecca Mezoff  
    fringeless


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