Wee Pine Tree Coverlets

Wee Pine Tree Coverlets for Baby
Showing both top and reverse sides

Thanks to "Diane in Oregon" I know the original source for this Summer & Winter draft is Mary Meigs Atwaters' Recipe Book: Patterns for Handweavers. Thanks, Diane!

My previous Summer & Winter towel project was the warm-up act for these Wee Pine Tree Coverlets for Baby. The towels were 17" wide in the reed. These little coverlets were 37" wide in the reed for a finished width of 33" wide.

Wee Pine Tree Coverlet for Baby
To show tree trunk colors

Tough as it is to confess it, this was my most difficult warp or very near it. The tan ground yarn in both warp and weft was not quite strong enough and broke easily. It was a 20/2 unmercerized cotton mill end from WEBS.

Again I placed four darker brown ends and one subtly variegated end through the center of each tree trunk in both warp and weft. The resulting grid pattern is pleasing to the eye.

I began the warp weaving topside up, lifting five harnesses against three sinking ones. Never have I dropped shuttles as often. After the first piece I re-tied and wove the remaining three from the reverse side.

Wee Pine Tree Coverlets

The first three coverlets are all woven using 10/2 perle cotton as pattern weft. The bright, bright "sunburst" green coverlet was the final one of this warp. True to form, I waited until the last one to "go out on a limb" and try something slightly different. The bright green came from a friend of a friend who had been a machine knitter. At 14/2, it was an odd size for weaving. But it was cheerfully bright and soft so I tried using a double strand. The result is a soft blanket with slightly more weight than the others. It is slightly out of square but lovely none-the-less.

Wee Pine Tree Coverlets

Yes, these were trouble. In spite of it and of a few obvious errors here and there, these are four sweet Wee Pine Tree Coverlets. I hope four precious little ones enjoy snuggling sweetly beneath them one day.

Warp On/Weave Off,

RepWeaver

Evolving While Weaving

I heard from Jasper’s grandmother that he and his family are thrilled with the bright green and yellow Wee Coverlet. May it warm him and the lively colors delight him for years to come. Thinking of him makes me happy.

Wee Swedish Coverlet Warp #113

Fresh off the loom is my final warp of Wee Swedish Coverlets. It’s been nearly two years since I began weaving the “Norse Kitchen” draft. It’s interesting to keep working with a design over a period of time. Repeating a warp over and over offers time and opportunity for experimentation and discovery. By now I feel I know the “language” of this draft. And I made it enough my own to rename it “Swedish Kitchen” and “Swedish Wee Coverlet”.

There is always more to learn. I don’t presume to know anything more than anyone else. My constant disclaimer is, “This is what works for me right now.” Which goes to show that my techniques are constantly under review and often changing. Nothing substitutes for experience. Weaving at the loom is the perfect time to imagine and consider improvements. New ideas pop up all the time. Weaving friends, guild speakers and workshops inspire further thought. Ideas come from books, magazines and groups such as Weavolution. It’s important to admit to myself that I will never know enough while at the same time pursuing as much wisdom as possible.

Stack of 15 Wee Swedish Coverlets minus 2 already in use

Weaving many warps in order to learn as much as I can produces a surplus. Using the Swedish Kitchen draft I wove a total of 73 pieces on nine separate warps. That’s a lot of Kitchen towels and Wee Coverlets. Some of them I will keep for future gifts to family and friends. Two babies already enjoy their coverlets. Other towels and coverlets will go into the Seattle Weavers’ Guild annual sale.

Next time I will post more photos from the last Wee Coverlet warp. Here is the whole stack of 15 from three warps minus the two already in use by my granddaughter and baby Jasper.

Immediately after I snapped a few photos of the way these are hemmed, a commenter asked how I finished them. So next time you can expect to see photos of the way I sew hems.

Warp On/Weave Off,

RepWeaver

Wee Coverlet in Action

Grandbaby enjoys her Wee Coverlet

This is our newest grandchild snoozing beneath her Wee Swedish Coverlet. Mama says little one spends time examining her blanket, looking at pattern and color changes, and doesn't cry right away on waking. This makes her GrandMama very happy.

Next you see another photo of the six Wee Coverlets from my bright green warp. It was very special to me that one of my weaving friends wanted the yellow one for her new grandson, Jasper. I wish him many pleasant slumbers over a long happy childhood.

