Painted Warp Scarf Project

Soooooooo...........  the painted warp is finally on the loom.  This is a project which has so far, taught me many lessons.

First, I decided to put on a dummy warp and decided to do a sample scarf with it, to check the weave structure.  I was going to use a diamond twill, but in a flash of inspiration - thanks to Debbie and the last guild program - I opened up my copy of A Handweaver's Pattern Book.  I gave myself just a couple of minutes to scan through the drafts, find one which used both the required number of pattern threads I'd originally planned for and looked like it would work for a scarf.   Once done, I dug up some yarn to use for the sample warp, only once I actually compared it with my wool/silk blend, there was too much of a different in grist to use.  The only yarn I had close was a skein of in hindsight, too stretchy sock yarn.

I pushed on, winding the warp and when the written yardage wasn't quite as much as was indicated on the label, I added in a few threads of another nicely contrasting yarn.  I dressed the loom and wound on that warp and realized then that the elasticity of the yarn would need to be accounted for when I set the weft threads.  After all those rugs, beating lightly to place the threads, was an interesting task.

The scarf wove off quickly, although I miscalculated with the stretch and wove a long scarf and left only a barely workable amount of loom waste for tying on.

I used a deep grey for the weft which worked nicely with the colours of the sock yarn.  I think I got the beat down quite nicely, considering I had to guess as the finished scarf is really quite nice.

I went to tie on the painted warp -  that was a fiasco.   First, I had started my painting at the wrong end, so that the cross was at the front and not with the loom waste!  So I tied on some lease sticks, and wound the warp onto the front beam.  I was using packing sticks, but not only did I wind the warp on a bit of an angle, but didn't use enough packing sticks, so when I went to tie on the warp, there was a different of about 18 inches from the left to the right sides of the warp.  ARGH!

With unwinding, a few choke ties and patience, I got the warp on the loom, with little problem.

Now I'm weaving this lovely pastel scarf.  Those colours sure looked more intense when they were wet and when they were side by side.  However if you're a pastel person, or really like subtlety, this scarf would be for you.  It might be the last pastel anything I ever weave though.

Draft is 2 Fold M's and O's from The Handweaver's Pattern Book - Marguerite Porter Davison.  With 3 different suggested treadlings, I have options to play with.