MAINE VILLAGE WEAVER

King Size wool blanket The blanket for The Bridge Farm in Dresden Maine is completed! Didn't it turn out wonderful? It is organic beautiful wool woven in a twill weave . Hand woven blanket has two panels sewn together to get the width for the blanket I had sewed the seam . The owners wanted an edge that was fringed. I stay stitched the edges to keep them from unraveling. When the yarn was spun it had an oil used to keep control of the spinning. I washed the wool after it was sewn and it bloomed with a lovely heather brown and grey full yarn. Not too thick or heavy. It didn't even smell "sheepy " the wool when it was wet. I will deliver the blankets to the farm and they are going to have them on display at their open house on Dec 1. Call before going to be sure. They will have their beautiful animals in the field and goodies for sale.

I was asked by the folk at the Bridge Farm in Dresden Maine to weave blankets from their yarn grown by their very own flock of sheep! Here are some photos describing the process of weaving the yarn on my floor loom. First I want to say that  they had the yarn spun at a fiber mill outside of Maine. It was done by Stonehedge Fiber Mill. They did a lovely job! I have not encountered any problems with the yarn and it is sturdy enough to hold tension on the loom.It weaves beautifully and there has been no dust or pieces of foreign matter showing up( twigs or hay) or knots.   the threading of the yarn through the heddles before you can weave Close up of the wool blanket being woven  I am weaving this in a straight twill threading and treading it the same way. I have doubled the yarn in my shuttle to add body and less stiffness to the blanket. Picture above and below shows the shed opening and the shuttle being thrown in between the yarns. When the blanket is done. I will cut