oh dear, not even 10% into year 10, and I am already skipping a beat! I did not post a week 4 update as really I had no progress to report, apart a few rows of knitting. But this last week I have managed to make some progress, as well of course register some new weaving setback.
The good news first: I have completed the body of my second Squall sweater, including neckband. Here is a not-too-pretty picture:
I have also started the sleeves, which means managing 4 balls of yarn, as because this is kettle died, you want to alternate skeins – by the way, though I do not need this for the sleeves, but I needed it for the body, here is a super neat way of alternating skeins absolutely invisibly (that is without a “column” of stitches at the change), this is now my customary method of alternating skeins in the round (if you are impatient, skip to minute 2:00):
Now for the setback. I finished threading the heddles, and using my new “magic wand” I sleyed the reed and it looked like all was well and I could just tie my warp to the front beam and start weaving:
and then I discovered this:
Shock horror, forget about tension in this warp đ±
Well, not much to do here, the only way out is to unbeam, i.e. roll out the warp from the back beam through the heddles and to the front. It is a long warp, so anything that could go wrong is going wrong as expected: weights at the front to keep the bouts in tension do not work, as all the threads in a bout are of a different length, so the weight does not pull evenly. Then the heddles work as a comb at the back, and the yarn is bunching against them, forming a tangle at each turn of the back beam. And at the front, due to differential length, all sorts of loops are forming. The warp is cotton, the threads do have a tendency to stick together:
Good thing that I am patient…
It looks like the coming week will be devoted to sorting out this mess – hope one week is enough!
This is a year of projects (YOP) update. YOP is a Ravelry Group, and an idea â make a plan for the year ahead for all your fibre activities, then update your blog every week if you manage. The objective is to keep track of progress on any fiber crafts with maximum flexibility: post, donât post, follow your list, change it â so really it is just an opportunity to get to know of more blogs and activities of those who share a passion for anything fibre crafts. My YOP graphics “nicked” with thanks from Backstageknits!
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