Sunday 21 June 2015

Not my best work!

I tried really hard to help someone out by reproducing their family tartan. It needed seven colours and I only managed to find them by sourcing bits and pieces including some from a friend.  It looked pretty good when I took it from the loom but a wash reminded me of the pitfalls of differential shrinkage.  My perfect selvedges waved and wriggled and the fabric just didn't want to sit flat for more than half a minute after it was pressed. Afterwards my sister reminded me that years ago when I had made tartan scarves for our family that I had said, "Never again!"  Now she tells me!  In fact I would do it again if I could be sure that all the yarns were the same to start with.
This is my 1996 model, still going strong.

Monday 8 June 2015

An Exciting Commission

They may look like "just scarves" but these are special. Normally I make scarves one at a time and go to great lengths to make them all a little bit different. This time I had a commission for TEN scarves, all made to the same specifications though in five different colours.

They are now finished and are winging their way to Qatar!  I still find it hard to believe but my bank balance is the proof of this puddling.  I was a little bit afraid I might get bored by the end but that didn't happen, mainly because of the softest, lightest fibre I have ever worked with I think. It is so luxurious. What is it?  Believe it or not, it is MINK.

A ferret by any other name . . .

I try not to think too much about the ferret likeness!  Apart from that cringe factor, the whole exercise has been a challenge, fun, and very satisfying.