Cotton Blankets in Waffle Squares

I was really low on cotton blankets for babies and kids, and so this was my latest project. I warped on what I calculated for eight blankets and got nine. :-)  (Three are a bit short and reduced in price.) These blankets were super fun to weave! The waffle squares pattern on a 46"-wide warp was a dream for me and progress was pretty quick. I had some helpful input from Alison on contemporary colours for girls and boys, and yet many of these blankets are suitable for either.

Being 100% cotton, they're soft and cozy, and they machine wash and dry beautifully. One friend has one for her daughter and raves about how the weave structure helps her baby stay perfectly comfortable in a range of temperatures. That's really good to hear.

All of these blankets are one metre wide and about 140-150 cm long. Exact measurements are provided under each photo. Let me know if you're interested in any of them. I'll be sending several to Ottawa in my next shipment.

CS186 | 100% cotton | 148 x 100 cm (58" x 39")
Dusty rose with yellow edged in medium brown

CS187 | 100% cotton | 130 cm x 100 cm (51" x 39")
Graduated shades of pinks

CS188 | 100% cotton | 137 cm x 100 cm (54" x 39")
Navy, greens, medium blue, yellow

CS189 | 100% cotton | 134 cm x 100 cm (53" x 39")
Navy, medium blue and two greens, all separated with yellow

CS190 | 100% cotton | 145 cm x 100 cm (57"x 39")
Colours in photo are misleading - the stripes are olive green with light green and yellow

CS191 | 100% cotton | 148 cm x 100 cm (58" x 39")
Medium green, medium blue, plum, mauve

CS192 | 100% cotton | 153 cm x 100 cm (60" x 39")
Pinks and browns

CS193 | 100% cotton | 150 cm x 100 cm (59" x 39")
Plum, yellow and two shades of greeny blues

CS194 | 100% cotton | 153 cm x 100 cm (60" x 39")
Yellow, beige and white - shows colours shift in warp threading

10,000 Page Views!

One of the very interesting things about blogging is seeing all the stats. There's a lot of information available when you go into your blog's inner workings and see how the internet connects us all. I like to check my blog stats and see not only surges in interest after a new post, but where on earth viewers are located by country. There's tons more available on operating systems, browsers, most-visited posts and all that - it's pretty overwhelming.

I've been anticipating reaching 10,000 page views and it happened last night after yesterday stalled in the low 9990s.  I was pretty sure I'd be over 10,000 by this morning, and sure enough it happened. Here are some screen shots:

The last 24-hour period in which Cariboo Handwoven reached 10,005 page views

The last week, beginning with Saturday's MAJOR surge in page views

The last month of page views, showing that big surge a week ago. My post on
"Blankets Aren't Just For Horses!" really attracted a lot of interest.

Here are the countries represented in the 10,005 page views.  There are more,
and just about every part of the world has Cariboo Handwoven blog viewers. :-)

Those of you with your own blog probably have your own stories. It's all pretty interesting!

Twenty-Tree Twill Towels

Straight out of my last towel project, I wanted to continue integrating two consecutive lengthwise twill patterns and explore the variations from the different treadlings I could use. Towels are not only useful and beautiful to have in the home (or backpack or wherever), but I consider them like sketches for blankets. If I goof on a towel and it's not what I want - it's just a towel. However, often the goofs turn out quite well, and sometimes surprisingly well.

This project had a lighter sequence for the dark stripes, providing less contrast. I am pretty inept in my weave structure knowledge and knowing what I'm truly creating when I thread, tie-up and weave, but these recent experiments gave me some "Aha" moments as well as inspiration for more fun.

This warp was intentionally a bit longer, and from it I got 23 towels. Yes, that's a pun in the title for the sake of alliteration.

Here are some samples:

Two friends have first dibs, but there are plenty in my studio and more to come. And fourteen towels from these last two projects start their trip to Ottawa today.

They're all about 59 cm wide (23") and 60-70 cm (24"-28") long.