The third color way of this warp is in progress. I'm not sure if I will like this version, the colors are a bit dark. But who says baby colors must be pastel? I don't understand because babies are good at making stains. Why shouldn't their clothing and bedding be colorful to begin with? That way keeping baby things looking nice and clean is easier for parents. Colorful wraps set off a baby's natural beauty. Bright colors are happy colors.

Another view of bright green Wee Swedish Coverlets

I intend to offer one or two Wee Coverlets at the Seattle Weavers' Guild annual sale October 27-29, 2016 at St. Marks' Cathedral. If you are interested and in the area, please stop by. Our guild is a group of many talented weavers whose incredible work will be on display. Even if you do not wish to buy, you will not be disappointed with the show of beautiful handwovens. And, as a bonus, weavers are very nice people. Stop by and say hello.

Warp on/Weave off,

RepWeaver

Each One Precious

Wee Swedish Coverlets for Baby by RepWeaver

Weaving Wee Coverlets takes time. Each one is a labor of love. And that is how it should be. Time spent weaving these is perfect for contemplation. For me it really, truly is about devotion. It is my way of adding color, texture and warmth to new lives. Most importantly, it is my expression of love for little ones. Babies are so very precious. May babies and children ever be wrapped in love; may they ever feel precious and cherished. That is my wish for every child wrapped in a Wee Coverlet.

When UKI discontinued 20/2 perle cotton in colors, I ordered several cones from The Georgia Yarn Company. Choices were limited and, without sample cards, color names were all I had. Maybe there was a thumbnail shot of each color, but screens vary. So when the yarn arrived I was surprised at the intensity of this green. The color name is “Kelly Green”. I’d imagined it would be darker. Here was a challenge.

Wee Swedish Coverlet by RepWeaver
Showing Front Side

The warp and Tabby are Kelly Green with purple and yellow stripes plus occasional variegated ends. This particular variegation wasn't as bright. It has teal green, yellow, purple and white and was a bit of a stretch. The two sides of each piece are very different from one another. Variegated ends show more on the underside.

Wee Swedish Coverlet by RepWeaver
Showing Reverse Side

Recently I showed these latest Wee Coverlets to a group of my weaving friends. One of them asked if I thought there were any bad color combinations. I took this as a compliment as it is an excellent question. After a moment’s thought I replied, “Yes”. My idea of a bad color combination is one in which color values are too similar. If value and intensity are too close, pattern and structure can be lost. Scale also plays a part. Equal parts of similarly valued colors compete equally for attention. It is better to use more of one or the other. The “bad colors” question is food for further thought. What a great question!

Weaving this warp of Wee Swedish Coverlets was pure joy. The brightness of the warp and frequent color changes in the included variegated ends added interest. I wish for these six little blankets to swaddle six precious infants well into childhood. Younger siblings may enjoy them, too. That is if the older isn’t a “Linus”, clinging to his blanket for security. Or perhaps a beautiful beloved blankie will be too treasured to relinquish.

Warp On/Weave Off,

RepWeaver

Wee Swedish Coverlets by RepWeaver

Wee Swedish Coverlets, Continued

Wee Swedish Coverlets by RepWeaver

After lengthy procrastination, finally I have a few more photos of my Wee Swedish Coverlets. For the longest time they sat in a neat folded stack on my kitchen island. My camera sat atop the stack.

These blankets are crib sized but still large enough to challenge my photographing capabilities. Perhaps if I had a crib it would have been easier to stage them. These are not excuses so much as evidence of my lack of confidence. In any case, here is what I managed to capture today. Perhaps these photos will give you a better sense of my Wee Coverlets. Now I can email photos to my daughter so she will be able to choose one of these for our tiny grandchild.

Wee Swedish Coverlets showing both fronts and backs

Weaving progresses on the second color way of these coverlets. I am working on the fifth one on the bright green warp and chose a bright pink for the pattern weft. We’ll see how that combination works. Until it is finished and washed I will not know for sure.

Warp On/Weave Off,

RepWeaver

Wee Swedish Coverlets

Finishing Touches

Trimming ends with appliqué scissors

When I take cloth from my loom I hem or edge finish the pieces before I wash them. After that  they go right into the washing machine with warm water and regular detergent. Next they go into the dryer until nearly dry. After that I press them until dry. 

It isn't until then that I take a close final look at each piece. Next comes trimming off all the little loose ends left from refilling shuttles or changing colors. I think of it as akin to writing "The End" after the final chapter of a book, not that I have ever written a book. But the final step in a project is satisfying, a certain kind of fun.

