Baby Yak Woven Scarf

 Project Dates: 2021 - 2022

This little project started with an innocent comment from my husband.  I would like something made out of baby yak which is supposed to be the softest fiber.  Well, you don’t have to ask me twice when it comes to a fiber project!  That innocent comment was made with enough time that I just might be able to find the product, purchase it, design and make something in time for the holiday! Or maybe his birthday!  Or, doesn’t matter, because it’s a fiber project for crying out loud!
 
So, onto the net I went in search of baby yak fiber.  Not many carry it.  But I found an outlet that not only supplies baby yak fiber, but supports them and their caretakers directly in Mongolia!  The Ula and Lia label started out as a peace corp. volunteer who went on to stay in Mongolia to create their fashion label as a way to stay and live in Mongolia.  Ula and Lia sustainably sell yak fiber products.

 
I don’t often do dull.  I did want however to stick to the fiber’s natural characteristics.  I chose a chocolate brown.  The fiber seemed soft enough, but not sure about the title “ softest ever.”    Well, I was committed, so onwards to design the scarf.  There’s a lot of details to consider.  It’s not just a rectangle of yarn.  Knit? Crochet?  Weave?  Definitely, weave.  So, still had to decide on a texture.  Didn’t’ want to do a simple vanilla balanced weave, so, I perused my library and online.  I decided on a satin four shaft pattern (well, I only have four shafts!).  I decided on a scarf size of 12” by 48”.  A cozy neck covering. 
 
I dragged up the big horizontal mill from the basement to measure the warp.  I tried different setts to sample the weft picks.  I was worried about how the end product would turn out.  On the loom it was really tight and felt the opposite of soft.  I know this is somewhat normal.  The fabric really doesn’t come into its own until after removing from the loom and finishing.  But, after weaving about five inches, I was not craze about the sett I had picked.  It felt very stiff and whatever soft it had left the building.  
 
Also, the pattern was setup on the loom so that when weaving I looked at the back side of the fabric.  Not my favorite thing to do.  But that gave me an idea,  I decided to change up the design.  The bulk of the center of the scar would be done at a very loose sett, and in between the beginning tight sett and the center field at a looser sett, I turned the design around.  I changed the tie-up so that I was facing the front for most of the work, and only a small one-inch border between the ends.  It meant I had to change the tie-up four times, but that was worth it.

I started weaving the center a with very loose sett and again I panicked about that choice. It looked like a very loose lace and I was worried it would be too see-through and not warm.  I chose to keep that sett, which was just about a thread width apart.  I was hoping that fulling the wool later on would make up the difference, make it not see-through, and would help to make it softer.
 
It didn’t take very long to complete the weaving.  Definitely in time for the holiday gift giving time!  I also added fringe.  Something I rarely do.  But I kept it short.  It was wet finished using a lot of agitation.  Checking periodically how full it was becoming by scratching underneath the fabric looking to when the fibers would not move.  At that point, I wrung it out in a towel, and put it in the drier.  Just for about ten minutes but checking after every couple.  I wanted it to full a lot.  It then got to lay out on the beach, or rather the top of the washer and dryer for a couple of days.
 
The end result was rewarding. Leaving the loose sett in the middle and wet finishing to full the fabric, delivered a really soft drape.  The ends were a tad heavier which helped the scarf to sit down in the front.  It is very warm.  And it is, as advertised, VERY soft.  It was a fun quick project to make for my beloved.

Alex

Frank Lloyd Wright Inspired Cross Stitch

Project Dates: 2021-2022

 

Dave and I had the opportunity to go to Florida.   Wherever we travelled we always looked for Frank Lloyd Wright homes to tour.  We are avid fans.  We especially love the idea of bringing nature indoors.  I love his long cantilevered unique designs.  Still today, his designs evoke awe and inspiration.  We visited Florida Southern Collage which is the only university project designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.  We also visited one of the college homes which were used to house faculty families in the thirties.  This location had a shop and I found frank Lloyd wright stained window inspired cross stitch patterns.  I had to have one. That was a few years ago.  I recently dug it out of my craft stash and just finished it.  An ode to Frank Lloyd Wright!

Sweater Vest

Project: circa 2003

I was in my first rebirth period of fiber arts.  Having grown up learning how to sew from my mother, and knit and crochet from my mother and grandmother, these crafts provided a foundation for my future interests in fiber arts.  During my childhood, I loved these crafts, but not nearly as passionate about them as I am now and since my rebirth and resurgence in these arts.  During my forties, after a couple of decades of self-imposed fiber drought, my passion for fiber arts stirred anew.  Starting with the gift of a floor loom which birthed my interest in weaving, I expanded anew into crochet and knitting, and learned how to spin.  We had just moved to Wisconsin’s wintery cold and I wanted to start another project.  This time in knitting.  I wanted to make something for Dave, but after a failure of a sweater a few decades earlier, I thought to abort the tempt of fate by selecting something smaller in scope, but with lots of pattern interest, a sweater vest.

By the way, that first sweater project failure, is a joke from my past.  My mother had made my uncle a beautiful white sweater.  It was hand knitted.  She spent a long time making that.  She got his measurements in secret so as to make him a Christmas present.  He had long complained that she never made anything for him.  Mom was always making handmade presents for everyone. That skill and desire was passed down to me. 

Noro long color gradients.

So then came the reveal.  My uncle opened his present, was agog, and handed out compliments profusely and he then tried it on.  OMG.  The sweater was made for a monkey.  Literally, as he put his arms in the sleeves, they grew magically.  The more he pushed his arm, the longer the sleeve grew, until, OMG, it must have been almost twice the length of his arm.  Never to return to their intended length.  It became known as the monkey sweater, much to my mother’s chagrin and embarrassment.

So, back to my sweater disaster.  It was just a few years into our relationship, and I wanted to make Dave a sweater.  I had a knitting machine, which I had rarely used.  I was determined to use that to make him a present.  So, out came the bulk cone of white yarn.  I relearned how to use the machine.  I very meticulously took a swatch gauge, and converted to a pattern.  I then pursued the machine stitches, watching the pattern gauge chart device on the machine hoping and assuming that my calculations were correct.  Rather than take measurements as it progressed, I left everything to fate, because of course, I knew I had everything right.  So, I merrily went along humming the machine to create that cloth.

The boring, but beautiful back!

I spent hours making the fabric and then piecing together the sweater.  Then came the final reveal.  I simply put it in a box, wrapped it up for Christmas, 1987 I think, and Dave was truly surprised.   Then came the reveal.  Over the head the sweater went, in the arms his arms went, and longer and longer the sweater arms grew.  Yes, the monkey sweater made its appearance again!  I was so embarrassed and disappointed.  Fortunately, everyone had a good laugh.

Inside showing steek.

So, here I am, making and measuring carefully the sweater vest, yet despite my careful swatch and gauging, or so I thought, the vest came out much too wide.  I had to cut and sew the sides to make a steek in order to create a more proper fit.  Oh, well!

 

The project was fun and expanded my skills.  The back was an allover diamond texture.  This was a very tedious piece in a boring color and stretched my resolve.  However, after that was done, the rest of the project with multiple colored horizontal stripes using newly found Noro yarns and that kept my interest alive.  The project was finished with purple blue buttons.  It came out great, and is a beautiful addition to Dave’s wardrobe, even if I say so myself!