My Eighteenth Set of Shetland Wool Blankets

Weaving wool blankets continues to be really fun and enjoyable for me. I've woven over 100 blankets with a Shetland wool warp; most have the same wool for weft, but now and then I use my handspun wool, mohair or alpaca. These blankets soften and look better as soon as they get some use, so keep that in mind if you see them in person. :-)

Here they are, along with their current location:

SH106 | 100% wool | 172 cm x 127 cm (67.5" x 50") | Sold

SH107 | 100% wool | 170 cm x 127 cm (67" x 50") | Sold

SH108 | 100% wool | Sold

SH109 | Wool, mohair, alpaca, minor other fibres | 190 cm x 132 cm (75" x 52") | Sold

SH110 | 100% wool | 170 cm x 127 cm (67" x 50") | Sold

SH111 | 100% wool* | 188 cm x 134 cm (74" x 52.5") | Sold
* I remember buying dyed fleece at FibresWest in March 2013, which I used in this blanket.
It was quite memorable for me to get it directly from the producer. I think
 it's pure wool but it has a lovely lustre, so there could be some mohair in it.
 It was really lovely to spin. This blanket is about 50% handspun, it's very warm,
and it has a beautiful range of subtle shades of reddy browns - see detail below.

SH111 Detail | This blanket would look perfect on a leather couch.

SH112 | 100% wool | 185 cm x 127 cm (73" x 50") | Sold

If you're interested in any blankets currently in Ottawa, please email Alison: alison "at" cariboohandwoven.ca.  I'll be shipping towels to her soon this month and can easily add a blanket from my studio that interests you if you let me know. For blankets in my studio, feel free to contact me at jane "at" cariboohandwoven.ca and I can send you more information or photos.

Twenty Twill Towels

By the end of 2014, my hand towel supply was down to next to nothing, so I've been inspired to weave lots of towels this winter and spring and have some fun.

This project used a 16-thread twill repeat that was initially threaded 8765 87654321 4321. I'd beamed the warp with two dark stripes, and when I got to them I thought - hey, why not use a different threading for a little variety? I still needed a 16-thread repeat and decided on 1234567876543218. This would give the towels an interesting look because the dark and light stripes would produce different twill patterns.

I began with a tie-up of 3-3-1-1

and switched to 3-2-1-2 about halfway through the warp, which gave a tighter weave structure overall.

Both look great though. I really had some fun with different colours and combinations, and what I thought would look pretty awful ended up looking not bad once off the loom, and even better when washed and pressed.

On to my next towel idea!

Blankets for Valentine's Day

Two special blankets are finished and traveling to Ottawa soon. Both are my "Hearts and Chocolate" designs for Valentine's Day. Here they are with the details:

SH108 | 100% wool | 178 cm x 127 cm (70" x 50") | Sold
Rich red and dark brown with a tweedy light brown between the stripes

SH109 | Wool with mohair, handspun mohair and handspun alpaca
190 cm x 132 cm ( 75" x 52") | Sold
Wide bands of hearts, chocolate and ... snow?

The first blanket was woven entirely with my favourite Shetland wool that I've been using for several years. The second blanket started with Shetland wool on the warp with about 50% in the weft. The rest of the weft has alternating mohair and handspun mohair (hearts), handspun alpaca (chocolate), and handspun alpaca (white). This is one deluxe blanket!

If you're interested in either blanket, please contact me or go directly to Alison at alison "at" cariboohandwoven "dot" ca. She can let you know when they arrive and are available for viewing in person.

Cotton Blanket in Happy Use

This big cotton blanket sold at the medieval market in November to a couple I know pretty well. They actually visited my booth three times when, after leaving, they'd get another idea of a gift they'd like to buy and back they came. By the third time, we were laughing about this.

"He" bought this for "her" for Christmas. First, a close-up of it on the loom while being woven:

And here it is finished and draped:

Recently, I gently enquired about how she liked her blanket since officially receiving it, and here's the quick reply:

I love my blanket.  It is my couch buddy.

Good to hear!