Hope y’all are having a wonderful holiday season. Weather has gone from very wet to quite chilly here, and with some time off from work, I’ve gotten quite a bit of woolwork done! So first, some show and tell.
Blanket #2 off the loom and stitched together-
and after washing/fulling-
I didn’t get quite as much shrinkage on this one width-wise, but it did fuzz quite nicely. It’s a lighter weight than the first one. Will use it as is for now, but perhaps try to felt it a bit more later on.
And with the weaving project wrapped, I was able to make some significant progress on my argyle vest
and the back-
and the texture shot-
It’s exciting to see the pattern come together. And the fabric feels really nice. The yarns I chose for this are very different, both in texture and density, but they seem to be working well together. The natural Daphne brown/black two-ply is lofty and fuzzy, and the indigo dyed Esther three-ply is smoother and denser. A bit of an unorthodox combo, but I kind of love it.
The white diagonals are one strand of light fingering weight Felix/Frank held with a strand of Suri silk laceweight (from the Artful Ewe in Port Gamble, WA)- Really gorgeous stuff, and if gives a fabulous bit of halo- adding visual weight without bulk.
As we close out this year, I’m reminded of how lucky I am to have these crazy sheepy friends. Their variously colored and textured fleeces are the source of endless crafting inspiration and satisfaction.
So, a shout out to Daphne, Fiona and Dottie for all their work in the wool-producing department. Great bunch of gals.
Wishing everyone all a bright and happy new year!
And a happy new year to one of my most inspiring fiber friends!
Congratulations on the blanket and vest progress. I love the texture shot and descriptions of the fibers involved. I especially love your sheepy friends photo. Happy New Year!