I just wound a warp of 72/2 Merino/silk/linen from Colourmart. I have 640 ends, 27 yards.  This project was planned to make scarves/stoles for next fall sales.  However, the yarn is not behaving as I thought it would.  I thought that the linen would give the yarn a little body and stiffness. Not!  You can see linen in the yarn, it's a little bit hairy, but it's extremely soft and extremely limp.  I've never seen anything like it (I'll post a picture when I find my phone), and I've never been so far off in predicting a yarn's properties.  I think it's too soft and too limp to show a lace structure well.  The warp itself is so pretty (it looks like a ribbon of honey colored metal) that I'm tempted into a satin/sateen project, but I will only have 8 shafts to work with.  I could do solid satin, but that's about it.  If this were yours, what would you do with it?

Comments

Fri, 02/24/2017 - 05:34

alene

what sett were you planning? Telling us that plus pictures will help us with suggestions.

 

Fri, 02/24/2017 - 06:02

Queezle

I have looked at that yarn on the Colourmart2 web site and wondered about it.  Have you actually woven something and tried wet finishing it yet?  That is what I would do - weave at least 6 inches, maybe a couple structures and different weft yarns.  It always surprises me after wet finishing...  Best of luck - the yarn does sound lovely - hoping you find your phone!

Fri, 02/24/2017 - 14:06

sandra.eberhar…

I got 64 wraps per inch, which gave me 32 epi for plain weave.  I think that this yarn would go a little closer sett because of the softness, except I usually sett lace a little more open.  Queezle, the main reason I am asking for advice is to avoid rethreading 640 ends after a disaster.  I have not found the phone yet. As soon as I find it, I will post pics.

Fri, 02/24/2017 - 14:09

ReedGuy

That wraps per inch is the same I use for 16/2 cotton from Brassard's, in which 32 epi is twill. Wraps to determine sett never works for me. It's close in some yarns and way off on others. ;)

Fri, 02/24/2017 - 23:50

sandra.eberhar…

Here is a pic of the warp.  The warp on the right is a silk warp destined for scarves.

Sat, 02/25/2017 - 00:01

sandra.eberhar…

I've had fairly good success with WPI for odd yarns.  Interesting about 16/2 Brassard.  I sett their 8/2 at 24 epi for twill and huck towels, though I read that most people sett 8/2 at 20 epi.  I found that a little too sleazy for me.  I have not tried to felt this yet; it may have enough wool in it to full.  You have to be very carefull fullling wool lace, it's a two step wet finish, but it could stabilize a loose fabric.  I'm just afraid that the yarn is so limp that the lace pattern will be lost.

Sat, 02/25/2017 - 02:29

ReedGuy

I always use 24 for their 8/2 in twill, but 20 for plain and lace.

I found with Jaggerspun merino wool, Bronson at least, looks like chains when washed. But not dissimiar to what I see in Strickler's book, using the same pattern. And no different than 8/2 cotton I have used for Bronson. Some experience pilling of the Jaggerspun on jack looms, I never did. I have a countermarch. Happy weaving. ;)

One exception to the wrap thing is overshot, I determine my sett from using wraps of both and plug them in a formula I wrote. I like the results. :)

Mon, 02/27/2017 - 10:47

Weavolutionary6

That yarn does look amazing!!!

With 8 shafts you could do mock/faux satin blocks, for which you only need 4 shafts per block. Let me know if you need more information on faux satin.

Good luck!

Mon, 02/27/2017 - 11:16

ReedGuy

If your interested in this idea, I have a posted draft for "false satin" block damask where I did towels. The threading I used was finer warp yarn than weft, so you will see doubled ends at the turn points of stripes. You don't need that. I got the false damask idea from browsing the book "Warp and Weft: Lessons in Drafting for Handweaving". pg 60 4-shaft cross twill tie-ups. Or for a true satin/sateen Block Damask on 10 shafts/5 treadles (could turn the draft for 5 shafts) page 65.