Weaverly

I’ve been accumulating a collection of 3-yard strips woven on a rigid heddle loom. The yarns are all handspun wool and wool blends, plied, from a stash that goes back over 50 years. Spinners will recognize that wool yarns have widely differing takeup and shrinkage properties depending on breed of the sheep, amount of twist, yarn size, etc. Well, here’s a perfect demostration, laid out on my worktable.

The warp has seersucker-type ripples, and the selvedges meander in fantastic curves. I don’t mind the warp ripples. I rather like them. But the curving selvedges are another matter. Do I just ignore them and hide them in the seams, or, as I have done here, embrace them?

I have chosen the latter. I lap the selvedges and handstitch them with embroidery floss, in a running stitch. I let the selvedges meander as they will.

This blanket is headed for the bed in the spare room. The future occupants may or may not enjoy the meandering selvedges. I’ll let you know.

Department of Books: I just finished reading Worn by Sofi Thanhauser. Highly recommended for weavers, other yarnies, and for all other people who wear clothes.