Tree Trunks Twill

Concept
In May 2008 my wife and I visited the National Gallery of Australia to see the exhibition Turner to Monet. It was absolutely brilliant and I wished we could have stayed longer. I was very taken with "Tree trunks in the grass" by Van Gogh and I saw lots
of complex twills within the painting. When we got home I assembled some of my cones of wool that were as close as I could get to the colours of the painting and came up with a design for a striped twill scarf.

Details
Straight Twill, 3/1 tie up, straight lift
LeClerc Initiation 4S
Warp & Weft, Bendigo 2 ply (2927 yds/lb)
Warp colours, Mulga, Pampas, Guava, Sequoia, Moss
Weft colour, Seaquest
Sett 18epi
Width 12", 216 ends
Warp length 240""
PPI 16
Final width 11.5"
Final length (excl. fringes) 70"

Results
Well, I am going to have to try again to get a match with Vincent's colours but no matter as his picture sparked an idea. I wove the second scarf with a herringbone lift but to my shame I have yet to twist the fringe and wash it. It is currently masquerading as a wall hanging in the dining room.

There were quite a few first in the weaving of these scarves;

1. Taking the reed out of the beater and supporting it horizontally for sleying.
2. Using an end feed shuttle
3. Using a roll of paper to measure woven length
4. Cutting off the first item and then re attaching the warp for the second item
5. A home made friction brake
   
   
   
   
   

Herringbone Twill Scarf

Concept
This was my first twill scarf which I wove in November 2007. We had woven a twill sampler in class earlier in the year and I wanted to put what we had learnt into practise. Another driver was that I had just bought a load of 2 ply wool so there were lots of interesting colours to think about as well.

I put on a long warp, wove a multi coloured sampler and then wove this scarf. The idea of the broad stripes at the ends came from a Paul Smith scarf I had seen.

Details
Herringbone Twill (Marguerite P. Davison, Page 26, Threading No. 8,

Warp & Weft, Bendigo 2 ply (2927 yds/lb)
Warp colour,, Pampas
Weft colours, Pampas, Guava & Celery
Sett 18epi
Width 10", 180 ends
Warp length 182""
PPI 16

Final width 8.5"
Final length (excl. fringes) 55"

Results

I made a miscalculation on the warp length and ended up with only 55" of scarf ; I now use an adding machine paper roll attached to the cloth beam to determine how much is left to weave. I consider this as my "overcoat" scarf, to be tucked in neatly under the collar.

Considering the range of colours I had to choose from I think that I was a little timid in my selection. However, I enjoyed weaving it, made some good learning mistakes and have a scarf for occasional wear.

Erica Scarf

Concept
I wove this scarf in October 2007. I had just bought my first floor loom (LeClerc Initiation) on eBay and I was anxious to give it a whirl. This was also the first time that I had used a boat shuttle and the first time that I had worked on something that was not a part of our weaving lessons. I was trying for a "heathery" sort of colour scheme

Details
Plain Weave
Warp & Weft, Bendigo 2 ply (2927 yds/lb)
Warp colours, Venetian, Seqoia & Plum
Weft colour, Light Plum
Sett 14epi
Width 12", 168 ends
Warp length 98"
PPI 12.5
Final width 10.5"
Final length (excl. fringes) 62"

Results

There were several false starts and two unweavings before I managed to get the selvedges under control. The piece does not do too well if held up to the light for a close inspection of the evenness of the beat, but that is not too noticeable when I am wearing it.