# The towels are finished….well almost



## 44gram (Dec 10, 2011)

Here are my towels!!!! Finished, almost. They still need hemming and washing. Do you turn them up once, or twice???

And I really need a zig-zag sewing machine. It is really difficult trying to secure the ends with a straight stitch.

I did have tension problems. I have to hold the yarn and wind for the warp by myself, and I didn’t do a very good job tensioning the yellow stripes. I did much better with the last project, the Sugar N Cream placemats. 

But these are finished. I have another 2 to do for my son and will try to do a better job winding the warp.

Thanks to all who offered suggestions. They were invaluable.


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## BirchPoint (Feb 12, 2016)

Woohoo, super job!!!!

I usually fold the ends twice.....

I don't seem to be able to wind a warp more than 3 yards long without tension issues. I end up weaving one scarf, then cutting it off and retying my warp. You just need to allow more warp length between projects....


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## 44gram (Dec 10, 2011)

BirchPoint said:


> Woohoo, super job!!!!
> 
> I usually fold the ends twice.....
> 
> I don't seem to be able to wind a warp more than 3 yards long without tension issues. I end up weaving one scarf, then cutting it off and retying my warp. You just need to allow more warp length between projects....


Thank you.

Ok. The pattern said do 3 rows of scrap between But I think you are correct. I could have. I had enough warp In fact I used some Sugar N Cream and did a small hot pad with the remaining warp.

Hopefully I'll get better wrapping the warp the more I do.

now on the second set.


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## run4fittness (May 22, 2011)

Great job.


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## 44gram (Dec 10, 2011)

run4fittness said:


> Great job.


Thank you.


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## Rapunzel42 (Feb 18, 2017)

Those came out lovely! Turn twice. Next time try just a whip stitch or hemstitching while still on the loom....beggining and end. Fortunately the loose part will be in the hem and no one will know )


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## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

Wow those are amazing. I like the little fringe. Zig zag machine would help.


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## betty boivin (Sep 12, 2012)

I turn up twice and sew on the edge with the broken zig zag stitch.


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## 44gram (Dec 10, 2011)

Rapunzel42 said:


> Those came out lovely! Turn twice. Next time try just a whip stitch or hemstitching while still on the loom....beggining and end. Fortunately the loose part will be in the hem and no one will know )


Thank you. I saw the hemstitch and think I will try it with the next pair. I'll iron and hem up today. Then I can get them mailed to my GD. Hope she likes them.

Hum…. I just read your reply again. A whip stitch while still on the loom. Sounds like great advice. Thanks


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## 44gram (Dec 10, 2011)

mama879 said:


> Wow those are amazing. I like the little fringe. Zig zag machine would help.


Thank you. Yes I really wish I had a zig-zag. But my machine works so well, I'm debating if it would behoove me to get a zig-zag just for the woven stuff, when I can use other methods, though not as easy.


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## 44gram (Dec 10, 2011)

betty boivin said:


> I turn up twice and sew on the edge with the broken zig zag stitch.


Thank you. I'll turn up twice, but will have to straight stitch. No zig-zagger :sm03:


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## spins2knit (Jul 29, 2013)

Well done!


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## 44gram (Dec 10, 2011)

spins2knit said:


> Well done!


Thank you.


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## cowsnapples (May 1, 2011)

They're absolutely lovely. I tip I was given for winding on, set a heavy book on the warp as you wind on. It helps add tension.
can't wait to see your next project!


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## 44gram (Dec 10, 2011)

Thank you um… where does the book go? Between my hands and the loom? So the yarn is passing under the book as I am winding on?


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## Lsay3 (Sep 30, 2012)

Well that was a quick project! You did a beautiful job. I love the 2 colors of yellow in the stripe. I always hem stitch my woven projects by hand on the loom before removing them. Then I might follow up with a zig zag stitch on my machine. Wash & dry, then cut apart for hemming. If it's a special project, I'll hand sew the double folded hem down. If not so special, I sew the hems using a straight stitch by machine. If you really want a machine that can do a zig-zag stitch, get a used one. Otherwise, use a straight stitch with your machine using a small stitch like, 2.0 or maybe less. It should hold the stitches together and allow you to turn up twice for hemming. If you want to, you could run a straight stitch across twice.


