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.
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
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