JjD – Page 4

Auld Lang Syne (Scarf No.15)

Published on December 31, 2025August 2, 2026 by Jen3 Comments

A lot of the time I don’t realize the coincidences at play as I bring something to finish. For instance, the Scottish phrase “Auld Lang Syne” evoking the sentiment of “for old times’ sake” and “days gone by” . . . and my attempt at weaving to mimic an “auld Scottish tartan” design that my dear old friend and I planned the minute I got my first loom a couple of years ago (the very loom on which it is photographed) . Posted yesterday drying on the line, today here it is, fulfilling all those sentiments as it will be draped artfully over the shoulder of an old wingback chair which sits facing an old woodstove, in a very, very old cabin. For old times’ sake indeed, not to mention it is New Year’s Eve — happy 2026 everyone!

♣ Weaving Notes ♣

This weight of alpaca is truly perfect for the rigid heddle looms, using a 15 dent reed, because the drape is spectacular and there is enough room for the alpaca to bloom in the simple plain weave. Oh, and about the missing information in the notes; I wrote everything down on a piece of paper as I was calculating the design, then later lost the piece of paper, so it was accidentally thrown away.

Yarn: Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud lace weight, in Carson (dark grey), Alfred (medium grey), Arabella (dark green), Elizabeth (red), and Zadie (gold). 440 y = 50g
Loom: Ashford 20″ Knitters Loom
Warping method: Easy direct warp method for rigid heddle, 1 end in hole and 1 end in slot.
Number of warp ends: Not available
Reed: 15 dent rigid heddle reed.
Width in reed: 18.5″
Selvedges: I added 4 extra ends to each of the selvedges, as they tend to get pulled in, and I used a temple.
Sett after finishing: Warp 16 epi, and weft 16 ppi.
Color Pattern Warp & Weft: Not available
Finished: 3″ hand-twisted fringe, then washed and air-dried hanging, and lightly steam pressed. Measures 89″ long (not including fringe) and 18″ wide, and weighs 175g.
Yardage: Total yardage used for finished piece = 1540y, figured from weight of finished piece and not including loom waste.

Scarf No. 14

Published on November 30, 2025August 2, 2026 by Jen6 Comments

Levi came to visit, and as I was showing him my alpaca scarf series, I could tell that he admired them, and that perhaps he even wanted one, but none of the colors I had woven were appropriate for his blue & grey gentlemen’s style. So, the day before he was to leave I suggested he design one with the alpaca colors I had on hand and that I would weave it for him, and so he did, and by the time he was leaving back to Canada, I had already woven one repeat to show him. Then this last week was a determined effort to getting it done, and now it is finished and ready to send in the post. As usual, my technical weaving notes are listed below.

♣ Weaving Notes ♣

Yarn: Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud lace weight, in Carson (dark grey), Alfred (medium grey), Eleanor (light grey), and Bernard (blue). 440 y = 50g
Loom: Ashford 16″ rigid heddle loom
Warping method: Easy direct warp method for rigid heddle, 1 end in hole and 1 end in slot.
Number of warp ends: 228
Reed: 15 dent rigid heddle reed.
Width in reed: 14″
Selvedges: I added 4 extra ends to each of the selvedges, as they tend to get pulled in, and I used a temple.
Sett after finishing: Warp 16 epi, and weft 16 ppi.
Color Pattern Warp: 20 ends each of *Carson, Eleanor, Bernard, Eleanor, Carson, Alfred, Carson, Eleanor, Bernard, Eleanor*, Carson.
Color Pattern Weft: Same sequence as for warp *thru*, and ending in Carson.
Finished: 2″ hand-twisted fringe, then washed and air-dried hanging, and lightly steam pressed. Measures 76″ long (not including fringe) and 13.5″ wide, and weighs 118g.
Yardage: Total yardage used for finished piece = 1040y, figured from weight of finished piece and not including loom waste.

rescued from oblivion

Published on November 6, 2025August 2, 2026 by Jen5 Comments

Late in July I posted about a lot of handspun yarn I found in a drawer that I forgot about, in Consigned To Oblivion. It was the end of August I began to think about knitting it up in one of my own designs, my Calidez Cardigan. Now finished, this handspun sweater can be posted tomorrow to Canada, for my niece-in-law, who is such an extremely artful person, I think she will be able to appreciate the rustic handspun sweater, which is knit to her personal specifications. Just in time for the cooling of the season, rescued from oblivion!

(Sweater details on Ravelry here. )

Tweed Chronicles: Attenuated Combed Top

Published on October 18, 2025August 2, 2026 by Jen2 Comments

This is the first time, in all the years spinning from combed top, did it occur to me to simply try blending many colors of combed top together into one drafted ribbon of wool to spin. After watching all of Jillian Moreno’s videos on LongThread Media, I am now practicing her “attenuating” method, which this post is about (see my Blending Notes below if you care to read the tech stuff.) This Autumn I am busy spinning a lot of handspun, hoping to greatly downsize my accumulated fiber stash, while practicing spinning techniques, and speeding up the process quite a lot by learning to spin well on my Ashford e-spinner.

♣ Blending & Spinning Notes ♣

Solid merino wool dyed top from Paradise Fibers in Antique, Terracotta, Rust, Salmon, and Damask.
From each color I pulled off sections of top all approx the same length , then each one of the lengths I split lengthwise into half, then half again, equally 4 thinner lengths of each color in the same length.
Each of the 4 split lengths of 5 colors gets grouped together, and with tips together, I slowly begin to pull the colors together (Jillian calls it “attenuating”) incrementally stretching, or drafting. I do this a couple times for each grouping, then lightly wrap into a nest of fiber ready to spin.
As I did not card this top , I wanted to make the drafting as easy as possible without misaligned fibers, I wanted to try the attenuated top method. I see the point in this; it is not just blending colors, it is doing so while keeping the integrity and direction of the combed top, where if I put on the drum carder, would be lessening the integrity of the direction, no longer would be combed top, but carded roving from batts.
Spun singles, in “Z” direction, with low twist on my Ashford e-spinner. I’ve learned that with my method of knitting, the Z-spun singles would tighten twist in the knitting, whereas if it is S-spun, would loosen.
Trying a technique of using a button to run the drafting through to help reduce gripping motion on my hands as arthritis is to be avoided at all costs. I suppose technically this is drafting through a “diz”.
I do think the attenuated method of color blending makes a very crisp marl in the spun single, more so than carded blending would.

Sun Into Libra

Published on September 22, 2025October 4, 2025 by Jen9 Comments

The sun has gone into Libra, and now it is the Autumn equinox. This photo is my equinox tradition for years now, capturing the sinking sun’s rays throwing light up against the rafters, the beams glowing, and yet each year it is a little different. Autumn is my favorite season, a time of transition into cooler days with rain on its way, the fragrance of dampness in the woods, acorns, falling leaves soon, and a relaxation which overtakes me, knowing we have gotten through the worst of summer’s wrath… the equinox marks a happy time ~~ wishing a happy equinox to all!