Blanket Love

I've been channelling the vintage vibe with this traditionally styled check blanket. I just love weaving. It's actually a whole load quicker than knitting and a great opportunity to experiment with colours. Rather than leave the ends as a fringe that's going to tickle half asleep noses, I've bound the ends with some cute floral fabric.

I dragged my trusty Ashford heddle loom out of the spare room and into the lounge and threaded it up with 100% New Zealand wool 8 ply Utuku yarn from The Wool Company in Taihape. Little Miss 4 has had endless trouble resisting the temptation to run her hand over the warp threads. She loves blankets, and can't wait to try out some weaving of her own. She is never very impressed when I tell her that the blanket is to be sold to another family. Though she likes the idea that something created by her mummy is going to keep another child warm and happy.

Ashford have some really good instructional videos on how to thread up a rigid heddle loom.
I used an 8/8 colour pattern and the 7.5dpi reed. Alternating 8 green and 8 pink threads for the warp, and 8 green and 8 pink for the weft threads. I threaded on 192 warp threads in total. Rather than breaking the yarn for the colour change, I wove the alternating yarn up one side of the work by including it with the end warp thread and wrapping the weft thread around at the end of each row.  

I've blogged the instructions for the bound ends in a previous blog. Its super simple and worth the extra effort for the contrasting texture and added cuteness.

One snuggly blanket looking for a cold day and a little companion.

Home Spun and Dyed

Everyone is familiar with the calender-esk images of happy, fluffy sheep grazing in sunny fields. But these days sheep are not really associated with clothing so much as lamb chops. We have become detached from the reality of where things come from. In fact, such is the success of the merino advertising, that some people don't even realise that merino's are in fact sheep. In New Zealand, low density pasture based farming practises mean that our sheep are far more environmentally friendly than many of their inside dwelling, prepared feed eating European counterparts. Yet despite its environmental credentials, mid-micron wool currently fetches next-to-nothing for the grower at the market. A situation not totally dissimilar to many other primary producers around the globe. So where does the alternative fibre - usually polyester or nylon - come from? This is not a question the average person asks themselves when they are sliding around the mall looking for the latest micro-trend. The answer is the same unfortunate truth as many other materials we encounter throughout our everyday lives - oil. So its not at all surprising that many among us are looking for a natural alternative fibre in which to cover our backs.  

This wool comes from the family farm. It's from the Romney bred of sheep and is a mid-micron weight. The fleece was washed and carded by Tai Tapu Wool carders, and then spun and dyed by me.

 The width of the fibre is measured and expressed in microns. Because this is a mid-micron fleece, it lends itself to a medium weight yarn.

As is customary, I started by spinning a single thread, then plied then together by spinning two strands together.






That's my lovely old Ashford traveller spinning wheel in the background. I got it from an auction  clearing house many years ago and it's so durable it will probably see me out.

I learnt to spin many years ago as a teenager. It's like riding a bike; once you learn you never forget how, no matter how many years intervene. If your keen to learn I suggest cruising the on-line auction sites for a second-hand bargain; as spinning wheels can vary in nature, you will want to stick to the same one until your confident and competent. Try finding an expert to help you learn. The majority of spinners tend to be woman in their 50s and 60s, and most are overjoyed to help a keen young learner.

 This is my Lazy Kate. Its job is to hold the spools of wool during the plying process.

This is the finished plied wool on the spool.

The next step is to reel the wool off onto the Niddy Noddy. I have to confess I don't know the origin of the name. It is extremely effective.
Once its been coiled into a hank, its all ready for dying. I used Dylon dye sachets and followed the simple directions on the packet. I usually only dye a small amount at a time, and half a sachet is sufficient to get the result I want. Be careful to measure out the correct quantities as the mixture calls for precision.

 

My three finished hanks. I haven't decided what to knit with them yet. I want to add another lovely soft colour and work on a stripe inspired pattern. All in good time... 

One Snugly Woven Blanket

There is always a place for a snugly blanket. Old or young, at some time or another we all need a handy snugly blankie for fending off those nippy picnic breezes, covering knees  and hands at the rugby-football-hockey, or cushioning a weary head on a long flight. From the cradle to the grave, the blanket never goes out of style.

Care of Mum, Dad, Trade me and Christmas, I was lucky enough to get my hands on this wonderful Ashford Heddle Loom and stand. This is the second project I have woven on it. The first was a girly pink, pale green and light blue baby blanket that looked just amazing, and was very happily received by one of my new mother friends. This time around I thought I would try something a little more masculine.

Using a variety of different coloured yarns is creatively very liberating, as I just let loose with the colour combinations without over thinking the overall design. All the yarn I use is 100% New Zealand wool 8ply. There are lots of New Zealand grown and manufactured wools available if you know where to look: Ashfords (Ashburton) and The Wool Company (Taihape) both make affordable, good quality yarns in a variety of colours - including some interesting variegated colours. 


There is little point in me attempting to explain the warping up of the loom, when Ashfords have such a great video tutorial on-line:
http://www.ashford.co.nz/newsite/tutorials/video-tutorial-how-to-warp-a-rigid-heddle-loom

This blanket used 210 warp threads. The 7.5dpi reed is the best one to use for 8ply yarn.

I used the following pattern for the warp threads: 12 Green, 8 red, 6 gray, 8 red, 6 gray, 22 blue, 12 red, 10 natural, 6 gray, 10 green, 18 blue, 6 green, 6 blue, 6 green, 6 blue, 10 red, 16 natural, 6 gray, 18 red, 6 natural, 12 blue.
For the weft thread I used all navy as pictured.

Time to just get weaving. It is much quicker to complete than knitting, as each row is done in a matter of seconds.

 

Ashfords have lots of on-line tutorials with all the information required to weave up a storm.

 

When the weft thread runs out, definitely join at the sides as it is much less obvious than in the centre of the work.

By join I mean overlap the ends of the old and new weft threads, as shown on the right.

 

 

All done and time to finish the ends of the blanket.

 As this blanket is intended for a baby or child, I did not want to have the fringed edges. Too tempting for little mouths to chew, and too fluffy and ticklish for little sleepy noses.

 

With this in mind, I tied the ends off in groups of 6; 3 threads on each side of the knot, and cut off the extra to about 3cm in length. This minimised the lumpiness of the knots and made them easier to tuck into the fabric band.

 

Cut the fabric strips the same length as the width of the blanket plus 3cm for seams.

I calculated the width of the strips based on a finished width of 4cm using a 1.5cm seam.

1.5+4+4+1.5 = 11cm

 

Turn the fabric right sides together and sew a 1.5cm seam on each end. Turn into the right side to form a neat end.

 

Press the 1.5cm seam under all the way along the band.

 

 

 

 

 

 Slide the ends of the blanket into the fabric bands and pin in place. Make sure the folded edges are positioned adjacent to each other on both sides of the blanket.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All stitched and ready to go. The zig-zag generally looks neater on both sides than a straight stitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One little lads blanket, just waiting for a belt of bad weather and a sleepy head.