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## 44gram (Dec 10, 2011)

Lsay3 said:


> Well that was a quick project! You did a beautiful job. I love the 2 colors of yellow in the stripe. I always hem stitch my woven projects by hand on the loom before removing them. Then I might follow up with a zig zag stitch on my machine. Wash & dry, then cut apart for hemming. If it's a special project, I'll hand sew the double folded hem down. If not so special, I sew the hems using a straight stitch by machine. If you really want a machine that can do a zig-zag stitch, get a used one. Otherwise, use a straight stitch with your machine using a small stitch like, 2.0 or maybe less. It should hold the stitches together and allow you to turn up twice for hemming. If you want to, you could run a straight stitch across twice.


Thank you. Yes, it went a lot faster than I thought it would. And totally enjoyable. Thanks for the tips on the hemming. I did a bad thing, I cut apart before sewing and washing. Bad, bad, but I learned. And after thinking a bit more, I decided I really didn't need to spend the bucks for another machine. I'll find another use for it. Maybe if I continue weaving, a 24" loom. I did have to reduce the warp as the pattern called for 18 and I only have 16

I've hemmed them and find, they should be 23", they are only 20". Not sure how that happened but I'll watch better for next time. Probably didn't measure correctly on the loom.

Now to wrap and send to GD.


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## cowsnapples (May 1, 2011)

44gram said:


> Thank you um… where does the book go? Between my hands and the loom? So the yarn is passing under the book as I am winding on?


The book goes on the table to hold the yarn down while you slow wind on. Be sure to do your "crank and yank" as normal. By put a heavy book on the yarn it adds tension.

I should have explained that to begin with. I hope I explained it well enough to be clearer than mud.


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## 44gram (Dec 10, 2011)

cowsnapples said:


> The book goes on the table to hold the yarn down while you slow wind on. Be sure to do your "crank and yank" as normal. By put a heavy book on the yarn it adds tension.
> 
> I should have explained that to begin with. I hope I explained it well enough to be clearer than mud.


Yes, thank you. Ill do that with the next set of towels. Thanks again for the tip


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## BirchPoint (Feb 12, 2016)

44gram said:


> Thank you. Yes, it went a lot faster than I thought it would. And totally enjoyable. Thanks for the tips on the hemming. I did a bad thing, I cut apart before sewing and washing. Bad, bad, but I learned. And after thinking a bit more, I decided I really didn't need to spend the bucks for another machine. I'll find another use for it. Maybe if I continue weaving, a 24" loom. I did have to reduce the warp as the pattern called for 18 and I only have 16
> 
> I've hemmed them and find, they should be 23", they are only 20". Not sure how that happened but I'll watch better for next time. Probably didn't measure correctly on the loom.
> 
> Now to wrap and send to GD.


Any and all woven pieces will 'shrink' when you take it off the loom, and especially wash it. It's called take up. A few inches is normal. Just make everything a little longer and wider if it's important to end up with a certain size.....


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## 44gram (Dec 10, 2011)

BirchPoint said:


> Any and all woven pieces will 'shrink' when you take it off the loom, and especially wash it. It's called take up. A few inches is normal. Just make everything a little longer and wider if it's important to end up with a certain size.....


Thanks. I will definitely do extra. Amazing how much you can learn from a single project


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## rosewa (Oct 2, 2019)

44gram said:


> Here are my towels!!!! Finished, almost. They still need hemming and washing. Do you turn them up once, or twice???
> 
> And I really need a zig-zag sewing machine. It is really difficult trying to secure the ends with a straight stitch.
> 
> ...


Have you tried, hemstitching? I read about this in the Wheel, from Ashfords NZ. Your weaving looks amazing


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## RenegadeJane (Dec 4, 2015)

44gram said:


> Here are my towels!!!! Finished, almost. They still need hemming and washing. Do you turn them up once, or twice???
> 
> And I really need a zig-zag sewing machine. It is really difficult trying to secure the ends with a straight stitch.
> 
> ...


Very nice. You can actually hem them on the loom as you go.


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