This is a gift for my daughter. I wanted to do a dornick's twill for the challenge. My daughter liked the pattern (from Mastering Weave Structures), and chose the colors. I had some trouble at first with mis-treadling (and subsequent unweaving). Changed the tieup so I could alternate my feet, and it went smoothly after that. Took me some time to get the rhythm, but thoroughly enjoyed doing this project, my first post rag-rug project. I am very deliberately not showing the two treadling errors that I missed. My daughter says that they are just proof that it is hand-woven! I am pleased with the evenness of the selvages, though there is some unevenness in the beat, though not overly noticable. Will try to post pic when it is finished an on her table.
Finished length reflects 5 inches for hems (1/2" turned under, 2" hems) in addition to takeup and shrinkage after washing. I chose hems instead of fringe to make laundering easier for my daughter. The hems are basted in; I will sew them using cotton embroidery floss slightly darker than the warp, allowing just a dot to show on the face of the runner. I used some orange to hold the web in place while I zigzaged the ends, and like the effect so much that next one (narrow runner for her sideboard) will have an orange band and fringe.
3rd try at posting weft, which form didn't get. Ivory 8/4 unmercerized cotton.
Hope all three attempts to post don't show up at once!
This looks so nice! I really think you should give some thought to fixing the errors if there are only two. The one I can see in the photo looks like it would be fixed if you removed just one pick -- BEFORE wet finishing. Maybe one removed/added pick would fix the other one too. If not, maybe consider making two smaller runners from this piece. Just for your own peace of mind. I know I cringe when I find an error in my work, and occasionally just have to live with it. But if there is any way to fix it I would.
You've made the leap from coarse rag rugs to fine fabric weaving -- isn't it great to have a whole new set of project ideas?!
Thanks for posting and telling the story. Your daughter appreciates and loves it and that's what really matters.
Bonnie.
I thought of fixing the errors, but didn't for several reasons. One one, it would have meant more than one pick. Both errors are within a foot of the end, and I could have simply made it shorter, but my daughter asked me to leave them. There is a story here. I had just warped this up when my brother went to the hospital with what was thought to be pneumonia. He had been feeling poorly for a few weeks. It was discovered that he had a particularly aggressive, advanced cancer. He died just a week after entering the hospital. I could not get to the west coast, so between telephone calls to update me, I wove. And unwove and rewove. I finally was able to weave several inches of web without mistakes. When I made another, I deliberately left it in. I missed the second (a few inches further in) altogether until after I'd taken it off the loom. That is the one you see. Somehow they seem fitting. I went through a lot of memories while weaving and those errors remind of how human we are, and how imperfect, and it is ok.
That sheds a whole new light on the issue and I'm so glad you bothered to reply as I so completely relate to your story. Some of my weaving errors remind me of my mother and the ups and downs of her last few months.
Offering my sincere condolances,
Bonnie.
I am thinking this is really a classic pattern and a beautiful project—it certainly caught my eye among the projects posted recently.
So sorry to learn of the loss of your sibling.
