Tuesday’s Weaving Tip – Sampling
This week’s weaving tip comes from Barbara Elkins via Daryl Lancaster who will be teaching at WEBS in April, Garment Construction & Finshing Techniques and Exercises & Inspiration for the Color Challenged.
Daryl Lancaster in her studio
Many weavers don’t want to put a separate warp on the loom to check sett and finishing and lots of times we trip up. Here’s a way around it.
On a wide warp, wind a half-yard more than you expect to need and weave 12”. Cut the piece off, stay stitch around the edges and divide the fabric in thirds. For a scarf warp, add a yard and a quarter to the length of the warp and weave off a yard and divide it into three pieces.
Don’t do anything with one piece. Hand wash and air dry one piece. Put the third piece in a mesh laundry bag and throw it in the washer and dryer with the rest of your laundry. Compare the pieces and you’ll be able to tweak the sett and/or finishing of the final fabric.
Do you ever take the time to weave a sample before starting your project?
Dena
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Tags: Daryl Lancaster, how to, Tuesday's Tip, weaving tips
March 20th, 2012 at 2:13 pm
I have learned the hard way to sample, sample, sample!!!! I am blessed with a couple of table looms I can use for this, one of them a unique “Structo” with 16 shafts. Sampling seems like a lot of trouble, but it can save you more trouble down the line. The only stuff I put on a loom without it are the “tried and true” stuff I weave repeatedly, so, I guess the “sampling” is ‘way back there somewhere. ANY time it’s something new, SAMPLE!!!!!
March 20th, 2012 at 5:04 pm
I confess I rarely sample if you mean setting up a sample warp before doing a project. But I always add extra yardage to play with and sometimes I might cut it off before proceeding with the project so I guess I sometimes do sample! I always called it having fun with the warp.