# Weaving--Flowers of Canaan



## dtjacobson (Mar 25, 2012)

The first warp of 2017: 

Warp length: 12.25 yards
Warp yarn: UKI 8/2 cotton (#79 Natural)
Number of ends: 455
Draft: "Flowers of Canaan," from _A Handweaver's Pattern Book_ by Marguerite P. Davison (p. 85)
Sett: 22 epi

This weave structure is known as a "barleycorn" and was originally based on drafts 9 and 10, _The Domestic Manufacturer's Assistant and Family Directory in the Arts of Weaving and Dyeing_ (1817) by J. and R. Bronson. It picked up the name "Bronson" after it was rediscovered by Mary Meigs Atwater in the early 20th century.

The first pic is the color draw-down of the draft; the second is where I was yesterday morning (1/2/17), with the warp beamed and ready to go. As of this morning (1/3/17), most of the heddles are threaded, so I should have the reed sleyed and start weaving the sample this afternoon.


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## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

Oh that is going to be very pretty. All that in two days. You go girl. Can't wait to see it finished.


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## Babalou (Jun 3, 2012)

Wow, that is a lot of yardage and a pretty pattern. What will the finished object or objects be?


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## spins2knit (Jul 29, 2013)

Beautiful. Looking forward to your finished work.


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## sockyarn (Jan 26, 2011)

What loom do you use and what are you making.


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## amoamarone (Feb 21, 2015)

Looking forward to the updates! Looks a bit complicated!


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## Reba1 (Feb 5, 2012)

Please keep sharing your progress! Way to complicated for me, but I love to live vicariously through you all, while I learn my RHL. You've probably told us before, but what loom are you using?


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## dtjacobson (Mar 25, 2012)

Kitchen towels.

This warp is short, as I'm sampling this design. If it can be woven efficiently, I'll tie on a 30-yard "production" warp.

The heddles are threaded, the reed is sleyed, the tie-up is changed, and the bouts have their lashing cords added. I just need to tie on, and I can start weaving...if I step away from the computer. :sm04:


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## dtjacobson (Mar 25, 2012)

This warp is on my beloved "Mongo": a 56" weaving width, 16-shaft/23-treadle Macomber. It's the loom I use for production weaving; I have a Gilmore Gem II for workshops, and a Leclerc Cendral "English" inkle for band-weaving.


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## wordancer (May 4, 2011)

Whew, now that appears to be a challenge.


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## kwharrod (Jul 24, 2012)

Anxiously waiting to see the finished sample.


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## dtjacobson (Mar 25, 2012)

An update: The sample is woven and wet-finished, and...I don't like the cloth. The design is fine (this is with the red weft), but the sett (22 epi) is a bit too dense, the resulting fabric is a bit too narrow, and I'm not thrilled with the plainweave framing the design. On the up side, every single color of weft looks good so, once the design flaws are worked out, this will be a great stash-buster.


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## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

I know nothing about the mechanics of weaving but I really like what you have done. It's very pretty and a great way to use stash. Very pretty.


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## dtjacobson (Mar 25, 2012)

UPDATE: The second sample, with the sett at 20 epi, is off the loom and wet-finished. The selvedges are better, but it appears that the weft yarn (Valley 8/2 cotton) is too highly twisted and too stiff to behave well with the warp (UKI 8/2 cotton). This is what it looks like before wet-finishing: the goal is to get the barleycorn diaper to be distinct, rather than looking like an all-over pattern. Sample #3 will be with UKI 8/2 for both warp and weft.


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