Thursday, December 30, 2010

Things that Make You Go Hmmmm: Part I

It might be a bad sign when I wake up thinking, "What do I want to blog about today?".

Nothing immediately sprung to mind (although I have unblogged-about projects and trips and adventures that I still want to share).

Then, I did the tiniest of babysteps toward getting my weaving inertia to be weaving in motion (rather than the weaving at a standstill that has been the story of November and December at my house.)

Thanks Theresa for the great idea of cutting samples in half!

I cut off a sample to wet finish it. (I know this sample looks a little crazy. I'm trying out different wefts and different treadlings to decide which four are my favorite for a run of towels.)

The results of the wet finishing were so surprising to me, that I have to share them with you!! I'm just not sure what to make of it, although my ever-supportive DH says he thinks the changes to the fabric enhance rather than detract.

I'm still saying Hmmmmmm.......


Unwashed version


Washed version
Look at all those vertical lines!

I really wasn't expecting vertical lines to appear like that. They are at consistent points across the entire sample.

I'm not sure that I like them. Mr. LifeLoomsLarge says he thinks they make the fabric make more sense....containing it and making it seem less "all over the place".

The only vertical lines I know about are reed marks....and I thought those are something that can disappear with washing, rather than something that appears.

So what do you think? Are these lines an intended part of the fabric? Are they a feature (or a bug)? Is there something I can do to prevent them?

They are even more noticeable and textural in person.



Related posts:
Folding the warp in half
Ordering more yarn for warp
Getting started

9 comments:

Sara said...

My weaving knowledge is minimal - but, I like them...I think it adds texture...

Gjeani said...

I think the lines add depth (I hope you know what I mean) in the fabric, so it comes more alive.

Delighted Hands said...

There was recent chatter on my Yahoo Weaving group about this....I don't think it looks bad; are you sure a good pressing wouldn't flatten the areas if you want to eliminate them. But that would just reappear if it is for a towel, wouldn't it?!

Liz said...

I don't think it looks bad, it certainly adds texture. But I have a few questions. The bits that bump up seem to be in areas where those blocks are mostly unconnected to other blocks - no diagonal connection between pattern blocks. Are you using a tabby shot between the pattern blocks, or is the set in the reed grouping warp threads closer in some spots?

Valerie said...

It looks to me like it's in the threading because the breaks occur at the same places in the pattern across the fabric.

What I think is happening is a threading block was skipped in putting two overshot designs together.

If you can post the draft we can probably figure it out. Or you would be able to tell from a profile draft.

The good news is that it's consistent across the cloth and is therefore a design element!

Theresa said...

I second what Valerie said, looks like a bridge of sorts was missed between blocks. It is all rather pretty though. And you're sure it's not tracking from the reed?
I know I get it sometimes when I have to do multiples
in a dent, or sometimes the way the pattern is between the plain weave causes it.
Glad to see you weaving though!!!
Happy New Year Sue, may 2011 be a lovely year for you and yours.

Life Looms Large said...

Sorry to post and run. Just as soon as I put that up, we went out to dinner. The world is crazy busy right now, so dinner took FOREVER.

I'm back now and will try to figure out the answers to your questions. (I threaded this last February, so I have to check my notes!)

The draft I'm using is #62801 on Handweaving.net. I've tried treadling it different ways...and maybe that's the problem. I did some of it as designed, some of it tromp as writ and some of it I used other treadling sequences from other designs that I liked. (Hmmmm...is that what I messed up?)

It's sleyed 2 per dent, 24 epi. The warp is grey cottolin and the weft is the colored yarn (cottolin or cotton depending on the color). I'm not doing a tabby and hadn't really thought about this in terms of blocks.

This version was ironed, so the lines are still pretty apparent...and would be more apparent in towels because I won't be ironing them!!

I'd love to figure out how to make those lines go away. (Then I can decide whether it's actually worth the work to make them go away...but clearly there's something going on here that I don't understand.)

Thanks!

Sue

Valerie said...

Theresa..
I don't see any threading errors in the draft. What I do see are areas where there are 5 thread warp floats adjacent to 4-5 thread weft floats. That means the threads have a lot of room to shift around. That's where I think you are getting your ribs because the threads collapse into that space upon wet finishing.

Using a tabby would prevent this by stabilizing the threads in these areas.

I can't tell from your sample picture if ever did just a straight twill treadling. From looking at the draft, a straight twill treadling should also eliminate the vertical ribs and you wouldn't need to use a tabby.

Nice fabric...and neat draft. I always forget to look there for drafts. Thanks for the reminder. Happy New Year!

Sharon said...

I took Teresa's advice too. I cut my sample in half and shared it with another weaver. Felt good.