Tired Monday

I kept waking up last night and couldn't go back to sleep for no apparent reason. And the old arm started telling me something; no pain, no soreness, just reminding me it's there. So I took it easy this morning, looking at the three samples, noticing some things that should have been blatantly obvious.

1) If the sett is set closer, the colors appear more saturated. Well, doh!

2) If the sett is set closer, my rectangles become skinner and longer. Well, double doh, but I decided I can live with this.

3) If the sett is set closer, the hand is definitely different. This, I knew, and from my recent experience with Mom's scarf, I almost looked forward to the less fluffy, more fabric-y hand. As I said yesterday, Sample 3 is too small to give me a good understanding of the difference, but that and what's on the loom now feel thicker and... more trust-worthy, rather than fluffy and lacy and airy-fairy. 

4) If the sett is set closer, the appearance of my designs change. For now, I can only say they are different, but can't explain how, nor which I prefer.

The idea of knotted fringes did not appeal to me at all, and I considered putting in not-so tiny beads at the head of the fringes; I had something like the rosary or prayer beads in mind. But the fabric is not thick, so the sizes of beads I had in mind would have been be disproportionately bulky. And as much as I liked the intricately laced fringes, I have no appetite for them for this project.

I studied the illustrations in Virginia M West's "Finishing Touches for the Handweaver" and Suzanne Baizerman and Karen Seale's "Finishes in the Ethnic Tradition", and tried out Italian Hemstitching from the former, (page 24) and Neolithic Edge from the latter, (page 9). Neolithic was easier and quicker but the Italian Hemstitching looked somewhat reminiscent of the bead idea, so though my technique is silly-shocking-laughable, I went with it.  The shape reminded me of medallions of Virgin Mary, the only jewelry we were allowed to wear in our convent school, and fitted nicely with the prayer theme.

I didn't get to weaving until around 5.30PM, but the weaving goes quickly, and I managed 67 cm today. So far I'm pleased; not ecstatic, but pleased, with what I've got.