Handwoven claret and mid-grey Tailored Strands alpaca

I completed the weaving of these two scarves over a week ago but have not yet got around to  finishing them.  The fringes need to be twisted and the scarves washed.  They have been handwoven using claret and mid-grey 4-ply Tailored Strands alpaca yarns sourced from Alpaca Plus in Henley Brook.
In the unwashed condition the scarves are 1850mm x 225mm and weigh 142g so they will  be slightly smaller once washed.

The reason I have not finished these two scarves is that I have started handweaving an interesting 4m bolt of fabric to be made into a garment.  The following photos show the material on the loom.  It is slow going as I am using two or three different colours of Noro Silk Garden yarns on the same weft.

I will show you the finished garment in due course.

Hand-woven raw silk fabric

Have just completed hand-weaving a bolt of material using raw silk yarns, with some of the weft yarn being hand-spun.  The short crinkly area is where I tried using three different yarns, hence different shrinkages, but  reverted back to a single weft yarn for the last metre.  The piece is 5.6m long and the first 4.5m  is about 550mm  wide and the last metre 520mm wide.  The first photo shows the entire length of the fabric whilst the second has the fabric doubled over.

You will have to wait to see the  finished garments made using this fabric.  Hopefully they will be on sale at the Perth Upmarket scheduled for Sunday 3 March.

Hand-woven cashmere shawl with a difference

The two lengths of hand-woven cashmere fabrics shown recently have been sewed together along one of their long lengths leaving arm holes in two places. This makes an interesting shawl as shown in the photos. As the two pieces of fabric are different you can reverse the front with the back of the shawl to get two different appearances of the garment. In addition, if you turn the fabrics over the reverse side of the fabrics again give you two more appearances of the garment. So simple, apart from a lot of weaving, but a very interesting garment.

Aster and black handwoven cashmere fabric

Since returning from an European river cruise in late November, early December, I have hand-woven two lengths of cashmere fabric.  One is in a hand-dyed aster colour and is 1640mm x 380mm and weighs 146g.  The aster colour has a bit more mauve in it than shown in the photos.

The second is in the same pattern but I have used a black weft with the aster coloured warp.  This piece is 1630mm x 370mm and weighs 133g.  The pattern gives two different appearances on both sides of the fabric.

These two pieces are going to be made into an interesting garment which will appear in a later blog.


HELP:  I am not able to download photos to this blog from my own computer.  What has changed in Blogger?  I found I could upload using Google Chrome but not Microsoft Explorer!

2 more natural coloured hand-woven alpaca scarves

As I am about to go on a holiday to Europe I thought about which of my scarves I would take with me to wear.  After much thought I decided to weave two more the same as the last two woven, i.e., in a natural coloured mid-brown alpaca yarn from Shamwani Alpaca Stud, and also in the same pattern.  I knew I could weave them quickly and weaving two gave me one more scarf for my stock.  The previous two were for an order so already gone.
The two scarves are identical, being 1690mm x 200mm but one weighs 190g and the other 180g.  Not certain why the two weights are different with the scarves being identical size and pattern.  The photos shows both sides of the scarf as the pattern is different each side.

Now I am ready for the cold European November/December.

Hand-woven mid-brown natural coloured alpaca scarves

The final two scarves in my order for nine scarves using yarns from Shamwani Alpaca Stud have now been completed.  They are both in a natural coloured mid-brown alpaca yarn.
The first is 1750mm x 210mm and weighs 191g.

  The second is very similar being 1740mm x 205mm and weighs 193g.

The two scarves are really identical.  The two sets of photos just show the two sides of the pattern.

Yellow and blue hand-dyed and hand-woven alpaca scarves

The next two scarves I have woven for my order needed to be hand-dyed, but in the same pattern.
The first is dyed Daisy, a Gaywool dye, and is 1810mm x 205mm and weighs 168g.

The second is dyed using a Landscape dye, colour Sky, and is 1820mm x 210mm and weighs 166g.

Two more lovely Christmas presents!

2 white & 1 grey handwoven alpaca scarves

The next three scarves in my order for 9 alpaca scarves have now been completed.  They are woven in natural colour yarns from Shamwani Alpaca Stud.
The first is in a 4-ply white yarn and is 1930mm x 215mm and weighs 168g.

The second is also in a 4-ply yarn but grey in colour and is 1920mm x 220mm and weighs 194g.

The third is in a thicker 8-ply white yarn and is 1940mm x 190mm and weighs 194g.

 These are going to be lovely Christmas presents for 3 lucky people.

Brown and white alpaca hand-woven scarves

Have just received an order for 7 natural coloured alpaca scarves from the owners of Shamwani Alpaca.  Great news, except they want them by Christmas and I have only four weeks weaving time available due to planned holidays.  But at least I have now completed the first two.
The first is in natural white and is 1830mm x 210mm and weighs 173g.

The second is in a natural dark brown and is 1900mm x 220mm and weighs 216g.

I am sure the two receipients of these Christmas gift will be very pleased.

Noro Blossom hand-woven scarves

I have purchased some more Noro Blossom yarns following two previous scarves using this brand of yarn being snapped up at their first showing.  Noro Blossom is a 40% wool, 30% Kid mohair, 20% silk and 10% nylon and weaves  into a very lovely soft touching scarf.  As usual with Noro yarns there are a multiple of colours.
The first scarf is using colour #7 and is 1820mm x 180mm  and weighs 142g.

The second scarf is using colour #4 and is 1830mm x 180mm and weighs 136g.

Both scarves will be on my stall at the Subiaco Craft Fair at UWA on 28 October.

Hand-dyed cashmere yarn

In preparing for my next frenzy of weaving I have hand-dyed six 100g skeins of 2/20 cashmere yarn.  The chosen colours from Landscapes dyes are sun orchid, moss, garnet, sky, daintree and grevillea going from left to right.  Most of the colours have reproduced quite well but the grevillea is more brighter and deeper than shown.

I will show the finished scarves as they are woven.

Plum and white hand-woven cashmere scarf

My first scarf since the September Perth Upmarket is a hand-woven scarf using a 2/20 cashmere yarn.  The warp is in white as purchased but the weft is in a hand-dyed plum colour.  The finished scarf is 1820mm x 190mm and weighs 71g.

My next market is the Subiaco Craft Fair at UWA on 28 October.  The scarf will be on my stall there, unless previously sold.

Vectis Ori at Perth Upmarket

Vectis Ori had a stand at the Perth Upmarket held  at UWA on 23 September.  This is how my stand appeared at the event.  The scarves are hand-woven and carry the Vectis Ori label.  The garments have been made from hand-woven fabrics and carry the Oz Hiroko label.