Hibernating

Since my last post, I've been working on a few things, mainly weaving related, with some knitting too. I finished the Regia cotton socks I started in January, mainly stocking stitch with a little purl patterning. 2.5mm needles, 64sts.

This is my TopsyTurvy Moebius (Ravelry link) finished complete with I-cord bind off. I did 3 pattern repeats and I've worn it outside a couple of times under my coat. It really kept my front warm!

I finally caved when confronted with the Snow Queen Shawl knitalong (Ravelry link) hosted by BadCat designs. I haven't knit any lace shawls for a while, and even though I don't get much use from them, I still like knitting them. The design as written uses a lot of nupps, but I'm using beads instead. Where the pattern has beads, I'm using different beads. They don't show up very well in this picture, but spreading it out properly isn't easy at the moment. The clear beads are 8/0 Crystal AB Matsuno seed beads, and the blue ones are Frosted light blue AB Matsuno seed beads. Click for bigger. I've reached row 7 of chart F so far.

Now for the weaving. Last time I had just got the loom warped for a twill sampler, using threadings etc from 'A Weaver's Book of 8 shaft Patterns' edited by Carol Strickler. The patterns are nos. 323 - 332. There are six different threadings and ten different tie up and treadling combinations. In my case read lever selections for tie up and treadling.

This is the top of the piece as woven. Notice the wider fabric where there were fewer long floats. The yarn is DMC Petra no.5 cotton sett at 17.5 epi. I'd started with 20 epi, but couldn't manage to get a balanced weave, so I resleyed after sampling. It was a useful learning experience and the thrill of all those patterns miraculously appearing was marvellous.

Since then, my hubby has designed and made a superb upgrade for my loom in the form of a sliding beater assembly, so that every beat is made at 90 degrees to the cloth, and also has the benefit of getting the reed very close to the castle to maximise the shed. It moves very easily, and is a major improvement. This is the warp currently on the loom. It's overshot on 4 shafts using 3/14 cotton for the warp and tabby weft at 20 epi, with more of the DMC Petra no.5 pearl cotton for the pattern weft. I've taken to keeping a mirror handy for checking the back side of the cloth, those pattern wefts have a habit of being a bit loopy sometimes.