Wednesday, December 31, 2008

The Warp

The warp, in two chains, has 1536 ends, enough for 16 inches/40cm at 96EPI. I would like to weave at 99EPI, but I'll decide after I come up with a weave structure and treading on a sample loom. The warp starts with black and gray, then moves on to blue-greens, greens, yellows and two oranges. I didn't want soft, all-over gradation, so in places I swapped the order of the cones so the color changes sway. With no plan but just the general order of the colors, I've managed to put in 25 colors in what I hope to be an attractive, umm, arrangement. Most segments have three different colors, with also a few two-color segments, and two at the edges, black and terracotta, in singles.

I want to edit the colors after I spread the warp on the rod and the raddle but before I wind on. I'm not sure about the black, as it stands out too much from the rest; in contrast, there is one saturated teal and one bright yellow, but by restricting the number of ends, I hope I've manged not to let them stand out as much. I'd like to add highlight colors like I did previously; I'm thinking of scattering a few yellows and oranges in the cool side, and blues in the warm side. There is one color called pewter which looks more like white gold that did not fit in the initial scheme; I'm thinking it may work in the blue or even gray/black area.

It will be a chore to wind this. They are 60/2 mercerized cottons, but these threads love to twist and twine around each other. I remember someone once mentioned talcum powder, but do you know anything else I should consider? I've been wondering about baking powder.

I've become used to having two or three projects developing at the same time, but not different segments of one project as in this case. It's ridiculous and dangerous. But just now a friend commented on our photo blog and wished us a "prosperous" New Year, and I misread it as "preposterous"!! "Completely contrary to nature, reason, or common sense; absurd; senseless; utterly foolish" doesn't sound too bad, though, does it? It's could be just the replacement muse I'm looking for.

Now, put the kettle on, climb into your comfy chair, and prepare to be educated by Dot on the subject of colors here.

9 comments:

  1. It takes a certain personality with fortitude to look at that yarn and say, I can do this!

    It is beautiful, but my oh my, that is a lot of warp, and so tiny too.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dana, I'll let you know after I've wound it if it was tenacity or outstanding stupidity. Because for now it can so easily go either way; more easily the latter, I suspect.

    ReplyDelete
  3. its gonna be great!
    i vote to keep the black.
    but then again I am preposterous and would never weave 1,536 ends.

    love the belly laugh on that misread.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yeah, particularly because she wasn't the kind that would play with words in that way. But a stoke of insight, yeah?

    I'll show you the warp when it's spread out and ready to be edited, so we get a clearer picture. I'm thinking fewer ends of black might be less daunting.

    Lynne, make no mistake, the greatest number of ends before this was probably around 700 or so, and before this, 60EPI for Repp was the busiest; I thought 36EPI was bad enough!

    ReplyDelete
  5. The 3 photos of warp threads are stunning!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks, Connie. They are old-Dutch-masters-like in hues and light/shade, no?

    ReplyDelete
  7. I am keeping my fingers crossed for you. I would have gone for 1- to 2-inch bouts........... It's up to you to prove me wrong and I will be delighted to be so proved.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I've never really tried many small bouts, to tell you the truth, and the one time I tried a medium-sized bouts, with very forgiving merino, I almost aborted the winding... Never thought of many smaller bouts, but I might think about that, if there is a next time with this size yarn.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Bearing in mind, of course, I don't have sectional warping...

    ReplyDelete

I love comments. Thank you for taking the time to leave one. But do be sure to leave your real or blog name.