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Hand Made Braided Scarves

Back in September I went to the Finger Lakes Fiber Festival. I’d wanted to go for the last few years, but had always done a show the same weekend. This year I decided not to do that show. (Not because I wanted to go to the Fiber Festival. I decided that show was no longer the best venue for me.)

It was a lot of fun and I’m glad I went. The Festival is really targeted to spinners and knitters, not weavers, but I couldn’t resist buying stuff anyway, even though I couldn’t weave with it. Before I got there I’d been thinking that I was not likely to see many coned yarns or other weaving supplies, so I had developed another plan. I’d sold three of my braided scarves at the Clothesline Festival, and only had 2 left, so wanted to make some more. I was hoping I’d find some cool stuff to braid with, and I wasn’t disappointed.

On the way home from the Fiber Festival I stopped at the Alfred Knitting Studio, knowing that they often have some really cool stuff at deep discounts on the front porch. Again, I wasn’t disappointed, and got things that would coordinate with the Fiber Festival purchases. The next day I stopped at Joann’s and picked up some bulky acrylics. Although I almost never work with acrylic yarn, I had made an exception for my last braids, and was willing to do so again. By mixing acrylics in the braids I’m able to make them at a really reasonable cost, and the people who want them don’t seem to care – they’re buying them for the look & the price, not the fiber content.

When I had a few minutes in between making all the jewelry, I made six more braids. I’m happy with all of them. I also had fun giving them names. Usually my weaving is named based on the color yarn and weave pattern, so that if I need to recreate it I can. The braids? Each one is different and I won’t pretend I can recreate it, so I name them things I like.

I called the first one Dappled Forest.
dappled forest braided scarf

This one is Early Snow in the Hills.
early snow in the hills braided scarf

Here’s Storm Clouds.
storm clouds braided scarf

And Fit For A Queen. (My least favorite name. I couldn’t come up with anything better.)
fit for a queen braided scarf

Now for Snow in Autumn.
snow in autumn braided scarf

And finally, Fall Hillside.
fall hillside braided scarf

I finished making all the jewelry on Monday, so decided that I had time to weave one more shawl. I have very few large pieces left, and have already had two customers tell me they’re interested in my shawls, so I figured people would want them at the show, too. I chose one of the lovely Tammy’s hand painted rayon chenille yarns and went to town. The warp is made from her variegated colorway she calls North Shore with a broad stripe of rather vivid green (she calls it Forest, but I don’t think so) along one side. The weft is her solid Eggplant.

North Shore rayon chenille handwoven shawl

Your turn: how are you spending this gorgeous long weekend? (Notice I assume it’s both beautiful weather where you are and that you have a three-day weekend. Sorry if neither of those is true for you.

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