Over the last few months, I have been hitting the loom pretty hard (which loom? This loom.) My friend was getting ready for her first baby, and requested one of my woven baby blankets. I used to make them pretty regularly; there was a period of a few years where many among my acquaintance were spawning. However, I hadn’t made one in years, and there was a pretty major hitch – my loom was already occupied with another project, which had been there for many, many months (*cough*years*cough*). It was one of those unfinished projects that seemed like such a great idea when you started, but eventually got chucked into the too-hard basket.
However, with the new impetus of my friend’s biological deadline, I dug up the yarn, set up the loom in front of the TV and got to work. The process of weaving the scarf was as horrible as I remembered. For future reference, do not use a fluffy yarn for the warp, no matter how good it will look in the fringe. And if sanity escapes you, and you DO use a fluffy warp, for goodness sake, don’t use a fluffy weft as well. Seriously. I’m not kidding.
In due course, and with attendant curse-words, I completed the scarf:
It really is hellaciously fluffy, but beautifully soft and silky. I gave it to my Mum for Mother’s Day, and she was really pleased – she loves the Silky Faux Fur yarn I used. Can anyone say: two birds, one stone?
With the scarf out of the way, I warped up for the baby blanket. It occupied the entire width of my loom, which made it a challenge. The wider something is, the more effort it takes for me to weave. The fuzzy yarn did not help matters – it was pleasant in comparison to the fluff, but still harder to work with than a smooth yarn. Eventually (which is to say, several days after my friend gave birth to her daughter), the blanket was complete, and on its way to its tiny recipient, where the fuzziness will keep her safe and warm in winter.
Crafty and Devious 