As part of an Apprenticeship Program I decided to weave overshot yardage to make into something wearable. My dream is to weave a coverlet "someday" and this takes me one step closer. The finished yardage will be cut ( a first for me) and made into a vest. My goal is to have it completed by the end of March. If the studio had been closer it would have taken less than 4 1/2 months to complete to this stage, but it is almost a 2 hr drive one way - and well worth it.
It was time consuming to warp at 880 ends. I wish I had taken the time to make it wider, the loom has 60" width, but at 37" it was the widest I had ever worked with. Once I adjusted to the heft of the loom it was smooth. I'm still not sure I would want to max out the width. Betty does not have sliding bench and I had to get up to advance the warp which was a nusience.
I wove about 2" using a black 32/2 cotton for the tabby and what a difference in the color. I really liked that variation, but I am not rewarping (besides I don't have anymore of the blue). I purchased the blue (and several other colors) at Md Sheep & Wool over the last few years from the guy by the middle door in the big barn - some of you know who I mean, large skeins of "embroidery" cotton. The 20/2 Pima cotton was from The Mannings.
It just came to my attention last night that Margueritte Davisson's book is for a sinking shed and since I used a jack loom the real pattern was on the bottom, although it was beautiful to watch on the backside as well.
The vest will be lined and I've been advised that since I'm going to line it then I don't need to finish the edges in any way. I'm unsure of this? This sewing expert has not worked with handwoven yardage before. I am up for suggestions. There is enough yardage (I hope) to make a pillow top as well.
Thanks for the interest.
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