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Waffle Redemption


I have been redeemed as a weaver through a series of organic cotton dish towels. My faith has been restored. I might be a little premature because they are being spun in the washing machine as I write. But I know they will come out beautifully
• because the yarn is beautiful: 6//2 organic cotton of a beautiful warm grey brown color – made even beatiful-er by the fact that I got 3 lbs/$10.00 at the Factory Sale of Textura Trading.
• because, I LOVE waffle weave. I think it is one of the best cheap thrills weaving has to offer. You can get super dramatic texture, super function and super aesthetic appeal all on 4 shafts.
• because I had exorcised all my bad weaving demons on the previous series of towels.

I threaded this set using shafts 1 & 2 for plain weave and shafts 3 – 8 for the waffle. I sley 2/dent in a 9 dent reed (18 epi) except for the last 6 threads on each side which i sleyed 3/dent. This made my selvedges firm and my beat even. I will post “after” photos tomorrow.

The after photos are added above – so okay – perhaps “redemption” is too strong a word. The major oversight in THIS project . . . is the incredible draw-in and shrinkage of the waffle portion of the towels (will I ever listen to wiser weavers than I ????) so that both the plain weave selvedges and the plain weave header/footer are fanned or ruffled. I am going back to the drawing board with two solutions. Thread the selvedges basket and weave very narrow headers with very fine yarn . . . we shall see.

COMMENTS
  • April 24, 2013
    reply

    I have just received some 6/2 Organic cotton by Fox Fibres and was so lucky to find your website. I have never used this yarn for weaving before but would like to make a baby blanket/throw for a family that has a nearby Organic Farm. Do you have any suggestions as to what weave structure would be appropriate and what sett I should use. I’m a fairly new weaver and excited to try this new-to-me cotton out.
    After seeing your beautiful waffle weave towels, I would like to use whatever is left from the blanket to try these as well.
    Many thanks for your help,
    Donna M.

  • May 13, 2013
    reply

    Ruthie

    I wondered if Donna ever wove her towels. I also have some 6/2 Fox Fibre organic cotton and would like to know what pattern, sett and so on that you wove. Elisabeth-Your towels are beautiful and I wish that I still had my 8 shaft loom, but alas I had to sell it when I had back surgery. I hope that you will post more projects.

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