Do you have one of these? This little appliqué scissors is made by Gingher. Its sharply pointed and curved blades make trimming ends neat and accurate.

Right now I am about half-way through weaving a second warp of Swedish Wee Coverlets. The color is eye-popping. Some tiny children are going to love these. Let's hope their Papas and their Mamas like them, too.

Warp On/Weave Off,

RepWeaver

Wee Swedish Coverlet

Wee Swedish Coverlets by RepWeaver

With the arrival of our newest grandchild I needed to weave another Wee Coverlet. Since the Swedish Kitchen draft has been a success, I thought it would be nice to try it as a baby blanket. Mom’s favorite colors are blue and yellow and our baby is a fair, blue-eyed bundle of joy.

Here is a photo of the stack of five Wee Coverlets from this warp. Now all that is left is for me to snap more photos. I’ll post those when they are available. After that my daughter will have to choose one Wee Coverlet from the bunch for her sweet baby girl.

Corner Block of Wee Swedish Coverlet

Nearly glow-in-the-dark warp

Since these are finished, I am working on the next color-way of this design. This one is going to be eye-popping bright. I had been pondering how to use this kelly green 20/2 Perle Cotton from UKI. Paired with a variegated yarn plus yellow and purple this ought to be a winning combination. This new warp is so bright it might just keep me awake at night. Let's hope it doesn't have the same effect on babies. It is going to be fun choosing pattern weft colors.

Warp on/Weave off,

RepWeaver

Wee Coverlet in Action

Our daughter chose one of my Maltese Cross Wee Coverlets for her little guy. We had the chance to see her and both of our grandchildren in August. Wish they lived closer. Handwoven blankets are one way I can wrap them in my love from 2300 miles away.

This is my little grandson napping with his Wee Coverlet.

So far his blond curls have not seen a scissors. I'd have a hard time snipping them, wouldn't you?

Wee Coverlets for Baby Revisited

 Wee Coverlets are a blast to weave even though they take a lot of time. I wanted to thread another warp. Here is the result - seven coverlets and a small eighth piece, perhaps a ⅔ coverlet.

Wee Coverlets for Baby by RepWeaver

The warp is 20/2 mercerized cotton in Natural with a few yellow ends and two variegated ends in the borders. The pattern wefts are 10/2 mercerized cotton.

Wee Coverlets with source book.

This is the little book where I found the Miniature Overshot draft I used. The title is Miniature Patterns for Hand Weaving: Part II by Josephine E. Estes. This book is in the public domain. You can find it as a PDF here: Original Miniature Patterns for Hand Weaving: Part II
The draft I used is Maltese Cross found on page 9 of the book.

Detail of Wee Coverlet, Maltese Cross by RepWeaver

Detail of Wee Coverlet, Maltese Cross by RepWeaver

Next you see a couple of close-ups to show you how the border colors worked out. The maroon one looks different than the rest because I used the warp yarn as tabby until it ran out. After that I substituted a tan yarn, slightly darker than the warp color. The result makes for a livelier background that I find pleasing.

 

Two Wee Coverlets side-by-side for comparison

Here are side by side coverlets from two warps. The one on the left is from a previous warp. Its draft is Lover's Knot I. The one on the right is a Maltese Cross wee coverlet.

Studio Helper

Dear, dear Dot. She truly thinks this is helping. As far as our two cats are concerned, the loom is nothing but a jungle gym. A nice big jungle gym from which no end of adventures in climbing and jumping are to be had. That might explain several of the more interesting scratches to be found there. Kitten intervention may be more annoying than otherwise but really, how can I argue with such a sweetie?

Dot hard at work.
As you can see here, being cute takes quite a bit of effort.

Dressing my loom took a bit of time and effort over the long weekend. In this warp there are 1139 ends of 20/2 cotton sett at 30 e.p.i. It is 38" wide in the reed. That is a problem because my widest temple, the one you see here, expands to a maximum of 37". Argh! Guess I didn't think about that when designing this project. So I had to order a wider temple and am hoping priority mail really means two days. It is supposed to be only two days, isn't it? Or is that just a soft target?

Here you see the first of my latest round of baby coverlets, this time in a miniature overshot pattern from Josephine Estes called "Maltese Cross". I can't decide which this orange color way reminds me most of -- Dixie Cups or Creamsicles. Which do you think fits?

Warp On, Weave Off
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