Friday, March 11, 2016

A Warp Inspired Collaboration


Sara Lamb and I decided to collaborate. We’d each weave a scarf using re-purposed cashmere yarn that my mother and I un-knitted from over 200 cashmere sweaters.

During the last 5 years of my mother’s life, she was unable to knit. Seeking an engaging yarn project for her, I hit upon the idea of un-knitting old cashmere sweaters. Over a 5 year period of time, we un-knitted over 200 cashmere sweaters (I just found out the term “tinking” is knit spelled backwards). I have used this reclaimed yarn as weft to create sumptuous scarves, shawls and blankets. Many of the sweaters are white, and the white yarn has rested in a basket waiting patiently for Sara Lamb, master dyer! Many of you know the current popularity of painted warps and skeins, but you may not know that Sara was painting yarn 25 years ago and is surely in the inspiration of the current trend.

Sara dyed yarn from the white sweaters using reds, golds and blues of a sunset as inspiration.

I sent 16 skeins to Sara, and she divided the yarn in half. She wound her portion of the yarn to use as warp and left mine in skeins to use as weft. Dye, Dye, Dye…And then the exciting part for me, Weaving, Weaving, Weaving! I wove my scarf on my Saori loom using the clasped weft technique. I don’t have a picture of Sara’s finished scarf to show you.


Before–above and After–below


This magnificent scarf is destined for the 2016 fund raising auction to generate support of WARP (Weave a Real Peace} networked projects and, perhaps, inspire other weavers to join in next year.