Sampling is done!

So here's the March update. The samples are all done and swatches are all go here!

 

I finished off working through my notes; here's the honeycomb in the sandalwood linen and also some cream 4 ply 100% wool. It's had a light hand wash and line dry when it was still attached to the rest of the samples, so has pulled in a little, but the lightly beaten part in the middle hasn't really changed.

 

 

I also used the wool to do some plain weave bands to full to mimic the rib structure, but the sample needs some rougher treatment to pull it in more.

I also tried some knicker elastic, woven under slight tension! Here it is on the loom....

 

 

...and off, after hand washing.

 

 



 

I found some Louisa Harding Anise, a cotton tape yarn, to try to get the texture by pulling some loops out, but it flattened in the hand washing, so I'm not so keen on it.

 

 

I tried a bit of graduated colour change, here using 4 shades of 60/2 silk. I like the effect of the twill, but wonder what it might be like in the herringbone I tried before.

 

 

 

Can you spot the error in it? I think I must have repeated two lines in the pattern by mistake.

I also went for some more unconventional materials:

 

 

Bottom to top: barbecue skewers, strips of chamois leather and raffia...

 

 

...strips of torn brown paper and dried rose petals...

 

And finally string and green garden twine.

I'm not sure about any of that to be honest, but I am intrigued by the rose petals, perhaps using much narrower strips of paper or the chamois.

So now, I need to review my ideas (now got 12 or 13 and I only need 8 swatches in the collection!) and crack on. I've got less than two weeks now!