So, back in June, I thought I’d make some progress on the warp that had been draped over the loom for six months at that stage. That first day, I blogged that I’d gotten this far:

Threading fine black wool warp on loom

The next day, I trheaded 3 more inches – 5 of the total 8. And then, it sat. And sat. (Yes, and gathered some dust…)

On Thursday, I finished threading, sleying, tying it up, and got weaving…

However, I’m still not quite sure what I want to do! I’ve only done a few inches, sampling at this stage. The warp is 5 metres, and its threaded in a twill/advancing twill pattern. The original plan was to weave about half in plain weave, to have a contrasting fabric for collars/bands on a jacket made of fabric I wove years ago, and to weave the other half with a contrasting yarn in the pattern as a scarf.

This is the cloth I wove some years ago, with the jacket pattern I’m using for inspiration – however, I plan to a) make the bands and collar a bit narrower, and b) make the jacket a bit longer, and without the bottom band. The checked fabric will be the body of the jacket; what I’m weaving now will be the bands. I think.

Handwoven cloth

Advancing twill on fine black wool warp

The jacket fabric – on the right – has the fine black wool, intersected with a slightly thicker mauve yarn, which creates a gorgeous texture. The current weaving – on the left – has a sample of the twill pattern using the same mauve yarn, plain weave with the black yarn, and the advancing twill pattern, black on black (hardly visible). I think the twill pattern in the mauve will be too much – because the mauve is thicker yarn than the black, it overpowers it. I could try weaving it as overshot – with a black tabby thread between each mauve pick, which would ‘black’ it up a bit more, but I think it would still be too much. (The sample is only one pattern repeat; it would be repeated up the band).

So, I’m leaning towards the plain black as the contrast. Any thoughts?