This and That

I have finally finished hand hemming and pressing my cottolin tea towels and luckily, three have been sold. It seems that I'm working at a snails pace and I blame the grey sky's around here for that! Each of the towels are different; some have stripes at one end, others at both. The colours and sequencing of the stripes are unique to each towel. My size aim for tea towels is 24” wide in the reed and I weave as close to 36” in length as possible, depending on pattern etc. I really try to make the towels very thick and substantial so set them at 24 epi and wove them tightly. These towels finished out at 22” wide and 32” long on average.

As I complete each project I try to ensure that I have enough for samples. I am so very lucky to have two amazing weaving friendships with Susan and Louise, and whenever possible send a draw down and sample to each of them. Now that my daughter is weaving I guess that I’ll have to make another sample so she can have a sample book too.

Speaking of my daughter, here is a photo of her very first weaving project! I know it is usual to start with cotton or wool and a simple tabby or twill, but I want her to love weaving as much as I do, so we chose to make a scarf with Italian Ribbon in Bronze – 56 ends, and weave an 8 Shaft undulating twill with Black Chenille. Ngaire (pronounced Nyree) finished the scarf with black glass beads and the care she took with them is apparent. This scarf has wonderful drape and is really a weaving of which to be proud (no dangling participles for me!)
Lastly I purchased this lovely little Pine Needle Basket at the Ponderosa Spinners and Weavers Sale in Kelowna and am totally impressed as this is my fellow guild member Brenda Howe’s first attempt at this type of weaving , so I thought I'd share with you.