Tuesday, January 18, 2022

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

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