Need help. This is my second attempt at blanket weaving using wool yarn. I was trying a project from a Handwoven e book called Warm and Cozy plaid blanket using Nature Spun Sport 3ply. I sett at 12epi as that was suppose to help achieve an even beat. Ppi were to be 12. I found this very hard to achieve an even beat with. I was using a temple. What am I doing wrong. I tried being very consistent but I just could not keep a nice straight twill line and achieve the correct ppi. Any suggestions would be very helpful. Thanks in advance.

Comments

Fri, 08/16/2013 - 14:38

Sara von Tresckow

1. What loom type are you using?

2. Is your beater underslung or hanging?

3. Are you really "beating" when you should perhaps be just gently pushing in your weft?

Blankets that are intended for fulling will look slightly sleazy on the loom and it can be difficult, especially with an underslung beater to achieve a light and even beat. Try just pushing your weft on the open shed. Change the shed and see how much "oomph" you need on this afterbeat to place the yarn so you get your 12 ppi.

This will take a bit of playing around, but Nature Spun Sport and 12 epi should be correct. Keep using your temple. Relax and enjoy.

Fri, 08/16/2013 - 15:16

Cleo

Glimakra standard and not beating just gently placing. I am a bit of a perfectionist. I cut off what I had done so far to see if when it is fulled if it will look better. I could see my unevenness and it was really bothering me. Tried to use a looser tension and that didn't seem to help either.
Fri, 08/16/2013 - 15:48

Sara von Tresckow

OK, then try with the double beat - it is difficult to get the results you are seeking with just a single tap. That first tap places your weft, then change the shed and tap lightly again - you'll be amazed at what this does to your fabric - the twill line will begin to have a nice line and the whole project will work better. I observed this form of "double beating" often when I lived in Germany and found that, to my amazement, when packing in a weft, the beat you use also affects at least the one behind it and perhaps 2 or 3 more. Certainly using the afterbeat "squares up" linens beautifully and should help your blanket.

Fri, 08/16/2013 - 23:24

ReedGuy

I make wool blankets and it does take a couple good beats to get it right, and maybe one more. I use a different yarn, at 8 epi. It's a double ply 'Heritage' by Briggs and Little, it is not their top yarn, but works.  If I go 12 epi I get elongated eyes in goose eye. 8 epi makes the eyes symetric. There is just no way one beat will do it. ;)

Sat, 08/17/2013 - 02:34

Sara von Tresckow

Nature Spun sport yarn is much lighter than your Briggs & Little - when I use sport weight from Brown Sheep (maker of Nature Spun) - 12 epi and 12 ppi is about right for a fluid blanket.