Traveling Scarf Fringing Kit

I raced a bit last week to finish weaving a set of scarves and have them ready to fringe during some upcoming travels. Since I really prefer to always have a job to do, and am fairly done with knitting and needlepoint for at least awhile longer ... this is a fun and productive project to take with me.

I have seven scarves stuffed into this packing square, along with scissors for cutting off the coloured header at each end that keeps the scarf together until the twisted fringes hold, as well as the little fringe twister tool itself.

The finished scarves will be posted in July when fringed, washed, pressed, labeled, measured and photographed. Stay tuned!

Thoughts on Cloth and Life from an Honourary Doctorate

Charllotte Kwon, owner of Maiwa Handprints in Vancouver, Canada and founder of the Maiwa Foundation, recently received an honourary doctorate from the University of the Fraser Valley for her work with artisans in developing nations - particularly weavers in India.

Charllotte had some words of wisdom in her address to the audience. Here is one segment that really spoke to me:

When I thought about how to address an auditorium of graduates, I thought: each person is like a length of cloth. 

For many of the artisans I work with, cloth is believed to be a living thing. Something invested with potential. As a cloth ages, it records a narrative. Like a person, its best qualities become more pronounced with time, and like a person, it can be stained or tainted. Like a life it can unravel, or be torn apart. 

But it can also be mended, cleansed, renewed, embroidered, patched, and ultimately coveted.

Her full speech is presented in the Maiwa blog at http://maiwahandprints.blogspot.ca/ - go to June 18, 2014.

Congratulations, Charllotte!

11th Batch of Shetland Wool Blankets Finished

Six of the blankets are fringed, washed, pressed, labeled, measured, photographed and ready to go. There is a wonderful variety in these blankets from just one warp.

SH059 | 100% wool | 192 cm x 130 cm (75.5" x 51") | $250

SH060 | 100% wool | 175 cm x 127 cm (69" x 50") | $250

SH061 | Approx. 3/4 wool, 1/4  brushed mohair |
187 cm x 133 cm (73.5" x 52.5") | $350

SH062 | 100% wool | 200 cm x 127 cm (79" x 50") | $250

SH063 | 100% wool | 183 cm x 123 cm (72" x 48.5") | $250

SH064 | 100% wool | 170 cm x 127 cm (70" x 50") | $250

SH065 | 100% wool | Currently unfinished

Please contact me if you're interested in more information or photos for any of these blankets. 

3 Blankets on the Line

Three of the latest Shetland wool blankets dried on the line today.

SH061 | SH062 | SH063

SH061 on the left is about one-quarter brushed mohair, which makes it soft and ultra-cozy. The other two blankets are pure Shetland wool. All seven blankets will be posted with details on a new blog next week.

11th Batch of Shetland Wool Blankets

After all the cotton towels, blankets and scarves, it was time to return to my standby - Shetland wool blankets. I'm using a twill pattern that produces interesting circles, a refreshing change from all the diamonds. I wanted to produce lighter-coloured blankets, so the warp is a pale brown, silvery grey and cream - perfect for summer.

The first three blankets would give poor photos, so I skipped them. Two are in pure Shetland wool, and then the next is about one-quarter brushed mohair in two shades. The variations in colours from one end of the blanket to another will be really interesting when it's washed, and I expect it will be one deluxe blanket. Here are the colours:

Weft colours used for SH061 - two shades of Shetland wool and two of brushed mohair

The fourth blanket brings in some rich shades of blue:

SH062 on Loom

And the fifth blanket finally gave me the right feeling of "got it."

SH063 on Loom

This blanket continues the variations in final results from one warp:

SH064 on Loom

One more to weave, then I'll post photos and info for all of the blankets when they're fringed, washed and ready to go.