More Sampling & Stuff

I have been keeping busy with sorting through my class materials after University.  I need to make some changes to a few things and make a few others more readily transportable.  I have registered my class to be taught at Pennsic on Thursday of Peace Week and Tuesday of War Week.  It is also my hope to host a Viking Fiber Arts get together at some point during War.

In the meantime, I am playing with more samples.  I have some Jaggerspun Maineline 2/20 on my rigid heddle loom to test out sett.  It might be a bit loose at 25, but we will see how it washes up.  I also plan to test it at 20.  Then next will be Jaggerspun Superfine 2/18 if I can find the cone of yarn I ordered.  The samples of the EPiC wool are finished and I will photograph all samples when I have wet-finished everything.

I also opted to toss some of the fine wool singles onto my small Cricket loom to test it out (and to try to weave a Dublin scarf).  I really thought I would have more issues with it than I am having (especially given that the loom is not equipped for weaving with two heddles).  But it seems to be working reasonably well for what it is.  I look forward to seeing how this project progresses.

Jaggerspun Maineline on the rigid heddle loom.

Fine wool singles warp on a Cricket loom.

I will note that the Cricket loom (a small rigid heddle loom made by Schacht) is not ideal for 2 heddle use.  It does not have the support system for the second heddle, but it can work if you are willing to take the extra time needed for set up.  As you can see below, threading can be a bit awkward.  I have the second heddle in the neutral postion, while the first is in the "down" position.  I used rubber bands around the wooden top of the heddle that attach it to the heddle support to help keep it upright.  Additionally, I used a dowel under the read heddle to allow it to sit higher and tilt back for easier threading.  (I direct warped through the back one, wound onto the beam, then removed all of the yarn from the heddle to thread the heddles.  This might be one case where your warp will be more neat if you use a warping board and warp using a cross.) 

The second photo shows weaving with two heddles set for tabby.  I just have them rubber banded together at the top and raise or lower both at once.

I will note that it is much, much easier to thread the Ashford Rigid Heddle loom with 2 heddles than this one.  The Ashford allows me to thread through both heddles at one time, as they sit close together and the plastic hook (which I LOVE) bends enough to make that possible as you can see in the photo below.

Not sure how this project on the Cricket will work out the further into it I get (or how the fabric will end up wet finishing).  But so far it is looking like it might be usable and I am learning more about ways to manage that particular loom in the process.