MAINE VILLAGE WEAVER

Weaving is a solitary experience for me. Radio on while I beat each thread into place with just the right amount of pressure. I sit by a sunny window with my back to the world outside not because of being distracted by it but because I enjoy the sunny warmth. The project these past two weeks has been weaving yarn given to me by Julie of Sheep Meadow  on North Haven Island ,Maine ,shepardess of a flock of  Romney sheep. Life on her farm is rhythmic with the seasons . Ewes lambing , chickens laying eggs and plants being started under grow lights .We go to her shop on the island to explore her spun yarns of her sheep. Julie's  shop also carrys Maine artisans as well as a space to show off and sell her work , hand dyed yarns from her dye garden of plants and flowers, Island Village House  is a special place. We selected the yarns to create our first project. Blankets and scarves! Lite chocolate brown with zinna dyed green yarn  and a  single ply white yar...

The Wild Hare Farm  is a new blog I have added to my Blog list .This is a blog written by a young couple just starting their family farm . Read it and enjoy! Have a great day!

What? What is CVM wool? Well this is lovely 2 ply yarn that I have been working with to make the Organic wool blankets for the The Bridge Farm. CVM sheep are a heritage sheep breed that is great for wool fiber and as a meat breed for small farms. I read about them at a web site of a local farm that also spins yarn for sheep farmers .This was NEWAIM yarn fiber mill. Well I am hooked. This is lovely wool that has luster and smooth not itchy at all. My job is done with weaving the blankets and now I am in search for more. The hunt is on. I almost forgot CVM stands for California Varigated Mutant , thats right . Check Out the web site NEWAIM .

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 do...