A Shetland Wool Blanket

Recently, after seeing this blanket, I was asked by a friend if I would weave a blanket with wool from her own Shetland sheep, which they have processed locally at Hidden Touch Yarns.  I immediately said yes, and then wondered what I got myself into.  My weaving to date has been for myself.  No deadlines, no worries about mistakes, this would be different.

Some of the gals,

and the boys.

 

All of her yarn was one colour, natural.  Although I could weave a blanket in just the one colour, we thought it would be nice to introduce a second colour, still using her wool.  With the help of our friend Janice Lever of Windblest Farm, we set about dyeing some skeins of yarn.  We ended up with 4 skeins dyed in a beautiful deep burgandy colour.

Natural and dyed yarn:

 

Now that I had the yarn, what exactly was I going to weave?  I had an unlimited supply of the natural coloured wool, but just 800 metres of the dyed.  I looked through my books and magazines, and then finally stumbled upon this:

which led me to this:

They are shepherds, perfect!

This is my interpretation of the draft.

 

Finished Blanket

fringe detail

a cozy blanket

 

I hope she likes it.

Happy weaving,

Kelly

ETA:  Want to weave your own blanket using this wool?  It is available from Forest Row Farm.  Message me with your contact information and I will be happy to forward it on.

 

 

Done (well, almost)

My blanket is done, except for the fringe.  I started twisting the warp ends in groups to make a twisted fringe, my husband said it looked a bit “hippy-ish”.  I decided to seek the advice of experts, my Saturday sit ‘n knit group.  I think the decision was unanimous, a twisted fringe (in the bottom right corner you can see some of it done).

The blanket is double the width shown, I had to fold it in half in order for it to stay on the chair.

Now to clean up the dust bunnies under the loom and think of what to start next.

Kelly