On the Ply

This is rather exciting. Using what I already have makes sense to me. Finding new ways to use what would have otherwise been binned is especially fun. Once the idea of plying my knotted thrums using the drop spindle method occurred to me, I was off and running.

Here I'm weaving a Rep Weave Placemat using knotted and plied thrums as thick weft

Knotted thrums add colored bumps poking up between warp ends. I worried about the effect those bumps would make in the finished weave but the added texture turned out to be a plus. The added interest serves to camouflage crumbs, a valuable trait in a placemat.

Rep Weave Placemat
8/4 Cotton Carpet Warp colors - Black and Tan
Knotted and plied thrums as thick weft

Rep Weave Placemat
8/4 Cotton Carpet Warp colors - Black and Tan
Knotted and plied thrums as thick weft, reverse side

Rep Weave Placemat
This one is still on the loom in the first photo.
This warp is a multi-ply marl that had been sitting on my shelf for years.

The third warp used Christmasy colors but will work at other times of year, too.

The reverse of the Christmasy colored Placemat

Here are the three color ways of my Rep Weave Placemats
with knotted and plied thrums as thick weft

We have enjoyed these placemats for several weeks now and all three color ways are pleasant. They wash well, too - always a plus.

Here's wishing 2019 is a year chock full of happy weaving adventures for you.

Warp On/Weave Off,

RepWeaver

Why Not Ply?

Having used I Cord thrums for several Rep Weave projects I finally admitted to myself that repetitive motion was taking a toll. As I wove the first place mats on this warp I thought and thought about how I could still use thrums while saving my hands.

Rep Weave Placemat using I Cord thrums for thick weft

The reverse side of the same Rep Weave placemat

I'd thought about plying knotted thrums but getting out my spinning wheel and actually doing it was another issue. Then the idea struck me of hand spinning several strands together with a drop spindle approach.

I filled eight bobbins with knotted thrums. Putting them all into a bin I took hold of the ends together as one and pulled the strands out in a single bundle. I kept pulling and pulling until the whole length was laid out on the floor. Then taking the eight ends together I began winding them on a ski shuttle. Every now and then I’d put a half hitch around the shuttle end, hold it up and spin it around in drop shuttle fashion to put a slight ply into the eight strands. Winding on at intervals, I filled the ski shuttle. It was fun and easy.

Here are my eight bobbins of
knotted 8/4 Cotton Carpet Warp Thrums.

The resulting plied yarn made for lovely thick weft in my placemats. Color changes were more muted than in the I Cord version. The ply twist made interesting effects. My hands were happier.

This new use for thrums is an exciting discovery. Now I’m thinking and thinking of other ways to use thrums. Creativity has been awakened.

Next time I'll share photos of my knotted and plied thrum placemats.

Warp On/Weave Off,

RepWeaver

Thrums Placemats

Happy New Year!

Since I missed wishing you a Merry Christmas, I just thought I'd better make my New Year greeting early.

I do hope everyone had a lovely Christmas celebration and that the happy glow is ongoing. We were (yet, again) dealing with things medical so our festivities were somewhat muted, but perhaps more meaningful. In any case: Happy New Year to you and yours.

Rep Weave Placemats
I Cord thrums as thick weft

Here is a quick snapshot of my Rep Weave Placemats using the knotted thrums described earlier. Since the thrum color changes are abrupt, I designed a simple overall block design in the warp. The mats are extra wide on purpose. They are sturdy yet pliable and very good insulators, altogether satisfying to use.

Watch for a few more photos of these soon. For now, duty calls elsewhere but I'll be back.

Happy New Year 2019!

Warp On/Weave Off,

RepWeaver