This medium-weight wool throw blanket project was warped and started weaving in late August, designed for my friend’s birthday, for her (nearly) one hundred-year-old Lauren-esque cabin in the woods, and her exquisite taste for moody old country interiors. It has become a labor of love and honor to weave piece after piece for the dark wood paneled walls and big wood stove stone hearth, as timeless country comfort is the mood of every room.

I got off to a rough start though, picking pin stripes of fuzzy yarn, alternating with slippery silk, wanting those mohair pinstripes to create a halo of fuzz, and the silk to sparkle like jewels imbedded in the wool, texture & color playing subtlety together. I only vaguely suspected the mohair would cause a problem in the weaving, and sure enough, right off, threads were sticking and each weft pass was pains-takingly fussy, and the weaving was slowed to a crawl. I confess, I wasn’t all that motivated and just made a little progress each day, through the weeks, at a snail’s pace.

But about halfway through the warp, I figured out a quick couple of movements to change things up, and suddenly there was a clear shed every time, the weaving sped up probably four times, and the incentive made me stay with the loom far longer each day. In a week I finished the second half, and an extra two days to do the finish work. I introduce to you, what we have affectionately named Da Blankie!

♣  Weaving Notes  ♣

What the trick was that sped things up was on the ‘up’ pick, I would lift the rigid heddle reed completely over the reed block and up to the warp beam, separating any under-tensioned or fuzzy yarns, then bring it back and place the reed in the up position — clear shed every time! I wish I had figured this out earlier, much earlier. One can’t do this with a conventional loom, and I attribute yet another reason why rigid heddle weaving is an excellent way to get the weaving done.

Another technique I learned by my own experimentation, that is better than a hemstitch in my opinion (which I never do anyway) is: Take each pair of ends (1 from upper shed, 1 from lower) which encase the last weft thread, tie those 2 ends together (once) to snug up to and encase the last weft thread, thereby holding everything in place. When I’ve tied 3 pairs, I divide those in two sets of 3, then twist the fringe.

My fringe technique: Place one set of ends in each hand, begin twisting each clockwise, then after a few twists, begin plying the two sets in counterclockwise direction as I continue to twist clockwise. Simply tie knots at 3″ then snip tassels at 3-1/2″ total. Which shrink at the finish to 3″.

• Yarn: Knit Picks Palette (from the cone) in Cream, Aloft mohair silk lace in Brass Heather, and Luminance silk lace in Triumph.
• Loom: Ashford 48″ rigid heddle loom.
• Warping method: Direct warp method, double threading from back apron rod, through front to peg. Wound on to back beam and threaded through reed: Palette, 1 end in every slot and hole, mohair 2 ends in slot and 2 in hole, silk 2 ends in slot and 2 in hole.
• Number of warp ends: 480 holes & dents possible on reed, plus 1 neutral shed on the outside of the reed, then doubled outermost 2 selvedge ends to make +4 = 485.
• Reed: 10 dent, 48″
• Width in reed: approx. 48″
• Sett on loom: 10epi
• Selvedges: doubled up outermost 2 ends and used a temple to keep fell at 48″.
• Sett after finishing: 12epi and 12ppi
• Finishing method: Twisted fringe, hand washed — without pressing water out, folded in half lengthwise and hung over bedroom outside rail until water stopped dripping off, then fluffed in machine on low heat for only a few minutes, then let dry hanging over rail doubled in half, shaking and changing out the blanket and changing the fold line a few times. Decided not to press so that the lofty fuzz wasn’t ruined, and the pebbly surface was actually nice. Finished dry measurements are 42 inches wide, and 88 inches long, not including fringe. Weighs 605g , or, 1.33 pounds!
• Yardage: Total yardage of yarn used for finished piece = approx. 2800y, figured from weight of finished piece and not including loom waste.