Fiber to Finished Object

Merino Silk Blend

Here's an overview of a process that started in 2009 when I went to Stitches Midwest with my mother.

The first thing I saw that I liked that day was this fiber. I didn't buy it. Not then. We walked the entire floor and then I went back and decided that I did, indeed, need this fiber. Both of them. I didn't think at the time about how they were so very much "Duck" colors (our college football team). I just liked them, and I thought they were a good price.

The story continues in February of 2010 when they finally came back out of my stash to be spun up on the rented Ladybug wheel I had for the month. It was such a fun spin! I still love that wheel. I managed to spin both skeins to a fairly similar grist--or at least as similar as my skills allowed at that time. The yarn was lovingly tucked back into my stash with vague thoughts of ducky hats and other color-work possibilities. But I never fell in love with any of those ideas.

Then came weaving.. and the iPad. These pretty skeins of yarn were just enough to make an awesome sleeve for my new toy (or so I believed).

And I set about calculating warp and weft and planning how the colors would go together. Houndstooth. I had plans for another houndstooth out of handspun, and I thought these would make an awesome first attempt.

Boy, howdy! They sure did!

A scrap of flannel from JoAnn's remnant bin in an appropriately coordinating green was just enough to finish the project. I applied some of my bag making skills to this idea, incorporating a fold-over flap at the top. I love it! I just need to figure out some way to fasten it down. I wanted a magnetic strip, but didn't have anything strong enough (and I'm afraid of interfering with the electronics it will hold). But the bag is great!

I did have to give the flap a second round of sewing. My first attempt (still visible above) was a bit wobbly. Sadly even on a machine my sewing skills are lacking. I managed to very slowly and very painstakingly hand-seam the liner to the flap so that it came up to my standards of precision. I may attempt to go back over that carefully stitched line with my machine, or I may just trust that my own skills are good enough to hold until I wear out this fun bag.


Basic Stats:
Warp Length: 40" (this needed to be at least 12" longer, but came out okay anyway)
Loom Waste: 6" on each end (thus why I need a longer warp!)
Warp ends: 122 ends (122 for 10 inches + 2 ends to start/end on green)
Dent: 12
Woven Length: 24" (after washing)
Woven Width: 9" (after washing)