Tapestry

During the recent decluttering project, a beginner-level tapestry sampler turned up. It will be fun to finish it and start another.

The weaving at the bottom of the photo is a cushion on the chair under the loom.

The weaving under the loom utilizes soumak, an important weaving technique in its own right

More Swatches

Odd bits of wool can lead to yarn-spinning experiments, which then are knitted up into swatches to see what sort of fabric the yarn would make. Some of the experiments reveal a fabric attractive enough to warrant a full-scale project. Other trial runs may be quickly abandoned.

 The swatches pile up, and over time there are enough to put together into blankets. So, even the abandoned bits turn out to be useful.

I can't imagine a nicer covering for one's bed than a colorful, abstract "art project."

More carder waste being swatched

Swatches from unravelled sweaters

Sample from last year's spinning experiment which didn't "have legs"

Mosaic knitting swatch, destined to go into a blanket

Scottish Blackface Sheep

Many of the waste locks incorporated in the project done this week were from Scottish Blackface sheep fleeces I bought two years ago. The locks are very long (see 10" mark on ruler in photo below), which makes them difficult to card.

"Scotties" have long-staple, durable wool which makes excellent carpets.

Border Leicester locks on left and Scottish Blackface locks on right

Scottie mom and her lamb

This is the look of a Blackfaced sheep before shearing (painting is from Ramshorn Studios website)

Some of my "waste" Scottish Blackface locks, 9 or 10 inches in length