Second Cotton "Scarf"

Well, I discovered not far into my Saori experiment that the warp was not long enough to make a second scarf.  Must have miscalculated in my hurry to get started.  The finished size of this piece is only 32 inches!  However I really like the look.  This type of Saori weaving is my favorite.

I have learned quite a bit from this "sample".  Of course there is the lesson - check and double check any calculations involving numbers!  I am number/math challenged, I admit it.

And, this is organic naturally coloured cotton.  This type of cotton is known to change colour when washed in hot water or even boiled (often done with plied yarn before use).  The first scarf (see earlier post) did not appear to change much, so I didn't think too much about possible changes when using another colour of the roving.  However, the light one did change more.

This one went from a light tan to a much greener shade.  What fun!

Also, I had to figure how to do this technique with charkha-spun singles.  Ordinarily one does this with a regular shuttle on the right (if right-handed) and a ball of yarn or a bobbin on the left.  I clearly could not just let a spindle of singles roll around on the floor under my loom, so I had to devise some method, like a lazy kate, to allow the spindle to unwind under control.  This is what I came up with, and it worked quite well.



I poked a hole in either side of this plastic food storage container.  Because it was flexible, I could bend it to insert the spindle into the holes.  Then I tried several placements of the little "lazy kate" and ended up with this one.  It is attached to the side of the added cloth tray to hold weaving implements that Schacht calls the "Wolf Trap".  From there it was easy to pull off as needed.

Because I like my Saori "sample" and want to find a way to use it, I was drawn to one of the books I ordered to read while here: Make Your Own Japanese Clothes, Patterns and Ideas for Modern Wear by John Marshall.  If you have not seen the gorgeous work of this artist, check his gallery here.

I am sure I can use this bit of weaving in a garment.  I am not sure that I am ready to take on weaving a whole garment from charkha-spun singles.  More thought and exploration is needed.

In order to use the patterns in Marshall's book, I need to take lots of measurements of my own body.  And I will need some help from my husband.  Not looking forward to that!  Then I will need to make a sample garment to test the measurements and fit.  Maybe I can find a nice Japanese print at my favorite quilt shop, Back Porch Quilts in Pacific Grove.  Nothing like an excuse to go there...

PS:  Do you like the sunset above?  It was taken from the back yard about a week ago.