I'm ashamed to say I started this in 2009 and just finished it a couple of months ago. I wanted to use up all the little bits of handspun wool I had laying around and thought this might do the trick. It did make a dent, but I still have plenty of handspun hanging around.
This was done in plain weave on my rigid heddle loom in four sections. Coming off the loom the fabric looked like gauze. I fulled the cloth in the washing machine using hot water, soap and a little agitation. That closed the cloth up and made it a nice weight for the blanket. I was suprised the each of the sections turned out roughly the same size after fulling. The weft yarns were a real mish mash - different wool types, some singles, some 2-ply.
Now that I have a floor loom, I might try doing a double weave blanket on that and use up some more of this handspun.
did you bind the edges?
Thanks. I bound the top and bottom edges to cover the warp ends.
Great job! I've been thinking of doing the same thing with my own handspun.
Beautiful! What did you use for warp?
Good job! I made a couple of double weave afghans with a bunch of early handspun trying to use it up. I didn't. Like you I still have lots left. lol
You did well I'de say with all the yard weights mixed in. It's amazing what proper fulling does to wool. :)
I have a wool blanket here and it can't be agitited when washed, you add a special chemical to the cold water, let it set and just rince the water out. That was the instructions for taking care of the blanket. I washed it the end of the summer and it turned out great, dried it outside in the air. I love wool blankets. :)
Thanks Thistlhar34. It was fun to do, you'll have a good time doing the same with your own handspun. All the wools used have different stories. For example, the walnut dyed wool is from a Montedale fleece that was used one year by the Springwater Fiber Workshop in the Maryland Sheep and Wool sheep to shawl contest. And the walunt dye was made by the son of a former boss of mine.
Thanks Cynthia, the warp for all the panels is the same white handspun wool. The roving for the warp was from a mix of fleeces from down-breed sheep that I had sent out for processing.
Garic, thanks for the nice comments. Let me know if you have down another projects with your handspun. I need more ideas!
Thanks Reed Guy, wool is amazing. I was surprised all the different wool types worked out too. All of them were either fine wool (Merino, Corridale), down type, or medium like Romney or Coopworth. I think if I'd included any longwools I would have been in trouble.
