Handwoven Swedish Lace Scarves

I’ve been a very bad blogger, but at least I’ve been a good weaver. I have good excuses. In the space of 21 days between May 22 and June 8 I have two shows — Routes to Art and Kenan Center’s 100 American Craftsmen — a major fundraiser for Pfeiffer Nature Center where I work, and, most importantly, MY DAUGHTER’S wedding!

I won’t bore you with a post on every scarf I’ve made; instead I’ll show you the recent scarves by grouping.

Although when I’m showing new handwoven scarves to Margaret to gather local critique I always show her my favorites last, I’m going to reverse that here, and show you my favorites first.

And what are those favorites, you might ask? It’s the new Swedish lace scarves. I wove them in alternating blocks. I was initially afraid it’d look a bit like a checkerboard, detracting from the classy look I was going for.

First I did them in a fine gauge Mora wool, approximately 4,700 yards per pound (ypp).

Yippee – I liked the way they looked! Although that wool is pretty fine, they look clunky compared to the next batch…

Now it was time to move to the fiber I really wanted to do them with, a VERY fine cashmere-silk blend in a lovely orange color.  This yarn is about 6,000 ypp

I’m not usually an orange person, but I really love these scarves. Obviously, the scarf on the left is the Swedish lace blocks, and the one on the right is a simple tabby weave. In both cases, the finished product is light as air, soft as silk, and drapes like a dream.

Like my other handwoven lace scarves, I wove these on my little counterbalance loom. I do love this vintage, handmade beauty, and use it whenever possible, and it never complains, even when I ask it to go outside its comfort zone and weave 1 harness against 3, such as when I’m making woven lace.

I took them to Routes to Art this weekend, my first show of the season, and got lots of great feedback. I will DEFINITELY be making more cashmere silk scarves! In fact, I think I’d better go order more of that yarn right now!